pioneer high school our journey: becoming and sustaining a professional learning community

Pioneer High SchoolPioneer High School

Our Journey: Becoming and Our Journey: Becoming and Sustaining a Professional Sustaining a Professional

Learning CommunityLearning Community

BackgroundBackground Growth on API indicators flat since Growth on API indicators flat since

20002000

On verge of entering program On verge of entering program improvementimprovement

PHS decided to volunteer for a mock PHS decided to volunteer for a mock auditauditPioneer High School – A Professional Learning Pioneer High School – A Professional Learning

CommunityCommunity

BackgroundBackground

Mock Audit:Mock Audit: Conducted by District and LACOE Conducted by District and LACOE

personnel in March of 2003personnel in March of 2003 Included: classroom observations, Included: classroom observations,

teacher and student interviews and teacher and student interviews and data analysisdata analysis

Matrix developed by audit team Matrix developed by audit team provided more specificityprovided more specificityPioneer High School – A Professional Learning Pioneer High School – A Professional Learning

CommunityCommunity

BackgroundBackgroundMock Audit ResultsMock Audit Results ““The prevailing academic culture at PHS does The prevailing academic culture at PHS does

not reflect a challenging and rigorous program not reflect a challenging and rigorous program in ALL classes and for ALL students.”in ALL classes and for ALL students.”

““There is limited evidence of standards-driven There is limited evidence of standards-driven assessments being used to improve instruction.”assessments being used to improve instruction.”

““There is inconsistent implementation of a There is inconsistent implementation of a standards-driven curriculum that incorporates standards-driven curriculum that incorporates appropriate and engaging instructional appropriate and engaging instructional strategies.”strategies.”

Pioneer High School – A Professional Learning Pioneer High School – A Professional Learning CommunityCommunity

BackgroundBackground Key Planners (school leadership Key Planners (school leadership

team) decided to address the areas team) decided to address the areas of growth at a two-day retreat during of growth at a two-day retreat during the summer with attendees from the summer with attendees from each department.each department.

The PLC model was presented as a The PLC model was presented as a vehicle to facilitate and improve vehicle to facilitate and improve upon Mock audit results.upon Mock audit results.


Retreat ObjectivesRetreat Objectives Address corrective actions Address corrective actions

imposed by mock audit teamimposed by mock audit team Establish collaborative groups Establish collaborative groups

to address standards based to address standards based instruction across the curriculainstruction across the curricula

Establish levels of intervention Establish levels of intervention for student successfor student success


Retreat OutcomesRetreat Outcomes

Increased teacher leadership in decision-Increased teacher leadership in decision-making/ownershipmaking/ownership

CollaborationCollaboration Realistic goals & clear, attainable Realistic goals & clear, attainable

expectationsexpectations Standards-based instructionStandards-based instruction Student support – ID at risk students Student support – ID at risk students

before they have problemsbefore they have problems Shared vision, mission, values, goals, Shared vision, mission, values, goals,

passionpassion

What is a Professional Learning What is a Professional Learning community?community?

Characteristics of a Learning Characteristics of a Learning CommunityCommunity

Shared mission, vision, values and goalsShared mission, vision, values and goals Collaborative groupsCollaborative groups Collective inquiry into “best practice” Collective inquiry into “best practice”

and our “current reality”and our “current reality” Action orientation/experimentationAction orientation/experimentation Commitment to continuous improvementCommitment to continuous improvement Results orientated Results orientated

Rick DuFourRick DuFourPioneer High School – A Professional Learning Pioneer High School – A Professional Learning CommunityCommunity

Structures that Promote PLCStructures that Promote PLC

Team structuresTeam structures Time for collaboration within the Time for collaboration within the

school day and the school calendarschool day and the school calendar Systematic approach for students Systematic approach for students

who don’t learnwho don’t learn Rick DuFourRick DuFour


Barriers to PLCBarriers to PLC

Professional norm of teacher Professional norm of teacher isolationisolation

Lack of shared vision, Lack of shared vision, beliefs, values and goalsbeliefs, values and goals

