Achieving Student Academic Gains: Reflections from School Leaders
Applicable to all K-12 instructional leaders, this session features 4 school leaders from across the grade spectrum whose students made significant academic gains in ELA and/or math last school year. School leaders will discuss the conditions at their sites and networks that enabled these gains as well as highlight key actions and systems they built to ensure their students, particularly those from historically underserved backgrounds, continue to grow. Panelists will respond to facilitated questions as well as engage in Q/A with the audience.
Presented by
Head of School
Growth Public Schools
Co-Principal
Oakland Unity Middle School
Kate Goedeker, an innovative educator with 20 years of experience across Chicago, Honolulu, and Oakland, has dedicated her career to educational equity and excellence for all students. As founding school leader of Oakland Unity Middle School, she partnered with the community to achieve remarkable results—outperforming state proficiency averages while ensuring growth across all student groups, with ELA scores 18 points and math scores 37 points above typical growth—through an approach that balances rigorous expectations with comprehensive support. Kate's leadership in innovative staffing models, creative flexibility in education, and growing teachers demonstrates the impact of investing deeply in both academics and school culture. Holding a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in Education from Chaminade University of Honolulu, Kate collaborates with diverse communities to create inclusive learning environments where all students thrive.
Associate Partner
Silicon Schools Fund
Kelly Garcia is the Associate Partner at Silicon Schools leading our Instructional Improvement work and many elements of our academic programs. Kelly brings deep experience in public education where she has been a teacher, site-leader, school founder, board member, Chief of Staff, and Chief of Schools in district and charter settings. Most recently, Kelly helped lead Summit Public Schools for the past two decades with a track record of significant national impact. She is a Pahara Next Gen Fellow, board secretary for East Bay Innovation Academy, and an alum of Stanford University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Coordinator of Curriculum & Instruction
Rocklin Academy Family of Schools
Kristel Kamrar is an instructional leader dedicated to equity, excellence, and meaningful learning experiences for all students. As Coordinator of Curriculum & Instruction at Rocklin Academy Family of Schools, she leads professional learning, curriculum implementation, and strategic data conversations that highlight student strengths. With seven years of coaching experience, Kristel empowers educators and principals to create sustainable systems for instructional leadership, feedback, and engagement. She firmly believes that all students—without exception—can achieve at high levels when given the right opportunities, support, and expectations. Kristel is committed to fostering inclusive, high-impact learning environments where every student has access to the rigorous, high-quality education they deserve.
Principal
TNTP + Aspire Public Schools + Silicon Schools Fund
Tommy Gonzalez, a first-generation Latine college graduate from Southern California, is a culturally responsive leader dedicated to educational justice. As principal of Aspire Lionel Wilson Prep, he champions postsecondary success for Black and brown scholars. Since 2012, he has taught across grade levels, primarily in Oakland, driven by the belief that education is a lever for liberation. Tommy holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Political Science from UC Santa Barbara and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Columbia University. His passion is coaching teachers, building high-performing teams, and accelerating learning outcomes—because equity is his bottom line.