When Bill Eisele arrived in August 2007, Team Read had just clocked its first decade pairing high school reading coaches with student readers in Seattle Public Schools, and our offices were still in a beloved old classroom at Leschi Elementary. Over the decade and a half that followed, even as many things around us changed, Bill (and his incredible energy) became a constant – to the coaches, student readers, and their families, to the site coordinators and support staff who make the program possible, and to his district and Team Read colleagues.
“There’s always a bit of joyful chaos at the start of any program year, but Bill kept it all together. Even when [Seattle Public Schools] bell times changed and we really didn’t know how we would pull off getting the high school coaches and student readers together, Bill just went right into problem solving mode and sure enough, we found a way.” – SPS site coordinator
That unwavering commitment earned Bill the trust of thousands of reading coaches over the years.
“Bill gave me one of my first opportunities to lead as part of the Ambassador program. I felt empowered as a high school student knowing he was actively listening to our ideas and also making us feel supported in our own learning process. I greatly appreciate his impact on that experience which helped shape my early college and career trajectory.” – Marvin Eng, former teen reading coach
“Impact” is also what comes to mind for our Executive Director, Melissa Pailthorp, when she reflects on Bill’s legacy. “Bill has made such a difference in so many students’ lives, and honestly it’s so much bigger than that. His impact can be felt at the community level.”
Fortunately for all of us, Bill will continue impacting the community in his next amazing role as Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement for the YMCA of Greater Seattle.