Canon-McMillan School District Implements Professional Learning Communities for Principals and Administrators
This academic year , the Canon-McMillan School District is introducing more professional development opportunities for principals and other administrators through monthly professional learning community ( PLC ) meetings .
A PLC is a group of educators who come together to learn from and with each other . They are essential for school administrators because they provide a structured environment for collaboration , sharing ideas and problemsolving . Superintendent Dr . Greg Taranto started the meetings to encourage learning among the District ’ s top leadership .
“ In a short amount of time , we have been able to move beyond individuals working in groups to understanding a true team concept — a team focused on building a culture of learning , growth and support ,” Dr . Taranto said . “ At the heart of it , we are learning leaders who must model and stretch our school district to move from good to a true flagship school district .”
Principals and assistant principals are reading “ What Great Principals Do Differently : Eighteen Things That Matter Most ” by Beth Whitaker and Todd Whitaker , and central office administrators are reading “ Multipliers : How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter ” by Greg McKeown and Liz Wiseman .
At each meeting , the group discusses several topics and chapters . To ensure each participant has a voice in the meeting , different administrators select one chapter prior to the meeting , sign up to summarize it , share their personal takeaways and open up discussion about the chapter by asking questions to the group . The questions foster discussion and allow the administrators to apply the concepts from the book to their day-to-day experiences and responsibilities .
Using ideas from the book , the principals and administrators share their past experiences , current initiatives and more to help each other grow and learn . For example , the principals ’ group shares strategies for nurturing a positive building culture , giving teachers a voice and supporting each student ’ s and teacher ’ s needs while addressing the unique challenges of a building principal ’ s job .
Through this collaborative learning initiative , the Canon-McMillan School District leaders exemplify exceptional leadership to advance the District ’ s mission of educating the whole student . anon-Mac CANON-MAC SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
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