Teamwork, focus fuel award-winning gains at Great Lakes Elementary
May 20—SUPERIOR — Three years of sustained student growth in math and reading test scores has earned Great Lakes Elementary School national recognition. It was one of 600 schools in the United States and Canada to be recognized as a Model PLC at Work.
The
recognition
is given by Solution Tree, a company that provides professional learning community resources to schools. A professional learning community, commonly referred to as a PLC, is a cohort of teachers that meets for training, goal setting and continued collaboration.
Principal Ryan Haroldson said a focus on learning, results and a collaborative culture fueled the progress — improved test scores in math and English language arts at all grade levels, in all categories, every year.
Third grade teacher Shelly Bong said Haroldson's trust in teachers has been key to making the professional learning communities successful.
"And sharing resources. It's not a contest of who's the best teacher. We're working together," Bong said, leaning on fellow teachers to learn about new resources and programs. "We collaborate in our grade-level teams, but we also collaborate across levels. ... That's a huge piece of it."
Each of the teachers is amazing on their own, Haroldson said, but by working together, they get better.
"I think teachers need to have autonomy to try different things, to learn from each other. That's the power of the team," the principal said.
That equals more resources for students.
"Instead of having 15 years of teaching experience, you could have 100 years of teaching experience," said Martine Ferg, reading teacher. "With Ryan, he empowers us to make those decisions, and we rise to the occasion. We feel trusted to make the right decisions for all of our students. And then we're able to really do what's best for the child."
The school's dedication to professional learning communities dates back to 2017. Initially, Haroldson said, they didn't see big gains. Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Great Lakes Elementary School's state standardized test results were close to the state average. The school lost about a quarter of a percent in proficiency levels during the pandemic, according to Haroldson.
"We didn't have a lot of learning loss, but then we put the pedal to the metal with these processes," Haroldson said, even with the increased mental health and behavioral needs coming out of COVID. "I give credit to my staff because they mowed over that, and addressed those things and got (students) those skills in reading and math and continued to move the bar up every year, regardless. We didn't use it as an excuse."
Great Lakes scores improved steadily from 2019 through 2024, with testing requirements waived in 2020 due to the pandemic. While only three years of improved scores were needed to earn the award, Haroldson submitted four.
From 2019 to 2024, the overall percentage of the school's students scoring at meeting or advanced proficiency in English language arts rose from 45% in 2019 to 69% in 2024, moving the school's test results from 3.5% above the state average in 2019 to 17% above the state average in 2024.
The percentage of Great Lakes Elementary students at meeting and advanced proficiency rose from 43% in 2019 to 63% in 2024, which brought the school's test results from 3% below the state average in 2019 to 9% above in 2024.
Not only did the overall scores rise in both math and reading, but scores rose among students with low socioeconomic status and students with disabilities.
Great Lakes teachers from each grade level team up at the beginning of each school year to identify a focus for improving student performance.
For kindergarten teacher Becky Herubin, that means looking at the state standards and district requirements, then taking it further.
"We dig into there to set the essential learning standards that we want the kindergarten students to master before moving on," Herubin said.
Grade-level teams meet every Tuesday to assess these essentials and share instructional strategies for them. Students who aren't mastering the essentials are offered additional support to help bridge the gap.
While teachers do that, paraprofessionals step in to work with students who have already mastered essential skills, offering reading groups, writing exercises and more.
"Our students are as much a part of that success, not just our special ed students, but our regular ed students, because they work together," said fourth grade teacher Kristin Trianoski. "Last year, I had two students join my class that were non-readers. ... My students just naturally started helping those kids, you know, doing things, sitting by them so they can read directions. And those kids blossomed."
Great Lakes Elementary School saw a lot of change this year, from welcoming many of the students from the shuttered Lake Superior Elementary school to weathering staff cuts.
"I feel like we started a new school this year, and I'm really highly motivated to take this new cohort of students and do the same thing, and hopefully put together another three years of great growth with the new cohort and earn this recognition again in 2028," Haroldson said.
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