P21 has designated Franklin West Supervisory Union (FWSU) as a 21st Century Learning Exemplar for 2017-2018 (1 of 16 nation wide). FWSU, comprised of Fairfax, Georgia, and Fletcher schools earned this award for its outstanding practices in equipping students with the necessary skills and knowledge for success in college, career, and life.
In order to become part of the P21 Exemplar Program, schools and districts must demonstrate not just an adequate implementation of the Framework for 21st Century Learning, but also expertise in the elements of Student Agency, Distributed Leadership, a Climate of Achievement, Engaged Community, and use of Evidence and Research.
“I could not be happier for our schools, our students, our teachers and our communities to be recognized as a P21 Exemplar Program,” said Superintendent Ned Kirsch. “FWSU schools are focused on the skills and dispositions our students will need to be ready to enter a complex world after they graduate. A world where they will need to be confident in their ability to walk into complicated problems and solve them. Our district’s action plans four targets of proficiency-based personalized learning, leadership, community engagement, and flexible learning environments have really helped us focus on creativity, innovation, and problem finding in all of our classrooms. The targets have also become more learner-centered as well. We are all looking forward to learning with P21 and other P21 exemplar programs in the future.”
David Ross, CEO at P21 stated, “P21’s Exemplar Program works to identify innovative education paradigms across the country. When policymakers say ‘show me what you mean,’ we turn to our P21 Exemplars for hard evidence.”
Linda Keating, FWSU Director of Curriculum and Instruction stated, “FWSU is a progressive and forward-thinking community of learners. The flexible, student-focused practices of our educators enable us to see continuous improvement through the lens of innovation; that’s exciting and motivating.”
As part of uplifting the best practices in FWSU, P21 will develop a case study and release it to the public for free download at p21.org/exemplars in the Spring of 2018.
P21 recognizes that all learners need educational experiences in school and beyond, from cradle to career, to build knowledge and skills for success in a globally and digitally interconnected world. Representing over 5 million members of the global workforce, P21 is a catalyst organization uniting business, government and education leaders from the U.S. and abroad to advance evidence-based education policy and practice and to make innovative teaching and learning a reality for all. Learn more at www.p21.org and @P21Learning.
The FWSU Story 