About The Efficacious Educator
We help educators grow together—so adolescents can grow into themselves.
Why I Started The Efficacious Educator
Efficacious: having the power to produce a desired effect
Educator: one skilled in teaching
I chose the name The Efficacious Educator because every teacher and leader deserves to feel capable and supported in their work, even when the path forward is unclear or the challenges feel overwhelming. No one should have to do this work alone.
I founded The Efficacious Educator to scale what I’ve learned: that when educators understand how adolescents develop and when they work together to respond to those developmental needs, schools transform.
Collective efficacy is the key. When teachers and leaders share a belief in their collective power, they can redesign classrooms, systems, and relationships that foster belonging, motivation, and engagement for every adolescent.
Sarah’s Story
More than 25 years ago, I began my career as a classroom teacher and, like many, was eventually promoted into administration, suddenly responsible for schoolwide behavior. I quickly realized that punishment didn’t create lasting change. What students needed wasn’t more discipline; they needed instruction in missing skills, strategies for when learning felt hard, and responsive systems of support.
That realization launched my next journey. After teaching middle and high school science in Denver and serving as an assistant principal, I earned a master’s in School Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where I became profoundly aware of how deeply we are all embedded in systems. I later worked as a Peer Observer in Denver Public Schools before spending more than a decade with the nonprofit Engaging Schools, helping districts nationwide embed social-emotional learning, improve school climate, and redesign discipline systems.
Along the way, I co-authored Engaged Classrooms: The Art and Craft of Reaching and Teaching All Learners and contributed to Embedding Social and Emotional Learning in High School Classrooms, both available for free through CASEL.
Through these experiences, I’ve seen what happens when educators believe in their collective power to support adolescent growth: schools become safer, students experience belonging and purpose, and teachers rediscover joy in their work.
Today, I live in Durango, Colorado with my husband and two teenage daughters—and I remain deeply committed to helping schools grow alongside the adolescents in their care.
Mission
We help schools translate the science of adolescent development into everyday practice, strengthening climate, culture, and collective efficacy so every student and every educator can thrive.
Vision
We envision a world where every school is developmentally responsive, where educators, united by collective efficacy, design environments that nurture adolescents’ curiosity, connection, and capacity to thrive.
Impact Snapshot
Our work has helped schools like New Britain HS (CT) and Mount Rainier HS (WA) build safer, more responsive systems that align with adolescent development—resulting in better attendance, stronger relationships, and educators who believe they can make a difference.
Ready to See What’s Possible?
Whether you’re looking for practical classroom strategies, system-level redesign, or professional learning rooted in collective efficacy, I’d love to connect.