Leading a Professional Learning Community in High School

Part One

I am the leader of a professional learning community (PLC) at Portage High School. The group meets every week to covers topics that are assigned by the administration as well as important issues in our areas. One member from each department is assigned to a specific PLC. As the leader of this group, I set the agenda, run the meeting, and take notes for the group. Consequently, I serve as a member of the building leadership committee (BLC) as a representative of our PLC. The BLC meets monthly to discuss viewpoints from the PLC and set policy for the school. Additionally, I am the department chair of the physical education, health, and family and consumer science departments. All the budgeting and program development is done

collectively with department members. Within the district, I oversee the entire physical education department. We meet quarterly to examine our curriculum, instructional strategies, and program improvement initiatives. Finally, I am on the hiring committee for all physical education and health positions that become available in the district.
I am the head varsity football coach at Portage High School.

In this role, I oversee the entire program from fourth through twelfth grade. I develop the master plan for our program that includes player academic progress, position fundamentals, scheme, player development, coach education programs, practice plans, and game planning. In addition, I manage a staff of eight high school, four middle school, and six youth coaches. I do all of the budgeting for program, as well as lead our football booster club in fundraising and support for our whole program. There are many parts to our program that I use the support of my assistants and our athletic director to help facilitate. Finally, I am the spokesperson for the program with our area newspaper and radio station.

The final leadership role that I hold in our school is assistant athletic director. The duties include supervising sporting events; organize the workers for the event, and depositing the funds from ticket sales at the end of the event. Additionally, I work with the athletic direct and principal on student-athlete code of conduct enforcement. Often, this includes meeting with the student and their parents to address the violation. Finally, yearly we review and revise the student-athlete code of conduct with input for the coaching

staff.
At Portage High School there are a number of roles that teachers demonstrate leadership. Our principal has developed opportunities for teachers to share leadership throughout the building. She requires that every teacher is involved in at least committee and the leaders for the groups are selected by the participants. Sergiovanni (2006) stated “The more that leadership I cultivated in a school, the more likely it is that everyone will get a chance to use their talents fully and the more committed everyone is likely to be” (p.178). Committees that teachers are involved include PBIS, RtI, technology, climate, mentorship, curriculum, referendum, and social committee. By allowing teachers to sign up for these committees the principal utilizes the staff’s skills in the areas that the staff feels best suits them. Occasionally, she may ask a staff member to step out of their comfort zone and be a part of another group. This is only done when she feels that the individual’s skill set could serve the committee’s best interest.