Pine Mountain Learning Center (PMLC) has just become the top-performing school in Kern County. Its school scores are 915 on the Academic Performance Index this last reporting period. We asked the school to tell us a little about how they did that.

By Mary Griffin, Assistant Administrator

PMLC is a kindergarten through sixth grade charter school with four multi-grade classrooms. Creative and caring teachers tune into the learning needs of individual students while offering a rich, hands-on curriculum with real-world applications.

Students use the most recent state-adopted curriculum materials in a small-group instruction and personalized learning setting. Art, music, and physical education are taught weekly by specialists.

Individual learning plans are developed with parents in September at the first of three required parent conferences. Upper elementary students finish the year with student-led conferences.

Each classroom has an instructional aide in the morning. The part-time on-site administrator has had a long career in school improvement, counseling and special education. The principal of PMLC is the superintendent of the school district.

School Culture

The school culture at PMLC is based on a set of principles called “the Highly Effective Teaching model” with teaching strategies based on how the brain develops and an emphasis on active learning.

Lifelong Guidelines are used: being trustworthy and truthful; practicing active listening; no put-downs of others; and doing one’s “personal best” in nineteen identified lifeskills. The school discipline plan is based on positive behavior support procedures. There is an absence of threat in the learning environment.

We teach problem solving to provide an opportunity for all students to achieve. Students are involved in service learning and leadership development through a very active PMLC Student Council.

Teacher Involvement

Teachers collaborate in planning school-wide events, the emphases of the school and the articulation of curriculum across grade levels.

Standards-referenced report cards have been developed and implemented for all grade levels. Teachers base instructional decisions on data and formative assessments through observation and curriculum-based assessments that are integral to instruction.

Use of technology is integrated into classroom learning at all grade levels. When needed, support is provided by a reading intervention aide and an after-school tutoring program provided by community volunteers.

Parent Involvement

Parent involvement is essential to the success of Pine Mountain Learning Center.

Every family pledges to volunteer a minimum of 30 hours per school year. Many volunteer weekly in a classroom or on the yard. Others work in the office or provide for the maintenance and cleaning of the school.

The School Advisory Council, composed of parents, meets monthly. Its committees monitor the implementation of the charter, plan events and raise funds to support the further development of the school.

This is part of the October 22, 2010 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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