I performed my first teaching placement at Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School in Fort Collins,

Colorado. Even among the many fine schools in the Poudre School District, Kinard stands out for its high
level of academic performance and for its staff and institutional culture. I was able to participate in the
school’s Professional Learning Community (PLC) as a student teacher. The three foundational elements
of the PLC are: 1. Learning as the fundamental purpose of the school 2. Establishing a collaborative
culture combined with job-embedded professional development 3. Basing the school’s effectiveness on
results, not intention. It has been my experience that every member of the Kinard staff adheres to these
ideas and that its benefits are extraordinary and pervasive.

The student body of a little over 820 students is predominantly white (79%) with an abnormally low
percentage (9%) of students from low-income families. A further 10% of students are of Asian descent,
6% Hispanic, 4% identify as two or more races, and 1% black. Many students transition to Kinard from
several neighborhood elementary schools (Zach, Bacon, O’Dea, Moore, Bethke) while others apply as a
school of choice. The staff at Kinard are also relatively experienced, with 97% having taught for three
years or more compared to 82% as a statewide average. Most of the teachers that I got to know well
have taught at Kinard or other schools for a decade or more, including the school’s two visual art
teachers. Kinard also has, what I found to be, a very progressive Integrated Learning Services (ILS)
program. I had the opportunity to work with and to get to know a number of challenged students who
participate in the classroom at different levels and in different ways.

The curriculum at Kinard is Core Knowledge, which has been implemented in all content areas since
2008. The school also promotes a “whole child approach” by encouraging students to augment their
learning experience through music, technology, world language, student leadership, and art. The four
essential questions that inform the school’s instruction and culture are Instruction- What do we want
students to know & be able to do? Assessment- How will we know if students have learned? Support-
What will we do if students are not learning? Challenge- What will we do if students are not challenged?
I found that these questions are regarded regularly in all areas of the curriculum, including visual art.

Kinard has a number of schoolwide policies, including a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, an aggressive
Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RtI) program, and fairly stringent
expectations for classroom conduct and an escalating system of enforcement. These expectations and
procedures are generally encompassed in what is referred to as the 6 P’s. Prompt: Be where I belong
Prepared: Have materials and be ready to learn PMA (Positive Mental Attitude): Choose positivity
Participate: Follow directions and engage in learning Polite: Speak and act with dignity and respect
Productive: Complete my tasks with quality.

The students at Kinard experience many of the same issues that students in other schools encounter.
The above average academic performance and socio-economic demographic presents its own set of
challenges and pressures. The school resource officer and the student counselors are very active and
work cooperatively with the rest of the staff. I know from many meetings, discussions, and classroom
experience that serious complications exist. Still, I consider myself fortunate to have been able to teach
at Kinard. I have had tremendous support from the entire staff and I have been inspired by their
commitment to students and collaborative culture. I have learned a great deal about teaching and
classroom management, as I expected. Somewhat unexpectedly, I also learned much about how to
work with other professionals to create a positive, inclusive, collaborative, and productive learning
environment and workplace.