Barbara J. Silverio

Isabelle M. Pearson School
Winchester Public Schools
Winsted, Connecticut
barbara.silverio@winchesterschools.org

In her six years as principal of Isabelle M. Pearson School, Barbara Silverio has drawn on her prior experience as a classroom teacher and curricular consultant to guide a successful turnaround effort that has led to sustained gains in student achievement, positive culture, and community cohesion. As part of Pearson’s participation in the Commission’s Network Turnaround Program, Silverio has implemented a robust professional development program to promote consistent, well-paced instruction that targets high student engagement. These efforts have led to a five-year gain in CTA Next Generation Accountability Index Ratings, increasing from 71.2 to 80.5, well above the state average. The school has also received state recognition as a School of Distinction for outstanding gains in math performance, achieving all-time high growth rate of 58.9 percent with 79.7 percent of students in grades 3-6 achieving their projected target on the Smarter Balanced Math Assessment. Along the way, she has supported collaboration between stakeholders, leading to a clarified school vision, a school-wide embrace of data-driven instruction, and increased extracurricular and community engagement opportunities for students and families. Pearson will build on these gains as a continuing participant in the program. Silverio holds an Intermediate Administrator Certification from Sacred Heart University, a 6th Year Professional Diploma in Reading and Language Arts from Central Connecticut State University, and an M.Ed. and Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Hartford.