CARE Coaching in action: School District of the City of York – Pennsylvania

A District’s Journey: How Customized Coaching Transformed PD in the School District of the City of York

When Smita Weakland began her role as Supervisor of English Literacy for the School District of the City of York, a district of 6,000 PreK-12 students, she knew meaningful professional development was essential, especially for a district serving diverse learners. After years of professional development focused on fixed themes and generic content, she and her team were seeking something different. They found it in CARE Coaching.

A New Kind of Professional Learning

From the outset, CARE Coaching felt collaborative and engaging. Instead of arriving with a predetermined agenda, the presenters met with the team several weeks before each session to plan together. These conversations allowed the professional development to reflect real classroom needs rather than broad districtwide themes.

Customization That Made a Difference

Each session was designed to intentionally build on the previous one. When multimodal instruction was introduced in October, it was reinforced in November and revisited in December with new layers of practice and application. The coaching wasn’t rushed or repetitive; instead, it was tailored to teacher feedback and ongoing needs.

Customization also extended across grade bands. While K–8 and high school sessions shared the same goals, the delivery was adapted to the structure and realities of each group. Teachers immediately recognized the relevance.

Impact Across the District

Smita and her team saw several qualities that set this professional development apart:

• Training shaped directly by teacher needs
• Purposeful pacing that allowed time to learn and apply
• Practical strategies educators could use right away
• Alignment around shared goals, strengthening coherence districtwide

The shift was noticeable. Teachers came to sessions engaged, prepared, and confident that the learning was built for them and their students.

For the School District of the City of York, CARE Coaching through WCEPS has become more than a professional development program; it’s a meaningful partnership supporting sustained growth and empowered teaching.