You can’t expect to be an instructional leader if you can’t identify effective instruction and lead alongside the staff providing it.  I am Sara McCutchen, and I have been a teacher all my life.  My lifelong and unflagging passion for learning started at a young age, as I led “school” with friends in my neighborhood.  With each of my diverse educational experiences over the past 28+ years, I have become a better educator and instructional leader, looking to inspire the next generation of students to love learning and see its value in achieving their dreams.  From teaching abroad in Japan, to helping nonverbal learners with Autism adapt to the world around them, to teaching both elementary and middle school students, and finally through coaching HeadStart, campus and district-level staff, I have translated my love of learning and development beyond the children in my classroom to impact all the students within campuses and organizations.  My varied experiences help me to bring out the best in staff and students from diverse and often challenging backgrounds by recognizing that everyone learns differently. I help both staff and students succeed by recognizing needs and helping solve problems, so that they can focus their energy on learning, setting them up for success far beyond the school’s walls.  

 

The best leaders are great teachers. As a leader, I spend time on site, in classrooms, and in collaborative team meetings, asking questions and coaching staff to the answers within.  I communicate my expectations clearly, but am also a listener, open to hearing new ideas from all perspectives. I model and commit to continuous learning and staff growth through professional development and goal setting.  Being fully present inspires trust and creates a school culture where everyone strives to be their personal best, and where students are at the heart of every decision.  

 

As a leader, I define my success by how my staff and I prepare young students to become responsible and productive citizens with strong critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills.  To achieve this, I collaborate with staff so that they can deliver a rigorous, relevant, and dynamic 21st century education in partnership with the community and families, in a just, safe, and caring environment. These core values are the foundation for every decision I make.

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​​Download or view my resume here.

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View my Oregon TSPC certification here.

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Other selected certifications, training, and experiences:

• Oregon Council for Exceptional Children Board | Representative Assembly Member 

• Washington Residency Administrator (Program Administrator)

• Oregon Principal, PK-12 | Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission

• Texas Teacher and Principal certificates | Texas State Board for Educator Certification

• Principal, EC-12, Generalist, 4-8, Elementary Self-Contained, 1-8, Generic Special Education, PK-12

• Oregon Registry Step 11 Master Trainer | Oregon Registry Online

• Adult Learning Certificate | Association for Talent Development

• LUMA Human-Centered Design practitioner certification | LUMA Institute

• Google Level 2 Certified Educator | Google for Education 

• AVID Path to Schoolwide | AVID - Advancement Via Individual Determination

• Marzano’s High Reliability Schools | Marzano Resources

• Leadership Coaching for High Performance & Leadership Coaching for Results | Coaching for Results, Inc. 

• Principal Leadership Academy | Texas Region 10 Educational Service Center 

• Assistant Principal Leadership Academy | Texas Region 10 Educational Service Center 

• Curriculum Administrator’s Institute | Texas Region 10 Educational Service Center 

• Curriculum Design Institute (Understanding by Design) | Plano Independent School District

• Multisensory Teaching Approach (MTA) | MTS Publications

• Comprehensive STAR Autism Program | STAR Autism Support

• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention | Crisis Prevention Institute

• The Mandt System | David Mandt and Associates

• Texas: T-TESS appraiser

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TESTIMONIAL

 

"As a new staff member in Plano, Sara McCutchen has fit in beautifully!  I SO appreciate her enthusiasm and willingness to go the extra LONG mile!  She supports not only Rice staff, but individual students in times of need ~ behaviorally, academically, or emotionally.  I personally appreciate all of her experience, knowledge, and resources she has provided my team.  I have been privileged to work with Sara in many capacities and I’m so thankful she landed here at Rice.  She has shown and provided support for my team of teachers and department in a multitude of ways." --Christi Langley, Special Education Department Chair at Rice Middle School

 

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