Supported Personalized Learning Plans for Proficiency

Our initiative to transform Harwood Union Middle/High School is to create a system that supports student-centered proficiency based graduation (PBGR). An essential part of our initiative will be building a structure and system to support our 9th grade team model and the Teacher Advisory program. These two programs are integral to the success of a PBGR system via the creation of personal learning plans and the development of a student portfolio system. Creating personalized learning plans puts students in charge of their education so they can begin to see a rationale for all that they do in school. The digital portfolio process will show growth in learning and proficiency in content standards, Common Core State Standards and the Harwood Graduate Expectations as a means of graduating. Moving towards proficiency based graduation opens the door for students to think more intently about the skills, knowledge and dispositions they need to succeed and the path they choose to get there.

UPDATE

It has been wonderful seeing the progress that HUMS and HUHS have undergone in the past two years. During our sabbatical year we had a multitude of experiences that enabled us to develop a composite of models of advisory and teaming approaches from which to begin to create a plan for Harwood. Following a year of collective planning with many colleagues, we are beginning to bring the changes to a reality for our school. These changes include:

Advisory
Last year Harwood formed a focus group comprised of educators from all disciplines and grades to design an advisory process for Harwood. We served as the facilitators for this team. We were able to share our research information and strategies to guide our work. The goal was to create a model that would fit the Harwood community, while representing the essential components of an effective advisory. Our team worked throughout the year to develop a design, while constantly tuning the work with the full faculty. The result was a purpose statement that guided a model to implement this year. The administration created a halftime Advisory/Personal Learning Plan Coordinator position. Ellen was hired for this position. This year, all grades are embarking on this redesigned process. The work included an intensive professional development process for ninth grade advisory teachers to support transitioning students. We are also collaborating with the ninth grade team to develop processes that connect with the goals of the teachers delivering ninth grade curriculum. Time is also being allotted for ongoing professional development for advisors for all of the grades. Challenges have been encountered with students in the upper grades due to the changes in expectations. However, we are working to help these students adjust to the new model and realize the potential of a meaningful advisory process. For students in grades 7-10, we have received positive feedback both from students and teachers.

Personal Learning Plans (PLPS)
A major portion of our work in advisory has been focused on creating a process to support the development of Personal Learning Plans. Harwood piloted PLPs last year. We had teachers in grades 7-9 pilot the process we had developed in the previous year through the efforts of a supervisory union-wide work group. Sarah served as one of the pilot teachers. Ellen’s role was to support the pilot group and to develop strategies based on the experience of the teachers for implementation this year. Unique to this process was our ability to work with Crossett Brook, the other middle school in our supervisory union. The goal is to create a process that is similar for all students entering from both schools into the ninth grade. This year we are rolling out PLPs at Harwood in grades 7 through 10 and at Crossett Brook in grade 5 through 8 (Crossett Brook is a 5-8 school). In ninth grade students are creating the bulk of the PLP through the Personal and Future Exploration class. Parallel activities will be implemented in advisory in order to transfer full support for PLPs to the advisory from 10th grade on. Students in the middle school will be developing PLPs through advisory. This is certainly a learning year for us as we will be assessing the process and refining based on the data we collect.

Leadership Team and PBGR
Harwood created a shared leadership model last year that included 5 teachers, 5 students and 5 administrators who are tasked to lead Professional Learning Communities comprised of all educators in the school. Sarah was selected to serve as a member of this team. The goals of the learning communities are to develop PBGR tools as we shift to a proficiency based model as well as to support teaching and learning in the classroom. Teams will be employing protocols as a tool to insure full inclusion of all ideas.

Of note: Harwood was selected to receive the Next Generation Learning grant through the League of Innovative Schools; one of only three Vermont schools to receive this award. (Of additional note: the two other schools, Twinfield and Cabot, are Rowland schools!)