POINTS of PRIDE: Humboldt Community School District

TLC Coach Lucinda Boyd, Curriculum Director Tamela Johnson, & TLC Coach Rachelle Mau

7th grade team in an AIW session

 Motto of the Humboldt Community School District:  Learning and Success for All!  A motto manifested by Humboldt's commitment to the Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW) framework.  My Humboldt guide was Rachelle Mau, a technology coach in the district through the Teacher Leadership & Compensation Grant (TLC).  Rachelle is also a  facilitator for AIW.  The day began in a 7th grade AIW meeting as a teacher presented a video of her teaching for analysis by the others.  Before viewing the video, the teacher explained the purpose of her lesson along with the Iowa Core standards for the lesson.  She was also asked:  Are you interested in having instruction critiqued? Will you teach this again? Which AIW standard should we focus on?

Discussion was in partners as they reflected upon the following AIW standards:

1. Higher Order Thinking
2. Depth of Knowledge and Student Understanding
3. Substantive Conversation
4. Value Beyond School

AIW is the umbrella under which instructional strategies are implemented, always with a focus on building conceptual knowledge.  Explicit instruction takes conversations to a deeper level, building true collaborative conversations related to instruction. The peer review process helps teachers re-examine lessons and improve them for next year.  Humboldt has five AIW coaches and now with the TLC grant they are able to spend more time coaching and guiding the AIW process.  Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are data driven while AIW uses the data to focus on explicit teaching.

DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHICS
Approximate enrollment:  1200
Free and Reduced Lunch:  around 38%
 
Humboldt Middle School is fortunate to have two 42 minute daily preps - one for collaboration and one for preparation.  This team coordinates a Learning Lunch time where students who are behind eat lunch while catching up.  Teachers are also present assist students.  Humboldt Middle also provides Saturday school for those needing extra work time.   To add to staff continuous improvement, every Wednesday is an early out with this year's focus:  integration of technology and working with students in poverty.  Smart boards are in every classroom, and the building is organized around pod areas used to pull students to for extra assistance or for group presentations.  The middle school was the first to go 1:1 with laptops because it was built to accommodate technology.

Middle School Exploratories include a STEM class:  Project Lead the Way, Lego Robotics, Lego Energy, Design and Modeling, and VEX Robotics.  They also have Art, Family Consumer Science, Guidance, Guitar, Computers, and Industrial Technology. 

When asked about their points of pride, teachers shared that the Teacher Leadership and Compensation grant has moved the district from a top down leadership to a bottom up leadership with teachers participating directly in the decisions about professional development.  There is additional collaboration between schools, teachers/administrators, and between districts since Humboldt is with Twin Rivers in the TLC grant. 

Next stop was Clyde D. Meese elementary where kindergarten is involved in project-based learning.  Rachelle explained the process as they learn about geese and ducks using KWL charts, observation techniques, and research.  Both elementaries in Humbolt - Meese and Taft - are Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)  schools with clear expectation posted around the buildings and awards earned by receiving tickets for good behavior.  The pledge students take to end Abuse and Violence is, "I will not use my hands or my words for hurting myself or others." 

4th grade tour guides at Taft

George Bruders has been the principal of Taft Elementary for 15 years, with Taft receiving national recognition as a Blue Ribbon School in 2013.  Mr. Bruders is proud that the students of Taft are caring and wonderful.  He  says he is fortunate to work with such a high quality staff and a caring community.  Humboldt elementaries after school programs until 5:30 P.M. for students needing additional childcare.

My 4th grade tour guides were Keaton, Tricia, and Brenna.  They were very proud of the school and proudly went through the PBIS procedures including an explanation of minor and major infractions that prevent students from participating in PBIS activities.  They are proud of their school and all it has to offer.

According to the U.S. Department of Education website:  "The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. The National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing an entry or flying overhead is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning."  Congratulations, Taft, on this tremendous achievement!  Congratulations, Humboldt Community School District on all you offer your students!