NATICK, MA- Power of Place Learning Communities (PoP), a Massachusetts-based education non-profit, announced a new partnership with the Community Foundation for MetroWest to create a professional learning community for educators from across a cluster of neighboring MetroWest school districts.
Launching this fall, the MetroWest Learning Community (MWLC) will bring together multi-stakeholder teams of superintendents, district and building administrators, classroom teachers, and support staff in a sustained, collaborative “third space” designed to strengthen educator practice, improve student outcomes, and advance equitable, inclusive school systems. Participating districts include Natick, Framingham, Hudson, Marlboro, and Milford.
“At a time when educators across the country feel isolated, exhausted and on the brink of burnout, Power of Place provides educators with professional learning opportunities that help them re-energize, reflect, connect with one another, and rediscover the joy and beauty of the profession,” said Dr. Jane Feinberg, Executive Director of Power of Place. “We’re thrilled to bring our proven model to MetroWest school districts and we’re grateful to the Community Foundation for MetroWest for their partnership.”
Power of Place recognizes that educators know what they need, but the tumult of daily life in schools rarely leaves them with the time and space to step back for deep learning. At a moment when state policy is increasing demands on educators, MWLC will offer the collaborative time, space, resources, expertise and support they need to strengthen their practice and connect with their peers in neighboring schools and communities.
“This is an exciting opportunity to bring our educators together across district lines,” said Jay Kim, Executive Director of the Community Foundation for MetroWest. “This learning community will give our educators a space to collaborate in new ways. By partnering with Power of Place, the Foundation is providing targeted aid to help local school districts center the needs of their educators, which we believe will ultimately lead to better student outcomes.”
Framingham Superintendent Dr. Robert Tremblay agreed. “Our hardworking FPS staff is rarely given the chance to convene and exchange ideas districtwide, let alone across districts,” he said. “Participating in the MWLC will give our multi-stakeholder teams ongoing opportunities to sit together, learn from each other, and create more coherent learning systems that support the success of all students.”
The MWLC will be modeled on Power of Place’s Essex County Learning Community (ECLC), which supports 20 public school districts and nearly 6,600 educators in Essex County. Power of Place offers a mix of in-person, online and blended learning experiences that range from quarterly gatherings to multi-part learning series throughout the school year.
About the Community Foundation for MetroWest
The Community Foundation for MetroWest (CFMW) partners with individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits to strengthen the 30+ communities in Boston’s MetroWest region. As a trusted philanthropic advisor and community leader, CFMW distributes charitable grants to nonprofit organizations and manages charitable assets, including donor-advised funds, to help donors make meaningful and impactful charitable contributions.
About Power of Place
Power of Place® is a Massachusetts-based non-profit that meets the urgent need to give educators opportunities to step away from their daily demands and step into welcoming, relevant, rigorous, and energizing professional learning spaces designed to foster reflection, connection, deep learning, and innovation. We believe that in order for students to learn and grow, educators must be provided with ongoing robust opportunities to develop as professionals.