Timber Creek Elementary, Creekside Park Junior High Each Recognized as a Model PLC Schools™

TOMBALL — Timber Creek Elementary and Creekside Park Junior High become the fifth and sixth Tomball ISD campuses to be recognized by Solution Tree as a Model PLC School for their sustained success in raising student achievement. The schools’ 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 on-going, 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. 

“Timber Creek has focused for the past six years upon the core beliefs of the professional learning community process,” TCES Principal Lauren Thompson said. “We have established a collaborative culture, which is results driven to ensure that all students learn at high levels. We are thrilled to be identified as a Model PLC school, committed to driving instruction and ensuring that we challenge all learners to grow.  This honor is a direct result of the collaborative spirit which resonates across the campus within each instructional team and inside every classroom.”

“TCES has a focus on continuous improvement and a cycle of collective inquiry related to practices of high quality instruction and targeted intervention,” Dr. Lee Wright, Assistant Superintendent of Strategic Innovation said. “The collaborative practices are modeled by the instructional leadership team to provide clarity, feedback, and support using data to drive decisions to meet the needs of all students.” 

“It is an honor and a tribute to our amazing staff that we have been recognized as a Model PLC school,” CPJHS Principal John Vaglienty said. “Our staff is firmly committed to  a vibrant culture of continuous  student improvement and results. CPJH teachers are dedicated professionals that teach at high levels of rigor to ensure learning happens for all students.”

“From the moment you step foot in Creekside Park Junior High, you feel the Magic! It is a building filled with eager learners: the students and the adults alike,” said former CPJHS Principal & current Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools Dr. Mindy Munoz. “The walls and hallways of CPJHS are filled with collaboration, action and excellence.” 

“CPJHS consistently reflects and refines their practices aligned to the big ideas of a professional learning community to move the needle for student achievement,” Dr. Wright said. “Their greatest strengths as a collaborative culture are their data transparency and the belief that they serve to ensure learning for ALL kids on campus.”

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.

TCES and CPJHS become the fifth and sixth TISD campuses, respectively, to be named a PLC Model School, joining Oakcrest Intermediate, Creekview Elementary, Tomball Junior High and Canyon Pointe Elementary.

ABOUT TOMBALL ISD
Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates over 19,000 students at 21 campuses.