Under Construction: Leadership from the Ground Up Sendera Ranch Elementary

Suzie McNeese, Principal Michelle Pawski, Asst. Principal Courtney Baker, 4 th grade teacher Jaime Garcia, 5 th grade teacher Cheri Travis, CIT Nance Elementary (former STAR support teacher)

What are some examples of routines and systems that laid the foundations for structuring successful Professional Learning Communities for empowering teacher leadership? What procedures and protocols facilitated meaningful data driven decision making? What are the next steps for me and/or my district? Participant Learning Goals

“If schools want to enhance their organizational capacity to boost student learning, they should work on building a professional community that is characterized by shared purpose, collaborative activity, and collective responsibility among staff.” (Newmann & Wehlege, 1995, pg. 37)

Architectural Structure District Initiatives Focused Walkthroughs Targeted Planning Quarterly Curriculum Review Quality Defined meeting LEAP and LEAD leadership capacity Instructional Facilitators RtI Process

Focused Walk Through A team of 2-3 teachers and one administrator Lesson Framework, Principles of Teaching and Learning, or Student Engagement Learning opportunity for the team and classroom teacher

Ground Floor: Creating a Community of Learners Year 1 Create a vision and focus Excite your school community Work embedded professional learning time –Administrator/Classroom Instructional Teacher facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Leadership Meetings –PLC binders – resources and agendas –Black Box – Assessment and data resources Alignment of weekly staff development and PLC needs. –Professional Reading-defining what PLC’s are (DuFour model)

New Schedule 8 periods of 45 minutes 30 minutes lunch 5 minutes extra at end of day Provide 5 minute passing period/break for AMP teachers. PLC time occurs at 8:35 am. Teachers are fresh. Consistent time Teachers/Administrators have had time to focus of start of day routines 420 minutes

Ground Floor: Creating a Community of Learners Year 1 Create a vision and focus Excite your school community Work embedded professional learning time –Administrator/Classroom Instructional Teacher facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Leadership Meetings –PLC binders – resources and agendas –Black Box – Assessment and data resources Alignment of weekly staff development and PLC needs. –Professional Reading-defining what PLC’s are (DuFour model)

Mapping Our Course

PLC In order to orchestrate results-oriented teacher teamwork – The deepest solution to the problem, says Schmoker, is “instituting the most effective, widely recognized structure for guaranteeing effective teaching and coherent curriculum: professional learning communities.”

This means requiring teachers to work in teams to: Select the most important skills and standards that they will hold one another accountable to teach and test during the year, on a roughly common schedule. Prepare common interim assessments for students to take at least once a quarter. Meet, at least twice a month, for minutes, to prepare and refine standards-based units and lessons aligned with the interim assessments.

Meet at least every quarter to look at the results of the interim assessments, celebrate gains, and plan ways to improve instruction and help students who are not yet successful. Meet briefly with the principal or department head after each assessment to report on progress. Administrators should follow up on these meetings, says Schmoker: “It is absolutely vital that successful results from effective lessons, units, or quarterly assessments be celebrated at faculty, central office, and school board meetings. We become what we honor and celebrate frequently. “A Chance for Change” by Mike Schmoker in American School Board Journal, April 2007 (Vol. 194, #4, p ), no e-link available

Framing: Building Commitment Year 2 Revisit vision and focus Renew excitement in our school community Building a culture of disciplined leaders who take intentional action –Leadership Meetings – clear expectations training and support –Division of leadership – PLC Coach and Team Facilitator Work embedded professional learning time –Administrator/Classroom Instructional Teacher facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Protocols for looking at data and student work –Standards Based Bulletin Boards Alignment of weekly staff development and PLC needs.

Framing: Building Commitment Year 2 Revisit vision and focus Renew excitement in our school community Building a culture of disciplined leaders who take intentional action –Leadership Meetings – clear expectations training and support –Division of leadership – PLC Coach and Team Facilitator Work embedded professional learning time –Administrator/Classroom Instructional Teacher facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Protocols for looking at data and student work –Standards Based Bulletin Boards Alignment of weekly staff development and PLC needs.

Framing: Building Commitment Year 2 Revisit vision and focus Renew excitement in our school community Building a culture of disciplined leaders who take intentional action –Leadership Meetings – clear expectations training and support –Division of leadership – PLC Coach and Team Facilitator Work embedded professional learning time –Administrator/Classroom Instructional Teacher facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Protocols for looking at data and student work –Standards Based Bulletin BoardsStandards Based Bulletin Boards Alignment of weekly staff development and PLC needs.