Rick DuFourRick DuFour


Ten Steps in Becoming a PLCTen Steps in Becoming a PLC

1.1. Acknowledge Acknowledge CollaborationCollaboration

2.2. Know PLC ConceptsKnow PLC Concepts

3.3. Develop Shared Develop Shared Mission, Vision, Mission, Vision, Values & GoalsValues & Goals

4.4. Communicate a Communicate a Mission of Student Mission of Student LearningLearning

5.5. Describe a Vision of Describe a Vision of ExcellenceExcellence

6.6. Use the Vision Use the Vision StatementStatement

7.7. Link Value to VisionLink Value to Vision8.8. Focus on Short-term & Focus on Short-term &

Long-term goalsLong-term goals9.9. Engage in Research-Engage in Research-

based & Data-driven based & Data-driven PlansPlans

10.10.Expect a Cyclical Expect a Cyclical ProcessProcess

Rick DuFourRick DuFour


Resulting ProposalsResulting Proposals

We organized into subject We organized into subject alike “Collaborative Crews” alike “Collaborative Crews” consisting of 3 or more consisting of 3 or more personspersons

Each teacher was a member Each teacher was a member of a Collaborative Crewof a Collaborative Crew



Collaborative Crew ProposalCollaborative Crew ProposalEach “Collaborative Crew” will:Each “Collaborative Crew” will: Develop and adhere to crew norms & protocolsDevelop and adhere to crew norms & protocols Identify essential standardsIdentify essential standards Write and administer common assessments and Write and administer common assessments and

subject benchmarkssubject benchmarks Establish proficiency standards for each Establish proficiency standards for each

benchmark/assessmentbenchmark/assessment Develop and adhere to a pacing calendar for the Develop and adhere to a pacing calendar for the

teaching and assessing of essential standards and teaching and assessing of essential standards and benchmarksbenchmarks

Analyze resultsAnalyze results

Collaborative Crew ProposalCollaborative Crew Proposal

Develop and implement strategies to Develop and implement strategies to improve resultsimprove results

Conduct and discuss collegial observationsConduct and discuss collegial observations Develop and adhere to a common grading Develop and adhere to a common grading

policypolicy Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Set SMART (Specific, Measurable,

Attainable, Results Oriented, and Time Attainable, Results Oriented, and Time bound) goals for the crew and monitor bound) goals for the crew and monitor progressprogress


Crew ProductsCrew Products Products, not narrative descriptions of Products, not narrative descriptions of

meetings meetings Analysis of work/text/data/observation/etc. Analysis of work/text/data/observation/etc.

using an accepted protocolusing an accepted protocol Course notebooksCourse notebooks Crew normsCrew norms SMART goals and progress toward their SMART goals and progress toward their

achievementachievement Academic calendar to use as a guidelineAcademic calendar to use as a guideline


Implementing Implementing PLCPLC The PLC structure will help to The PLC structure will help to

achieve our goals and achieve our goals and accomplish our mission.accomplish our mission.

We ensured that all points of We ensured that all points of view were heard.view were heard.

The will of the group was The will of the group was evident.evident.


Fist to FiveFist to Five 5 – I’ll champion5 – I’ll champion 4 – strongly agree4 – strongly agree 3 – agree3 – agree 2 – reservations2 – reservations 1 – oppose1 – oppose Fist – strongly Fist – strongly

opposeopposeRick DuFourRick DuFour


First StepsFirst Steps Shared mission, vision, values and Shared mission, vision, values and

goalsgoals Ideally, this would be first!Ideally, this would be first! Buy-back day, examined our mission Buy-back day, examined our mission

statementstatement Looked at student achievement dataLooked at student achievement data Reviewed the SMART goals concept Reviewed the SMART goals concept

and shared a templateand shared a templatePioneer High School – A Professional Learning Pioneer High School – A Professional Learning

