PLC

Guiding Principle: Professional Learning Community Secondary school practices must cultivate a collaborative culture through the development of high performing professional learning teams. Teams accept learning as the fundamental purpose of their work examining all practices in light of their impact on learning. Team effectiveness is based on results which are used to promote continuous learning and improvement. Regular collegial collaboration amongst educators around the continuous improvement cycle identified in the Connecticut Accountability for Learning Process is embedded into the school day. Educator’s deep understanding of their content through essential standards, expected outcomes, assessment measurements, data driven decision making and differentiated and effective teaching strategies are fundamental processes in developing a culture centered on the core of student learning. Six characteristics of Professional Learning Communities ** 1. ****Shared mission, vision, values and goals** All members of the professional organization work towards the mission and vision of the school with mutually developed shared values and goals that support the district and building strategic plans to advance learning. ** 2. ****Professionals work in collaborative teams** Teams are cultivated by administration to collaborate and commit to the collegial work of achieving the collective purpose of student growth. Collaborative team time to implement the continuous learning cycle is facilitated during the school day on a regular basis. Through the use of team protocols such as norms, conflict resolution, reflection and analysis of student work and feedback processes high functioning teams are developed. By making products of collaboration explicit success can be replicated. Within the continuous learning cycle professional learning teams identify power standards by content and course; develop big ideas and essential questions to frame units of instruction; develop instructional units embedding 21st century skills and real world connections; create performance based assessments and common formative assessments; analyze data to adjust the teaching/ learning process and implement systems of intervention. ** 3. ****Collective inquiry into best practices and current reality** The effectiveness of teams is based on the results of learning. Individuals, teams and schools seek relevant data and information and use that information to promote continuous improvement. Using the data driven decision making process teams identify students who are strong, weak or on the cusp of learning certain key concepts and skills. Considering aspects of cultural responsiveness teams work to research and identify the best instructional strategies to address student needs. Professional development becomes driven by the needs identified within the data. An emphasis on utilizing the strengths of the team to support colleague’s professional growth creates a job embedded professional development model. ** 4. ****Teams are action oriented** Once teams have identified the learning outcomes, created and taught units of instruction, assessed students and analyzed the data teams establish specific, measurable, results-oriented, performance goals. Each team member is then committed to a common purpose and a related performance goal to which the group holds itself jointly accountable. SMART goals should be aligned to support the success of district and building goals, as well as, be used to inform individual performance objectives. The SMART goal process is inclusive of the goal, strategies and actions to accomplish the goal, who is responsible for what, a timeline of implementation and evidence of effectiveness. ** 5. ****Teams are committed to continuous improvement** Teams are provided with frequent access to relevant information. The results of formative assessments to measure SMART goals are reviewed using the five step data driven decision making process minimally on a 6-8 week cycle. Based on results goals, strategies and instructional focuses are modified. The collection and review of data to determine student results allows for a system that ensures continuous access to practice that is getting results and the ability to provide interventions in a timely manner where results are not occurring. A focus on the use of formative assessments in support of learning, developed through professional learning communities provides gains in student achievement through a collegial and job embedded model for teacher professional development. ** 6. ****Teams are results oriented** Educators are collectively skilled and focused at assessing, disaggregating, and using student achievement data as a tool for ongoing improvement. When students do not meet the established levels of learning criteria results are sought through the implementation of a Response to Intervention. Interventions increase levels of time and support when students are not being successful. Educator’s response to the provision of support is increasingly directive as the need increases. Educators respond in a timely and systematic way that is monitored frequently for results.
 * (Professional Development and Culturally Responsive) **