Lewisville ISD’s Garden Ridge Elementary School was recently recognized by Solution Tree for its sustained success in raising student achievement. Garden Ridge’s successful implementation of the Professional Learning Communities at Work® process was a major contributing factor in the improved achievement of its students.
Garden Ridge joins Lakeview Middle School and the Lillie J. Jackson Early Childhood Center as LISD representatives on Solution Tree’s list of honorees. About 300 schools and districts around the world have received this designation.
PLCs are schools and districts in which educators recognize the key to improved learning for students is on-going, job-embedded learning for the adults who serve those students. The three big ideas of a PLC call upon educators to:
1. Focus on learning.
2. Build a collaborative culture.
3. Create a results orientation.
“Becoming a model PLC school -- it shows our staff that the hard work that they put in place to reach every student and to know every student by name pays off,” explained Garden Ridge principal April Kenely. “It will help us to continue our work with our students and determining how we can continue to enrich them.”
Schools are recognized based on strict criteria, including demonstration of a commitment to PLC concepts, implementation of these concepts for at least three years, and clear evidence of improved student learning over that period. Once measurable results can be seen, the school must explain its practices, structures, and culture and submit its application for consideration by the PLC Review Committee.
According to the Champions of PLC at Work®, educators in the schools and districts selected for this recognition have shown “a sustained commitment to helping all of their students achieve at high levels. They have been willing to alter the structure and culture of the organization to reflect their commitment. We applaud them and congratulate them for achieving this very significant milestone on the never-ending PLC journey.”
Recognized model PLC schools are listed on allthingsplc.info, where they share implementation strategies, structures, and performance with other educators interested in improving their schools. Tools for team collaboration, articles and research about PLCs, blog posts, and other related resources are also available on the site. The site was developed and is maintained by Solution Tree, a leading provider of educational strategies and tools that improve staff and student performance. For more than 20 years, Solution Tree resources have helped K–12 teachers and administrators create schools where all children succeed.
“The staff at Garden Ridge Elementary has shown great commitment to improving instructional practices in order to help support student achievement,” said Kelly Roden, LISD Director of Professional Learning. “Through their continued work on implementing and sustaining the PLC concepts in their educator practice, they have created a learning culture focused on growth. They continue to work on improving their collaborative structures so that that are able to have a greater impact on the students at Garden Ridge. This recognition is a true testament to staff’s dedication to their own learning and the students that they serve.”
Garden Ridge Elementary is a Flower Mound, Texas elementary school serving Kindergarten through 5th-grade students with a future-ready learning experience in the Lewisville Independent School District. Garden Ridge feeds into the Flower Mound High School attendance zone. Follow Garden Ridge on Facebook and Twitter to see more student experiences throughout the school year. Join the Lewisville ISD family by enrolling today, or visit Best Schools in Texas to learn more.
