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Connecticut Association of Boards of Education

Granby Public School

Program Title(s):

  • Professional Learning Communities
  • Big History Class
  • World Language K-12
  • Integrated Pre-School Program

 Categories that best describes your program:

  • Professional Development for Board/Staff
  • Curriculum/Student Achievement
  • Special Education

Grade Levels:

  • All Grade Levels
  • High School
  • Pre-K

Description of the program:

Professional Learning Community

The work of Granby Public Schools as a Professional Learning Community is an ongoing process.  We are continually questioning our practices, examining our results and implementing new strategies to meet the needs of all of our students.  Our goal of developing a culture of professional learning throughout the district in order to maximize the student learning experience from kindergarten through high school is well on its way and continues to move forward with the hard work and effort of the staff.

With the high school leading the way, the PLC model spread to all schools in the district from 2008-2010. In the summer of 2009, Richard and Rebecca DuFour (authors and national leaders in the field of PLC) provided two days of on-site PLC training for the entire district faculty.  This was followed in 2010 by a PLC consultant coming to Granby to coach district administrators on PLC team implementation.  Granby's leadership, expertise and success in implementing PLC teams has been recognized locally and nationally in a book (Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work, (DuFour, DuFour, 2008)), on the All Things PLC website (http://www.allthingsplc.info/), in the high school's NEAS&C decennial report, and by numerous school districts making site visits to Granby in order to learn about PLCs.

Big History Class

The Big History Class has been an elective course in the Social Studies Department at Granby Memorial High School for the past two years.  In that time, the department has considered the relative merits of the course and its place in the 9-12 scope and sequence.

Big History is fundamentally about creating global citizens with 21st century skills who are able to solve problems via an interdisciplinary approach to the study of World History.  It integrates technology throughout the course and is the model course for our 1-to-1 computing initiative.

World Languages K-12

Granby Public Schools has a long-standing belief that world languages are an important part of a comprehensive educational experience and are an important part of preparing students for citizenship in the 21st Century.  The support from the community for world language programs has provided our students with earlier exposure to learning about other cultures, customs and languages preparing them for success in today's diverse world.  Granby continues to implement its elementary world language plan by providing Spanish to Grades K-6. Spanish, French and Chinese are offered at the middle school/high school levels. 

Integrated Pre-School Program

Granby Public Schools has an inclusive policy guided by a district Theory of Action and supported by a Response to Intervention Model and Integrated Pre-School Program.  The district is beginning its third year of our Integrated Pre-School Program housed at the F.M. Kearns Primary School.  The program brings pre-school students with special needs and peer students together in an afternoon session that can service a total of 30 students.  The program has been highly successful and our youngest students are making tremendous progress in their developmental learning.

 

For more information on these programs please visit:

http://www.allthingsplc.info/

http://www.granby.k12.ct.us/page.cfm?p=5070

http://www.granby.k12.ct.us/uploaded/Special_Services/Documents/Community_communication_5-2012.pdf

 


Contact Information:

Professional Learning Communities
Alan Addley, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
addleya@granby.k12.ct.us
860-844-5259

Big History Class
Mary Gadd, Ed.D.

Principal, Granby Memorial High School
gaddm@granby.k12.ct.us
860-844-3014

World Language K-12
Patricia Law, Ed.D.

Director of Curriculum & Professional Development
lawp@granby.k12.ct.us
860-844-5266

Integrated Pre-School Program
Aimee Martin

Director, Pupil Personnel Services
martinad@granby.k12.ct.us
860-844-5257