Greene County
Schools...
What 1:1 Brings
to a Rural, Low-Wealth
School District
Patricia MacNeill, Ed. D.
Assistant Superintendent
Greene County Schools
Snow Hill, NC
•Five Schools
•3,251 Students
•212 Teachers
•43% African
American, 33%
White, 22% Latino
• 72% Free &
Reduced Lunch
•Both low wealth
and small & rural
WHO WE ARE
Our Shared Instructional Vision
To create a
community of learners
in which
administrators,
teachers, students and
parents are all active
participants in the
teaching/learning
process.
To use technology for
the delivery of quality,
student-centered
instruction.
Building a Learning Community
Sharing Leadership
Building Capacity
Communication
Passion
The Learning
Environment
Best in the World Economic Engine
Consistency &
Continuity
Providing of Programs
a
Framework
Quality of Teaching
Balanced with
Providing
Standards
Staff
Development
GREENE COUNTY SCHOOLS
THE HEDGEHOG CONCEPT
L’Esperance, Frey, Gabbard (2002)
Adapted from Collins (2001)
Set Expectations
s
k
r
a
hm
c
n
Be
•“Begin with the End
rk
o
ew
n
o
i
s
i
V
m
a
r
F
Stephen Covey
IN
G
•Provide a Framework
TIM
oa
ls
G
in Mind”
•Allow for creativity
and consensusbuilding in
accomplishing goals
The Need
Staff development
that is . . .
Sustained
On-going
Standards based
Relevant
Timely
Design Principles
An Instructional Technologist and Literacy
Facilitator at each school
A system-wide instructional team led by
the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
A research-based comprehensive staff
development plan aligned to system goals
A vanguard group for major initiatives
The Advisory Council
A school-based team
focused on instruction
Weekly meetings
Participants
Principal and Assistant
Principals
Instructional Technologist
Literacy Facilitator
Media Coordinator
School Counselor
Exceptional Children & ESL
representatives
Content
System-Wide Initiatives
Literacy
Technology Integration
Comprehensive Counseling/
College Access
Numeracy
Creativity
School Improvement
Goals
North Carolina Standard
Course of Study
Delivery
Modeling of best
instructional practices
Blending of content
and pedagogy
Evaluation by
participants
Smart sheets for
reference
eMail
Wikis
Blogs
Discussion
Boards
Class Pages
Group Pages
Parent Alerts
Calendar
Surveys
Lesson
Planner
Communication
So, what has this
meant to us
Increase in college-going rate: 26% in
2001, 94% in 2008, 88% in 2009
(national average = 60%)
Increased availability of online classes,
including 5 AP courses and 11 honors
classes.
100% of our teachers are “Highly
Qualified.”
4/5 schools have met AYP - the school
that has not yet made AYP met 27/29
indicators (they are close!)
...in our
schools
Dropout rates have decreased (63 in
07-08 vs. 53 in 08-09)
Twilight School Implementation
Increase in high speed
internet access from 15% to
92% throughout county
New businesses
New industrial park
New recreation complex
New golf course/
community
New sense of PRIDE in
community/schools
...in our
Community
There is a Siletz Indian proverb that captures
why so many of us love teaching -
One who learns from one who
is learning drinks from a
running stream.
We read and write and stay current on best
practices so that our students can “drink
from a running stream.”