Points of Pride: Council Bluffs - Patron Tour

Education is an adventure in human relationships.  -Gerald W. Kirn

Council Bluffs Superintendent Dr. Martha Buckner and Bloomer Principal Mr. Casey Moran

The mission of the Council Bluffs Community School District is to guarantee that every student graduates with the knowledge, skills and character to become a responsible citizen and to succeed in a changing world by creating a leading-edge, inclusive educational system which provides challenging expectations, diverse experiences, engaging curriculum and innovative teaching within a collaborative, caring community.

District Demographics:  

Enrollment - About 9000  

Free and Reduced Lunch - slightly under 70%

127 teachers in leadership positions

Bloomer Elementary School Demographics:

Free and Reduced Lunch - 88% with a growing ELL population

Kirn Middle School Demographics:
Approximately 1000 students in grades 6-8
Principal Dr. Melissa Byington

Patron Tour - a concept I was unfamiliar with until visiting  Council Bluffs District.  What a great way to engage the community and inform them of classroom instruction!  Those who attended observed classroom instruction followed by reflection in the hallway by Principal Moran and Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Corey Vorthmann.  This reflection allowed for the public to understand the seamless infusion of the Iowa Core standards within classroom instruction which the community overwhelmingly supports.  What a great professional learning opportunity for all stakeholders!  It is one thing to read the standards but entirely another to see it put into action.  The rigor and relevance in the classroom is evident as students are led to be critical thinkers.  Metacognition is key as students discuss the "how" about what they are learning while  developing problem-solving strategies that best meet their learning styles.   

The purpose of instruction in the Council Bluffs School District is to engage students in rich and meaningful ways focused around the Iowa Core which is evident to all who observe classroom instruction found at Bloomer and Kirn schools in this district.  In order to meet the learning needs of all students, small group instruction and individual assistance is provided.  Reading Recovery provides a 12- 20 week program for students to receive reading assistance and successfully transition back into the classroom.  All teaching is adjusted around standards and expectations with strong communication between the general education classroom and those providing assistance to the struggling student.  Instructional coaches and teaching teams use a data wall to track progress, stay student focused, and assure no one is lost in the learning process.

    A visit to Kirn Middle School was a lesson in differentiation as we visited two math classes teaching the same lesson but in two different ways based on the instructional needs of its students.



A visit to an ELA class showed the role technology plays in student engagement.  Using Google Docs, a new world of technology response work is opened for collaboration and reflections on learning.  The world becomes a classroom through instant access via the internet.  Intervention time is provided at the middle school where comprehensive literacy by Linda Dorn is used.  The staff is focused on what works best for adolescent learners and works collaboratively to identify what signifies proficiency on assessments. 

The Patron Tour concluded with a panel discussion consisting of two instructional coaches and myself.  The audience was teacher leaders from across the district.  The welcoming atmosphere and culture of collaboration has been made strong in Council Bluffs through their Teacher Leadership and Compensation grant. 

Thank you, Council Bluffs, for your willingness to open your doors and allow the community to view the quality education your students are receiving at Bloomer Elementary and Kirn Middle School.  Patron Tour is a format I hope many communities adopt as we move forward in sharing our stories about education today in Iowa schools.