Center for the Collaborative Classroom Names Kelly Stuart CEO

Former President, COO to Guide Next Chapter for Literacy/SEL Curriculum Non-Profit Following Rapid Growth in Recent Years

ALAMEDA, CA (November 11, 2021) — Center for the Collaborative Classroom’s Board of Trustees announced that Dr. Kelly Stuart, Collaborative Classroom’s president and chief operating officer, has been named the next chief executive officer of the leading nonprofit organization. Dr. Stuart succeeds Roger King, who retired as CEO on October 31 after 6 years.

Dr. Kelly Stuart, President and CEO

Before joining Collaborative Classroom as vice president for sales and implementation in 2013, Dr. Stuart led the Doing What Works (DWW) Initiative for WestEd, working closely with national experts and disseminating DWW materials to national organizations and state departments of education for the U.S. Department of Education. The former director of special programs at the Success For All Foundation, she began her career as an elementary school teacher in California.

“Over the last 41 years, the Collaborative Classroom team has demonstrated how research-based literacy approaches, a belief in meaningful social-emotional learning, and a commitment to work in tandem with classroom teachers have dramatically improved student reading, writing, and classroom success,” Stuart said. “I am honored that the Collaborative Classroom Board has entrusted me with the leadership of this organization. Our mission is ambitious, but recent years have demonstrated our ability to exceed the expectations of our partner school districts, educators, learners, and families.”

Under the leadership of Stuart and King, Collaborative Classroom currently impacts 3.8 million students and more than 150,000 educators through its unique curriculum focused on integrating literacy and pro-social development. Collaborative Classroom is now known for helping educators nurture student thinking and develop students into highly literate and independent readers, writers, and critical thinkers, all while ensuring they have the foundational academic and social skills necessary to be successful in school and in life.

“Kelly Stuart has been a key driver of Center for the Collaborative Classroom’s success in recent years, guiding sales, implementation, and operations from our most challenging days toward our most successful,” Collaborative Classroom Board Chair Susan Wally said. “Moving forward, there is no better leader for Collaborative Classroom than Kelly. We are fortunate to have her as our next CEO.”

“Kelly Stuart has been a key driver of Center for the Collaborative Classroom’s success in recent years, guiding sales, implementation, and operations from our most challenging days toward our most successful. Moving forward, there is no better leader for Collaborative Classroom than Kelly. We are fortunate to have her as our next CEO.”

– Susan Wally, Collaborative Classroom Board Chair

In taking on the CEO position, Dr. Stuart has laid out a three-point plan for continuing to grow Collaborative Classroom and its impact on school districts and learners across the country, including:

1. Build powerful, effective programs through a pedagogy proven to develop cognitively independent learners;
2. Double the organization’s teacher and student impact over the next five years; and
3. Develop robust professional learning to advance teacher practice, including curriculum-based learning, asynchronous professional learning opportunities and implementation resources, and one-on-one curriculum-based asynchronous coaching via Collaborative Coach.

Collaborative Classroom is known for a range of instructional programs, including its comprehensive ELA curriculum Collaborative Literacy, the CASEL SELect Caring School Community program, SIPPS, Being a Reader, Being a Writer, and Making Meaning.

Dr. Stuart has also led efforts to expand Collaborative Classroom’s partnerships with a wide range of national education organizations, including CORE, the National Writing Project, WestEd, Javelin Learning, and the Management Center. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership, a master’s in administration, a bachelor’s in liberal arts, and a California Teaching Credential.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Peter Brunn
Vice President for Organizational Learning
pbrunn@collaborativeclassroom.org
510.914.0893