The Phoenix
October 9th, 2026
PLC's for YOU and ME!
Professional Learning Communities are HERE!
By now teachers have received an invitation to our weekly Professional Learning Community meetings. Each week we will meet to review data and plan for instructiona and interventions.
See below to learn more about PLCs and what you can expect from these weekly meetings.
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), often referred to as professional learning teams, are structured, collaborative groups of educators who meet regularly to analyze student data, share instructional practices, and work collectively to improve student outcomes. Rather than working in isolated classrooms, teachers in a PLC operate with a shared responsibility for the success of all students.
What is it we expect students to learn? (Identifying essential standards and/or learning targets).
How will we know when they have learned it? (Developing and administering common formative assessments).
How will we respond when some students don't learn? (Creating systematic, timely interventions).
How will we respond when they already know it? (Providing enrichment and extension opportunities).
Core Characteristics & Structure
Effective professional learning teams shift the focus of a school from "teaching" to "learning". They are characterized by:
Data-Driven Action Research: Teams don't just pool opinions. They use a "review, decide, act" protocol to look at real-time data (like common quizzes, benchmarks, or digital platform reports), identify specific learning gaps, and adjust their daily instructional strategies accordingly.
Team Composition: Typically consisting of 2 to 8 educators, teams are usually grouped by grade level (e.g., all 3rd-grade teachers) or by content area (e.g., the high school biology team).
Protected Time: Successful schools build PLC time directly into the master schedule, ensuring groups meet consistently for 30 to 60 minutes weekly or bi-weekly.
Strict Meeting Norms: To prevent meetings from devolving into generic administration tasks or complaint sessions, teams establish democratically chosen norms (e.g., starting on time, staying solution-focused, keeping individual contributions concise) and follow strict, timed agendas.
Sources: ASCD, All Things PLC & Discovery Education
Dates to Remember
10.12.26, All Staff Training, 9-11am
10.12.26, PBIS Team Initial Meeting, 12-1pm
10.12.26, Tier II Team Meeting, 1-2pm
10.12.26, Open Enrollment Begins- Benefits
10.13.26, Junior Class Meeting w/Dr. V
10.13.26, Sophomore Class Meeting w/Dr. V
10.13.26, Freshment Class Meeting w/Dr. V
10.13.25, In person, Parent Meet-n-Greet w/Dr. V., 5:30pm - 6:30pm
10.21.26, All Staff Meeting, 3:15-4:15pm
10.28.26, All Staff Meeting, 3:15-4:15pm
10.28.25, Picture Day- All STAFF- Wear a purple or ATHS shirt.
Surveys & Polls
On 21 people voted for the holiday party. The option with the most votes was a staff party after school on a weekday. Date TBD
Please vote for 1 of the top 3 acronyms for our PBIS matrix:
SAMPLE of RISE Matrix
SAMPLE of FIRE Matrix
SAMPLE of SOAR Matrix
Volunteers Needed for our PBIS Team!
Be part of the solution! Please email Dr. V if you want to be part of the change you want to see at ASPIRE!
Here’s what commitment looks like:
Meeting Dates: 10/12/26, 12/19/26 & 12/26/26, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Monthly- 1st Monday of the month 3:00pm - 4:00pm (once a month)
What does support look like?
- Finalize details of our PBIS and preparing for our launch.
- Review behavioral data and making informed decisions about next steps for students and teachers.
- Track our reward system and ensuring all students and classrooms are represented.