Catawba County Schools
4-School PLC
(Grades K-6 Elementary Schools)
Banoak, Catawba, Claremont, Murray
4-School PLC
What concerns brought about
changes in schedules, intervention
blocks and use of personnel?
 Not enough time in school day
 Need for stronger, data-driven
intervention blocks
 More effective use of personnel
4-School PLC
 Our Superintendent, Dr. Dan Brigman,
invited Dr. Lynn Canady to conduct a
professional development session with an
audience of principals and central office
personnel.
 Dr. Canady presented information from his
book, Elementary School Scheduling:
Enhancing Instruction for Student
Achievement
4-School PLC
 Our superintendent formed a committee
to extend the school day for all Catawba
County Schools.
 The four smallest schools decided to
form a PLC to address concerns.
 Dr. Canady met with the 4-School PLC
to create schedules that would
incorporate Early Literacy Groups.
4-School PLC
What are Early Literacy Groups?
(ELGs)
 Early Literacy Groups are small,
flexible clusters of students
homogeneously grouped for
enrichment and/or intervention.
4-School PLC
What are Early Literacy Teams?
(ELTs)
 Early Literacy Teams are teams of
adults working collaboratively to meet
the needs of Early Literacy Groups.
This team includes teachers, teacher
assistants, literacy specialists,
instructional coaches and ESL/EC
teachers if available.
4-School PLC
 The four schools with similar
populations created a PLC to create
schedules.
 Dr. Canady was contacted by one of
the principals to firm up schedules.
 Principals met to discuss resources
and personnel for ELGs.
4-School PLC
 Principals planned an outside
adventure to enable staffs from all
four schools to bond.
Wahoo Adventures
Boone, NC
4-School PLC
 Principals conducted information
sessions for teacher assistants and
teachers to provide an overview of
new schedules and ELG plan.
 Teachers were invited to attend two
days of STEM activity planning
sessions.
4-School PLC
 Principals met with their individual
staffs to create two Early Literacy
Teams.
 Students were placed in Early
Literacy Groups based on mCLASS
assessment data.
 Some ELTs go into individual
classrooms and some span grade
levels.
4-School PLC
 Teacher assistants were trained in
early literacy skills by literacy
specialists and instructional coaches.
Continual training occurs weekly or
monthly based on each school site.
 ELTs and Administrators routinely
meet to discuss each student and
plan specific instruction to meet
student needs.
4-School PLC
 Weekly progress monitoring
determines the placement of students
in ELGs.
 ELGs meet 4 to 5 times per week
based on school site.
 Various research-based materials are
used in ELGs.
Morning Instructional Block
ELG Team B
Team A
Kindergarten and 1st Grade
Classroom Support
Team B
Classroom
Assistance
Prep
Kinder ELG
2nd
4th
(8:15-8:55)
Prep
3rd
(9:00-9:40)
Prep
3rd
2nd
(9:50-10:25)
2nd
(10:35-11:10)
1st Grade ELG
Prep
Kinder
(10:35-11:10)
Lunch and Planning
2:30-2:45
2:15-2:30
2:00-2:15
1:45-2:00
1:30-1:45
1:15-1:30
1:00-1:15
12:45-1:00
12:30-12:45
Transition
Restroom
12:15-12:30
11:45-12:00
11:30-11:45
11:15-11:30
11:00-11:15
10:45-11:00
10:30-10:45
10:15-10:30
12:00-12:15
Afternoon Instructional Block
Encore
Afternoon Instructional Block
Lunch
Afternoon Instructional Block
Encore
Homeroom
Lunch
Intervention and Enrichment
Team B
P.E.
Homeroom
Block 2
5th
(9:45-10:25)
Afternoon Block with
TA support
ELG Team A
Lunch
Lunch
Afternoon Block with TA Support at
2:00
Encore
P.E.
Block 2
Block 1
1st
(9:05-9:40)
Lunch
Intervention and Enrichment
Team B
Block 2
Encore
Encore
ELG Team A
Mid-Day
Instructional
Block
Encore
Block 1
6th
(8:15-8:55)
Encore
ELG Team A
P.E.
Block 1
Transition
5th
Lunch
Intervention and Enrichment Mid-Day Instructional
Team B
Block
P.E.
P.E.
P.E.
Lunch
3rd
(12:00-12:40)
Intervention and Enrichment
Team B
P.E.
Kinder
(12:50-1:25)
Lunch
Kinder ELG
Prep
4th
(8:15-8:55)
Lunch
5th
Lunch and Planning
1st
(12:05-12:40)
6th
(12:45-1:25)
4th
(1:30-2:10)
Homeroom
3rd
Transition
Morning
Instructional
Block
P.E.
Mid-Morning
Block
Encore
2nd
Instruction
Restroom
1st
6th
10:00-10:15
ELG Team A
Morning Instructional Block
with Teacher Assistant
Support
4th
9:45-10:00
9:30-9:45
9:15-9:30
9:00-9:15
8:45-9:00
8:30-8:45
8:15-8:30
8:00-8:15
Time
K
Plan
Support K and 1
Teachers
1st Grade ELG
6th
5th
(1:30-2:10)
Bus
Plan
4-School PLC
 Banoak Elementary School
Kathy Keane, Principal
Kathy_Keane@catawbaschools.net
 Catawba Elementary School
Todd Sudderth, Principal
Todd_Sudderth@catawbaschools.net
 Claremont Elementary School
Kim Yancey, Principal
Kim_Yancey@catawbaschools.net
 Murray Elementary School
Mitzi Story, Principal
Mitzi_Story@catawbaschools.net