Karl Schleich

Karl Schleich has enjoyed a successful 34-year career as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, principal, district-level administrator, and consultant.

Karl began his teaching career in Naperville, IL as a high school science teacher and coach. He moved to Alaska in 1985 and subsequently earned his M.Ed. in Administration and coached the university's basketball team before moving to an isolated Indian Reserve in Southeast Alaska as Principal/Teacher at the middle school. In 1990 Karl moved to the Mat-Su Borough School District in Palmer, AK where he served as Assistant Principal in a new middle school, then as principal at three different elementary schools, opening two of them. Karl was honored in 2000 as Alaska's NAESP National Distinguished Principal. During a two-year leave of absence (2004-06), Karl served as the Elementary Principal at the American Community School, an IB international school in Athens, Greece.

During Karl's tenure as principal at Shaw Elementary, he was introduced to Dr. Randy Sprick and the Safe & Civil Schools framework. Implementation of CHAMPS and Foundations began at Shaw in 2008, at which time student achievement made significant gains. Shaw earned the State of Alaska's Distinguished Title I School for Student Achievement award in 2011 and later that same year Shaw was recognized in Alaska for its Best Inclusive Practices.

Karl served as the Director of Professional Development for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (2011-2013) where he led a districtwide professional development initiative to implement Instructional Tours, a professional development process that involves peer observation and collaboration.

Since 2011, Karl has worked as an independent consultant and trainer, assisting schools and districts throughout Alaska and other states improve instruction and school climate.