1. What’s in a Partnership?
NC Middle School Association Conference
March 5, 2012
Presenters
Joyce Brigman
Jean Vintinner
Jeanneine Jones
Claudia Cox

2. Welcome!
Grab a seat.
We are so glad you’re here!

4. Introductions
Let’s get to know each other!
What experiences have you had
with university partnerships?
What would you like to learn in this session?

5. Our Objectives Today
An exploration of university-school
partnerships that includes linking
philosophy and classroom implementation
and reflective middle school commitment:
1. Defining PDS and partner schools
2. Background of PDS/Shared Philosophy
3. Beginning and maintaining partnerships
4. Value of partnerships
5. What actually happens in the school setting

6. Defining PDS and Partner Schools
“innovative institutions formed through
partnerships between professional
education programs and P–12 schools”
Includes:
•New teacher preparation
•Faculty development
•Improvement of practice
•Greater student achievement.

7. What are PDSs?
“Collaborative institutions formed through
partnerships between college/university
professional education programs
and P-12 schools”
(UNC Charlotte Professional
School Development Network, 2012)

8. Background of Professional
Development Schools
“Professional Development Schools (PDSs)
are real schools, often in challenging settings,
which have been redesigned and restructured
to support their complex mission. PDSs
support professional and student learning
through the use of an inquiry-oriented
approach to teaching,”

9. Background of Professional
Development Schools
Responsibilities Teacher
Candidates
Circle of
Influence
P-12 Students School Faculty
University Faculty

10. Shared Philosophy
School
Improvement
Plan
NCATE
PDS
Standards

11. Our Current
Middle School PDS Sites
1. Concord (Cabarrus County)
2. Randolph (Charlotte-Mecklenburg)
3. Piedmont Open (Charlotte-Mecklenburg)
Beginning stages of a partnership
with James Martin Middle School
(Charlotte-Mecklenburg) and Kannapolis
Middle (Kannapolis City)

12. Shared Philosophy
James Martin Middle School

13. Shared Philosophy
Mallard Creek High School

14. Standards for PDS partnerships
1. Learning Community
• Support multiple learners
• Work and practice are inquiry-based and
focused on learning
• Develop a common shared professional vision
of teaching and learning grounded in research
and practitioner knowledge
• Serve as an instrument of change
• Extended learning community

15. Standards for PDS partnerships
2. Accountability and Quality Assurance
• Develop professional accountability
• Assure public accountability
• Set PDS criteria
• Develop assessments, collect information, and
use results
• Engage in the PDS context

16. Standards for PDS partnerships
3. Collaboration
• Engage in joint work
• Design roles and structures to enhance
collaboration and develop parity
• Systematically recognize and celebrate joint
work and contributions of each partner

17. Standards for PDS partnerships
4. Diversity and Equity
• Ensure equitable opportunities to learn
• Evaluate policies and practices to support
equitable learning outcomes
• Recruit and support diverse participants

18. Standards for PDS partnerships
5. Structures, Resources, and Roles
• Establish governance and support structures
• Ensure progress towards goals
• Create PDS roles
• Resources

19. UNC Charlotte’s Mission Statement
“.. . to prepare excellent professionals who are
knowledgeable, effective, reflective, collaborative and
responsive practitioners who are leaders in their fields.
This mission is accomplished by working in partnership
with schools, communities, and university colleagues
and in response to the University of North Carolina at
Charlotte’s commitment to children, families, and
schools.”

20. Beginning a Partnership
1. Program needs and support identified
2. Schools selected based on known
qualities and/or application
3. Stakeholders meet to determine fit
4. Advantages and disadvantages
identified and discussed together

21. Building a Partnership, cont.
5. Plans linked to SIP, CF, and other appropriate
goals
6. Funding sources identified and secured
7. Memorandum of Understanding signed and
honored, with a break-it-off clause
8. The work (and fun) begins
9. From partnership to formal PDS, with larger
programs likely having a combination of the
two
10. Heavy research base that supports and
advocates for this work; ex: NCATE

22. What Actually Happens in the
School Setting
•Authentic immersion for pre-service teachers
•Blending of course instruction and practical
applications
•Preparation integration of school and university
personnel
•Value of clinical experiences and internships
in PDS schools and partnership sites

23. Examples
School level:
1. Courses taught on site
2. Entire degree programs delivered on site
3. Demonstration lessons and other PD
4. Grant work (ex: Concord, Randolph, NWP)
5. Data collection, scholarship, action research
6. Clinical, Yearlong, and Student Teaching

24. 7. Parent education
8. Tutors and other help with remediation and
enrichment
9. Assistance with special projects, like
Battle of the Books and EOG proctors
10. Candidates understand school and ready
to teach within that philosophy if hired
11.Result = Authentic partnership and learning
community between program and school

25. Course level (including handout) :
1. Shadow Studies (of student and of teacher)
2. Scavenger Hunt
3. Characteristics Chart
4. Team Notebooks
5. Evaluations
6. Participate in team and faculty meetings, PD

27. Questions?
Comments?
Experiences you can add?