A highlight of every Board of Education meeting this past year has been when each school is scheduled to present a report that includes site data, explains the focus of instructional efforts and shares celebrations and accomplishments. As we come to the end of this year’s presentations, I am struck by the “systemness” of the efforts by staffs at every one of our schools.
“Collaboration” has been cheered as a strategy by every site – both as a support for teachers and as a support for students. Sites state that collaboration builds motivation and competency, has a positive impact on improving practice and constructs mutual allegiance.
Pittsburg Unified takes collaboration beyond the individual schools to support entire grade levels and departments through release days for teachers to work with talented facilitators and coaches. During these “collaboration days,” teachers have experienced lesson study, the writing process, checking for understanding, observation of peer practice, student data analysis, the creation of common assessments and more! The feedback has been very positive as these professional learning opportunities highlight the skills and talents of our teachers. The mindset has been established in Pittsburg that the best work is done as a team.
Another “systemness” presented by every school has been a data report that features state and local assessments as well as evidence from observation, work samples and testimony. Each site has thoroughly dissected its data results and creates action plans to address what to do when students have not learned the content as well as what to do when they have already mastered the learning objectives. Every school has an intervention plan and sets targets to be measured by benchmark assessments which guide decisions for future teaching and learning. The structures used to analyze data are scientific and rigorous. Leadership teams have taken on significant roles as group facilitators in guiding school teams to dissect the data and create action plans. The power is that the adults “own” the outcomes and then design the next best steps.
Every school has wonderful ways of recognizing accomplishments and achievements. Increased test results are celebrated as well as EL re-designation, a college acceptance banquet, a new high school intramural program, exemplary music students, CTE competition wins, leadership club events, Dual Immersion bilingual accomplishments, individual student milestones, increased parental engagement and a myriad of other celebrations. All of these examples can be attributed to students, teachers and staff members, parents and administrators sharing responsibility and pride in one another and their school.
As shown in the “systemness” of its site reports, PUSD is well beyond random acts of improvement and people working in isolation. The Board goals continue to reflect the initiatives that everyone is working so hard to institutionalize: collaborate, use data, and celebrate the short term wins, the improved trends and the giant milestones!
Linda K. Rondeau
Superintendent