How can districts evolve to support every educator and every student?

“Really looking at your programs—which ones are making the biggest impact—and there's no debate. The biggest impact you can have on student achievement is teacher efficacy.” -Brett Ferguson

In this episode of Lessons Learned, our host Matt is joined by members of Iberia Parish’s team, Brett Ferguson, Kirsten Dutile, and Kyla Aucoin, for a powerful conversation on building sustainable systems of support for both teachers and students.

Drawing on their diverse journeys into education, the team shares how Iberia Parish is redefining professional development, prioritizing tailored support for educators at all stages of their careers, and leveraging strategic partnerships like the one with BetterLesson to create lasting impact.

Together, we explore key topics such as:

• The value of differentiated support and 1:1 coaching for new and veteran teachers
• How to create and sustain meaningful career pathways for students beyond the traditional four-year college track
• Why evolving educational systems must meet diverse student needs and community expectations
• The role of accountability in educational investments and the strategic use of resources
• How intentional partnerships elevate both educator growth and student outcomes

“​​Be a lead learner. Never stop learning. You know, to be a good teacher in the classroom, you have to continue learning yourself.” -Kirsten Dutile

“I think as an educator, we always teach our students to believe in themselves. Teachers need to believe in themselves too.” -Kyla Aucoin

Connect with our guests:

• Kirsten’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsten-dutile-04292b27a/
• Kyla’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyla-aucoin-77137b333/ 
• Website: https://iberia.k12.la.us/ 

Ways to tune in:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4bzi3DLY1fCuBknsxWySw6 
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lessons-learned/id1714296987 
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/c715776e-3d77-4a8b-806b-207e01b861af 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@betterlesson4313