Agenda for September 16Agenda for September 16Welcome backThe year aheadSuperintendent’s visionAligning what we doSetting a common framework for

all of our workFiguring out “who’s on first” and

“what makes sense”

Superintendent’s VisionSuperintendent’s VisionIn the following slide show I will

share information that I believe will give you a picture of what I believe will get us to excellence as a district. It demonstrates my beliefs, values and vision along with the direction I hope to lead us in.

For curriculum and collegial support teachers I have focused on: Continuous Improvement, Teaching and Learning and Technology

A quote that A quote that demonstrates my belief demonstrates my belief about leadershipabout leadership“Good Leaders surround themselves with good people,who in turn become good leaders”

I believe that as a district we I believe that as a district we must:must:

Have a Passion for Student LearningBelieve in Distributed LeadershipHave Courage and show InitiativeTake a Goal oriented approachBelieve in TeamBuild Positive RelationshipsHave a Passion for Continuous LearningBelieve in DiversificationStrive for ExcellenceValue and Celebrate Success

We must demonstrate:We must demonstrate:

Collaboration HonestyIntegrity MotivationExcellence Positive

InteractionVisionary outlook Ethical

Practice

3 Themes that I believe we 3 Themes that I believe we should use to guide our should use to guide our practicepracticeAlignment – to maximize the

common direction of all initiatives toward the priority goals

Sustainability – to put effort and resources into work that will be sustained over time

Coherence – to ensure that the work fits together and makes sense – the work has to go beyond a plan that exists in 1 person’s head

Core Beliefs - Educational Core Beliefs - Educational SystemSystemStudent progress is the fundamental

purpose of education – Students firstAll partners play a role in student

success – We are all responsibleWe are accountable for student

learning – Results matterSchool Improvement Plans and

Achievement Contract provide us with a framework for setting goals, making plans, and measuring success – Count what counts

Cultures Where People and Cultures Where People and Systems ImproveSystems Improve

Collegiality – Adults trust and respect each other

Efficacy – Believing what you’re doing makes a difference

High Expectations – Of self and othersTrust and Confidence – Includes belief

in leaders

Widely Held Values and Widely Held Values and Norms in “Moving” Schools Norms in “Moving” Schools and Districtsand Districts

1. Inquiry – We are always asking questions

2. Trust – We can count on each other

3. Learning – We are always focused on learning

4. Working Together – We work as a team to improve the learning of our young people

Widely Held Values and Widely Held Values and Norms in “Moving” Schools Norms in “Moving” Schools and Districtsand Districts

5. Intensely Focused – We stick with inquiries and goals until we get the results we want

6. Taking Internal Responsibility – Our learners, our families, and our community know the learning gains we are making

7. Building Confidence – We believe that developing confidence in all learners – adults and young people – is one of our prime responsibilities

Multiple Challenges in SD Multiple Challenges in SD 4242I believe that we are always in times of

change and pressure. Growth, declining enrollment, lack of funding, competing priorities for available funding, advocacy groups etc etc.

I believe that this is about “the aura” we establish as leaders. Are we in perpetual crisis and doomsday scenarios or are we hopeful, optimistic and strategic

How do we work together to communicate and behave in a manner that instills confidence in the stewardship for public education?

Vision – Where I see the district Vision – Where I see the district in 3-5 yearsin 3-5 yearsContinuous ImprovementTeaching and LearningTechnology

Continuous ImprovementContinuous ImprovementI see:System maintaining a Shared VisionSystems in place to monitor and adjust for

student learningSystems designed to “Plan,Do,Check,Act”Gap closing by designing systems of

intervention for kids who need it mostContinue to design opportunities to enhance

instructional practice(SIP’s and Achievement Contracts are

designed to show us our improvements and our areas for further development)

Teaching and LearningTeaching and LearningI see:Aligned curriculumA variety of benchmarksImproved pedagogy to meet the

diverse learner of todayEmbedded feedbackAligned assessmentA focus on success for ALL

students

TechnologyTechnology

I see:Effective integration of current

technology and electronic tools in:◦Teaching ◦Management◦Research ◦Communication

Final Vision comes back to Final Vision comes back to StudentsStudentsI see:No better place for kids than SD

42 where students will exit with:◦Strong academic performance (the

best they can be◦Social and Emotional wellbeing (they

will make great decisions and be strong contributors to society

◦They will enter the world of work with a career they are passionate about

I see a role for all of usI see a role for all of us

Together we must:Instill pride in the system at all levelsManage crises quietly and

competentlyAlign what we doWalk the talk around Vision and

ValuesCelebrate successes loudly and

proudly

Leadership for Leadership for AdministratorsAdministratorsI have attached a few slides from an all

day session the administrators attended in August, just so that you can get a sense of where we are heading in terms of expectations of them as instructional leaders.

