Coaches Across The District
Over the past decade, we have been so fortunate to be able to grow our coaching program in Winchester! From ITS, to SEL, to instructional coaches, to coordinators, we are thrilled to see collaboration in action across the elementary level, and emerging at the middle school and high school.
Purpose & Vision
As we’ve grown these positions, we have received questions about the roles, goals, and vision for the district and coaches. Embedding the role of coaches in a district is a commitment to everyone’s life-long learning. It is an opportunity to have embedded, ongoing, and differentiated professional development during and outside of the school day and year.
We believe that coaching is a collaborative endeavor and that the coach is a thought partner, a peer, and an ambassador. Coaches are an opportunity to “tap into” an objective view of one who has the opportunity to be in many classrooms regularly.
Coaches help us to: plan, observe, problem-solve, innovate, see what is working, share ideas for next steps, and connect us with others focusing on the same areas and/or having different strengths than we do. They can be your: sounding boards, researchers, connectors, mirrors, or models. They are here to support and encourage you; they are a trusted and safe peer.
Meet the Coaches
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Betty Beauchamp
Elementary Instructional Coach
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Phil Bellenoit
Elementary ITS
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Jessica Bixby
Literacy Coach
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Stacey Bukuras, MSW, LICSW
Social-Emotional Learning Coach, K-5
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Kim Burke
McCall Instructional Coach
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Kelly Cunha, MSW, LICSW
Social-Emotional Learning Coach
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Amy Dillen
Social Emotional Learning Coach, Adjustment Counselor
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Jennifer Dumas
Literacy Coach
jdumas@winchesterps.org
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Paul DeBenedictis
Instructional Technology Specialist
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Kathleen Grace
Instructional Technology Specialist, Winchester High School
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Meredith Jones, LICSW
Social Emotional Learning Coach
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Katie Malone
Elementary Literacy Coordinator
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Lynn Mazzocchi
Literacy Coach
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Julie McElaney-Gorman
Elementary Math Coordinator
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Bonnie McEwen
Literacy Coach
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Shana Mihovics
Social-Emotional Learning Coach, Adjustment Counselor
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Diane Pierce
Instructional Technology Specialist - Elementary
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Lia Stelljes
Elementary Science, Technology, and Engineering Coordinator
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Emily Ward
Social Emotional Coach and Adjustment Counselor
Coaches Will:
Be supportive and share what is working/what could be next steps
Differentiate their approach/materials/supports based on what YOU identify you need
Listen carefully to you
Be positive and realistic
Follow through
Set-up a safe space
Be trust-worthy and transparent
Be prepared
Offer recommendations for resources/connections
Respect your expertise
Respect your autonomy
Work with you wherever you are
Encourage risk taking
Coaches Won’t:
Share about your experience without your permission
Presume to have all of the answers
Invalidate your experience
Judge where you are on the continuum of a particular practice
Be dismissive
Do the teaching without your involvement