PLCs in Action

Sugarloaf Elementary

CONTEXT• Rural school• 425 Students• 92.7% Poverty• 47% Hispanic• 6% Other• 27% LEP• Diverse Population (15 countries

represented)• School Built 7 Years Ago• Third Principal in 7 Years/ Second Year in

Position

FIRST YEAR REALITY• Test Scores• Inconsistent Growth/ Low Grade Level

Proficiency• Teacher Working Conditions Survey• Managing Student Conduct • Teacher Leadership• School Leadership• Parent/Community Support

• High Teacher Turnover• Comprehensive Needs Assessment• Lack of Consistency with Instructional and

Formative Assessment Practices

STARTING THE JOURNEY• Established Priorities• Defined our Identity• Developed Common Vision, Mission, Core

Values• Created a Sense of PRIDE (School Pledge,

Motto, Song, Mascot)• Increased Morale• Began Leader in Me process• Transformed the Culture

PurposeResponsibilitiesInterdependenceDeterminationEmpowerment

Building a culture of greatness by empowering leaders who

positively influence themselves and others.

TOUCHING HEARTS WINNING HEADS

Consider the Effects of Poverty/ How can you change the face of poverty?

What is within your circle of influence?“The single greatest determinant of learning is NOT

socioeconomic factors or funding levels. It is INSTRUCTION.” (Schmoker)

Our ADULT ACTIONS are within our influence. Teaching children to read gives them the tools to escape poverty.

“We close the achievement gap by closing the implementation gap.” (McNutty and Besser)

We improve student learning by improving instructional practice.

We improve instructional practice by changing adult behavior.

We need to build effective teachers and an effective school.

THE CHARGE

Building an effective school...

One teacher at a time!One student at a time!

Year 1 Pre-Work in Preparation for PLC Implementation in Year 2

•Surveys•Recognitions and Celebrations•Morale Building Activities (Pig-Outs, Duty Free Lunch, Cheer Cart, Zip Lining, Duck Out Awards, Staff Member of the Week, Positive Notes)•Distributed Leadership •Focus on Instruction•Focus on Collaboration

CREATION OF VERTICAL TEAMS•Sent Instructional Vertical Team to NCCAT•Refined Pacing Guides•Created a Schoolwide Literacy Framework•Developed a Master Schedule•Established Non-Negotiables•CraftedUnits of Study • Unwrapping Standards• Developing Pre and Post Tests• Making Anchor Charts with “I Can” Statements,

Graphic Organizers, and Previously Learned/ New Academic Vocabulary• Choosing Exemplar Texts• Creating Mini-Lessons for Learning Progressions

•Members of NCCAT Team Became Leaders of Schoolwide Vertical Teams

ESTABLISHING ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF PLCs

•Big Ideas• Focused on Learning • Collaboration• Focus on Results

•Norms and Roles•PLC Agendas• Year Long SMART Goals• Current SMART Goals• Celebrations• Data Mining• Planning Based on Data (Best Practices/ High Effect

Strategies)• Responsibilities for Next Meeting

-What should our students KUD?

-How will we know they are learning?

-How do we respond when they have not

learned it?-How do we respond

when they have learned it?

YEAR 1 SUCCESSES•Increased Overall Proficiency on EOGs by 8%; Met Expected Growth •Positive TWCS Results •Managing Student Conduct +38.8• Teacher Leadership +13.2• School Leadership +29.5• Parent/Community Support +5.2•Reduced Teacher Turnover •Infused School Pride•Created a Fun Place to LEAD, LEARN, AND SERVE!

YEAR 2 SUCCESSES•Year 1 Pre-Work Reduced Cognitive Load and Allowed Teachers to Focus on the Data and Instructional Planning•Greater Knowledge of Standards and Students•Increased Professional Growth (veteran and new teachers)•Focused Differentiation•Increased Consistency and Fidelity of Instruction•Collaborative Culture

YEAR 2 SUCCESSES•3-5 Benchmarks• ELA: Exceeded SMART goal by 6%• Math: Exceeded SMART goal by 4%

•Reading 3D (From BOY to EOG)• K: 60% increase in proficiency/ exceeded SMART

goal• Gr. 1: 7% increase in proficiency/ did not meet

SMART goal• Gr. 2: 34% increase in proficiency/ exceeded

SMART goal• Gr. 3: 33% increase in proficiency/ exceeded

SMART goal

•Schoolwide WIGS• 80% students proficient on EOY ORF target

•EOGs• Expecting to meet proficiency and growth targets

LESSONS LEARNED•What PLCs are/ are not•Some teams need more support than others•Moves need to be made in order to create stronger teams•Non-collaborative, fearful teachers quickly come to the surface (those who play “Blame Game”)•Departmentalization creates roadblocks/ require creativity•Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for help•Reflect frequently/ celebrate often•Make adjustments along the way (e.g. assessments/ scoring)

NEXT STEPS•Adjust grade level placements in order to build more cohesive, collaborative teams•Move to self-contained fifth grade classrooms•Focus on specific teams/ give weekly support•Require more than just the posting of artifacts•Video taping/ giving feedback to other teams•Increase focus on math•Move toward independence of teams (reducing prompts and scaffolds)

WE ARE SUGARLOAF!

WE ARE SUGARLOAF…

HEAR US

ROAR!