About Jon
Jonathan G. Vander Els specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in schools and districts across the country in developing, sustaining, and enhancing structures to support all learners. As a practitioner, Jonathan is able to blend his experience and expertise to meet educators where they are and assist them in developing practical next steps to ensure high levels of learning for students in their school.
““I enjoy rolling up my sleeves and doing the difficult work alongside teachers that is necessary to support CBE.””
Jonathan is a founding partner and Lead Associate for V&S School Solutions, a Solution Tree Author and Associate, and the former Director of Collaborative Learning for the New Hampshire Learning Initiative, Jonathan was previously the principal of Memorial Elementary School in Sanborn Regional School District in New Hampshire. Under his leadership, Memorial School became a nationally recognized model PLC and competency-based learning elementary environment.
Jonathan has coached and presented at conferences and Institutes throughout the United States on building highly effective PLCs, implementing competency-based and personalized learning, and developing balanced and rigorous assessment systems. Jonathan has co-written four books: Elevating Competency-Based Learning in a PLC at Work© (co-written with Karin Hess and Brian Stack-Solution Tree, 2024), The Foundation for Change (co-written with Joshua Ray-Solution Tree, 2024), Unpacking the Competency-Based Classroom (co-written with Brian Stack-Solution Tree, 2022), and Breaking With Tradition (co-written with Brian Stack-Solution Tree, 2018).
Jonathan has an education specialist degree from the University of New Hampshire in educational administration and supervision, a master’s in elementary education, a bachelor’s in history, and is certified as a superintendent, principal, and teacher. Jonathan is currently enrolled at the University of New Hampshire in their Ph. D. Educational Leadership and Policy strand, with a focus on competency-based learning. Jonathan lives with his wife and three children on the New Hampshire seacoast. You can follow Jon via Twitter @jvanderels.