It is really important that you as curriculum and collegial support teachers to work closely with admin in order to have the highest impact on teaching and learning

Leading OptimisticallyLeading Optimistically

Remaining hopeful and encouraging in the face of adversity

Our job is difficultOur job is difficult

We are told that we should:Improve student achievementDecrease the drop-out rateAnd prevent obesity, and protect people from the flu, and just say no to bullying, and stamp out substance abuse, and save the environment, and make the entire community literate and paint the town red for the Olympics.

Our job is difficultOur job is difficult

The goal is idealistic and ambiguousThe community is diverseThe clients are complex and needyThe context is unnaturalThe methods are imperfect and debatableThe support is insufficient

From struggle comes ...From struggle comes ...

LearningGrowthFulfilmentMeaningSignificanceLife is 10% what happens to you

and 90% how you respond to it.

Student AchievementStudent Achievement

Student AchievementStudent Achievement

Drop Out RateDrop Out Rate

Drop Out RateDrop Out Rate

We’re doing OK But ...We’re doing OK But ...

20% still don’t graduate Many graduates survive but don’t thriveAchievement measures are a “thin” indicator of understanding and not a great predictor of future success - in schooling or in life.Tomorrow will require much more skill, wisdom, benevolence, confidence and courage than yesterday.

The educational essenceThe educational essence

What is it that “enables” a young personto be “personally fulfilled and publicly useful”?andHow do we initiate and support the emergenceof this essential human capacity?

The Leadership essenceThe Leadership essence

What is it that “enables” a teacherto be fully effective in “enabling” students?andHow do we initiate and support the emergenceof this essential human and professional capacity?

Changing How We Lead Because of What We Know

Attention to Culture Accountability for Results

Finding the Balance: The Leader’s ChallengeFinding the Balance: The Leader’s Challenge

“Our belief that we can make a difference in the lives of students has a bigger impact on their achievement than race or socio-economic status.Changing How We TEACH Because of What We Know

Some things we learned:Some things we learned:

Simply by posting the planned outcomes for a

session/lesson/year

will increase the level of achievement.

- Considered the research that informs our practice

- Validated the dynamic tensions that makes our work so

challenging

- Explored the traits of effective leadership

- That the aura of leadership and the importance of our perspective

has a huge impact

Hope: an Essential and Insufficient Hope: an Essential and Insufficient QualityQuality

“The first and last task of a leader is to keep hope alive.” ~ John William

Gardner

Remember…

Where there is no vision, there is no hope.

but

Hope is not a methodology.

Every Child, Every Chance, Every Day: The Educator’s Sacred Trust

5 Calls to Action:

Students First

Results Matter

Count What Counts

We Are All Responsible

Do What’s Right

5 Calls to Action:

Students First

Results Matter

Count What Counts

We Are All Responsible

Do What’s Right

The Schools We Need

ACOT2 (2008) Learning in the 21st Century

The AnswerThe Answer

Is NOT in several new initiatives. It is in providing stability and leadership to sustain and enhance best practices in key areas

It IS about Doing the Right things and Doing things Right

A framework to think A framework to think aboutaboutWhat do we want them to learn?

(align curriculum and create big ideas)

How will we know if they’ve learned it? (use several assessment strategies)

What will we do if they don’t? (create targetted intervention strategies)

What will we do if they already know it? (get out of their way)

Agenda for September 8Agenda for September 8Welcome backThe year aheadSuperintendent’s visionAligning what we doSetting a common framework for all of our

workFiguring out “who’s on first” and “what

makes sense” in terms of the role you have taken on as curriculum and collegial support teachers and how you align with the bigger “striving for excellence and engaging the learner” focus that we all have.

Some quotes to leave you Some quotes to leave you with:with:“Imagine a school with children who

can read and write, but with teachers who cannot, and you have a metaphor of the Information Age in which we live”………………………………..Peter Cochrane

“We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet”…………Margaret Mead

Remember this in the world Remember this in the world of rapid change:of rapid change:“So much has been written about

people’s resistance to change that we are sometimes tempted to forget that they can also react favorably”……………………Nathaniel Stewart

“People don’t resist change, they resist being changed”…………..Peter Scholtes