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Schools

Blind Brook Teachers Look to Strengthen English Curriculum

At Monday night's Board of Education meeting the Blind Brook School's English Language Arts Professional Learning Community discussed their accomplishments and goals for the future.

Members of the English Language Arts (ELA) Professional Learning Community (PLC) made a presentation to the Blind Brook Board of Education and school community about the group's work at Monday's board meeting.

The ELA PLC is composed of members of the Blind Brook Schools English department and works together to create common curriculum goals of learning for students while supporting each other.

Karen Bronson, Principal of the Blind Brook Middle School, and Deborah Weisel, Principal of the Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge Street School, led the presentation.

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"I can't credit PLC enough," Bronson said. "Schools do so many things but PLC is pure education."

On the elementary level, the ELA PLC meets once a month as a whole, and then in grade level groups. In grades 6 -12, all members of the English department meet twice a month, and then as needed by grade level.

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The PLC has focused on the question of "what do we expect our students to learn?" This question has allowed them to create new benchmarks and track student achievement on an individual level. On the high school level, for instance, the PLC has focused on writing in four different ways: process, building blocks, four major types of writing, and writing fluency and style.

New reading assessments have also been added and after conducting an audit of what students in grades 6- 12 read, the PLC realized they needed to add more non-fiction into the curriculum.

The PLC has adopted the national standards to fit the Blind Brook schools' needs. For instance, Weisel mentioned that the national standards for writing at the 5th grade level involve two types of writing, but Blind Brook does three to four.

"We felt we could go above the national standards," Weisel said. "We don't want to underestimate what are students can do.

While the PLC is still in the early stages, Board of Education members mentioned their excitement of seeing the group's progress.

"I'm psyched to see this," Board Member Nancy Barr said.

In addition to the presentation on the ELA PLC, a public hearing on the budget was scheduled as part of the board meeting. However, the Board meeting was rather empty and no one had any questions or comments on the budget, which the community will vote on next Tuesday.

The Board will meet again next Monday, where in addition to the regular Board of Education meeting, they will honor three teachers retiring this year.

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