CommunityCommunity

Student InterventionStudent Intervention TutorialTutorial

Initially, all students with D’s and Initially, all students with D’s and F’s and all 9F’s and all 9thth and 10 and 10thth graders graders Result = overcrowding in tutorialResult = overcrowding in tutorial Response = tutorial survey sent to Response = tutorial survey sent to

staff, students, and parentsstaff, students, and parents Modification = revised to only D and Modification = revised to only D and

F studentsF students


CollaborationCollaboration CrewsCrews

Initially, all crews and leaders were Initially, all crews and leaders were subject-alike and selected by subject-alike and selected by administration administration Result =some teacher dissatisfactionResult =some teacher dissatisfaction Response = end of year surveyResponse = end of year survey Modification = crews will be self-Modification = crews will be self-

determined using an application determined using an application processprocess


RefinementRefinement CrewsCrews

Initially, requirements upon crews were Initially, requirements upon crews were loose loose Result =little or no productivity, confusion Result =little or no productivity, confusion Response = end of year surveyResponse = end of year survey Modification = part of application process Modification = part of application process

requires submission of action plan with requires submission of action plan with SMART goal, timeline and members SMART goal, timeline and members accountable, crews present on progress at accountable, crews present on progress at monthly KP meetings and buy-back daysmonthly KP meetings and buy-back days


RefinementRefinementThe processThe process

Initially, problems were brought up in Key Planners, Initially, problems were brought up in Key Planners, and a small group of administrators, the curriculum and a small group of administrators, the curriculum coordinator and our coach brainstormed solutions and coordinator and our coach brainstormed solutions and presented these to Key Planners presented these to Key Planners Result = limited input, less teacher buy-in, less Result = limited input, less teacher buy-in, less

sustainabilitysustainability Response = group of teachers met during summer Response = group of teachers met during summer

to brainstorm modificationto brainstorm modification Modification = formation of a Steering CommitteeModification = formation of a Steering Committee

Steering Committee leads agenda for key plannersSteering Committee leads agenda for key planners


RefinementRefinement

New TeachersNew Teachers Adjusting to crew/department Adjusting to crew/department

meetingsmeetings Role or function of Key Planners and Role or function of Key Planners and

Steering CommitteeSteering Committee School CultureSchool Culture


Data AnalysisData Analysis

Academic Performance Academic Performance IndexIndexFigure 7 - PHS API

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Academic Year Ending

AP

I S

co

re

API

Hispanic

EconomicallyDisadvantaged

Annual Yearly ProgressAnnual Yearly Progress(AYP) English(AYP) English

Figure 34 - PHS AYP Percent of Students Proficient or Above in English Language Arts

05

1015202530354045

Academic Year

Percent of Students Proficient or Above

Schoolwide

Hispanic/Latino


English Learners

Schoolw ide 18.3 35 43.3 41.1

Hispanic/Latino 16.9 34.4 42.7 42.2


12 32 38.6 40

English Learners 0 33.3 44.4 38

2002 2003 2004 2005

AYPAYPMathematicsMathematics

Figure 35 - PHS AYP Percent of Students Proficient or Above in Mathematics

0

10

20

30

40

50

Academic Year

Percent of Students

Proficient or Above

Schoolwide

Hispanic/Latino


English Learners

Schoolw ide 12.5 29.4 43.4 43.4

Hispanic/Latino 11.3 28.9 41.6 43.7


8 26.2 42.9 42.3

EnglishLearners

1.3 27.8 46.4 39.4

2002 2003 2004 2005

Focus on the FutureFocus on the Future ““Best practices” should be the priority Best practices” should be the priority

in staff development in staff development Continue to adjust to block schedule Continue to adjust to block schedule

to use extended class time to its to use extended class time to its maximum effectivenessmaximum effectiveness

Meeting district goals through Meeting district goals through common assessments and learning common assessments and learning walkswalks


Questions???Questions???

Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources

pioneer high school our journey: becoming and sustaining a professional learning community

Documents

mock audit pioneer high

school day

mission of student learning

passion slide

values goals

background mock audit

mock audit team

mock audit results