East Newton Elementary School Recognized as a Promising Practices Professional Learning Community at Work®
East Newton Elementary School was recently recognized by Solution Tree as a Promising Practices Professional Learning Community at Work® for its initial success in raising student achievement. The school's commitment to implementing the PLC at Work process has been a major contributing factor in making a visible, positive impact on student learning.
PLCs are schools and districts in which educators recognize that 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:
- Focus on learning
- Build a collaborative culture
- Create a results orientation
Responding to news of the recognition, East Newton Elementary School principal, Teresa Sauls stated, “We are honored to receive this recognition, which is a testament to the dedication and effort our teachers have invested in developing their professional learning communities. The impact of their hard work with collaboration, planning, flexible grouping, and assessment is evident, and we are proud to see that students are reaping the benefits of these efforts.”
Kerri Helm, East Newton Elementary School Instructional Coach, added, “We are proud to be recognized as a Promising Practices School. Our teachers’ commitment to refining instruction, providing targeted support, and fostering a culture of continuous growth has led to meaningful gains for our students. This recognition affirms our collective efforts and motivates us to keep striving for excellence.
Promising Practices schools are recognized for building a strong foundation based on the PLC concepts, implementation of these concepts for at least one to two 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.
Recognized Promising Practices schools are listed on AllThingsPLC.info, where they share implementation strategies, structures, and performance with other educators interested in improving their schools. Collaboration tools, articles, research, 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.
“East Newton Elementary’s recognition as a Promising Practices PLC at Work® school speaks to the strength of its collaborative culture and the intentional efforts of its educators to improve student learning,” said Dr. Duke Bradley III, superintendent of Newton County Schools. “This distinction highlights how purposeful teamwork and a focus on professional growth can lead to real, measurable gains for students. We are proud of East Newton’s progress and excited about what lies ahead.”