Biographies for 2019 Institute Presentations

1a) Michelle Amend: Instructional Leadership for Administrators;

 2d) Overview of PCL for Secondary Teachers

Michelle Amend is the director of the WI PCL Satellite Center. In that capacity, she serves several districts across the state of WI as a consultant for continuous school improvement and provides professional learning for teachers, interventionists and administrators. As field support for the PCL model, she coordinates four state-level learning networks: Network of Literacy Administrators (NLA), Directors of Instruction Network, Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM) Network, and the WI PCL Coach Network.

1b) Carla Soffos: Theory & Research Aligned to Language Workshop


Carla Soffos is a clinical coach for the Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy (PCL) model and the Comprehensive Intervention Model (CIM). Carla has a Master’s degree in Reading, plus graduate hours as a Reading Recovery Teacher Leader and literacy coach. She is nationally recognized for her work in comprehensive literacy and her co-authored publications with Linda Dorn. Their newest book: Nurturing Independent Readers: A Comprehensive Intervention Model for Reading Success (K-3 and Beyond) is scheduled for release soon.

1c) Kelly Luedeke: How to Increase Language in Interventions

Kelly Luedeke has been a reading specialist for Electa Quinney Elementary School in Kaukauna for the past 6 years. Prior to that, she has been a first grade and fourth-grade classroom teacher, Math Recovery teacher, and instructional support coach. Kelly is currently the co-chair of WSRA’s Elementary Committee and is the incoming WSRA Update editor.

1d) Maureen Schiefelbein & Lynn Stankevich: Ensuring Equity, Engagement, and Student Empowerment

Maureen Schiefelbein has over 30 years of experience in education. She earned her Literacy Coach Graduate Certificate degree from UALR in 2010. She has a Master’s in Reading Education and holds an Elementary Classroom Teacher 1-6, Reading Specialist K-12 and Reading Recovery licensures. Maureen has presented at state reading conferences and networks with several districts in the state of WI to implement the PCL model 4K-12. Maureen’s wide-range of experience includes elementary school classroom teacher, Title I teacher/coordinator, 4K-12, Reading Recovery teacher, building level PCL coach, district level PCl coach, and literacy coordinator. She is excited to share her expertise as a district level PCL coach.
Lynn Stankevich has 24 years of experience as a classroom teacher in grades 1-3, 7 years of experience as a Special Educator/Interventionist and 5 years experience as a 4K-12 literacy coach in the Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine School District. Lynn works closely with teachers to design programming for students that need interventions. She works closely with teachers during personally designed coaching cycles, weekly collaboration sessions, and district professional development.

2a) Maria Kucharski: Long-range Sustainable Planning


Maria has worked in education the past 23 years in urban, rural and suburban environments. She is currently the “lead learner” as the director of teaching and learning in the School District of Whitefish Bay. She has also served as an elementary principal, district 4K coordinator, gifted and talented coordinator, and finally an instructional resource teacher (coach) for Elm­brook. All of these experiences have led to her dream of being a life long learner since every day is a new learning experience in education. Maria has a graduate degree from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee and serves on the WASCD Board of Directors since 2010.

2b) Peter Johnston: Classroom Talk & Children’s Literate Learning 

Peter Johnston, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus at the University of Albany-SUNY. He is a member of the ILA Literacy Research Panel. He is the author of several books, two of which will be used at the institute: Opening Minds & Choice Words.


2c) Brian Reindl: Targeted Interventions for Classroom, Interventionist, or Special Education Teachers

Brian Reindl is the district literacy coordinator in Kaukauna. His literacy coach training was with Dr. Linda Dorn, and he has been working with the Partners in Comprehensive Model for more than twelve years.

2e) Nicole Hochholzer & Corey Baumgartner: Vocabulary Instruction for All

Nicole Hochholzer is the literacy coach/interventionist for Kaukauna High School since 2004. Nicole works to bring literacy across disciplines through professional development and coaching.

Corey Baumgartner is the principal of Kaukauna High School and this year received the Herb Kohl Foundation Principal Leadership Award. Previously, he was an assistant principal and athletic director.

3a) District coaches, CIM specialist, Literacy Coordinator, Director of Instruction and Representatives from the Elementary and Secondary Principal Team: Establishing a Systems Approach to CIM Intervention

Presenters are from the School District of Fort Atkinson (SDFA) – PCL affiliates since 2010.

3b) Tara Caul and Katie Hoffman: Lifting the Lens of Complexity on Mentor Texts: Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors

Tara M. Caul is a district PCL coach for the Waupun Area School District. She supports building-wide professional development, grade 4K-1 teachers, and also serves students in interventions. Tara has worked and learned in the PCL model for the past four years and believes strongly in every component and feature of the Partnerships in Comprehensive Literacy (PCL) model. Prior to working as a district PCL coach, Tara was a classroom teacher for 10 years and a Reading Recovery teacher.

Katie Hoffman has been a district PCL coach for the Waupun Area School District for one year. She supports the teachers at the junior/senior high school (grades 7-12) in the implementation of the PCL model across content areas and develops building-wide professional learning opportunities. She also serves students in reading interventions and supports other teachers who do so as well. Prior to serving as a district PCL coach, Katie was an ELA classroom teacher for 17 years, primarily at the middle school level, but she taught all of the grades, 6-12, at some point in her career.

3c) Kathy Champeau & Laurie McCarthy: Developing Literacy Learners through Responsive Teaching

Kathy’s 40-year professional career in Wisconsin includes work as a teacher, reading specialist, and adjunct instructor for UW-Milwaukee. She is a past president of the Wisconsin State Reading Association, where she has been acknowledged for her contributions to literacy in the state, served on Governor Walker’s Read to Lead Task Force, is a Herb Kohl Award recipient, and has presented at international, national, state, and local conferences. She currently works as a literacy consultant.

Laurie McCarthy is a multi-age second-third grade teacher in the Muskego-Norway School District. Recently she was recognized in her district receiving the Compass Award for her positive impact on students, staff, parents, and community, her commitment to continuous improvement, leadership and service, as well as a champion for innovation, creativity, and best practices. She has presented at national, state, and local conferences highlighting the impact of her work as a responsive teacher.

3d) Dan Joseph, Jennifer Hengel & Coreen Wyngaard: ESAIL at the Secondary Level- Across the Disciplines: Collecting Formative Data

Daniel Joseph has been a principal in Kaukauna for seventeen years. Before administrative work, Daniel was an intermediate classroom teacher for twelve years. He has been involved with the PCL model for five years.

Jennifer Hengel and Coreen Wyngaard are the Reading Specialists and Literacy Coaches supporting professional learning for teachers and interventionists at River View. Prior to this role, Jennifer was a Special Education teacher and Coreen was a classroom teacher.