The Personalized Learning Journey: Oh The Places You'll Go, And How The Friends You Meet Can Help You

In the book Oh The Places You’ll Go, Dr. Seuss describes the excitement and trepidation we all feel before we embark on a new adventure. There are going to be tales of success, failure, and everything in between, but what makes this journey so special is it truly becomes your own.

When I became superintendent of Juab School District in 2013, I had my own ideas about the future of education. They were mostly limited to the small context of my own experience. The new career move in front of me was an awesome opportunity, and a self gut-check all in one. As a rural school district, there were challenges like resources and isolation that caused serious questions. So what is best for our students?  This was the festering question posed by our former superintendent that continued to dominate my thinking. What if we made learning a constant in our school district, and everything else like bells and schedules became a variable?  My beliefs and passions were set on being part of a school reform movement that would usher education and our district into the 21st Century. It is built on the principles of personalized learning success for every student. This is about our moral obligation to develop and support an education system that prepares our students for their future not for a past that is no longer relevant.

It’s now 2017 and four years later I can say that all things are possible! How does a new school district superintendent like me from a small rural area begin to build the necessary vision and foundation for success? Like any successful organization, no one can do it alone. Sustainable success is reliant on the ability of those in the organization to fully engage as a learning community. Every industry in the world today is a fabric made of global connections by the people within. It is critical to build relationships within the organization and just as important to weave networks outside the organization. As our district began to grow the vision for personalized learning within, we found networking outside the district just as important to provide much needed reinforcement.

When we started out I really wasn’t aware of the possibilities. It’s difficult to credit everyone in our network that has had a positive impact, but it’s important to highlight those that have helped pivot our efforts in the right direction.  As a Lexington Institute Fellow some of my earliest impressions of school reform and personalized learning were shaped by my LELA cohort in a positive way. These connections and influences remain today. It has lead to further connections with Education Elements and Digital Promise. With their guidance and direction, Juab School District became a member of the League of Innovative Schools. This opened the doors to a whole new world of learning and opportunities. We have been able to learn and benefit from some of the most forward thinking leaders and education systems in the country. The implementation of this vision has had a game changing impact on our students. Creating opportunity for our students to succeed by design is a large part of the district’s strategic vision. For rural districts, developing flexible pathways for students to succeed can be especially challenging. In 2009, our district graduation rate was at 78% under the cohort formula. Following this vision for a flexible and personalized educational model as our north star, our graduation rate has risen to 97% highlighted in the Salt Lake Tribune in November of 2016. 

And while I was making connections around the country, there was a movement brewing in the state of Utah to support education innovation. Many districts in Utah are currently launching their respective plans for digital teaching and learning under a grant authorized by our state office and state legislature. Alongside this grant opportunity, our legislature is supporting a pilot program for Utah school districts and charters to model competency based systems. Juab School District along with 13 other LEAs were selected for the pilot. Multiple networks with government agencies and private vendors have continued to emerge. They have all benefited our entire school community. I am grateful for all of the above. The narrative about teaching and learning is shifting in the state of Utah, and hopefully we have played a small part in moving the needle forward.

It’s an amazing process to watch -- our learning community has continued to grow at many different levels over the last few years, and by leaps and bounds in the most recent ones. Teachers, staff, board members, principals, and district leaders are maximizing their potential by learning and sharing with others. Leadership capacity is becoming more and more sustainable. Everyone in our school community is reconnecting with their purpose and their “why.” We are definitely moving mountains! We are off to great places! Today is our day! So get on your way! You can never underestimate the power of connection. It’s truly the power behind learning. It’s been an honor to be along for the ride!