District launches multi-day PLC professional development; administrators and retirees toured new middle school
Loading...
Summary
Norfolk Public Schools leaders described a districtwide push to deepen professional learning communities (PLCs), with multi-day training scheduled this fall, and board members reported positive building visits including a middle school tour for retirees.
Board members and staff described a districtwide effort to strengthen professional learning communities (PLCs) during the August board meeting, and staff outlined a multi-session professional development plan for the 2025–26 year.
Teaching and learning presenter Jared Oswald told the board that Dr. Eric Twaddell delivered a keynote emphasizing PLC culture, interdependence and the importance of common assessments, data analysis and action. Oswald said the district will follow the keynote with two additional PLC-focused days: Oct. 20 (a speaker to lead teachers through planning a unit within the PLC process) and a December follow-up when Twaddell will return to help teachers reflect and refine interventions.
“PLC is a culture,” Oswald said in his report, summarizing the presenter’s message that mutual accountability and collaborative planning drive student learning.
Board members also reported recent school visits. One board member said retirees were invited to tour the middle school and expressed appreciation for being included; another said the middle school addition blended well architecturally and praised growth in music and band participation. The board encouraged trustees to observe PLCs during the year to see progress.
Why it matters: PLCs are intended to provide structured teacher collaboration so staff can identify learning targets, develop common assessments, analyze evidence, and plan interventions where students need support. The multi-day PD schedule indicates the district is investing time beyond a single training day.
Details and next steps - Multi-session PD: After the initial keynote, the district will host a unit-planning session on Oct. 20 and a December follow-up session to evaluate implementation and refine practice. - Materials and logistics: Staff reported that curriculum materials deliveries were completed the prior week and thanked maintenance and support staff for help moving pallets. - Building visits: Board members reported site visits across the district and encouraged continued observation of PLC work in classrooms.
Board reaction Board members described the sessions as “well worth the time” and urged continued emphasis on translating data into classroom interventions. One board member cited a Stephen Covey quote reframed by the presenter: culture changes through changed behavior.
What’s next Board members and staff said they will share templates and goal-setting tools developed at administrator conferences with principals and teachers, and they invited trustees to attend future PLC observations and PD sessions.
