Rachel B. Alberts

Sunburst Elementary School
Davis School District
Layton, Utah
[email protected]

As principal of Sunburst Elementary School, Rachel Alberts has built on 28 years of experience as a teacher, an instructional coach, a professional development coordinator, and an administrator. Not only has Alberts applied her expertise to build a vibrant professional learning culture among staff, she has also opened Sunburst’s doors to aspiring educators as a Teacher Academy School. With university professors who teach onsite, she has co-designed embedded learning experiences for over 90 practicum students and 32 practicing teachers. Sunburst teachers embrace a philosophy of shared ownership of student wellness and learning, engaging in co-teaching, collaborative assessment, and reflection, and Alberts supports the refinement of student-centered instructional practices. In a survey conducted by a university researcher, 100 percent of Sunburst teachers demonstrated a uniform understanding of the school’s mission and understood how their daily practices worked to fulfill this vision. Thanks to strong professional cohesion and Alberts’ ability to leverage teachers’ unique strengths, the school has seen a 10 percent growth in reading scores over four years. A strong believer in technology as a tool for equity, Alberts led the first two Apple Distinguished Schools in her district, among only three statewide to be recognized for a culture of innovation and personalized instruction encouraging student collaboration, engagement, and risk-taking. Alberts holds a B.S. in Education from Weber State University and an M.Ed. in Leadership from Utah State University.