Being a principal is a huge — and, at times, lonely— job. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) provide principals with the time and space they need to learn from and connect with their fellow principals.
PLCs are headed by some of the city’s most talented principals, whose success and experience help fellow principals tackle shared problems of practice. Topics change every year based on principal feedback and revolve around principals’ greatest challenges: managing time, coaching teachers and improving students’ academic performance.
Any Chicago public school principal can participate in a PLC. PLCs meet for a minimum of six two-hour sessions throughout the academic school year. Dates, times and locations are determined by the PLC leader and are flexible depending on participants’ schedules and priorities.
There are 225 principals and assistant principals participating in 20 PLCs during the 2019-20 school year.
"The work we are doing in our PLC is highly experiential and job-embedded. I am able to take what I’m learning in collaboration with my principal colleagues and bring it back to Tarkington. This allows for me to provide the highest quality PD for my staff and assistant principals."