Consultants

Helen Ryley, Director of Educational Services: Author, educator, and national consultant, Helen Ryley has worked to improve organizational and teacher performance for over 25 years. She has worked with teams of national consultants to study and refine best practices in areas of professional development, organizational and leadership development. Helen has written numerous publications including: Building Championship Schools: A Blueprint for Organizational Change (1991) and the Policymakers Seminar Kit for Education Commission of the States (1998). Helen designed and directed the “Leadership Institute for Educators” (1997-98) providing professional development for over 200 Colorado K-12 administrators. She led the development of the Guidelines for the Professional Development of Educators in Colorado in 1997-98. Helen was president of the Colorado Staff Development Council in 2001. From 2000-2005, Helen worked with the Archdiocese of New Orleans, Office of Catholic Schools designing and delivering their professional development and implementation of a wide variety of training opportunities focused on improving teaching and learning for over 1500 teachers and administrators each year throughout their 105 PreK-12 schools.

Helen spent 10 years (1981-1991) as Director of Product Development, Sales, and Marketing for professional development products targeted for the education market. She has served on the Colorado State Advisory Board for Adult and Community Education and on the NCSIE National Advisory Board for the Development of Standards and Certification of Professional Developers. She is included in Who's Who in the West, Who's Who in Education and Emerging Leaders in America. Helen has completed over 60 hours of post-graduate work focused on the business and educational trends, issues and research-based strategies to achieve improved organizational, teaching and learning results.

Sherri Stephens-Carter, Director of Data Assessment and Evaluation Design: educator and administrator, brings 30 year’s experience to her current position. Most recently she lead a District of 24,000 students in their analysis and use of student data to design appropriate instruction. Sherri created and supervises the District’s long-range plan for assessment of standards. She has trained teachers and administrators across the nation to develop performance assessments and to analyze and interpret test results to impact instruction and accountability.

Sherri is sought after for her expertise and style to present at state and national conferences particularly in the areas of data assessment, mathematics and “Connecting Data to Classroom Instruction.” For the past 15 years, she has been an adjunct professor at a variety of Colorado Colleges and Universities teaching courses such as, “Leadership in Mathematics Education,” “Tools for Determining If Students Have Met Proficiencies,” and “Math for Bigger Kids.” In 1984, Sherri was nominated High School “Teacher of the Year” in Colorado. She has been recognized at state and national levels as an outstanding teacher, trainer and leader of standards-based education implementation and assessment.

Terri Peterson, National consultant with extensive expertise in literacy (reading and writing) and math. She is recognized for her skills in working with struggling learners and gifted students along with ensuring outstanding academic achievement for all students year after year in her classroom using differentiated instruction, standards-based lesson design, and data-driven instruction. She has 32 years experience “in the trenches” teaching students and teachers, K-12.

Terri was selected as a finalist for the Colorado Teacher of the Year in 2006. She was on the development team for the Colorado CASL (Center for Advanced Student Learning) Cache, a professional development resource for differentiation of instruction. She has been a key consultant and trainer during the Benchmark One contract to move the entire educational staff to standards-driven education throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Terri’s B.A. and M.S degrees are in special education, and she has completed more than 100 post Masters hours in elementary education, gifted education, standards based instruction and instructional technology, as well as numerous classes in instructional strategies.