Columbia Public Schools2009-10

The New Yearand the New Guy

What should you expect from me?

• Treat you as respected professionals• Challenge you to continuously

improve• Support you in change• Internal measures vs. external

measures• Focus on student achievement• Data-driven school• Praise and celebrate your success

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

The Challenge

Good is theenemy of great.

―Jim Collins, Good to Great

Greatness• It’s all about vision

• What is my vision?

• What is yours?

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Famous Missions• “We will put a man on the

moon by the end of this decade.” ―John F. Kennedy

• “To seek out new life . . . , to boldly go where no man has gone before.” ―Capt. William T. Kirk

• “Go ahead, make my day.” ―Dirty Harry

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Personal Mission

To empower, embolden, and

elevate staff to seek excellence every day

and in every task

How do we get there?• There is no one easy

wayto travel the path. Therewill be debate and conflict on the journey. But what a wonderful debate!

• The answers to allquestions reside within the organization’s personnel.

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Four Pillars

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTIS JOB ONE

DATA-D

RIVEN

ENVIR

ON

ME

NT

CO

LLABO

RATIO

N

CU

LTUR

E OF D

IGN

ITY

PRO

FESSIO

NALISM

VISION

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

A Culture of Dignity• Empowerment

– Providing clear and meaningful goals

– Providing the resources

– Allowing the teachers, administrators, and staff the freedom to use their talents to reach the goals

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

VISION

A Culture of Dignity• Students• Teachers• Administrators• Parents• Community• Using words to inspire and guide

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

VISION

AttitudeThe longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past…we cannot change the fact that people will act a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you…we are in charge of our attitudes.

--Charles Swindol Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Student Achievement• Reading/writing/math taught in

every class by every teacher• Internal measures valued above

external measures• Rigorous, meaningful, and highly

structured curriculum• High expectations for all students

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

VISION

Student Achievement• Only the teacher has the ability to

improve student performance

• The system and administration can provide support and resources, but ultimately, successlies in the hands of theprofessional standingamong the students

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

VISION

Measures• Internal measures are more valid than

external measures• External measures are simply a check of

internal measures• Most teachers can predict what their

students will score on standardized tests

• Internal measures are diagnostic and can assist in moving a student forward for success Columbia Public Schools

2009-10VISION

High Student Performance• High student performance creates:

– Opportunity for our students

– Pride for our staff—the greatest self-motivator

– Pride for our students

– Pride for our community

– Pride for our professionColumbia Public Schools

2009-10VISION

Collaboration (PLC)• Teachers solve common problems

• Curriculum becomes shared wisdom

• Input and discussionare honest and open

• All voices are broughtto the table

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

VISION

“There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves.”

―Lyndon B. Johnson, U.S. President

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

VISION

Data-driven Environment

In God we trust.

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Everyone else must bring data.

VISION

Professionalism• To dress as professionals• To act as professionals• To problem solve as professionals• To communicate as professionals• To provide consistent service to all

of our customers (students, parents, community)

• Front office interactionColumbia Public Schools

2009-10VISION

Moving from Betty Crockerto Bobby Flay

• Innovation—Innovation—Innovation – You have to try new ideas to become a

chef• Continuous improvement

– The next meal is always the best• Establishing a cultural norm of

success– Life is too short to accept bad food

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

VISION

A Great Chef is a Great Coach

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle― victorious.”

―Vince Lombardi

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

VISION

A Commitment to Fine Dining

• If we share a common vision, it will be impossible to behave in ways that do not support the vision

• Allow honest and meaningful debate to occur around the vision

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Do You Believe?

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

“There is no try . . . only do.”

―Yoda

May the Force Be With You• The Force is in this room today• The talents and skills needed are

within the district’s staff• Highly educated,

experienced, networked,and focused

• Ready

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

May the Force Be With You• You must believe:

– In yourself

– In your colleagues

– In the system

– In the students

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Focus

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

T he main thing is

the main thing

Cooking Lessons• The lesson is just the

beginning• Different courses

require different skills

• You must cook/bake frequently in order to learn from your mistakes

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

The Bus

Student Success

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

The Bus• You have to get on the bus

– Air conditioned– Music– Snacks– Songs– Good friends– The driver has the directions

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

The Driver’s Promise

If I get lost,I will pull overand ask fordirections.

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

An Ethical Profession

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Students

Parents

The Board of

Education The communit

y

The future

Cook for CPS• Columbia Public Schools’ mission is to provide

challenging educational opportunities to all students.

• Teachers and staff, together with parents and the broader community, create a complete and nurturing educational environment.

• Challenging educational opportunities are based on rigorous training in basic skills.

• Instruction includes a variety of learning experiences.

• Students are individuals with distinct cultural and family backgrounds.

• Each student possesses a unique set of cognitive, physical, social, and emotional abilities and interests.

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Your SuperintendentBelieves in:

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Our community

Our parents

Our Board

Our students

You

“If you tell people where to go, but not how to get there, you’ll be amazed at the results.”

―George S. Patton

Columbia Public Schools 2009-10

Let’s cook a great meal!

2009-10