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GRC principal outlines PLCs, MTSS and school-culture work in instructional spotlight
Summary
George Rogers Clark (GRC) principal and staff described weekly PLCs, MTSS rollout, safety improvements and culture-building activities they say are boosting teacher collaboration and student engagement.
School leaders from George Rogers Clark (GRC) described instructional and operational priorities to the board during the district's instructional-spotlight item, highlighting professional learning communities (PLCs), multiple-tiered systems of support (MTSS), safety reviews and efforts to boost staff and student culture.
Luke Toye, identified in the meeting as GRC principal, said PLCs are the school's central strategy for improving instruction: teachers meet weekly by content area to clarify standards, align assessments and plan reteaching or enrichment for students who do not master learning targets. Assistant principal Diane Klein described a four-question PLC protocol the school adopted after a slow, deliberate rollout following Christmas: (1) what should students learn, (2) how will we know they learned it, (3) what to do when they do not learn it, and (4) what to do when they already know it.
GRC leaders described additional building priorities as a threefold focus on instruction, structures and staff/student culture. The safety coordinator said the school runs regular drills and follows up with after-action reviews; the school participates on a districtwide safety committee. MTSS leaders said they used multiple data sources to tier students and identify those needing counseling, group supports or intensive individualized interventions.
Presenters emphasized steps to strengthen staff and student culture, including weekly recognitions ("Cardinals of the Week"), tailgates, reward events tied to attendance and use of a student climate survey. They said results of an "upbeat" climate survey showed significant improvement from the initial administration the prior year.
The board asked clarifying questions about PLC membership (by content), whether PLCs include teachers across grades, and about MTSS implementation. Presenters said PLCs are content-based and intentionally divided to fit the large school size, and that MTSS is a work in progress aimed at delivering the right intervention intensity for students identified in tiers 2 and 3.
No formal board action was taken; the item served as a progress update on GRC instructional initiatives.
