Learning Leaders

Every teacher, by definition, is a leader. Some will develop into exceptionally capable leaders able to organize, inspire, and lead their peers. These learning leaders relate well with their colleagues and are able to accomplish team goals oriented toward improving student success. By utilizing the process of professional learning communities, eff ective learning leaders can impact school culture and student outcomes. To that end, Hamblen County Schools will focus on developing learning leaders who will maximize the benefits of professional learning community processes, promote ethical behavior, and model professional judgment. Through this process, learning leaders will lead schools and the district in building teacher capacity, promoting positive change, and achieving student success.

Competencies and Beliefs

Hamblen County teacher leaders believe...

• in the power of collaboration to enhance student learning.
• in shared leadership as a vital to school improvement.
• in school-wide accountability.
• in using assessments and data for learning to drive and individualize instruction.
• in internalizing the four questions of a PLC so that they become how we approach teaching and learning.

Hamblen County teacher leaders have the capacity to...

• connect mission and shared vision to a moral purpose.
• inspire others to exceed their own expectations.
• solve complex problems collaboratively.
• build highly effective teams focused on improving student learning.
• serve as catalysts for positive change of the culture and climate of their schools.

Roles and Responsibilities

Professional Learning

• Leads, facilitates, and advocates for highly effective and collaborative professional learning communities (PLCs)

Community Building

• Represents their respective schools on community and district-wide committees

Culture Building

• Encourages and models a shared school-wide approach to teaching and learning, and a collective responsibility for school-wide challenges and team planning
• Serves as catalysts for positive change of the culture and climate of a school through mentoring and sharing best practices

Data

• advocates for data-driven instruction
• leads peers in the common formative assessment process and the collection, analysis, and use of data to enhance student learning

Cost and Sustainability

The primary cost of the program will be the annual supplements learning leaders will receive for their additional work as PLC leaders and trainers. In order to sustain this expense, it will be incorporated into the general budget. This cost will incrementally increase over the first three years of the program until the number of trained PLC leaders needed district-wide reaches approximately 85 positions. Training will initially be supplemented by outsourcing, which will be phased out over the first two years of the program as district trainers, primarily instructional coaches and learning leaders, take over these important responsibilities.

Sustainability Strategies

• Incorporate teacher leader trainings into professional development days to absorb extra costs.
• Incorporate the learning leader program into the general budget under the department of instruction.
• Over the next two years, transition the learning leaders training program entirely to district instructors.

Update  2017–18

Since the implementation of the Learning Leader Program during the 2016-17 School Year, the number of trained and stipend Learning Leaders has grown from 32 to 49. The Learning Leaders continue to meet monthly to collaborate around student learning and to develop their own, deeper understanding of the PLC processes that are vital to improving student learning. They have become the guiding coalition for the district and key advisors to Principals and School Leadership Teams.

Key to the success of Hamblen County’s Learning Leader program has been unwavering school board support. The board has recognized the importance of teacher leadership and collaboration in the school improvement process and has been eager to provide funding and moral support to grow the program.

Learning Leaders have been vital in helping lead the district through the following initiatives:

• Implementing PLC big ideas (focus on learning, collaboration, results orientation)
• Incorporating common formative assessments in every school and grade level
• Educating peers and school leadership on the impact of PLC processes on student growth, student achievement, school improvement, and solving complex problems
• The unpacking and roll out of new math and ELA standards, as well as the unpacking of standards in most other content areas