News and Notes:  News Release
October 28, 2010

Topeka: Life practice instructional model shared at KLFA

KLFA members got an insiders’ look at a school that is using cutting edge instruction and technology at its meeting Oct. 28 at KASB.  Students from the Turning Point Learning Center, a charter school located in Emporia sponsored by the Educational Services and Staff Development Association of Central Kansas, shared insight into their school, focusing on the instructional strategies it uses to increase student engagement.  Through the use of Project Based Learning (PBL) and up-to-date technology tools, students are engaged in learning required content and skills through the use of complex, authentic questions and carefully designed products and tasks.  KLFA has been a leading voice for several years in promoting the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, which relies on authentic instruction and assessment to improve student achievement.

Before splitting into the three work groups KLFA uses to achieve its goals, members also heard a brief update on the political landscape prior to the general election.

The three groups work toward improving student achievement; strengthening the professional learning of educators; and engaging the public in school improvement and student achievement efforts. To focus their work, three general goals offer guidance.  They are:

• KLFA will broadly disseminate its work to influence practitioners.

• KLFA will increase its visibility among policy makers. 

• KLFA will strengthen and increase its organizational capacity.

Both the Professional Learning and Student Achievement work groups worked on getting KLFA messages to ongoing state initiatives.  The Community Engagement group continued to discuss strategies to partner with KTWU that will get Kansans more aware of critical issues involving education.

Almost 30 people from 20 member organizations were in attendance.

The meetings for the rest of the 2010-11 school year are: Thursday, January 6; Thursday, March 24; and Thursday, May 12.  All the meetings will start at 10:00 a.m. and will be held at KASB.  KLFA will celebrate its twelfth birthday at the January meeting.

Visit the KLFA Website at www.klfa.org for more information, including agendas for upcoming meetings as they are developed.  For more on Turning Point, visit http://www.usd253.org/home/tplc.