Holly R. Rouelle

Gertrude Chamberlin School
South Burlington School District
South Burlington, Vermont
hrouelle@sbschools.net

In her 11 years as principal of Gertrude Chamberlin School, Holly R. Rouelle has consciously developed her leadership to cultivate a warm, welcoming school environment and a team of teachers skilled in whole-child and data-informed instruction practices. Through the Center for Creative Leadership, Rouelle has sought constructive feedback on her leadership from the school community, set transparent goals for growth, and received coaching and training to advance her practice in alignment with school improvement goals. The result is a deep sense of trust and collaboration with staff, which has allowed the school to implement a robust Multi-Tiered System of Supports for both academic and social and emotional learning, with universal, targeted, and intensive supports informed by staff who come together to put “data into action.” Rouelle has also led the implementation of a comprehensive PBIS framework, which has helped reverse behavioral trends that were eroding school culture at the beginning of her tenure. Through distributed leadership and intensive professional development, this framework integrates aspects of mindfulness, restorative practices, trauma-informed resiliency, and social-emotional learning to create a warm, welcoming school environment where students not only thrive academically but also have the tools to thrive socially. Rouelle previously served as chair and vice chair on the Williston School Board and was a kindergarten teacher for many years. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Colgate University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Vermont.