SDI+ Summer Institute
Chamberlain School District 7-1
Developing a PLC
August 11, 2009
8/11/09
SDI + Institute
Contact Information
[email protected]
http://csd7-1superintendent.wikispaces.com/
http://tm026.k12.sd.us
What Have We Done?
Focus on Three Areas:
– Student Achievement
• Instructional Strategies
• Curricular Alignment
– Safe and Secure Environment
– Cultural Diversity Initiatives
My Personal Vision
To embrace learning rather than teaching as a
school’s mission, to work collaboratively to
help all students learn, to focus on results to
foster continuous improvement and to
assume individual responsibility to take
steps to create such a school.
Balanced Leadership-Six Areas of
Superintendent Responsibilities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Collaborative goal-setting process
Non-negotiable goals for achievement and instruction
Board alignment with and support of district goals
Use of resources to support the goals for
achievement and instruction
Monitoring goals for achievement and instruction
Defined autonomy: Superintendent relationship with
schools
CSD 7-1 Mission
 Well rounded opportunities
 Quality education
 Safe and secure environment
 Productive and effective citizens in the real
world
CSD 7-1 Vision
We believe that the most promising strategy
for achieving the mission of the CSD 7-1 is
to develop our capacity to function as a
professional learning community. We
envision a school district in which staff:
CSD 7-1 Vision
Unite to achieve a common purpose and clear
goals;
Work together in collaborative teams;
Seek and implement promising researched-based
strategies for improving student achievement on
a continuing basis;
CSD 7-1 Vision
Monitor each student’s progress; and
Demonstrate a personal commitment to the
academic success and general well-being of all
students
CSD 7-1 Collective Commitments
In order to achieve the vision of a school
district that functions as a professional
learning community, the CSD 7-1 staff has
made the following collective commitments:
CSD 7-1 Collective Commitments
 Align and utilize the South Dakota Content Standards
to provide a guaranteed and viable curriculum for all
students;
 Develop, implement and evaluate on a regular basis a
School Improvement Plan that targets specific
instructional areas and students identified by data
analysis;
 Engage in meaningful, job-embedded staff
development to enhance professional skills;
 Initiate individual and small group instructional
programs to provide additional learning time for
students;
CSD 7-1 Collective Commitments
Provide families with resources, strategies, and
information to help children succeed
academically;
Utilize a variety of researched-based
instructional strategies to promote success for all
students; and
Develop and implement effective local
assessments and administer state assessments as
directed.
CSD 7-1 Goals
 By 2013-2014, all students will reach high
standards, at a minimum attaining proficiency or
better in reading/language arts
 All students will graduate from high school
 All students will be educated in learning
environments that are safe, drug free, and
conducive to learning
 By 2013-2014, all students will reach high
standards, at a minimum attaining proficiency or
better in mathematics.
The Three C’s of Community
Building
Confront the Brutal Facts
Communication (Effective)
Collaboration
Confront the Brutal Facts
Working in teams we should:
Focus substantially-though not exclusively on
assessed standards. Review simple, readily
available achievement data to set a limited
number of measurable goals in the lowest
scoring subjects or courses and target specific
standards where achievement is low within that
course or subject
Communication
“I wonder how many
children’s lives would be
saved if we educators
disclosed what we knew to
each other"
Roland Barth (2001)
Collaborative Culture
“Successful schools are places where teams of
teachers meet regularly to focus on student work
through assessment and change their
instructional strategies accordingly to get better
results”
Fullan
Lessons Learned-Cautions
Not talking about implementing a
program
Term travels faster than the concept
Thought of as a intra-school
phenomena
Lessons Learned-Structural
Concerns
Time to meet and talk
Physical proximity
Communication structures (Strategic)
Teacher empowerment
School autonomy
Lessons Learned-Social/Human
Concerns
Openness to improvement
Trust and respect
Cognitive and skill base
Supportive leadership
Socialization
Big Idea #1
Focus on Learning: Are We Clear as to Our Purpose
Initiation
An attempt has been made, to identify learning
outcomes, but still has not impact all teachers and
responding to students who do not learn is left to
individual teachers
Action Plan: Set up Structure: Assess Mastery-Monitor
Results and Structure the response (Common
Assessment & Pyramid of Intervention-RTI)
Big Idea #2
Collaborative Culture: Staff Working Together
Developing
Staff function in groups that meet periodically
to complete certain tasks
Action Plan: More time to meet, accountability
structure, agenda revision, norming process
Big Idea #3
Govern by Results
Developing
Results and student achievement indicators have
been identified, data are collected and monitored
and results of the analysis are shared with
teachers
Action Plan: Become data rich and information
rich-Development of Common Assessments
Panel
Allan Bertram-Grade 7-12 Asst. Principal
Julie Woodruff-Kindergarten Teacher
Diane Olson-Consultant-ESA 3
Learning is Our Work
“Educational change depends on what
teachers do and think—it is as simple
and complex as that”
Fullan
Learning is Our Work
The best way to improve a
school or district is by
developing the people within
it!!
Where are We Headed?
We believe all kids can learn and we will establish high
standards of learning that we expect all students to
achieve. It is our job to create an environment in our
classrooms that engages students in academic work that
results in a high level of achievement. We are confident
that with our support and help, students can master
challenging curricula, and we expect them to do so. We
are prepared to work collaboratively with colleagues,
students, and parents to achieve this shared educational
purpose.