About The Excellence Team
Shifting the status quo...
Experience
Kami Guarino, educational leadership consultant and founder of The Excellence Team.
During a thirty year journey in education as a leader and mom of four children that maneuvered through the K-12 education system, I am committed to unearth educator’s strengths and passion, to shift the mindset needed to create a climate and culture that yields student and staff growth, self leadership and an energy that ignites the purest form of educational excellence. Both my degree in counseling and school leadership partnered with extensive experience in Mindfulness and Restorative Practices has naturally led me to focus on the whole child/whole adult. We live in a world of change and uncertainty and if we want our kids to be an integral part of the future we need to lead with courageous compassion. I love striving for educational excellence “out of the box”, challenging my colleagues to think “big”, embrace challenges, and create opportunities for kids to thrive. I envision a world where passionate people commit to inspiring excellence.
Purpose
This company arose from my most recent work experience in a school with the creation of The Excellence Team.
The years spent collaborating with revolutionary thinking educators evolved into a team which became the driving force to a positive climate and culture within the professional community I worked in. By filtering work through an equity lens, the team ensured inclusive excellence and equity by empowering individuals to reflect on best practices, their own culture and biases, relationships, wellness, data and social emotional skills needed for success in both their personal and professional life. We created schoolwide sustainable programs that included social emotional learning, equity reflection, restorative practices, wellness and resilience. These initiatives were unique to the community’s needs and those that lead it found their true passion for why they came to school everyday. The Excellence Team was a change agent that inspired not only the team but others to reflect, learn and lead.
Passion
I am passionate with what I do every day and embrace the challenge of shifting a culture.
I have been married for 26 years and my husband and I have raised four unique children that thrive in different ways. We both have an unwavering belief that communities need to be preserved, that relationships between schools and families are critical in order to move forward, and every child must have access and opportunity to a rigorous education. I approach life with a vulnerable heart and instinct to do not necessarily what is expected but what is “right” for kids. I appreciate every opportunity that has been given to me and never take an experience for granted.
Authentic. Transformative. Compassionate.
Kami and her team strategically provide the guidance, support and tools needed to reflect, implement and create viable teams through one-on-one coaching, interactive workshops, professional development and sustainable programming.
20
Years in Education
44
Teams Enriched
38
Schools Elevated
16600
Students Impacted
"Kami is an amazing leader. As a school psychologist, there is no better feeling than working with a leader who values social and emotional learning. Kami has been an integral person in my career and she has always been open to sharing ideas and collaborating on ways to support our most impacted students.
She spearheaded a time at our school called “Connect to Kids” which allows teachers and students to connect and build relationships with one another in order to establish trust and safety within the classroom. I have talked to many educators and this sacred time to focus on SEL is a rare find in schools and I am so thankful Kami brought it to our school. Kami inspires others to think outside the box and she continues to inspire me with her work through The Excellence Team."
- Vy Ngyuen, School Psychologist
