Summit PLP Glossary

Intro to Summit Learning for Parents

Parent Quick Reference Guide

Demo the Summit Learning Platform

3, 2, 1… Go! Back-to-School Quick Start Guide to the PLP

Skills and Tools for Academic Success presentation

Listening, Learning and Doing… Where we were, are now, and where we’re headed. 6/19/2018

Summit Learning Chats Resources and Meeting Archive

Watch a Video About Summit Learning at Fairview Park City Schools (produced by FHS Digital Media students -May 17, 2017)

At the Fairview Park City Schools, each student has a pathway that makes sense to them and that is connected to their long-term goals and aspirations. We accomplish this by providing our students with the Fairview Advantage, a framework for student success. We focus on key elements of career and college readiness, and empower students to drive their learning and own their success.

The district utilizes several learning tools which support the district’s personalized, project-based learning model of engaging students, encouraging collaboration and creativity, and promoting authentic work and assessment.

Essential Elements of Personalized Learning: 

• Flexible, anytime/everywhere learning
• Redefined and expanded teacher role
• Project-based, authentic learning
• Student-driven learning path
• Mastery/competency-based progression/pace.

In Fairview, since 2006, personalized learning has taken a blended approach. At the beginning of the 2016-17 school year, Fairview Park City Schools implemented the Summit Learning Platform, a learning and curriculum management tool, in the middle and high schools.

What has stayed the same?

• Project-based learning
• Performance Assessment
• Teachers presenting information (to whole group, small groups, and individuals)
• Ohio Standards driven content
• Science Labs
• Math instruction that encourages work with paper/pencil
• Class discussions/Activities

With a platform, what is different?

• Increased alignment to Ohio’s Learning Standards
• Parents, teachers, administrators can see curriculum.
• Parents and teachers have more information that show student strengths, challenges, progress, and path readily available.
• Teacher can better organize, present, and supervise student’s in school online activity.
• Students set Weekly Goals/Action Steps
• Tests/Quizzes use the online learning tool and yield immediate, actionable feedback.
• More one-on-one instructional time with each student
• Teaching methods and time frames are adjusted so that students master concepts.

After a few months of utilizing the platform, Fairview Park teachers observed notable changes with their students and classroom environment:

• Students have shown that they can take ownership of their work.
• Students are able to work at their own pace on much of the content.
• We are learning much more about each individual student’s academic strengths and challenges.
• Many students who have historically struggled are able to access curriculum in new ways.
• Students who excel are finding opportunities to accelerate their progress.

Gaining Traction, Gaining Ground: Achievement and Progress Present, Past and Future

What We’ve Learned

A Framework for Student Success 

Looking for State Report Card Information? More resources available here.

Personalized Learning Resources

PLP 101 Presentation 

Summit Learning FAQ – Privacy 

Grading in the PLP: Video

The Science of Summit

Gaining Traction, Gaining Ground

Recommended Reading

Summit Learning Insider: Parent Resources

Parent Quick Reference Guide
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3

Audio Recordings:
Parent Panel: Parenting in a Digital Age | Recorded March 24, 2017 in the Fairview High School Innovation Center

Notes: Students and parents discuss their experiences with the Summit Learning Platform, the Personalized Learning Platform used at Fairview Park City Schools as well as how parents can embrace technology and independent learning.

 Personalized Learning Parent/Student Focus Group – April 20, 2017

Notes: Students and parents discuss their experiences with the Summit Learning Platform, the Personalized Learning Platform used at Fairview Park City Schools.

Presentations: 

Personalized, Project-Based Learning at Fairview Park City Schools: An Overview

Tools and Skills for Academic Success

Personalized Learning Parent Focus Group Presentation: January 19, 2017

Why did the district choose the Summit Learning Platform?

Partnering with Summit Learning provides us an opportunity to focus and maximize the district’s investment in the one-to-one technology initiative. The Summit Learning Platform’s emphasis on project-based learning and performance assessment can help us deliver “Quadrant D”instruction, in other words, learning that provides a firm foundation in knowledge and skills while reaching toward the highest levels of rigor and relevance. Some other reasons include:

• We are supported by our Summit partners, but maintain ability to totally customize the platform to fit Fairview.
• Personalized Learning with project-based learning focus (aligns with The Fairview Advantage and is our district’s DNA (see timeline below).
• The platform is built on a meld between the Cognitive Skills Rubric with Habits of Success Continuum and helps us meet all four Strategic Plan Goals: Learning, Readiness, Resources, and Engagement.
• Affiliated with, guided by Stanford University SCALE
• Incorporates teaching methods verified by research
• Preloaded with sound curriculum but can be customized or can be used to create original coursework content.
• A cost-effective Open Educational Resource (OER) that through its foundation funding, provides ongoing professional learning to our teachers
• Accessible, responsive technical support who seek, respect, and act on our input regarding design and functionality
• Connects our teachers with overall and specialized communities of practice.
• Summit is committed to the national Student Privacy Pledge and vigorously protects student information:
  Some of the ways that Summit Public Schools (Summit) helps keep student data secure include: Hosting student data on physically secure servers, encrypting student data in transit and at rest, limiting who can access student data, not storing any passwords inside their system (any credentials we do have are encrypted and not stored in plain text), continuously monitoring student data for unusual access or activity, conducting regular security audits, backing up student data daily, and requiring any third parties to comply with their privacy policy and security commitments.

