Tomball Memorial High School and Tomball Star Academy Earn Prestigious Honor of Model PLC School
For its relentless pursuit of high-quality instruction and building a collaborative culture, Tomball Memorial High School and Tomball Star Academy have earned the prestigious recognition by Solution Tree as Model PLC Schools for their sustained success in raising student achievement.
PLCs are schools and districts in which educators recognize the key to improved learning for students is on-going, 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.
The school’s successful implementation of the Professional Learning Communities at Work™ process was a major contributing factor in the improved achievement of its students. Tomball Memorial High School, led by Principal Dr. Jeff Bailey, and Tomball Star Academy, led by Principal Dr. Kelly Marchiando, became the 10th and 11th Tomball ISD campuses to earn this honor and are among a very short list of high schools named a PLC Model School in Texas.
“Our campus [TMHS] has been on a journey surrounding quality professional learning communities and how to better serve students and learn from one another for the last 4 years. This recognition is a direct result of our staff’s dedication to collaboration and putting students at the center of everything we do! I am so proud of the students, staff and community of Tomball Memorial High School. Our focus on high quality initial instruction, a collaborative culture that truly cares about student growth, and a focus on our core values and the character of our students is what has allowed our campus to be where it is today," said TMHS Principal Dr. Jeff Bailey.
Schools are recognized based on strict criteria, including demonstration of a commitment to PLC concepts, implementation of these concepts for at least three 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.
According to the Champions of PLC at Work™, educators in the schools and districts selected for this recognition have shown “a sustained commitment to helping all of their students achieve at high levels. They have been willing to alter the structure and culture of the organization to reflect their commitment. We applaud them and congratulate them for achieving this very significant milestone on the never-ending PLC journey.”
Recognized model PLC schools are listed on allthingsplc.info, where they share implementation strategies, structures, and performance with other educators interested in improving their schools. Tools for team collaboration, articles and research about PLCs, 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.
”I was so excited for my staff [at TSA] to be recognized for the collaborative spirit they embody each and every day. Tomball Star Academy teachers collaborate both in horizontal grade level teams and in horizontal vertical teams. Our teachers embrace the process, they dig into the work, and they find innovative ways to serve all students at every level. To say I am a proud principal would be an understatement. I am blessed to work with such a dedicated team of teachers who are committed to the PLC Model," said Tomball Star Academy Principal Dr. Kelly Marchiando.
TMHS and Tomball Star Academy join nine other Tomball ISD campuses in Tomball Elementary, Lakewood Elementary, Tomball Intermediate, Timber Creek Elementary, Creekside Park Junior High, Oakcrest Intermediate, Creekview Elementary, Tomball Junior High and Canyon Pointe Elementary as PLC Model Schools.
ABOUT TOMBALL ISD
Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates nearly 22,000 students at 22 campuses.
Source: Tomball ISD
