In the preceding article entitled "Blackfoot School District No. 55 Research Basis for the PLC: Wheel of Support Part A," I discussed the first five of nine effective school research characteristics that established the research foundation for the district's academic student improvement program depicted by the district's PLC: Wheel of Support.

The district PLC: Wheel of Support is made up of five spokes that support the hub of the wheel.  The spokes represent Data Driven Decision Making (DDDM); Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP); Response to Intervention (RTI); Total Instructional Alignment (TIA); and Parent Involvement (PI).  The hub of the wheel represents Professional Learning Communities (PLC).  In essence, the academic student information gained through the spokes (DDDM, SIOP, RTI, TIA, and PI) is the data that drives and supports the Professional Learning Communities' ability to make positive academic student instruction curriculum decisions.

The reason the district chose the PLC, DDDM, SIOP, RTI, TIA, and PI as the academic curriculum programs to improve student academics is that every program is based on proven student academic improvement research.  Research on characteristics of effective schools conducted by Dr. Lawrence W. Lezotte, G. Sue Shannon, Pete Bylsma, and Dr. Terry Bergeson indicate that schools are highly effective when they exhibit the following characteristics.

In the first article, I discussed the first five school researched characteristic, I will continue this discussion with the final four characteristics: 6) frequent monitoring of learning and teaching; 7) focused professional development; 8) supportive learning environment; and 9) high levels of family and community involvement.

Characteristic 6. Frequent Monitoring of Learning and Teaching  

Teacher monitors student learning periodically to adjust instruction to meet the individual academic needs of students.

Blackfoot School District The district monitoring of student learning is conducted through the use of current student academic programs using Data Driven Decision Making (DDDM). DDDM is a process of analyzing student assessment data to formulate relevant instructional intervention to improve student learning. "...The choices they [administrators and teachers] make should be guided by empirical evidence rather than emotion, personal bias, or political... motivation." (Kowalski, 2008)

Characteristic 7. Focused Professional Development

All professional development is focused and aligned with the district's effort to accomplish the district's vision. Information gained from frequent monitoring of student instructional process guides continuing professional development.

Blackfoot School District The district's professional development is aligned with the district PLC: Wheel of Support. Professional inservice is conducted to improve faculty abilities and understanding of the elements of our "Wheel of Support" - PLCs, DDDM, PI, RTI, TIA, and SIOP. Each year the district creates a professional development GANTT Calendar that outlines all administrative and faculty inservice that will be conducted during the early release Mondays and data inservice days throughout the year.  The basic format is the teach-the-teacher process in which administrators participate in professional development through monthly leadership meetings and then present the same information to staff on early release Mondays or inservice days.  Currently the administrators have created progress assessment rubrics and are conducting peer reviews of all school progress in the areas of DDDM, RTI, and PLC. This data will be used to create professional development activities for the 2011-12 school year.

Characteristic 8. Supportive Learning Environment

A supportive learning environment is one in which students experience a healthy civil and intellectually stimulating learning experience.

Blackfoot School District The district has fostered the concept of "Inviting Schools" as proposed by Dr. William Purkey for many years. Invitational Education is a theory of practice designed to create a total school environment that intentionally summons people in schools to realize their relatively boundless potential.  Its purpose is to make schooling a more exciting, satisfying, and enriching experience for everyone involved in the education process.  Invitational Education is based on four assumptions.

1. People are able, valuable, and responsible and should be treated accordingly.
2. Education should be a collaborative, cooperative activity.
3. People possess untapped potential in all areas of human endeavor.
4. Human potential can best be realized by places, policies and processes that are specifically designed to invite development, and by people who are intentionally inviting with themselves and others, personally and professionally.

As superintendent, two of my heartfelt beliefs are that as educators we need to be optimistic, and believe in the "Pygmalion Effect," or self-fulfilling prophecy.  Optimism is the cure for the cancer of pessimism. William James stated, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. " The Pygmalion Effect is simply that as we, as individuals, interact with others, they are affected by our verbal and nonverbal assessment of their capabilities.  If we believe that students can be successful, then the students under our care will gravitate to our positive verbal/nonverbal cues and will rise to our expectations.  In essence, they fulfill the positive or negative destiny we envision for them.  We, as educators, strive everyday to optimistically influence our students to reach their dreams and aspirations.

Characteristic 9. High Levels of Family and Community Involvement

We all (parents, family, businesses, patrons, and educators) have the responsibility to educate our students.

Blackfoot School District One of the important spokes on the PLC: Wheel of Support is Parent Involvement.  The district and individual schools encourage participation in our students' education through PTA/PTO organizations, Booster Clubs, and volunteers, and by encouraging the incorporation of Epstein's (2002) Keys to Successful School, Family, and Community Partnerships.  These six keys are listed below.

1. PARENTING: Assist families with parenting and child-rearing skills, understanding child and adolescent development, and setting home conditions that support children as students at each age and grade level. Assist schools in understanding families.
2. COMMUNICATING: Communicate with families about school programs and student progress through effective school-to-home and home-to-school communications.
3. VOLUNTEERING: Improve recruitment, training, work, and schedules to involve families as volunteers and audiences at the school or in other locations to support students and school programs.
4. LEARNING AT HOME: Involve families with their children in learning activities at home, including homework and other curriculum-related activities and decisions.
5. DECISION-MAKING: Include families as participants in school decision-making, governance, and advocacy through PTA/PTO, school councils, committees, action teams, and other parent organizations.
6. COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY: Coordinate community resources and services for students, families, and the school with businesses, agencies, and other groups; and provide services to the community.