What other platforms were considered?

Other available platforms did not come close to matching Summit’s qualifications. One proprietary platform used in higher education, Blackboard, shares attributes (although it is not pre-loaded with exemplary curriculum) but is cost prohibitive.

Most OER platforms, such as Schoology and Edmodo, while not cost prohibitive, do not provide the same breadth and depth or functionality.  Unlike Schoology and Edmodo, the Personalized Learning Platform does NOT incorporate/connect to Social Media or include social media tools.

Here is an independent investigation of Summit’s Personalized Learning Platform and privacy concerns from COMMON SENSE MEDIA.

Theory and Practice

A selection of authoritative thinking/research informing The Fairview Advantage.

If you have further questions, please contact Director of Teaching and Learning Melanie Wightman.

Significant Developments in Fairview Park City Schools’ Personalized Learning History

2006: Fairview’s student:device one-to-one initiative began

2007: MacBooks and iPads added to resources; digital gradebook instituted

2008: Google  applications adopted/made standard ; digital student portfolios instituted; iMovie Film Festival inaugurated at Gilles Sweet

2010: Edmodo provided to teachers as a Learning Management System

2012: The Rigor/Relevance Framework affirmed as district norm

2013: CHROMEbooks provided to high school students

2016: Year three of 1:1 implementation, district wide District selected as Summit partner, began implementation of personalized learning platform (PLP) with grades 6 and 9; District approved by College Board for Advanced Preparation (AP) Capstone Diploma

Moving Forward, we will:

• Use multiple measures to track impact of Personalized Learning (NWEA MAP Benchmark testing, Ohio State Tests and End of Course Exams, Perception Surveys for all stakeholders.)
• Continue to explore and deepen developmentally appropriate Personalized Learning approaches and resources PreK-12
• In 2017-18, expand implementation of PLP throughout grades 6-10
• Activate the AP Capstone diploma option for Class of 2020 and beyond
• Phase in Sophomore Innovation Challenge, Junior Project, and Senior Portfolio Defense.

Additional Resources

Harvard EdCast on Summit and Personalized Learning

EdSurge: A peek inside Summit’s Personalized Learning Software

The Coming Era of Personalized Learning Paths

Inside Facebook’s Plan to Build a Better School

Why parents fear technology is making kids fat, dumb, and mean

A selection of authoritative thinking/research informing The Fairview Advantage.

Past Events, Workshops, Meetings

2016

Coffee Talks with the Superintendent – 5 – 7 p.m at the BOE

January 23
February 13
February 27
March 20
April 10
April 24
May 15
August 29

Basecamp 101 Sessions – 7-9 p.m. at FHS

October 3
October 10
October 17
October 24

November 7
November 11
November 18
November 19
November 23

Personalized Learning Parent Focus Group
December 5, 6-7 p.m. FHS

2017

Basecamp 101, 4 – 7 p.m. FHS Innovation Center

January 11
January 23
January 18
January 30
February 1
February 8
February 13
February 27
March 1
March 13
March 20
March 23
April 3
April 5
April 24
May 1
May 10
May 15
May 24

February 16 – Personalized Learning Parent Focus Group with Laura Zado from Summit Learning

March 23 “Parenting in a Digital Age” Panel (see recording above)

September 13
Curriculum Advisory Group, 7 p.m. and Personalized Learning Parent Focus Group, 8 p.m.

February 8
Curriculum Night

Tools and Skills for Academic Success
April 16
April 17

September 13
Gaining Traction, Gaining Ground

November 8
It’s Technical Night – Tech Help and Tips with District Tech Platforms

Click here for an archive of event promotion

In the News: The Summit Learning Platform at Fairview Park City Schools 

District Selected to Participate in Elite National Personalized Learning Program

Summit Learning utilizes relevant student projects, program manager says | WestLife: March 20, 2017

Teaching Methods Changing Under Summit Personalized Learning Platform | WestLife: February 10, 2017

Fairview Park City Schools’ personalized learning program attracting regional attention | Cleveland.com/Sun News: December 13, 2016

Parent Group forming to discuss Personalized Learning | WestLife News: December 1, 2016

Online Education Program Encourages Individual Learning | WestLife News: August 30, 2016

Fairview Park City Schools Implement Personalized Learning Program | Cleveland.com/Sun News: August 26, 2016

For more information, please contact Director of Teaching and Learning Melanie Wightman at (440) 331-5000 x 1117.

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