Inspirational Stories
Moving on up!
Arthur Elementary is located in south Oklahoma City. We serve a population of 535 students of which 98% qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. In 2011-2012, Arthur . . . Read more
A Celebration
Five years ago I walked through the doors of Glyndon-Felton Elementary School as a new principal, determined to make a difference in the lives of students as a learning leader. . . . Read more
Our PLC Process
1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis. Teachers have worked hard and have been instructed to do formative assessments at the end of every period. Different teachers . . . Read more
PLC in Full Effect
The term Professional Learning Community is fairly new to me. My district started off this school year by renaming each division within our district from Academic Division 6 to . . . Read more
Boys and Girls Club Supports Students
One of my students was having a very hard time reading at home with a large family and no space to work in peace. After many failed attempts of talking with parents and . . . Read more
Using Close Reading to Kick-Start Your PLC and Start the Shift to the Common Core
George Knights, PLC at Work™ associate and Director of PLC and Assessment in Newport-Mesa Unified School District; with Dr. Kirk Bauermeister, Principal of Estancia High . . . Read more
Liberal High School
Following the 2008-2009 school year, Liberal High School was identified in the bottom 15% of lowest performing high schools in the state. Three years later, Liberal High School . . . Read more
We're On Our Way!!
Great Falls Elementary School is a Title I school in rural Chester County in South Carolina, situated approximately halfway between Columbia, SC and Charlotte, NC. The percentage . . . Read more
Working in PLCs: Reflections on Collaboration From Australia
Background In 2010, Strathmore Secondary College elected to introduce Professional Learning Communities. On a trial basis these were teams of four or five teachers who were . . . Read more
Recipe for Response: One School’s Strategy For Responding to Struggling Learners
Public Schools are striving to meet the needs of a far more diverse learning population. As funds dwindle each year, teachers need to find creative ways of providing meaningful, . . . Read more
Creating a Culture of Collaboration
Moving 50+ teachers into a brand new school is a challenge on many levels. Most obvious is the challenge the principal of this school faced ensuring all staff work together as a . . . Read more
The Journey of a Freshman Learning Community
The transition to ninth grade is challenging for many students. For Sanborn Regional High School students, their transition struggles pointed to several issues in the . . . Read more
North Dayton School of Discovery
I started my first year as principal in 2010-2011 of North Dayton School of Discovery (NDSD) in Dayton, Ohio. This turn-around school had one year to make drastic changes or the . . . Read more
Remediation and Celebration at Globe High School
I have been inspired by Rick DuFour's work since I first read one of his books 11 years ago as a teacher. The PLC concepts motivated me to earn my master's degree and . . . Read more
Myrtle Hall IV: Making Strong Connections
This school year, 2011-2012, Myrtle Hall IV began their transformation from a traditional school to a PLC. This was a tough implementation, because many of the teachers did not . . . Read more