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As I prepare to enter my seventh year as Executive Director of CATDC, I feel proud of our evolution as an organization and excited about what is to come. At the heart of my leadership is my belief in the power of education to transform young people, to help them become more thoughtful, skillful, and…

Fellow Educators, I am excited to journey anew with the CATDC team and honored to contribute to the meaningful and necessary work of the collaborative as the Northern California Director. CATDC has provided me and many others with a welcoming space to learn and develop as teachers and leaders. Its progressive programs and people have…

Ramadan Mubarak!  This translates as “Have a blessed Ramadan,” and in the vernacular it can be taken as “Happy Ramadan.” Take from this greeting the following three truths: Ramadan is a holy month in the Islamic Calendar. Muslims who are able to do so fast during this month from pre-dawn to sunset. Ramadan is on…

Date: April 4, 2023 from 6:00pm – 7:30pm Location: St Paul’s Episcopal School, 116 Montecito Avenue, Oakland, CA Cheryl is the Head of St. Paul’s School in Oakland and has over 25 years of experience in education. She worked at Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco, Redwood Day School in Oakland and the Bentley School…

How can you tell if your organization’s DEIB work is performative or transformative? For some organizations, especially those new to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging work, there can be an urgency to “arrive.” DEIB statement? Check. Employee resource or affinity groups? Check. Recruiting for diversity? Check. Training on microaggressions and implicit bias? Check. Donate to…

Teaching, especially in our students’ second language, is a wonderfully creative endeavor—and one that becomes significantly more effective in collaboration with a professional learning community, encouraging us to share innovative ideas, build upon them, experiment in the classroom, and reflect on our ever-growing instructional practices. I cordially invite and encourage you to join CATDC’s first…

As independent schools navigate the post-pandemic world, levels of teacher burnout are at an all-time high. While many school leaders strive to alleviate the strain upon teachers in order to best serve their needs and thereby the needs of their students, there are only so many ways in which tasks may be redistributed or reimagined…

First, I want to say happy summer. I know how hard you have worked this year, and you deserve a rest. Summer has meant so much more to educators these past few years, and it’s essential to take the time to pause and take care of yourself. As you consider how you’ll rejuvenate and soak…

I live and work two blocks away from a large public high school and two doors down from a preschool. Often the sound of children squealing or teenagers shouting floats up to my home office. Usually, I relish the noise; it has been five years since I left the classroom, and I still miss being…

As ongoing national events relentlessly remind us of the power of white supremacy, educators are working hard to have important and authentic conversations about race and racism. But we are weary and frustrated, too, and sometimes unsure of just what to say to our students.  If we have learned anything in the last few years,…

I want to express my joy and enthusiasm  about becoming the next Program Manager and Northern California Associate Director of Programs beginning July 1, 2022! As an educator who values community and  belonging and thrives in a joyful environment, I am eager to bring my whole self to this role. Being a member of a…

I am truly honored to join the CATDC community and energized to continue evolving dynamic programs in partnership with CATDC’s forward-thinking team. As a participant in diverse CATDC workshops over the years, I continue to be impressed by their relevance to educators’ experiences and the resulting impact these programs can have in our schools. I…

The year is 2009. I am a young teacher, eager to change the lives of my students. I have read the books, gained a mentor, and am ready to take on this next chapter of molding young minds. Within my first year, my district assigned me to a committee, a common rite of passage for…