As some 100 educators representing 15 Western Pennsylvania school districts travel next month to Atlanta’s Ron Clark Academy, the Consortium will be gearing up to help them make the most of all the ideas they bring back.
Huntington Bank is sponsoring the trip to the acclaimed private school to give the educators opportunities to learn and apply practices and innovations that might benefit their own districts and schools. RCA routinely hosts such visits from across the country.
The Consortium plans to organize a cohort of the returning educators to build on the experience.
“Practices employed at RCA are aimed at building the kind of positive school culture and sense of belonging that many students lost during shutdowns related to the pandemic,” said the Consortium’s Executive Director Jackie Foor. “The visit is expected to bring these educators together around ideas that could help districts still struggling with these issues. Many of our schools, especially those in lower income communities, not only have seen students backslide academically, but also socially and emotionally.”
We’ll convene teams from participating districts quarterly during the coming school year, with an initial meeting aimed at unpacking what educators learned at RCA that they might adapt in their own schools. Consortium staff will facilitate a design process to identify their needs and goals, and each district team will create plans to apply the lessons learned and effect changes to improve school climate and better engage students in their learning. Throughout the year, the Consortium will support teams with research, professional development, and opportunities to exchange ideas and feedback across districts.
