LEARNING-FOCUSED in Action

Bill Blynt
Oct 06, 2008

Holland Patent Middle School (NY) was recently recognized by the New York State Department of Education as one of a select few 'Closing the Achievement Gap' schools. This honor was presented to schools in New York State that showed a dramatic increase in state assessment scores. This honor culminated a three year effort by the Holland Patent School District to increase assessment scores at all levels.  

In the middle school, a plan was developed by the administration and staff that focused on student achievement. This plan used the Learning-Focused Schools Model as a guide. Under the leadership of building principal, Mrs. Nancy Nowicki, components of the plan were implemented. Mrs. Nowicki credits much of the increase in assessment scores to the comprehensiveness of the plan that outlined specific and connected training for her staff.  

One of the major factors Principal Nowicki cites for the dramatic increase at the middle school was a true focus on student learning. Professional development offered to staff to change teaching strategies was focused and connected.  Working in cooperation with Learning-Focused, the staff received training focused on addressing vocabulary deficiencies, making learning an active and engaging process and prioritizing and mapping their curriculum to align with state assessments. Using the Learning-Focused Model, "enabled the staff to see what we were doing was connected," states Mrs. Nancy Nowicki.

Changing the climate in the building was a continuous process. Staff team meetings, department meetings and faculty meetings were used to refine or reinforce various strategies introduced as part of the Learning-Focused Model.  States Mrs. Nowicki, "The middle school staff embraced the concept of 'consistent and pervasive'. They understood that everyone needed to work together and focus on the same things in order for our students to benefit."

Although much of the initial training was provided by Learning-Focused consultants, many staff members, including Mrs. Nowicki and her assistant Mrs. Kristy McGrath, have received extended training and now serve as in-building trainers to support teachers.  States Mrs. Nowicki, "Our teachers look forward to attending Learning-Focused trainings and frequently ask to become a more involved by serving as in-house support personnel or presenting to their colleagues." The support from Learning-Focused "has enabled us to sustain our efforts to continuously improve as a school".