NEW GLARUS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECOGNIZED AS A MODEL PROFESSIONAL
LEARNING COMMUNITY AT WORK®
One of About 500 Schools and Districts in the US and Canada to Receive This Honor
(New Glarus, WI)—New Glarus Elementary School was recently recognized by Solution Tree for
its sustained success in raising student achievement. The school’s successful implementation of
the Professional Learning Communities at Work
® process was a major contributing factor in the
improved achievement of its students.
PLCs are schools and districts in which educators recognize the key to improved learning for
students is ongoing, job-embedded learning for the adults who serve those students. The three
big ideas of a PLC call upon educators to:
1. Focus on learning.
2. Build a collaborative culture.
3. Create a results orientation.
Responding to news of the recognition, Dr. Thayer, District Administrator, said, “We are honored
to receive this award. It reflects the hard work staff has put in over the past few years to raise
student achievement and close achievement gaps by using the PLC process.”
Schools are recognized based on strict criteria, including demonstration of a commitment to
PLC concepts, implementation of these concepts for at least three years, and clear evidence of
improved student learning over that period. Once measurable results can be seen, the school
must explain its practices, structures, and culture and submit its application for consideration by
the PLC Review Committee.
According to the Champions of PLC at Work®, educators in the schools and districts selected
for this recognition have shown “a sustained commitment to helping all of their students achieve
at high levels. They have been willing to alter the structure and culture of the organization to
reflect their commitment. We applaud them and congratulate them for achieving this very
significant milestone on the never-ending PLC journey.”
Recognized model PLC schools are listed on allthingsplc.info, where they share implementation
strategies, structures, and performance with other educators interested in improving their
schools. Tools for team collaboration, articles, and research about PLCs, blog posts, and other
related resources are also available on the site. The site was developed and is maintained by
Solution Tree, a leading provider of educational strategies and tools that improve staff and
student performance. For more than 20 years, Solution Tree resources have helped K–12
teachers and administrators create schools where all children succeed.