Creating and Sustaining Small Learning Communities
Strategies and Tools for Transforming High Schools
- Grace Sammon - President, GMS Partners, Co-Founder, National Career Academy Coalition, Founder, The Business Institute for Educators
School Change & Reform
"Creating and sustaining small learning communities is not for the faint of heart. Without this invaluable resource and the talents and expertise of the writer, we likely would have done neither."
—Cynthia Conwell, School Improvement Facilitator
Houston Independent School District, TX
"Strikes the right balance between theory and practice. This extensive text and impressive electronic tool kit reflects a national perspective on school reform gleaned from the author's many years of partnering with school systems for success for all students and teachers."
—Gary Norris, Superintendent
Sarasota County Public Schools, FL
"Builds capacity in applying research to practice, providing strategies to improve teaching and learning that maximize student achievement, and using tools and techniques that enable staff to implement, share, and sustain new learning."
—Kent Mathers, Assistant Superintendent
Yukon Public Schools, OK
Transform your high school into a high-performing environment for teaching and learning!
This research-based, fully revised edition of Creating and Sustaining Small Learning Communities demonstrates how to empower school teams and foster the professional practices that create a true climate for success. Author Grace Sammon offers school leaders a step-by-step approach for redesigning high schools into small learning communities (SLC) that cultivate sound instructional methods and personalized learning environments for students.
Presenting a hands-on process that addresses data, personalization, partnerships, curriculum, and instruction, this book moves educational leaders and school reformers from an appreciation of SLC to the nuts and bolts of collaborating and doing the work of improving school culture and academic achievement. With a focus on getting results, the text offers:
- A CD-ROM tool kit with over 30 planning templates and data collection and assessment tools for developing, sustaining, and evaluating a successful school transformation to SLC
- Frequently asked questions about how SLC benefit students and schools
- Procedures to create school-based teams to jump-start and sustain data-driven discussions and decision making
This resource and collection of tools is ideal for school leaders who are serious about continuous improvement to ensure success for all students.
"Creating and sustaining small learning communities is not for the faint of heart. Without this invaluable resource and the talents and expertise of the writer, we likely would have done neither."
"Strikes the right balance between theory and practice. This extensive text and impressive electronic tool kit reflect a national perspective on school reform gleaned from Sammon's many years of partnering with school systems for success for all students and teachers."
"Builds capacity in applying research to practice, providing strategies to improve teaching and learning that maximize student achievement, and using tools and techniques that enable staff to implement, share, and sustain new learning."
I have learned so much through Grace Sammon’s work at our high school. Her vision, honesty and optimism are the ingredients that helped to make our program such a success. We know that we have a lot of work yet to do – but Sammon is the one who assisted a team of teachers with the most important step – that being the first.