Jackson junior high sees benefits of Professional Learning Communities

There are four critical questions at the core of Professional Learning Communities: What do they want students to know? How will educators know when a student has learned it? How will educators respond when a student doesn't get it? How will educators respond when a student already knows it?

Teachers and administrators at Jackson Junior High School say students and faculty are working collaboratively to answer those questions. And that partnership, they say, is paying big dividends.

The Jackson School Board heard and approved an evaluation of the instructional effectiveness of the junior high's PLC, which just wrapped up its third year. The collaborative culture has seen some real measurable results, according to principal Cory Crosnoe and junior high teachers. Discipline referrals have been cut by a third, and grades were up considerably in the first semester of the recently completed school year. F's made up just 3 percent of the grades, according to district statistics.

"We've seen dramatic results," said Kyle Mabuce, a freshman American History II teacher.

PLCs rely on constant communication, a pyramid of interventions and a continual fight against student failure. It often involves an open and honest assessment of all of the players involved. That assessment begins early, be it a late assignment or a bad test.

"I want to understand what they're saying, why that didn't happen so I can remedy that," Mabuce said. "Maybe it was the way I explained it, maybe it was I didn't teach it. Maybe they were up all night at the hospital with mom or dad or whatever and didn't get to study. Whatever it is, I want to know so I can take a different avenue of how we can address that."

In the past semester, the junior high launched SOS sheets to help get missing work completed and turned in -- there are no zeros allowed. But there are no passes; the initiative stresses quality over quantity, so students are learning what they need to advance to the next level of education, administrators say.

The PLC, built upon data and research, stresses incentives and rewards, greater teacher collaboration and more time to enhance learning opportunity, administrators say. All the while, the educational campaign is aimed at differentiated instruction so all students at all learning levels continue to improve.

"They are constantly looking at it," said assistant superintendent Rita Fisher. "If something doesn't work, they change it."

In other business, the board approved the summer school program. Some 1,300 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 are expected to attend the session, beginning Tuesday.

Jackson Junior High School will host an intruder drill for teachers in the district and teachers in the Cape Girardeau School District. Sessions include tactical breakouts and threat scenarios.

mkittle@semissourian.com

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