Page 27 - EdViewptsSpring2017

planning period provided in their Guiding the Drivers reviewed each meeting. We have a
schedule, there was a lack of consis- shared agenda which all participate in
tency and a shared understanding of Guiding the work of the leadership adding to.
the cycle of professional learning in team was training provided by our Our school safety team has taken
which a successful PLC should be NJPSA coach, Pat O’Keefe, a retired on the challenge of working through
engaged. Implementing full training in administrator with a strong background the culture and climate modules this
PLC’s would be a difficult and expensive in many areas. Our team met again in year with the ultimate goal of creat-
undertaking if it had been brought in as the late spring at a training at NJPSA ing a school climate plan by the end
a district initiative in any other way. that helped us to solidify our plans and of the year. The culture and climate
share ongoing work with other districts
CAR uses the analogy of a trip to ex- and schools in the pilot. Our coach modules are an essential part of the
plain all of the pieces of this systematic, helped steer the entire grade level CAR process. Without a commitment
coherent plan to improve student learn- leadership team with training right to building and sustaining a strong,
ing and strengthen educator practice. after school ended in June. Our district positive school culture, the PLC work
It defines the destination as student superintendent, Dr. Brian Zychowski, cannot be fully successful.
learning, with the PLC as the vehicle and curriculum director, Ms. Jennifer
that can help schools achieve that learn- Diszler, supported our work by pro- Navigating Through Rough
ing. CAR defines the map to get there viding our team with these two paid Terrain
as a viable curriculum composed of training days. Over the summer, Initially, as we started our work in the
units of study containing basic compo- these grade level leaders were able online Moodle, many of us found it a bit
nents of effective practice. The drivers to explore the online courses and confusing. As a staff comfortable with
on this journey are teachers and ad- become more familiar with the work technology, we had all started viewing
ministrators. Along the journey are the in which they would be leading their the videos and conversations WITHOUT
guideposts or assessments that the grade level teams. viewing the Orientation Tools for using
teams create to guide their travels. The the Online Courses and the Moodle.
culture of the school, made up of climate Participation in the CAR The Orientation tools ended up being
(student to student, adult to student,
and adult to adult,) shared leadership, process helps the PLC an essential piece to understanding the
communication and expectations is the teams develop shared structure of the courses. There are an
incredible amount of resources available
terrain encountered along the journey. through the Blended Online Learning
The PLC teams of teachers develop, leadership and create Modules (also known as BOLM), and
implement, reflect on, and continuously group norms and struc- it is important for teams to understand
revise standards-based curriculum units, tures that allow them how to move through the content of the
various formative and summative com- courses. Courses 1, 2, and 3 should be
mon assessments, PLC practice, and to be more effective and approached sequentially.
culture. Participation in the CAR process focused in their work,
helps the PLC teams develop shared Our administrative team provided sup-
leadership and create group norms and to continually drive in- port to our grade level leaders in their
structures that allow them to be more struction based on stu- roll out by being available to listen and
effective and focused in their work, to dent needs. troubleshoot challenges. We used our
continually drive instruction based on grade level leader meetings as a forum
student needs. to share successes and challenges and
Setting the Course showcase the unit work being done.
Planning the Trip In August, our Leadership Team met However, it was also important to al-

The initial planning for our school’s again prior to the start of school to plan low each PLC autonomy in their work.
participation in the pilot took place dur- the roll out with the teachers at their Some teams worried that with their
ing the application process. However, PLC’s. We discussed common training, focus now on watching the videos and
like any other initiative, this one adapted explanations, and introductions to the participating in the conversations left
and changed over time. Keeping in mind CAR framework that would be shared them little time to focus on planning that
change theory and the need to plan with all staff at the first faculty meeting they were used to. The message was
out implementation, our original ideas of the year. As principal, it was my role to stay the course and continue to work
adjusted once the initial training session to provide the vision for the year’s work through the conversations, even if the
was complete and more team members at this meeting. We discussed which were only able to carve out 20 minutes
were fully engaged in the planning. It videos and conversations in the Moodle of PLC time for it.
was difficult in mid-year to shift from we would begin with, as a full staff and Once teams have completed courses
ongoing initiatives and add something on grade-level teams. We scheduled 1-3 and have been through the full cycle
new. Instead, we laid the groundwork for regular monthly grade-level leader of creating and implementing a unit with
the CAR process by sharing informa- meetings, and we followed the CAR CAR, we envision that the time spent in
tion with staff at faculty meetings to let framework for our leadership work as their PLC’s will be much more focused
staff know this was on the horizon for all well: creating common group norms, on the learned cycle of professional
classroom staff in September of 2016. which are posted where we meet and learning and the BOLM will become
Educational Viewpoints -25- Spring 2017