INSIDE
PLCs
AT WORK®
Your Guided Tour Through One District’s
Successes, Challenges, and Celebrations
Craig Dougherty Casey Reason
Copyright © 2019 by Solution Tree Press
Materials appearing here are copyrighted. With one exception, all rights are reserved. Readers may reproduce only those pages marked “Reproducible.” Otherwise, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the publisher.
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Visit go.SolutionTree.com/PLCbooks to download the free reproducibles in this book.
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Reason, Casey S., author. | Dougherty, Craig, 1957- author.
Title: Inside PLCs at work : your guided tour through one district’s successes, challenges, and celebrations / Casey Reason and Craig Dougherty.
Description: Bloomington, IN : Solution Tree Press, 2019. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018040013 | ISBN 9781947604421 (perfect bound)
Subjects: LCSH: Professional learning communities--Wyoming--Sheridan County. | School improvement programs--Wyoming--Sheridan County. | Educational change--Wyoming--Sheridan County.
Classification: LCC LB1731 .R347 2019 | DDC 370.71/10978732--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018040013
Solution Tree
Jeffrey C. Jones, CEO
Edmund M. Ackerman, President
Solution Tree Press
President and Publisher: Douglas M. Rife
Editorial Director: Sarah Payne-Mills
Art Director: Rian Anderson
Managing Production Editor: Kendra Slayton
Senior Production Editor: Suzanne Kraszewski
Senior Editor: Amy Rubenstein
Copy Editor: Jessi Finn
Proofreader: Miranda Addonizio
Text and Cover Designer: Abigail Bowen
Editorial Assistant: Sarah Ludwig
We dedicate this book to Rick and Becky DuFour.
It’s impossible for many of us to know the impact we have on others’ lives. However, Rick and Becky DuFour’s impact on schools, educators, and students is easy to see. Their written words about and tireless dedication to professional learning communities (PLCs) brought the PLC process to life. Their lifetime of work has inspired generations of excellence in schools across North America and the world, including in my district, Sheridan County School District 2 in Sheridan, Wyoming. For that and for so much more, we thank you, Rick and Becky.
—Craig
As a principal and assistant superintendent, I was greatly influenced by the work of Rick and Becky DuFour. My most ambitious dreams were realized when I had the honor of writing a book, Professional Learning Communities at Work® and Virtual Collaboration: On the Tipping Point of Transformation, with Rick. His leadership, friendship, and thoughtful guidance made me a much better writer and, I hope, a better man. Becky’s wisdom, kindness, and grace always inspired me. And finally, their bond and what they did with it, for each other and the world, also deeply inspired me. Love of mission and one another is a most powerful force. Thank you both for everything you did for me and for making this book possible. With love and friendship.
—Casey
Acknowledgments
We acknowledge the contributions of the quality, open-minded, innovative educators across Sheridan County School District 2 whose work made our PLC journey a reality. Thanks to all of you for your unrelenting focus on students and their learning. This book is about you. We extend special thanks to Mitch Craft, Scott Stults, Paige Sanders, Brett Dahl, Rebecca Adsit, Christy Spielman, Scott Cleland, and Katie Medill. We also thank our colleagues at Solution Tree, specifically Mike Mattos and Anthony Muhammad, whose leadership will continue to be seminal in shaping the future of PLCs.
Solution Tree Press would like to thank the following reviewers:
Alan Addley
Superintendent
Granby Public Schools
Granby, Connecticut
Bryce Amos
Superintendent
Carlisle Community School District
Carlisle, Iowa
Jason Andrews
Superintendent
Windsor Central School District
Windsor, New York
Jack Baldermann
Principal
Westmont High School
Westmont, Illinois
Eric Gilpin
Principal
Batchelor Middle School
Bloomington, Indiana
Stephanie Rodriguez
Principal
Madison Elementary School
Sanger, California
Andrew Scherrer
Principal
Edison Computech 7-8
Fresno, California
Rusty Taylor
Principal
Desert Hills High School
St. George, Utah
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/PLCbooks to download the free reproducibles in this book.
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