We Believe Every School Can Improve

ProActiveEd was founded on a simple belief: meaningful school improvement is possible when educators are supported by clear systems, purposeful leadership, and practical professional learning.

For nearly two decades, we’ve partnered with teachers, instructional coaches, school leaders, and districts committed to improving teaching and learning. Our work is built around partnerships that help schools develop the capacity to sustain continuous improvement long after our work together is complete.

Every school’s journey is different, but every partnership begins by listening, learning, and working together to build a stronger future for students.

Meet Our Team

Why We Started ProActiveEd

ProActiveEd was founded with a conviction that schools deserve more than isolated initiatives and short-term solutions.

Too often, improvement efforts become disconnected from one another. Leadership focuses on one priority while professional learning focuses on another. Assessment systems evolve independently of classroom instruction. Teams work hard, yet meaningful improvement remains difficult to sustain.

We believed there was a better way.

By connecting leadership, instruction, assessment, collaboration, and continuous improvement into one coherent system, schools can build the internal capacity to improve long after outside support has ended.

That belief continues to guide every partnership we form today.

Our mission has never been to deliver a program. Our mission is to help schools build systems that enable educators and students to thrive.

The Beliefs That Guide Our Work

Everything we do is grounded in a simple set of beliefs that shape every partnership.

Every school can improve

Improvement is possible when educators share a clear purpose, work within connected systems, and commit to continuous learning.

Sustainable improvement requires systems

Lasting change happens when leadership, instruction, assessment, collaboration, and professional learning work together.

Leadership creates the conditions for growth

Great leaders develop people, strengthen culture, and create environments where improvement becomes everyone’s responsibility.

Great teaching is continually developed

Instruction improves through reflection, coaching, collaboration, and purposeful professional learning.

Assessment should improve learning

Meaningful evidence helps educators make better instructional decisions and better support students.

Collaboration accelerates improvement

Schools improve faster when educators learn together, solve problems together, and share responsibility for student success

Students should become owners of their learning

The ultimate goal of great teaching is helping students think independently, reflect meaningfully, and assume increasing responsibility for their learning.

Continuous improvement is a way of thinking

School improvement is never finished. It is an ongoing process of learning, implementing, reflecting, refining, and growing together.

Learn from Experienced School Improvement Practitioners

Every ProActiveEd webinar is grounded in authentic classroom experience, instructional leadership, and decades of partnership with schools working to improve teaching and learning.

A. Tremain Nelson

Founder and President of ProActiveEd, former principal, author, and school improvement consultant, Tremain has spent nearly two decades partnering with schools and districts to strengthen instructional systems, build leadership capacity, and improve student learning.

His work focuses on helping educators connect leadership, instruction, assessment, collaboration, and continuous improvement into coherent systems that produce lasting results.

Kara Nelson

Vice President of Professional Learning at ProActiveEd, Kara Nelson brings more than twenty years of experience in education as an English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher, instructional coach, and Dean of Curriculum and Instruction.

She is passionate about helping educators strengthen instructional practice, build collaborative cultures, and create meaningful learning experiences that improve outcomes for every student. Her work emphasizes practical implementation, teacher growth, and continuous professional learning.

Expertise That Matches Your School’s Needs

Every school is different, and every improvement journey requires different strengths.

ProActiveEd’s Senior Consultants bring decades of experience across leadership, literacy, mathematics, instructional coaching, special education, MTSS, school culture, science education, and continuous school improvement. Together, they allow us to thoughtfully match schools with the expertise that best supports their goals.

Tom Hierck

Author & Senior Consultant

School Administrative Systems • School Culture & Climate • Instructional Leadership • Professional Learning Communities • MTSS/RTI • Science Education • Special Education

Dr. Precious Parks

Senior Consultant

Early Childhood Education • School Administrative Systems • School Culture & Climate • Instructional Leadership • Professional Learning Communities • MTSS/RTI

Cathy Palmer

Senior Consultant

School Administrative Systems • Instructional Leadership • Special Education • Professional Learning Communities • MTSS/RTI • Tier 1 Instruction

Lori Hamel

Senior Consultant

Instructional Leadership • Secondary English Language Arts • Instructional Coaching • Professional Learning Communities • MTSS/RTI • Differentiation

Stacy Owens

Senior Consultant

Instructional Leadership • Elementary English Language Arts • Instructional Coaching • Professional Learning Communities • MTSS/RTI • Differentiation

Susan Good

Senior Consultant

K–12 English Language Arts • Instructional Leadership • Instructional Coaching • Professional Learning Communities • Student Engagement • MTSS/RTI

Partnership Before Programs

Every school is different.

That’s why we begin every partnership by listening before recommending solutions.

We seek to understand your goals, your challenges, your strengths, and the context that makes your school unique. Together, we identify priorities, develop a shared plan, support implementation, learn from evidence, and continuously refine the work over time.

Practical Experience. Purposeful Partnership

Schools choose ProActiveEd because they are looking for more than professional development. They are looking for experienced educators who understand the complexity of school improvement and are committed to working alongside teachers and leaders throughout the implementation process.

Our partnerships are built on:

Practical experience grounded in real schools

Connected systems rather than isolated initiatives

Collaborative relationships built on trust

Professional learning designed for implementation

Customized support based on each school’s goals

Continuous reflection and improvement

Every partnership is unique, but our commitment remains the same: helping schools build the internal capacity to improve teaching and learning for years to come.

Nearly Two Decades of Supporting School Improvement

Since 2006, ProActiveEd has partnered with schools, districts, and educational organizations to help educators strengthen instructional systems and improve outcomes for students.

10+

Years Serving Schools

10+

Schools Supported

10+

States Served

10+

Educators Trained

10+

Students Impacted

10+

Professional Learning Hours

Let’s Improve Schools Together

Every school has its own story, strengths, and aspirations for the future. Whether you’re strengthening leadership, improving classroom instruction, building collaborative teams, developing learner ownership, or creating a more connected approach to school improvement, we’d be honored to partner with you. Let’s begin by learning about your school, your goals, and how we can help you move forward.