Mountain Brook Elementary picked for national program
Publication Date: September 7, 2011 Page: 01-S Section: COMMUNITY NEWS Zone: SOUTH Edition: Volume 124 Issue 178
Publication Date: September 7, 2011 Page: 01-S Section: COMMUNITY NEWS Zone: SOUTH Edition: Volume 124 Issue 178
William Thornton wthornton@bhamnews.com
Mountain Brook Elementary is one of nine schools in six states - and the only one in Alabama - to be selected this year for a school improvement program.
The Learning Forward Learning School Alliance picked Mountain Brook Elementary earlier this year to be part of a professional learning program which aims at improving teacher performance by collaborating with other schools around the country.
Two years ago, Cherokee Bend Elementary took part in the program. The alliance is sponsored by Learning Forward, formerly known as the National Staff Development Council, and then-Superintendent Charles Mason was serving as its president at that time.
Among the goals of the Learning School Alliance is to see that educators share ideas that will eventually find their way into classrooms. It also tries to foster high goals for student achievement, while giving teachers a chance to see how they can be met. Schools were also chosen in Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, North Dakota and Texas.
Belinda Treadwell, principal at the Mountain Brook Elementary, said the program is ''one of the most powerful things I've ever been involved in.''
''We're very privileged to take part,'' she said. ''When teachers are more effective, you have higher levels of student achievement.''
The program allows a team of teachers at the school to collaborate with teachers at other schools around the country, through conferences and webinars, sharing ideas about improving student performance. Teams look at school data, identify areas for improvement and programs to make progress. The group also shares mentors with schools and programs that have had success at other schools.
The program also allows teachers from other schools to find out what programs are working at Mountain Brook Elementary for implementation elsewhere.
The Learning Forward Learning School Alliance picked Mountain Brook Elementary earlier this year to be part of a professional learning program which aims at improving teacher performance by collaborating with other schools around the country.
Two years ago, Cherokee Bend Elementary took part in the program. The alliance is sponsored by Learning Forward, formerly known as the National Staff Development Council, and then-Superintendent Charles Mason was serving as its president at that time.
Among the goals of the Learning School Alliance is to see that educators share ideas that will eventually find their way into classrooms. It also tries to foster high goals for student achievement, while giving teachers a chance to see how they can be met. Schools were also chosen in Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, North Dakota and Texas.
Belinda Treadwell, principal at the Mountain Brook Elementary, said the program is ''one of the most powerful things I've ever been involved in.''
''We're very privileged to take part,'' she said. ''When teachers are more effective, you have higher levels of student achievement.''
The program allows a team of teachers at the school to collaborate with teachers at other schools around the country, through conferences and webinars, sharing ideas about improving student performance. Teams look at school data, identify areas for improvement and programs to make progress. The group also shares mentors with schools and programs that have had success at other schools.
The program also allows teachers from other schools to find out what programs are working at Mountain Brook Elementary for implementation elsewhere.
