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16 | NEWS | Community Impact Newspaper • Round Rock/Pflugerville/Hutto Edition
PLCs prompt higher
learning, collaboration
Pflugerville ISD prides itself on education and learning – at all
levels. In addition to student learning, teachers and district staff
also continue the learning process by searching for new, innovative
ways to reach students and provide relevant instruction. As a way
to focus more on student learning, Pflugerville ISD is implementing
Professional Learning Communities (PLC) district-wide in all its
campuses for the 2012-13 school year.
Professional Learning Communities offer the best hope for ensuring
high levels of learning for all students. The new approach is a
cultural shift from a focus on teaching to a focus on each student
learning; and decisions made at the district level must be made
through the lens of “What is the impact on learning?”
At the campus level, a PLC is composed of a collaborative team
where teachers work interdependently to achieve common goals
linked to the purpose of learning for all students. Under the PLC
model, teachers will tailor instruction to ensure that all students
master the skills needed before moving on. Additionally, teachers
will collaborate with their campus peers to share best teaching
practices, experiences and methods that have proven to be effective.
“We know strong classroom instruction is the key to student learning,”
Denise Monzingo, executive director of organizational and
professional development said. “Every parent wants the absolute
best teacher for their child. PLC gives us the framework needed for
our teachers to look at data and collaborate on the best ways to
reach each student.”
Research has shown that the implementation of PLCs decreases the
achievement gap between student groups, a goal Pflugerville ISD
has had for the past several years. Additionally, PLCs have been
shown to increase districts’ graduation rates and overall student
achievement.
District begins future bond, facilities planning
Pflugerville ISD, one of the state’s fast-growth
school districts, continues to add students
every year, totaling more than 23,000 students
with the start of the 2012-13 school year.
Due to this consistent growth, the district
continues to look for ways to provide appropriate
educational facilities for its increasing
student body through a variety of options
including new facilities, portable buildings and
boundary adjustments.
The district is considering a bond referendum
as one avenue for funding necessary additional
facilities. PISD Superintendent of Schools
Charles E. Dupre said the district is determined
to maintain quality communication by listening
and engaging with the community on critical
issues such as the bond referendum and
construction of a fourth high school.
“We rely on our residents to communicate
with us regarding the use of their dollars, and
PISD NEWS
we always do our best to meet the needs of
our students and community,” Dupre said.
As the district moves forward with bond and
facility planning, the district will collaborate
with stakeholders in order to provide the
best possible education opportunities for
students, while remaining good stewards of
taxpayer dollars.
As of Sept. 11, the student population for
PISD was 23,142. The district expects to add
an additional 6,000 students in the next 10
years. Due to the growth, PISD will need one
additional high school, one middle school
and three to four more elementary schools.
Land has been purchased for all of the
anticipated schools with the exception of the
high school site. PISD is currently searching
for a site to house High School #4.
Although the PLC may look different campus to campus, all campuses
will operate based on the central ideas of PLC:
• We accept learning as the fundamental purpose of our school and
therefore are willing to examine all practices in light of their impact
on learning.
• We are committed to working together to achieve our collective
purpose. We cultivate a collaborative culture through the
development of high-performing teams.
• We assess our effectiveness on the basis of results rather than
intention. Individuals, teams and schools seek relevant data and
information and use that information to promote continuous
improvement.
* This is the first in a series of articles on Pflugerville ISD’s implementation
of Professional Learning Communities. Future articles will focus on student
learning, teacher collaboration, the Four Questions of PLCs and campus
implementation.
Read more about these stories and other PISD News at pfisd.net
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
PISD Dedications
• PISD Texas Historical Marker Dedication
Friday, Oct. 12, 4:30 p.m.
Pflugerville ISD Rock Gym
700 W. Pecan Street.
• Ruth Barron Elementary School Dedication
Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting
Saturday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m.
14850 Harris Ridge Blvd.