Preston County Schools has had a multi-year partnership with the Center for Model Schools, formerly ICLE (International Center for Leadership in Education). This partnership has involved instructional coaching for county leaders, administrators and instructional coaches, the attending, workshopping and presenting on the national stage at conferences, and most recently, a visit from a school district across the country. Canon City Schools, 45 miles southwest of Colorado Springs, recently began their journey of improving their practices and education of their students by working with the Center for Model Schools. As part of this journey, they wanted to see first-hand a system that has benefited from a similar journey. The Center for Model Schools looked no further than Preston County. With a similar student population, cost per student spending, ratio of students to teachers, average household income and similarities in proficiency, it appeared that these two districts, although different, were also very similar and could learn from one another. In education, best practices are key, and the goal is to never reinvent the wheel, it's to improve upon its performance ability. Canon City Schools' administrators were impressed with where PCS started, where it's at, and where we're going. Since beginning our journey, PCS has be able to attract new teachers, retain veteran ones, reinvigorate the love for teaching and lifelong learning, and invest in our staff in a way where they can share with others and keep Preston County Schools moving in the right direction for years to come.
