Thank you for a fantastic beginning to the school year.  I saw student created norms in classrooms, discussion protocols, student collaboration and high levels of student engagement.  Those things don't just happen on their own.  They are the result of the focused, intentional efforts of a group of teachers who are passionately committed to making a difference.  Thank you for being a powerful influence in the lives of Venture students.

A Culture of Professional Learning:  What are we actually doing?

One of the reasons that I embrace the PLC process as a means of improving student learning is that it empowers professional educators to use their expertise to create the change that they want to see to improve learning for the people they care about - their own students.

PLC's are not a prescribed process or a canned system that undermines teacher professionalism and efficacy.  Quite the opposite is true.  PLC's depend on the professional knowledge, skill and experience that teachers bring to the table.  They are a way of doing business that allow teachers to grow and develop within a context of curiosity and systematic inquiry into the practices that most improve student outcomes.  In other words, we look intentionally at student work and other outcomes to measure the effects of our practices on student learning.

As each of us meets with our own learning community, these are three things to consider:

First, what is the compelling purpose that energizes and motivates the work of our team?  Of course, we're ultimately looking for student learning.  Raising ISAT scores would be good, as it would be a measure of student learning that we could be proud of, but does that goal, on it's own, ignite your passion for teaching?  Or could your team articulate another compelling purpose that provides a clear orientation that allows you to self-correct and redirect as you get closer to or further from the goal? Consider these examples:

• Students demonstrating critical thinking and problem-solving skills, 
• using their listening and speaking skills to create meaningful change,
• using their understanding of multiple perspectives to solve complex problems are outcomes that speak to the deeper purposes of education.  And others.

As teachers, we feel like rock stars when our kids are learning on that level.  As a PLC, consider exploring the purposes that make it essential to work with your colleagues to achieve them.

Second is planning for the instruction that allows you to achieve your purposes.   Creating learning targets, learning activities and planning for when students aren't learning will take up much of your PLC's time together.  Intentionally designing engaging learning experiences that allow for productive struggle, building student agency, and creating strategies to address learning gaps is a challenging process.  If we are to do these things well, we need all minds on board.  The expertise of each professional team member is a necessary ingredient to creating the lessons that allow students to meet learning targets and grow into the adults we are hoping they will become.  What are the learning experiences students must have if they are to become the problem-solving, critical thinkers who can manage complex issues?  That is a question for each of us to grapple with in cooperation with our colleagues.

The third area that will be a focus of PLCs is data analysis.  Venture  PLC teams should be making decisions about what student evidence might look like for each of the standards. They can align evidence from daily student work to projected proficiency on assessments to determine if students are on track. Working collaboratively, teams can dig into student data and help one another adjust instruction to better meet the needs of all students.

When we understand our individual and collective compelling purposes and we use those to direct our focus on instructional decisions and data analysis, we are doing the work of an authentic PLC.

Wellnesses begin on September 22.  Please email Caryn and cc me if you need materials ordered (ASAP)  Kevin will get the slide show out so you can do a slide of what you want to share with students.  Please check with me if you are doing something new.

Some things to consider: 

• Will the activity sustain 6 - 55 minute blocks?  If not, consider sharing a block with another teacher.
• Are the materials affordable (less than $50)?
• Is it something students are not already doing?  It should present new learning/opportunities/skills for students
• Please remember, this cannot be a study hall and students should not be on their phones.

Extended Learning begins on September 21.  Caryn will have passes in your box on Wednesday 9/20.  Tony will have gym for students who have all their work done.  Would one of you (someone who is not likely to be helping students during extended learning) be willing to propose another option for kids who have completed all their work?  If so, please contact me ASAP.

For the Week of September 18
Bus Duty: Gonzalez and Mazhan
Monday:  Non Work Day
Tuesday: 
Wednesday: Kaiser out @am
Thursday: Begin Extended Learning
Friday:  Begin Wellness

For the Week of September 25
Bus Duty: Higgs and Levy
Monday: Certified PD Day; Online families meet and greet 10 am - 2 pm
Tuesday: 
Wednesday:
Thursday: Extended Learning
Friday: Wellness; Picture Day

For the Week of October 2
Bus Duty: Eastman and Mahoney
Monday: Non Work Day:  Custodian Appreciation Day/Week
Tuesday: Kaiser out @am
Wednesday:  Kaiser out @ pm
Thursday: Extended Learning
Friday: Wellness; Picture Day