Aspen Elementary has earned the PLC Promising Practices designation, a recognition awarded to schools that demonstrate a commitment to the PLC at Work process and provide evidence that these practices improve student learning. The school's teachers and staff were recognized on August 14 for achieving this milestone after years of strengthening educator collaboration and responsiveness to student learning.
The designation is awarded to a select few Utah schools. Principal Julie van Dijk stated that the school has worked for four years to become a stronger Professional Learning Community (PLC). According to school data, student achievement grew by 5.3 percentage points during the 2024-25 school year, increasing from 68.6% at the start of the year to 73.9% by the end. Additionally, the percentage of multilingual learners making adequate progress rose from 25% to 66.7%.
To support these results, Aspen Elementary introduced Eagle Time in the 2023-24 school year, which provides dedicated intervention and extension time supported by four trained aides. The school also implemented a master schedule featuring 120 minutes of literacy instruction, including protected time for core instruction and targeted support. Data shows that 40% of students with IEPs made typical or increased growth during the year.
Faculty members noted that the PLC process has shifted collaboration from mere schedule coordination to deep analysis of student data. Fourth-grade teacher Earlet Meiners said the process has made teaching more intentional and responsive to individual student needs. Third-grade teachers Brittany Smart and Kennedy Van Komen reported using data to identify specific skills for improvement, such as retelling, and adjusting instruction accordingly. First-grade teacher Brooke Wall noted that targeting needs through data has built student confidence and improved test scores.
Hillary Cooper, Solution Tree director of educational partnerships for the West Region, said the designation reflects the work required to build student achievement and a collaborative school culture. The achievement aligns with Aspen's vision of becoming a model professional learning community that continually improves practice for student success.
