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Illinois School Board Journal
January/February 2006
Teaming 'downsizes' learning atmosphere
by Robert J. Madonia
Robert J. Madonia is superintendent of schools for Frankfort CCSD 157-C in Will County.
In a rapidly growing district, creating a comfortable learning environment and increasing student outcomes can be a challenge when sheer numbers of students begin to depersonalize education efforts. But with a learning community/teaming approach, a district can "downsize" its buildings for more manageable, personal experiences for students.
Frankfort School District 157-C in Will County is a rapidly growing school district that enrolls approximately 200 new students every year. The district uses learning community/teaming to create a personalized "school within a school" atmosphere all the way from kindergarten through eighth grade, with three goals in mind: meeting students' emotional needs, building student character and increasing student achievement.
"Having approximately 1,000 students at Grand Prairie School, it would be easy for students to get lost in the shuffle," said third-grade teacher Bill Hermanson. "The personalization, close communication and curricular articulation of the communities build rapport and respect among students and teachers, yielding social and academic success."
How they work
At the district's primary grade center, three communities each have approximately one-third of the 996 students enrolled at the building. Teachers operate in community teams to provide for a smaller, more nurturing environment, which, in turn, allow teachers and students to connect with each other in a special way.
Students stay in these communities until they leave the school, so their academic, social, emotional and special needs are easily articulated with every teacher in the community. Students take part in activities within their group to promote togetherness and socialization.
"I like communities," said third-grader Laura Walch. "I know my community and everyone in it. That makes me feel better."
"I think communities are a great idea," said teacher and parent Michelle Piunti in summarizing the benefits of the initiative. "It gives you a small school feeling within a large school setting.
"As a parent, it helps my children get to know the other students a lot better, because they are with the same students year after year." she added. "As a teacher, I can collaborate with the teachers within the grade levels as well as the teachers within my community."
Research shows that students whose emotional needs are met in settings like the school's personalized communities achieve better. District outcomes in the community structure support this research. In 2004, Frankfort's third grade had the highest state test scores in the southwestern Chicago suburban area and ranked among the highest in the state of Illinois.
The upper grades are organized in small grade-level teams of students with teams of teachers. Students remain in these teams, go to class only with their teammates and get to know their fellow students in a personalized way. The student/teacher teams bond with each other and proudly establish their own identity with the identification of a team name.
"You have three or four team teachers who give students a lot of attention," said eighth-grader Tyler Plantz. "A team organizes a student's day. I like developing a name and having competitions. I get to know the teachers and students I am working with."
Connecting and outcomes
Teaming enables teachers to make curricular connections across the content areas, thereby enhancing student understanding and application of the concepts they are learning. Staff plans interdisciplinary units of study to address the emotional and cognitive needs of the children. This has created a positive climate for student success, and student test scores are steadily rising.
Outcomes are excellent. On January 26, 2005, the district's middle school was designated by the Association of Illinois Middle Schools as one of a select number of "Demonstration Middle Schools" in Illinois. A "Demonstration Middle School" is viewed as an example for optimal teaching delivery systems. The middle school now mentors other school districts in their development of the middle school philosophy and the staff presents at state education conferences. The district believes that its teaming philosophy is at the root of the success of this model.
This approach furthers the district's mission to partner with the community to challenge students to their potential. A 43-member committee of school board members, administrators, parents and other community members planned the learning community/teaming approach as part of the district's five year strategic plan that focused on growth, fiscal stability, student needs, and attracting, retaining and developing staff. One specific in the plan is the following goal: To retain teaming/learning community philosophy as our educational approach to create a comfortable learning environment for students.
Feedback on this plan was collected not only from the Strategic Planning Committee but also from the district's Parent/Community Advisory Board. The minimal cost of the endeavor, along with the potential of enhanced outcomes for children, yielded high marks from our parents and community.
The board not only directed planning, but also worked with the superintendent to hire administrators experienced in teaming, visited model schools in Illinois, and developed and promoted the philosophy among the teachers and in the community.
"Our district is growing quickly and the community/teaming approach allows our students to learn in a small, nurturing environment although the expanded school building looms large overhead," said school board President Courtney Stillman, reflecting on the merits of the philosophy. "When addressing growth, the district faced the question of neighborhood schools versus grade-level centers. Using the community/teaming approach enabled us to take advantage of both arrangements by imposing a small neighborhood feel on a large grade-level center."