Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

Warren County School System

First Presenter’s Email Address

charris@warren.k12.ga.us

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Dr. Christopher Harris Sr. has proudly served as Superintendent of Warren County Schools since July 2021. He began his career in Warren County in 2013 as a social studies teacher and coach, later serving as Principal of Warren County High School and CEO of the Warren Career Academy. With more than a decade of dedicated service to the district, Dr. Harris has led with a focus on academic excellence, student success, and community partnership. He holds degrees from the University of West Georgia, Cambridge College, Augusta State University, and Augusta University, and earned his Doctorate in Educational Administration from South Carolina State University.

Second Presenter's Institution

Warren County School System

Second Presenter’s Email Address

jnicholson@warren.k12.ga.us

Second Presenter's Brief Biography

Ms. Jessica Nicholson is the proud Principal of M.E. Freeman Elementary School in Warren County. A dedicated lifelong learner, she holds four college degrees and is currently pursuing her fifth—a Doctorate in School Improvement. With 22 years of experience in education, Ms. Nicholson has taught grades 4 through 12, served as a lead teacher, and held the role of assistant principal. She is widely admired for her motivational leadership, unwavering commitment to excellence, and passion for student success. Outside of her professional role, Ms. Nicholson is a devoted mother of three sons and a proud grandmother of two. She also runs her own business, Educated Diva Creations LLC, where she shares her creativity through custom apparel and braiding. Deeply connected to her community, she is known for her generosity, encouragement, and constant support of family, friends, and neighbors.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Location

Scarbrough 4

Strand #1

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Strand #2

Heart: Social & Emotional Skills

Relevance

This session supports NYAR’s Head strand by advancing academic achievement and leadership, while also strengthening the Heart strand through social-emotional skill development and positive school climate practices.

  • Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership (primary)
  • Heart: Social & Emotional Skills / School Climate (secondary)

Brief Program Description

Shared leadership is driving notable reading/ELA gains—up to 20 percentage points annually (2022–2025)—in a rural district. This session highlights how integrating instructional alignment, collaborative data teams, and daily SEL routines improves both achievement and climate. Participants will leave with ready-to-use tools, including a data-team process, PLC protocols, and a six-week literacy sprint to accelerate measurable results.

Summary

Rural schools face unique challenges, including limited staffing, competing initiatives, and persistent literacy gaps. Addressing these realities requires coherent systems that integrate instruction, climate, and student support. This session presents a practical model demonstrating how shared leadership, anchored in the R4 Framework—Rigor, Relevance, Relationships, Results—combined with a schoolwide SEL Climate System, has produced measurable gains in reading/ELA achievement.

Shared leadership drives the work at every level—district leaders, principals, teacher leaders, and support staff—ensuring ownership and accountability. Rigor is advanced through standards-based walkthroughs, coaching that connects directly to student evidence, and intentional scheduling of core and intervention blocks. Relevance grows through project-based learning tasks and authentic literacy connections. Relationships are strengthened by daily SEL routines, classroom community-building practices, and collaborative staff culture. Results are sustained through quarterly reviews, success snapshots, and transparent data dashboards that foster clarity and momentum.

Participants will explore how this approach has generated significant growth in literacy performance, with schools reporting annual ELA gains of up to 20 percentage points for each year from 2022–2025. The integration of MTSS and PBIS practices provides an aligned support structure, while SEL lessons and staff professional development reinforce belonging and resilience. Schoolwide book studies further embed shared values and a culture of continuous improvement, supporting both the academic and social-emotional development of students.

Attendees will leave with ready-to-use resources: an R4 walkthrough tool for instructional alignment, a PLC data protocol for team-based analysis, a six-week literacy sprint model to accelerate reading growth, and adaptable SEL routines for classrooms. The session concludes with an implementation roadmap tailored for both small rural systems and larger districts, emphasizing low-cost structures, clearly defined roles, and practical metrics that sustain progress. This model equips participants with actionable strategies to improve literacy, strengthen climate, and advance equity in diverse school contexts.

Evidence

Center on PBIS. (2024, January 11). The impact of the interconnected systems framework (ISF) on school climate: Results from a randomized controlled trial. University of Oregon. https://www.pbis.org/resource/the-impact-of-the-interconnected-systems-framework-isf-on-school-climate-results-from-a-randomized-controlled-trial PBIS

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, June 26). Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC). U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/whole-school-community-child/about/index.html CDC

EdPolicy InCA. (2020, July 1). What do changes in social‐emotional learning tell us about student outcomes? EdPolicy in CA. https://edpolicyinca.org/publications/changes-social-emotional-learning

Learning Objective 1

Participants will be able to identify three shared leadership practices that raise reading/ELA outcomes.

Learning Objective 2

Participants will be able to blend the R4 Framework with MTSS/PBIS to streamline efforts and focus on results.

Learning Objective 3

Participants will be able to turn school data into clear, actionable literacy improvement steps

Keyword Descriptors

ELA, PBIS/MTSS, Reading Interventions, Shared leadership, School Climate, SEL, Relationships.

Presentation Year

2026

Start Date

3-3-2026 10:15 AM

End Date

3-3-2026 11:30 AM

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Mar 3rd, 10:15 AM Mar 3rd, 11:30 AM

Shared Leadership, Strong Results: Advancing Reading and ELA

Scarbrough 4

Shared leadership is driving notable reading/ELA gains—up to 20 percentage points annually (2022–2025)—in a rural district. This session highlights how integrating instructional alignment, collaborative data teams, and daily SEL routines improves both achievement and climate. Participants will leave with ready-to-use tools, including a data-team process, PLC protocols, and a six-week literacy sprint to accelerate measurable results.