Meet Gretchen Kroll, District & School Customer Success at Goalbook
Based in Milwaukee, WI
What was your experience prior to Goalbook?
Prior to Goalbook, I worked as a bilingual classroom teacher and literacy coach in Milwaukee Public Schools where I taught in dual language immersion programs. I also taught math teaching methods courses at the university level and served as the director of an alternative teacher preparation and certification program.
What gravitated you towards Goalbook’s mission?
Every role in education I have taken on after classroom teaching has had, at its core, the notion of empowering teachers since they play a critical role in student academic and life success. As a literacy coach, I worked to empower educators within my school. As a director of a certification program, I worked to empower new educators within my city and region of the state. Goalbook’s mission is very much aligned to my core beliefs that teacher self-efficacy is key to transforming instruction and education in general. Goalbook allows me to make an impact on a much broader level and to connect this notion of transforming instruction to success for ALL students.
What is your role, and what are your favorite parts of it?
My role is to support our district and school partners to successfully implement Goalbook. This translates into working closely with school and district partners to understand their needs and priorities to then planning and facilitating training and professional development to address those priorities. I have two favorite parts of my role. The first is sharing Goalbook with educators. Whether they are new to Goalbook or a returning user, it’s always exciting to hear how much they appreciate the tool to support their instructional practice. The other favorite part of my role is working with district leaders to find ways to show that Goalbook is having a positive impact on teaching and learning.
Goalbook’s mission is very much aligned to my core beliefs that teacher self-efficacy is key to transforming instruction and education in general. Goalbook allows me to make an impact on a much broader level and to connect this notion of transforming instruction to success for ALL students.
Outside of the role, what are one or two things you love here?
I love Goalbook’s culture and our very diverse team that is united by our mission. We all have different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives which adds to the richness of our work…and we are ALL working toward a common goal of supporting educators to transform instruction so ALL students succeed.
How do you work and communicate with your manager?
My manager and I have weekly meetings during which we strategize, problem solve, and work to find ways to provide support and strengthen relationships with partners. My manager is always available to me and we have a strong rapport so I am really at ease giving and receiving feedback.
What have you learned in your role so far?
I have learned that Goalbook is an amazing tool for educators. At the same time, its full capacity to transform instructional practice is dependent on the relationships we cultivate with partners. When we are all at the table identifying clear goals and priorities and all working toward addressing those priorities based on our roles, that is when the magic happens.
What are some areas you’d like to continue growing professionally?
I’m looking forward to improving my project management skills as well as working with the team members I support to help them realize their professional goals.
When we are all at the table identifying clear goals and priorities and all working toward addressing those priorities based on our roles, that is when the magic happens.
What personal goals have you set outside of work?
As a busy working mom with two teenage boys, it’s hard to find time for myself. I have set (and kept!) goals of reading one self-selected book per month and committing to a regular exercise routine to clear my mind and keep me grounded.
What are some of your favorite spots in Milwaukee?
Milwaukee is a beautiful city and visitors are pleasantly surprised by how much it has to offer. My favorite two places in Milwaukee have to do with nature — Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and The Urban Ecology Center. Both places have beautiful hiking trails that bring us together as a family and remind us of why we love Milwaukee so much.
What’s your favorite memory during your time at Goalbook?
My favorite memory from my time at Goalbook was during my initial weeks when I was intensely learning my new role. The heavy lift of training me and setting me up for success was distributed among so many of my colleagues and instantly sent a message to me about Goalbook’s culture and belief that the work is what matters—much more than the title. I sensed an authentic and deep desire from others to be welcoming, helpful, and supportive — which led to a deep sense of belonging for me. Two years later, that feeling is still there!
Which team activity has been your favorite?
I LOVE Goalbook celebration weeks when our company as a whole gets together to celebrate our hard work and success! Working and building collegial relationships remotely takes a lot of time and effort, and it feels surreal and very special when we can all be together in-person to work and have fun!
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