Join us for a dynamic webinar designed for teacher leaders and school administrators focused on building and sustaining effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).
Structuring Effective PLC’s
April 16, 2026 | 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. EST
In this engaging, conversation-style session, we will explore the essential structures that drive impactful PLCs: establishing a strong foundation grounded in shared purpose, fostering meaningful collaboration, clarifying expectations for teaching and learning, and consistently monitoring student progress to inform instruction.
Participants will examine the critical elements of a supportive school culture that make PLCs thrive—including trust, psychological safety, shared accountability, and a collective commitment to continuous improvement. Through authentic dialogue and practical insights, this session will model how educators can move beyond compliance-driven meetings to create PLCs that truly enhance instructional practice and student outcomes.
Whether you are refining existing structures or building PLCs from the ground up, this webinar will provide actionable strategies and a clear vision for collaborative success.
The Research to Practice Series features professional development seminars led by staff members of the School Success Center, a unit within the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Delaware. The Research to Practice Series fosters and promotes all educators as instructional leaders by synthesizing and practicing research and evidence-based practices, allowing for immediate classroom and school application.
Our Presenters: Chester Cox and Dr. Ann Little
Chester Cox is a Leadership Specialist from the Delaware Academy of School Leadership at the University of Delaware’s School Success Center with over 30 years of experience as a public school teacher, building principal, and district leader. As a principal, he led Star Hill Elementary as they earned National Blue Ribbon status in 2012. As a district leader, Chester led initiatives for principals to improve conditions for student learning in their buildings which resulted in instructional staff becoming better equipped to engage and teach a diverse population of students. As a Leadership Specialist, Chester has a vested interest in supporting teacher leaders and school administrators as they work to educate students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. He has provided leadership coaching to a host of administrators throughout the state and has delivered professional learning opportunities across Delaware and the nation.
Dr. Ann Little is an experienced leadership coach and regularly delivers professional development and coaching for school and district leaders. Her personal mission is to support school leaders in order to make the highest level of learning available to all students. She was a middle school principal in Cecil County, Maryland School District before her current career as Senior Leadership/School Improvement Specialist with the University of Delaware Academy of School Leadership. She has 30 years of experience working in the public school sector as a language arts teacher, department leader, Title I resource teacher, curriculum writer and administrator. Her strong knowledge of instructional pedagogy and school improvement is complemented by a passion for supporting struggling and marginalized students, especially those impacted by trauma. Using a systems perspective, Ann has utilized continuous improvement efforts in middle schools and has supported many school leaders throughout the region in creating structures for academic and behavioral improvement at various levels. She successfully led schools through the implementation of Common Core State Standards, training in Trauma-Responsive Instruction, Restorative Practices and the use of virtual and hybrid instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also created a highly successful behavior support program that served struggling middle school students from her district.
