Foster High School PLC Plan

Foster High School

1 of 3 High Schools in Lamar CISD Four-year public high school Enrollment: 2113 & rapidly growing Grades 9-12 Ethnic breakdown:

52.6% White 28.8% Hispanic 15% African American 3.5% Asian 0.1 American Indian

Campus Leadership

Gene Tomas Opened the school in 2002 Old school approach Very supportive of staff and students Interested in PLCs

Professional staff: 6 administrators, 123 teachers, & 15 support staff

TEA Ratings

2008 – Academically Acceptable Predicted 2009 – Recognized (Yeah!!)

District & Campus Goal – Exemplary by 2010

Current State of Instruction

Teachers teaching the same subject matter work in isolation

Different tests, instruction, and labs for the same subject matter

Caveman syndrome Small pockets of collaboration (almost none)

TAKS Challenge

2008 10th Grade Science TAKS scores…82% passed

Goal 90% to become exemplary Problems are in our sub. pops.

White – 91%Asian – 93%African American – 73%Hispanic – 65%Econ. Disad. – 60%

PLC - IPC Team

Four IPC teachers (9th grade)2 coaches, 1 near retirement and myself

Subject assigned administrator to oversee the science department

My Vision

Using the National Staff Development standards for PLCs.

Foster HS will have…“Staff development that improves the

learning of all students organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the school and district.”

LCISD’s Graduate Profile

We want all our graduates to be: Effective Communicators Effective Users of Technology Self-directed Learners Quality Producers Responsible Citizens Celebrants of Diversity Competent, Creative Problem-Solvers

Vision

My Vision is to establish a PLC which will become a collaborative group that will improve student learning through more effective instruction, curriculum, and assessment

Vision

PLC will constantly monitor and modify/improve these areas through the “Berkey triangle”

Assessment• Common Formatives• Rigorous Summatives• Valid/Reliable

Curriculum• International• Rigorous• Workforce Ready

Instruction• Differentiated• Engaging• Authentic

Vision

Staff development done through constant collaboration which will include: Evaluating assessment data Peer-instruction Elevated curriculum standards Setting short term goals -SMART Celebrating small successes

PLC Layout

PLC will meet Tuesdays & Thursdays during set conference period (1st period)

PLC will follow social contract agreed on by members at start of year and hold each member to the contract

PLC will meet with dept. once a week led by dept. head to discuss dept. issues and understand “Big Picture”

Weekly Agenda Questions

What are our curriculum goals? How will we assess our students? How will we instruct our students? What does our data suggest?

(examine student work-data based on pre-test/post-test)

What problems need to be solved?

Rotating Leadership

Each team member will be assigned specific duty or topic in order to help foster improved leadership qualities

Ex. lesson plans, assessments, engagement activities, demos & labs, video clips & warm-ups

Curriculum- Graphing

The team will begin the year teaching graphing

Timeframe: 3 weeks Major topics include:

Types of graphs Labeling, units, scale, & title Calculating slope & area under the curve Making predictions based on trends:

▪ Interpolation & Extrapolation

Differentiated Instruction

Graphing Notes – DRY/MIX acronym Graphing Worksheets (homework) Graphing Labs – bouncy balls &

motorized cars labs Digital video labs – Revisit bouncy

balls & motorized car labs with video cameras and computer software

Lab Practicums – class and individual

Evaluating Student Learning ofGraphing

Pre- & post-test Graphing Labs Digital Video Analysis with Logger Pro Class Practicum Individual Practicum Formative assessment

Individual Student Evaluation

Progress reports are sent home every 3 week marking period regardless of grade; Report cards every 6 weeks.

PLC will meet for a failure evaluation assessed every two weeks parents of students failing will be contacted at

this time and made aware of their child’s personal failure plan

all failures will be re-taught objectives not mastered during tutorials, Monday night library sessions, &/or advisory

Failure Plan - SMART Goal

Ex. A students struggling with finding a slope

Specific Goal - To calculate slope on a graphMeasureable- Be able to find slope on a

given graph (ie. Work sample problems.)Achievable – You can do it! Relevant - You will better understand speed

and acceleration once you are able to find the slope

Time bound – 1 tutoring session (30 min.)

Results of the PLC (After 1 Year)

Teachers are working together. No more Cast Aways!▪ Much less teacher stress having to do it all on

their own▪ Equal playing field for all students grades▪ Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment are all

aligned▪ Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment are

constantly improving through collaboration to improve student learning

Results of the PLC (After 1 Year)

Impact on Students Improved Instruction Less falling through the cracks All IPC teachers using the same teaching tools

Future Goals of PLC

Continue to collaborate and grow, improving curriculum, instruction, & assessment

Reach district and campus goal of becoming an Exemplary Campus = 90% passing Science TAKS