Insulation and Drywall: Building Stability Year 3 Revise vision and focus Renew excitement your school community Support a culture of disciplined leaders who take intentional action –Division of leadership – PLC Content Coaches and Team Facilitator Work embedded professional learning time –Gradual Release of Responsibility- PLC Coaches facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Protocols for looking at data and student work –Standards Based Bulletin Boards Alignment of weekly staff development and PLC needs.

Insulation and Drywall: Building Stability Year 3 Revise vision and focus Renew excitement your school community Support a culture of disciplined leaders who take intentional action –Division of leadership – PLC Content Coaches and Team Facilitator Work embedded professional learning time –Gradual Release of Responsibility- PLC Coaches facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Protocols for looking at data and student work –Standards Based Bulletin Boards Alignment of weekly staff development and PLC needs.

Remodeling: Building Stability to Support Changes Year 4 Revise vision and focus New School Community –Campus split due to population growth –Team building Established culture of trust in disciplined leaders who take intentional action –Division of leadership – PLC Content Coach and Team Facilitator –Gradual Release of Responsibility- PLC Coaches facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Protocols for looking at data and student work-Problem of Practice and Instructional Rounds –Standards Based Bulletin Boards Alignment of weekly staff development and PLC needs.

Landscaping: Building from Strengths Year 5 Revise vision and focus Renew excitement your school community Support a culture of disciplined leaders who take intentional action –New Organization/Division of leadership – PLC Content Coach, Team Facilitator and Technology Team Facilitator –Continual Release of Responsibility with support- PLC Coaches facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Protocols for State of the Class –Standards Based Bulletin Boards Alignment of weekly staff development, PLC needs, problem of practice and assessments

Attend PLC meetings with Principal, AP and/or CIT Attend TF meetings with Principal, AP and/or CIT Assist in the implementation and communication of technology updates Collaborate with Principal, AP and/or CIT on future topics relating to team needs Gather questions/ concerns from team to share at meeting Assist in the implementation and teacher leader/modeling with instructional technology integration SST Case Manager for your grade levelOrganize Field TripsGradebook help for grade level Lead PLC meetings every weekLead lesson planning meetingsPoint of contact for technology for assigned grade level Compile data information from the districtDisseminate organizational informationPoint of contact for technology showcase Monitor record keeping for PLC. Turn in all forms to CIT Write the grade level weekly newsletter Monitor and lead discussions about assessment Textbook Contact Lead and monitor goal settingApprove grade level copies Arrange team observations during PLCs PLC Coach Team Facilitator Technology Facilitator

Landscaping: Building from Strengths Year 5 Revise vision and focus Renew excitement your school community Support a culture of disciplined leaders who take intentional action –New Organization/Division of leadership – PLC Content Coach, Team Facilitator and Technology Team Facilitator –Gradual Release of Responsibility- PLC Coaches facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Protocols for State of the Class –Standards Based Bulletin Boards Alignment of weekly staff development, PLC needs, problem of practice and assessments

Landscaping: Building from Strengths Year 5 Revise vision and focus Renew excitement your school community Support a culture of disciplined leaders who take intentional action –New Organization/Division of leadership – PLC Content Coach, Team Facilitator and Technology Team Facilitator –Gradual Release of Responsibility- PLC Coaches facilitated and planned PLC meetings Provide clear expectations, training, and support –Protocols for State of the Class –Standards Based Bulletin Boards Alignment of weekly staff development, PLC needs, problem of practice and assessments

Outcomes and Benefits Vertical teaming School wide expectations Common language and vocabulary Ownership of student success academically and social/emotionalOwnership

What are the next steps for me and/or my district? Blueprints What steps can your campus take to empower teacher leaders in successful PLCs? Barriers What barriers do you foresee? What might stand in the way of accomplishing campus goals?

Sources Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work (DuFour, DuFour, & Eaker, 2008). Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree. Elementary School Scheduling (Canady & Reittig). Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education A Chance for Change,(Mike Schmoker) American School Board Journal, April 2007 (Vol. 194, #4, p ) Successful School Restructuring: A Report to the Public and Educators (Newmann & Wehlege, 1995)