Holly Avdul

Background

About Holly Avdul

Currently, my role is Magnet Coordinator for a state and national award winning visual and performing arts magnet high school. My work primarily consists of consistent branding and theming of content, curriculum, and marketing, as well as recruitment of students who have a keen interest in the visual and performing arts. Website design and maintenance are also current duties. Over much of the last decade, I have been an AP English Language and Composition teacher and the Intervention and Prevention Support Coordinator at John F. Kennedy High School in the San Fernando Valley. The focus of the AP course is, according to the College Board,"on the development and revision of evidence-based analytic and argumentative writing, the rhetorical analysis of nonfiction texts, and the decisions writers make as they compose and revise." To put it simply, I helped my students learn to read and evaluate texts, and I taught them to write evidence-based papers concisely and with clarity. My out-of-classroom work as the Intervention and Prevention Support Coordinator was twofold: first, I worked with school data to help Tier I and Tier II students stay on course for graduation by providing pull-out sessions. I also coordinated school-wide interim assessments and used the data gathered from these to help teachers create differentiated lessons. Second, I was also in charge of professional development for the school site, something that is both challenging and rewarding. In addition to those duties, I was, along with one other woman, in charge of the creation and implementation of the school's website, as the old one was quite dated. In order to do this, I spent a significant amount of time learning how to do web design, style webpages, and how to manage a large school's website from the back-end. I am a committed learner, something I demonstrate to students. Currently, I am writing my dissertation on the distinct professional development needs of assistant administrators, and I look forward to graduating with my doctorate this spring. Providing diverse learners equitable access to education is the cornerstone of our country. I am an advocate for our students, and in order for us to continue successfully educating tomorrow’s leaders, we all must work collaboratively to continue excellent teaching and learning for everyone.