Cloverleaf Elementary School is the second of five Bartow County schools recently named a Model Professional Learning Community for its sustained success in raising student achievement! This week, we will continue highlighting all five schools, building leaders, and their keys to academic success.
“I was very excited to hear that Cloverleaf has been recognized as a Model PLC School,” said former CLES Principal Dr. Evie Barge. “The staff at Cloverleaf has worked hard for three years to implement the PLC process and as a result, the school has continuously improved. Often for educators, there are few accolades and positive recognition. Becoming a Model PLC School affirms the hard work of the Cloverleaf staff and gives them much deserved recognition.”
The school’s successful implementation of PLC’s was a major contributing factor in the improved achievement of its students. PLC’s are schools and districts in which educators recognize the key to improved learning for students is on-going, job-embedded learning for the adults who serve those students. The three big ideas of a PLC call upon educators to:
1. Focus on learning.
2. Build a collaborative culture.
3. Create a results orientation.
“It began three years ago when Superintendent Dr. Phillip Page sent all Bartow County principals to a PLC Conference in Atlanta,” added Barge. “Dr. Page didn't just see that we were trained, he provided an infrastructure to support PLC's with a new daily school schedule, additional personnel with instructional lead teachers and learning support specialists, and on-going, continuous training to support the implementation of the PLC process.”
Schools are recognized based on strict criteria, including demonstration of a commitment to PLC concepts, implementation of these concepts for at least three years, and clear evidence of improved student learning over that period. Once measurable results can be seen, the school must explain its practices, structures, and culture, and then submit its application for consideration by the PLC Review Committee.
“I felt a sense of urgency since I knew I was retiring at the end of June,” said Barge. “I knew that in order to complete the application – the people writing it must know the history of Cloverleaf. The application was written while we were writing the school improvement plan and much of the information overlapped. The ILT, Katherine Wallraven, the LSS, Matt Williams, and I finalized the final report and sent it in for review. It was sent back in early June for minor revisions. Then, we received the exciting news that we were being recognized as a Model PLC School. The best news is that this will have a direct positive affect on Cloverleaf students. All educational experts agree that for students to improve – their teacher must improve, and PLC's ensure constant growth and improvement for our teachers.”
WES and CLES now join the Bartow County School System as they celebrate Model PLC School and Model PLC District status.