Professional Learning Community

1. Professional Learning Community The Speedway High School Model “Home of the World Famous Sparkplugs”

3. Perspective “Focus on the process, not the results”

4. 3 Key Questions… • What’s the Challenge? • How do we strategically plan for it? • How do we know we’re winning?

5. What’s the Challenge? • 45% Free/Reduced Lunch • 15% Special Education • 9% English Language Learners • 29% Minority • Too many failures each grading period • Low ECA test scores • Poor AP test performance “The road to getting there is the most important part. Once you arrive, the journey is over.”—John Wooden

6. Challenge: Too easy to focus on RESULTS! • NCLB • PL 221 • School grades (A-F) • AYP • ECA • Graduation Rates • AP scores (College Readiness) New Style of Leadership

7. History Lesson • Speedway Four Star School 1999-2002 • Changing demographics • Increased Free/Reduced population • Continued to teach & test the same way we’d always done it. • “Who Moved My Cheese?” Spencer Johnson

8. Momentum builds… • Finishing my first year as Principal (2007-2008) • Two veteran teachers had been reading Rick DuFour’s books. Grass roots movement! • NCA visitation suggested a more comprehensive, planned PD system to address our weaknesses and increase student achievement. • Two teachers worked to put together a proposal which we submitted to Superintendent.

9. Once challenge is identified…now we strategically plan for it. K.I.S.S. • Increase student achievement. • Increase collaboration among faculty. Priorities • Reducing failures • Increasing ECA test scores • Increasing AP scores • Focusing on Classroom instruction • Connecting our mobile student population to community

10. What has come from our PLC? • Racing to Excellence • Intramural program (kickball, dodgeball, basketball, cornhole) • ENL planning sessions • School wide writing assignments • Cross curricular projects (Indy 500) • Performance Tasks (Common Core Standards) • Tutoring by students and adults • Leadership from faculty • FNO Intervention checklists • Grade level teams • PD “experts” • Department planning • Focus on AP/Dual Credit curriculum • After school Department study tables Process

11. More Process…This year • Electronic FNOs • Intervention Team • Data collection/interpretation “Cervantes said the journey’s better than the end. Practices, to me, were the journey.”—Wooden

12. How do we know we’re winning?

13. More measurable data: • Failures • 10% + for several years • Last 6 semesters: 3.55%-4.90% • High Yield Instructional Strategies • 4 minute walkthroughs • Documented increase in use during instruction. • Documented use during teacher observations. “I don’t like emphasis on trophies. The real reward is in the effort, the journey, the hard fight. Trophies are a by product of success.”—John Wooden

14. Beyond winning… • Teachers love to spend time with one another. • Teachers crave more ideas/knowing about how to get students to achieve more. • Teachers love to learn more about their craft. • Teachers love hearing from their peers. • Teachers care about their students.

15. Evaluation and Evolution… • Survey teachers at conclusion of each semester • Build time around faculty needs • ALWAYS filter through vision, mission and school improvement goals. “Perfection is impossible but striving for perfection is not. Do the best you can. That is what counts.”—John Wooden

16. Current Feedback (Nov. 2011) • Do you feel you’ve grown in: • Instructional techniques 66% yes • Data Analysis 89% yes • Collaboration 81% yes • Planning and preparation 56% yes • As a result of PLC, do you feel like you are more likely to intervene with failing students? 85% yes • As a result of PLC, do you feel Speedway HS is a better Academic Institution? 96% yes

17. Remember… • Focus on the PROCESS, not the RESULTS!

18. Questions? Tim McRoberts Speedway High School 317-244-7238 tmcroberts@speedway.k12.in.us