#Scottsdale #Cadence Education #Maggie Walsh #literacy development

Cadence Education Welcomes Maggie Walsh as Chief Academic Officer

Cadence Education proudly announces the promotion of Maggie Walsh to the position of Chief Academic Officer. With over 25 years of rich experience in the education sector, Maggie is noted for her expertise in literacy development, curriculum design, and instructional strategy for diverse age groups and learning environments.

Previously, Maggie held the title of Vice President of Education within Cadence, where she focused on crafting effective classroom strategies designed to provide engaging and developmentally appropriate learning experiences. In her new role, she will elevate academic strategy and vision, enhancing curriculum, implementing data-driven instruction, and maintaining high standards for early childhood and school-age learning across all of Cadence's educational institutions.

Before joining Cadence Education, Maggie was the Co-Chief Executive Officer of UChicago Impact, where she contributed to the expansion of STEP Literacy—a nonprofit organization owned by the University of Chicago—across 240 schools, impacting over 110,000 students in more than 75 cities and 38 states. STEP focuses on developmental literacy assessment and was instrumental in the creation of a data-driven literacy tutoring model and the STEP Online Progress Monitoring tool. Her prior experience also includes serving as a practitioner consultant and field consultant on various literacy and math assessment projects at UChicago and the Erikson Institute respectively.

Since her arrival at Cadence, Maggie has also initiated impactful programs beyond the classroom. A highlight of her contributions is the launch of the Cadence Parent Partnership webinar series, designed to empower families with tools, strategies, and insights that support their children's educational journeys. This series has gained popularity among Cadence families, underscoring Maggie’s strong commitment to fostering family engagement as an essential component of educational success.

Looking ahead, Maggie is set to introduce the Raising Readers initiative—an innovative literacy program aimed at enhancing family outreach and professional development. This program will provide educators the tools to support the growth of language, vocabulary, and early literacy skills, with presentations planned during curriculum nights at schools. The initiative recently commenced with Cadence's Summer Reading Program, which invites families to participate in tracking summer reading activities, contributing towards a collective school goal, and earning rewards along the way.

Maggie emphasizes the significance of creating nurturing environments that instill a passion for learning in children from an early age. She says, *“The most powerful thing we can do for a child is to create environments, foster experiences, and provide them with teachers that help them fall in love with learning early.