Meetings, meetings, meetings, and even more meetings take up more time than ever in today’s schools and yet, our students continue to struggle and not be proficient on mandated assessments.  Is it possible to work any harder?  The answer to student achievement is not found in teachers’ working harder, but rather in a clear focus on student achievement and collaboration…and a school culture that supports both.  During this webinar we will look at what Professional Learning Communities are and are not.  We will explore various components of this culture and why it has been successful in schools across this country.  We will also look at the roles played by school stakeholders in making PLCs improve student achievement.

Harriet Kirk Dawson was born and educated in North Carolina, having received her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in business education. Following the receipt of a master’s degree in education from the University of Virginia, Dawson moved to Virginia and has served as a Virginia public school educator for 35 years.  She has been a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant superintendent in charge of assessment, curriculum, personnel and policies, interim superintendent, and most recently, a Training Coordinator for Rappahannock Community College.  She also serves as an educational consultant in the areas of Team Building, School Culture, Data Analysis and Increasing Rigor in Instructional Programs to ensure College and Workplace Readiness, and as a Trainer for Business Soft Skills.