Fairview has been awarded additional grant monies for the second year of our Charter Dissemination Grant!
The new dissemination grant is a continuation of the previous grant which focused on increased student achievement relating to grade level expectations. Phase II focuses on continued increase of student achievement through the use of technology based on practices that are research-based. Information will be disseminated to other schools via Fairview’s website, podcasts and an informational seminar which will be held October 6, 2007. Classrooms will have the opportunity to participate by creating, sharing and demonstrating activities that increase student achievement for all students. Click here for more information on this workshop.
October 6th Workshop Presentations
Fairview School was awarded a Dissemination Grant through the Wisconsin Department of Instruction. The focus of Fairview's grant is to assist schools in developing programs, curriculum and assessments that further student learning. Our goals for this grant are..
- Share best practices with colleagues throughout the state to improve student achievement.
- Assist schools in forming and building a Professional Learning Community.
- Increase Fairview's staff knowledge of best practices through the development and implementation of dissemination project services.
These are the major ideas, concepts and strategies presented on the following topics:
Professional Learning Community
Fairview School received charter school status in September 2001, and began the process of becoming a PLC in August 2003. Recently we have been recognized as a high-performing school within the district.
What is a PLC?
"The very essence of a learning community is a focus on and a commitment to the learning of each student." In order to achieve this, members of a PLC must have a vision of how to help all students learn. Our journey of becoming a PLC is documented in our informational binder, and personal experiences along with additional information will be included in our presentation.
Collaborative Team Work
An Integral part of the PLC is the collaborative teams who "work interdependently to achieve common goals linked to the purpose of learning for all." It is important that teams focus on the right issues in order to improve results. Suggestions on how to develop and implement collaborative teams is shared in our comprehensive binder.
Grade Level Expectations
The purpose of creating grade level expectations is to align your school's curriculum with district, state and national standards. It also ensures that your students, no matter the classroom, are acquiring the same skills.
In addition to the classroom benefits, expectations are an excellent way to keep parents informed of what their child needs to accomplish in order to have a successful year.
Best Practices Based on Research
"Working together to build shared knowledge on the best way to achieve goals and meet the needs of clients is what professionals in any field are expected to do." Participating in a collective inquiry of best practices in teaching as well as in learning, allows the PLC team members to generate ideas on how to best achieve their goal of successful student learning.
Assessments
A focus on results is a necessary aspect of a PLC. Creating CABS, or Classroom Assessments Based on Standards, has been a successful way for our staff to measure student learning. By basing these assessments on standards and expectations, we have created a unified system that looks at student progress as well as instructional strengths and weaknesses.
Source:
DuFour, R., Dufour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2006). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work. Bloomington: Solution Tree.
More information can be obtained by requesting the following.
Binder
Our binder walks you through our journey of becoming a PLC. Included is a detailed description of the components of a PLC, examples of CABS, year-end expectations for each grade level (K4-8) and a CD that allows you to have all this information at your fingertips. To order this free binder, please contact Paula McLean.
Presentation
If you are interested in having us speak to your staff, at no charge, to address questions, share experiences and walk you through the beginning stages of becoming a charter school and/or PLC, please contact Paula McLean.
Paula McLean Fairview Charter School 6500 W. Kinnickinnic River Parkway Milwaukee, WI 53219 Phone: (414) 546-7780 Fax: (414)546-7715Materials are available upon request. If you would like more information please contact us at mcleanpr@milwaukee.k12.wi.us or click on the links below.
Grade Level Expectations Grades K4-8
Please return to this site for future updates.
