CHALLENGE Like many other schools facing systemic challenges, Moline Elementary School’s journey toward improvement began from a place of struggle. Designated as a Targeted School in Missouri and ranked among the lowest- performing in the state, by 2022 the school was under a district mandate to improve student outcomes. However, Moline lacked the foundational knowledge to effectively implement the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work® process, making meaningful progress difficult. Moline serves a predominantly Black student population—learners that have been historically disadvantaged across the country—and Principal Amber White faced the daunting task of reviving a faculty used to the status quo. Professional development and district initiatives changed often, lacking a foundation in evidence-based practices. Persistent underperformance had become the norm. While the school’s climate was positive, Moline’s culture lacked high expectations for teaching and learning with students continuing to perform below grade level. Following Covid, existing academic challenges at the school only deepened after being away from in-person learning for nearly a full year. IMPLEMENTATION During the 2022–2023 school year, Moline Elementary began its Priority Schools in a PLC at Work® journey with the guidance of job-embedded coaching by Kristi S. Langley. While this initial year was primarily focused on professional development for teachers, a schoolwide literacy block (the first attempt at a systemic intervention) was also implemented. A pivotal shift occurred during the summer of 2023. Amber and her guiding coalition attended a PLC at Work Institute in June, which transformed their understanding of the PLC process. This conference, coupled with ongoing support from district-level principal coach Clara Sale-Davis, provided the foundation for a more focused approach to PLC implementation. Returning with renewed enthusiasm and a solidified vision, the team dove into The Big Book of Tools for Collaborative Teams by William M. Ferriter, Mike Mattos, and Rob J. Meyer, utilizing its guidance to develop school processes, documents, and collaborative structures. Adding two content coaches, Dr. Taylar B. Wenzel for English language arts (ELA) and Dr. Brian Buckhalter for math, along with new job-embedded coaching from Michael L. McWilliams, further strengthened the school’s capacity for growth. The 2023–2024 school year saw the implementation of learning cycle calendars in math and ELA. While grades 3–5 received specialized ELA coaching to enhance their understanding of priority standards and effective instructional strategies, K–2 concentrated on bolstering early literacy skills. In math, a structured system for Tier 2 intervention emerged, ensuring timely assessment and support within a 10-day timeframe. Motivated by The 15-Day Challenge by Maria Nielsen, the guiding coalition developed a structured process for learning cycles in math, including quick checks and data trackers. DEMOGRAPHICS › 295 students › 100% free and reduced lunch › 12.5% students with special needs RACIAL/ETHNIC PERCENTAGES › 98.6% Black › 1.4% White Moline Elementary School, serving K–5 students in the Riverview Gardens School District, is dedicated to ensuring all Trailblazers achieve high levels of learning. Moline is committed to continuous improvement, data-driven instruction, and strong partnerships with families, embodying the belief that all means all. Moline Elementary School ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI Please note that all data and people mentioned in this story represent solely the time frame in which Solution Tree actively worked with the school or district and the time frame in which the school or district committed to implementing processes and practices set forth by Solution Tree. Building and district leaders and staff featured in Evidence of Excellence stories may have changed since the stories were published. Discover more schools that have partnered with us to achieve great results at SolutionTree.com/MakingADifference
