The Plainfield Enterprise - Our Newspapers Work!

On Thursday, January 30, Westmont High School was announced as the winner of the DuFour Award, which is a national award that is presented to the school with the best professional learning community (PLC) model. The PLC model embraces the concept of community inclusion in education, thus giving students the best opportunity to learn.

Thousands of schools across the country were eligible for the award, but Westmont was chosen as the National Champion. The two other finalists in the contest were Lander Valley High School, Lander, Wyoming; and Mountain Meadow Elementary, Pierce County, Washington.

At the presentation ceremony, held in Phoenix, Arizona, Westmont High School was presented with a check for $25,000 as well as received five free registrations, valued at approximately $4,000, to the Summit on PLC at Work.

“We are so proud of our staff, our families, our students and our CUSD201 family,” said Marie Charleton, CUSD201 Board President. “This honor speaks highly of the hard work and dedication by our entire organization. On a personal level, it is very fulfilling to be part of something that benefits our community and supports our students. I want to additionally thank our superintendent Kevin Carey and Westmont High School Principal Jack Baldermann, who have led us through so many positive changes.”

“The work each of these Model PLC schools is doing on a daily basis is truly impressive,” said Solution Tree CEO Jeffrey C. Jones. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to recognize their unwavering dedication to helping students achieve at high levels.”

The DuFour award was established in 2015, and is named in honor of the late Dr. Richard DuFour. An award winning educator and best-selling author, Dr. DuFour was recognized as one of the leading authorities on the PLC at Work process. A professional learning community, or PLC, is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students.

Mike Mattos, a best-selling author and PLC expert, had high praise for the school, explaining, “Westmont truly embodies the spirit of a professional learning community. Their passion for every team member’s success, students and staff is very obvious.”

Westmont’s application included multiple essays and a short video highlighting their long-term dedication to building a high-performing PLC, improving student learning, and advancing instructional best practices. A copy of the video can be viewed at this link -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy2HDL-iXM0&feature=emb_logo

The Village of Westmont congratulates CUSD201 and Westmont High School on receiving this prestigious award.