Dogwood Elementary staff members accept Exemplary PLC School award at Powerful Learning Conference

Dogwood Elementary has been named an Exemplary Professional Learning Community (PLC) School by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). This honor is given to schools promoting a culture focused on collaborative learning while effectively using data to increase student achievement. Dogwood is one of only twenty-one schools in Missouri to receive the award. 

Through the PLC process, schools must undergo training and demonstrate that proven practices have been properly implemented. To be eligible for the exemplary honor, a school must have received a rating stating the implementation of the PLC model is proficiently and deeply embedded throughout the school.

In the application provided to DESE, Dogwood staff wrote, “Our implementation of the Positive Behavior and Intervention Support system (PBIS) laid groundwork for an environment where students and teachers spent time training on the high expectations that would be necessary for high academic growth. Celebrations of academics and behaviors have now become a regular part of the Dogwood Elementary culture.”

Dogwood staff presented at the Powerful Learning Conference

“We have seen positive results with our student achievement by identifying students’ needs in our collaborative meetings each week,” stated Janelle Nelson, principal. “Receiving this honor does not come without hard work by all students and staff members.   

Staff members from Dogwood Elementary were recognized for their achievement at the Powerful Learning Conference in January and will be recognized at the Board of Education meeting in February.