The Greeneville School System's new academic coaching initiative has been a success, according to discussion Monday night at the fall retreat meeting of the Greeneville Board of Education.

The board was scheduled to conclude its two-day retreat session this morning.

Monday night's meeting lasted nearly three hours at the Kathryn W. Leonard Administrative Office.

Speaking about the new academic coaching initiative, Director of Schools Dr. Lyle Ailshie said, "This is a huge initiative of the school system."

He added, "We believe this is going to be a national model."

Discussion of the academic coaching initiative began with Dr. Vicki Kirk, assistant director of schools, telling what has been done in the first few months of the program to ensure success.

The board was introduced to the academic coaches at its meeting in July.

The coaches, many of whom are classroom teachers, will be stepping out of their traditional roles for two years, and mentoring other teachers to help ensure student success, according to Kirk.

The new coaches are Marsha Hybarger, EastView Elementary School; Deanna Martin, Hal Henard Elementary School; Pat Barnett, Highland Year-Round Elementary School; Stacy King, Tusculum View Elementary School; Danna Brickell, Greeneville Middle School; and Jamie House, Greeneville High School.

Also joining the group are GHS teacher Jason Horne, who is serving as a distance-learning coach for the 2009-10 school year, and Mia Hyde, the city school system's reading specialist.

"Dana Brickell will tell you this is the best job she's ever had, and she's had a lot of jobs in the school system," Kirk said.

"It seems to be going well," she added.

Kirk said success has resulted from the selection of the coaches, literature and research, training and visioning.

She read the following statement about the academic coaching program: "There is a healthy buzz in the schools regarding coaching. Teachers are regularly seeking assistance from coaches and each other in a variety of professional learning modes.

"Principals report the beginnings of positive impacts on teachers, students and the school. Teachers are applying what they are learning and evaluating new strategies using student learning results."

Kirk also gave a 13-step action plan for the coaches.

One step, she said, is "Coaches develop 'first 30 days' plan and form agreements with principals."

Kirk explained in July that the initiative will be paid for with stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. She estimated the total for two years to be $700,000.

The academic coaching program was recommended by the U.S. Department of Education as one use of the ARRA funds, according to Kirk.

Robbie Mitchell, director of the Professional Development Center, spoke about what the academic coaches are doing in the classrooms.

She listed and defined the eight most significant roles of coaches: resource provider, data coach, curriculum specialist, instructional specialist, mentor, school leader, catalyst for change and facilitator.

New research shows that academic coaching has a positive effect on student learning, Mitchell said.

One principal said, "I am seeing people change their practices every day," Mitchell told the board.

She told inspirational stories of how the coaches are making an impact on teachers.

Two of the stories she described as "There's No Crying In Education," like the famous quote from Tom Hanks character as a baseball coach in the movie "A League of Their Own."

One veteran teacher, Mitchell said, was crying because she was afraid to use a computer software tool.

When the coach finished showing the teacher how to use the software, the teacher cried again. This time it was happy tears because she was no longer afraid of the software.

Another teacher went to a principal and was emotional because she needed help managing her classroom. A coach observed the classroom and discovered that the problem was during transition times, Mitchell said.

The coach suggested three small changes, which the teacher adopted as habits.

"She said it was absolutely phenomenal the difference that it had made in the classroom," Mitchell said.

Also speaking about the academic coaching initiative was Dr. Mike Murphy, a consultant from Texas, who has been training the coaches.

"You have implemented something in your schools that has the potential of dramatically changing the way teachers learn," Murphy said.

He commended the board for appointing the eight coaches.

"They are remarkable people," he said.

Murphy showed a pie chart with percentages of coaching roles listed by Mitchell.

The chart showed feedback based on three weeks in August and September, when the largest percentage -- 21 percent -- were serving as resource providers.

Murphy was surprised at how quickly the coaches were able to "get their foot in the door," he said.

He attributed this quick start to an existing high level of trust among the teachers and an existing environment of collaboration in the schools.

Board member Craig Ogle said he would like to see feedback, perhaps at the end of the year, from both new and veteran teachers.

Murphy said the academic coaching initiative will have an impact on students, not only on the way they learn, but also how they interact with each other.

The board was scheduled to discuss its annual goals and strategies this morning. A report on the second day of the retreat will appear in the Wednesday edition of The Greeneville Sun.