Superintendent's Message

December 2008

Dear Shoreline Schools Community,

Some of the more professionally inspiring conversations I have had in recent weeks have been around the concept of professional learning communities. Last summer, every principal and instructional administrator in Shoreline was asked to read the book “Whatever it Takes” for our own professional development. To a person, we returned to the 2008-09 school year excited about what we read and even more excited about the possibilities it offered for increasing student achievement.

As a result of our reading and subsequent conversations, we began to frame all of our instructional conversations around four questions:

1. What is it we want all students to learn?
2. How will we know if they have learned it?
3. How will we respond when some students do not learn?
4. How will we respond when some students have clearly achieved
the intended outcomes?

School staffs and instructional leaders are beginning the process of reflection, exploration and professional growth around these concepts. In November, many Shoreline staff members (teachers, principals and administrators) attended a workshop on professional learning communities, their work and effectiveness. By all accounts, the excitement continues to grow.

I encourage you to become involved in the conversations as they occur in your learning community, and consider the power of the professional learning community ideas for our work on behalf of our students. Creating clear school-wide targets and systems that support students in their learning is imperative. It is our most important work and there are roles for each of us to play in the process.

Re-establishing the Shoreline School District’s primary focus on learning and student achievement is incredibly satisfying work for all of us. We have been, and continue to be, an outstanding educational community that knows how to embrace good practice and accomplish great things on behalf of our students and their learning. If you are interested in learning more about professional learning communities you can visit the following Web site: www.allthingsplc.info.

Sincerely, Sue Walker