Distinctive Schools

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  • Home
  • DONATE
  • The Distinctive Way
    • Mission and Vision
    • Strategic Plan
    • Distinctive Schools Blog
    • Approach
  • Impact
    • Who We Serve
    • Results
    • Spotlight Distinctive
    • Case Studies
  • TEAM
    • Leadership
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Shop Distinctive
  • Careers
    • Join Our Team
    • Current Employees
    • Employee Referrals
    • Career Lanes
  • Connect
    • Contact
  • COVID-19 Response
    • Reopening | Learn at Home, Learn at School
    • Reopening | Learn at Home, Learn at School – plan de reapertura
    • Technology Help

Personalized Professional Learning​

Much like students, the best teachers are continually learning and growing. Distinctive Schools provides non-traditional professional development paths designed to recognize teachers' current development, help them set goals, and coach them toward achieving those goals, for the sake of all stakeholders!

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Distinctive Schools Teaching Framework

Objective :: To improve student learning through the use of a reflective tool that provides leveled descriptors about high-quality instruction
Desired Qualities :: Reflective, growth oriented, concise, targeted, improves instruction, uses coaching tools, foundational, schematic, formative

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Distinctive Schools Coaching Support

Objective :: To improve student learning by empowering staff to develop and sustain a reflective growth mindset that is supported through the use of a professional growth plan, participation in staff learning cycles, and frequent coaching aligned to the transfer of training model
Desired Qualities :: Personalized, growth oriented, motivational, teacher-driven, balanced, supportive, reflective, data-driven, collaborative, frequent, meaningful, transformative, insightful, safe, formative, professional, respectful

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​Transfer of Training

Objective :: To improve student learning, a multi-dimensional training approach (theory, co-planning, practice, modeling, and feedback is used as a basis for coaching support and professional growth plans to achieve mastery of teaching skills
Desired Qualities :: Supportive, intentional, designed, focused, transformative, purposeful, collaborative, frequent, demonstrative, illustrative, clarifying, job-embedded, practical, implemented

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Distinctive Schools Professional Growth Plans

Objective :: To improve student learning through personalized instructional coaching that is grounded in staff voice and intrinsic motivation to improve instructional skill

Desired Qualities :: Collaborative, reflective, revisable, sustainable, co-owned by coach and staff member, meaningful, growth-focused, impactful on students, transformative

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Distinctive Schools Staff Learning Cycles

Objective :: To improve student learning by ensuring that staff is engaged in a collaborative effort to continually improve instructional skill and implement high-impact strategy

Desired Qualities :: Collaborative, frequent, group-owned, job embedded, impactful on students, outcome-driven, focused on analysis of student assessment, based on school/class/student needs, meaningful and transformative to teachers
Distinctive Schools:
910 W. Van Buren Street, Suite 315, Chicago, IL 60607

 Our Schools:
Art In Motion
CICS Bucktown
CICS Irving Park
CICS Prairie
CICS West Belden
Distinctive College Prep – Harper Woods
Distinctive College Prep – Redford
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Plymouth Educational Center
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River Heights Academy

Contact Us
312. 332. 4998
Fax: 312. 624. 8481