NEW HOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT REFORM COMMISSION INITIATIVES

1. NEW HOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT REFORM COMMISSION INITIATIVES November 22, 2010

2. Presented by theNATC CONSULTANT GROUP The NATC consultant group provides high quality expertise to assist area school districts in developing and implementing targeted school reform based on 21st century educational best practices. NATC consultants have over 80 years of combined educational and administrative experience. Meet the Consultants: Nancy Schumacher - Assessment Anne Hoover - Curriculum and Instruction Tim Blessington - Organizational Management Craig Funk- Optimizing Human Potential

3. NEW HOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT MENTORING INITIATIVE Tim Blessington

4. Vision Statement: At New Hope School District all decisions, policies and resources support engaged learning and student achievement in an environment that promotes personal excellence, respect, diversity and civic responsibility every day to enable students to become contributing members of society and successful participants in the global economy. Mission Statement: The New Hope School District is an organization of caring professionals committed to providing a safe, student-centered learning environment that ensures each child has an opportunity to create his/her destiny through collaboration with families and the community.

5. ISLLC Standards Components Addressed by the Mentoring Initiative Standard 1: The Vision of Learning: Standard 2: The Culture of Teaching and Learning: Standard 3: The Management of Learning: Facilitating the development, articulation, implementation and stewardship of a school or district vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community by • 1.17 -- Developing the vision • 1.19 -- Communicating the vision Advocating, nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth by • 2a: Valuing students and staff • 2b: Developing and sustaining the culture • 2c: Ensuring an inclusive culture Ensuring management of the organization, operations and resources for a safe, efficient and effective learning environment by • 3.76 -- Making management decisions to ensure successful teaching and learning • 3.82 -- Creating a safe, healthy environment to ensure successful teaching and learning • 3.84 -- Developing procedures to ensure successful teaching and learning • 3.92 -- allocating resources to ensure successful teaching and learning

6. SWOTS Applicable to the Mentoring Initiative • Weaknesses • Blanketed  directives/policies  from  school          board • Outdated  technology  and  resources • Outdated  curriculum/textbooks • Mixed  population  of  the  economic          disadvantage  and  affluent • Insufficient  professional  development • Opportunities • Increasing  population  of  retirements/hiring of  new  teachers • Corporations  within  school  district • Threats • Merit  pay/teachers  threatened  by  test results • Too  much  time  focused  on  testing/teaching to  the  test   Time  stolen  due  to  NCLB • Global  change Strengths Tradition  of  excellence   Committed  staff   High  expectations  of professional  growth     through  education & Training for  teachers   Fair, balanced evaluation structure   for  management  and Staff Competitive  salary Strong  school  tradition (school  spirit)

7. Why Mentoring? • New hires average 15% of a building’s instructional population. • In a typicalschoolyear: •22.8% Teacher Turnover • 13.7% transferred to a different building. • 9.1% left teaching altogether. (NCES 2010)

8. Why Mentoring? • Segue and Support of PLC’s • Guidance for the Formative Assessment Initiative • Guidance for the Reading Workshop Initiative

9. Top Five Reasons for Leaving • Lack of Planning Time • Workload • Class Size/Student Population • Too Low a Salary • Problematic Student Behavior (NCES 2005)

10. What Do the Stats Show? Teaching Is Not For Everyone !

11. Success is Cumulative! • Success for New Teachers • Success for Our Profession • Success for Our Children • Children are the world’s most precious commodity and the raw materials which will make up our future society.

12. Mentoring • “Sink or Swim” mentality • I’m OK…. You’re OK….. • “I don’t need help.” • Failures • Difficulties • Isolation (Heider, 2005) • Yes, you choose how to do your job, but it’s nice to have options available which have been field tested.

13. This is not a perfect place… • Bureaucracy • Procedures • Politics • Things that SHOULD be • Things that ARE • …and the answer is…

14. Commit/Beyond Reproach • Work Ethic • Accept responsibilities • Commit to responsibilities • Establish successful habits • Integrity • Honesty • Self discipline • Trust • We want you to be successful!!!!! • Standards • Ideals • Delineated Standards

15. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (S. Covey 1989) • Independence • You know what you need to do and you do it. • Be Proactive • Begin With an End In Mind • Put First Things First • Interpersonal • (Public) • Think Win/Win • Seek First to Understand Then to Be Understood • Synergize Sharpen The Saw Interdependence Students Teachers Parents Administration Our School Cultures at NH

16. The Handbook • Initial Needs Assessment • Topical Categories for Discussion • Timeline • Observations • Evaluations

17. At The Present Time 43 States Have Mentoring Policies Effective Mentoring Programs Share the Following Characteristics: •The use of experienced, well-trained teachers as mentors •Are based upon well-defined program standards •Are adequately funded •Include a good evaluation process of new teachers •Go beyond the first year of a teacher’s career •Are part of a larger effort that includes reduced teaching loads, appropriate class placements, ample opportunity for observation of other teachers and targeted professional development. (Kaufmann, 2007)

18. Mentoring With Purpose: Mentoring can support induction, instructional improvement, and a change in the culture of a school to a more collaborative learning environment. The purpose or mission of a mentoring program will have a profound impact on a school’s culture and will drive every other decision about the program. Therefore, the purpose of a mentoring program should be determined early and maintained as a focus to allow for evaluation of the effectiveness of later decisions. (Oregon Department Of Education & Oregon Education Association, 2010. Oregon Mentor Program Handbook.)

19. NEW HOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT MAXIMIZING HUMAN POTENTIAL INITIATIVE Craig Funk

20. Video Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2zqTYgcpfg&feature=related

21. In Flight Construction = Educational Reform • Programs • Initiatives • One and done trainings • TYNT & LYNT How can we pull everything together to target real student achievement while still operating the School District on a daily basis?

22. Professional Learning Communities EQ: What are Professional Learning Communities (PLC)?

23. Professional Learning Community (PLC) • Utilizes teacher collaboration focused on student learning. • Maximizes the knowledge and experience of current staff to impact long term improvement . • ISSLC #2 • Guided by the Vision Statement

24. New Hope School District PLC ? Whole Faculty Study Groups

25. Whole Faculty Study Groups • Developed by Carlene Murphy • Teacher • Director of staff development • 35 years in Augusta, GA Public School System • National Staff Development Council Past President • WFSG research- 18 years (1987-2005) • Proven success record at all levels of public education • School districts across the U.S. have seen success

26. Whole-Faculty Study Groups Whole-Faculty Study Groups (WFSGs) is a student driven approach to build a community in which professionals continuously strive to increase student learning. This is accomplished as practitioners deepen their own knowledge and understanding of what is taught, reflect on their practices, sharpen their skills, and take joint responsibility for the students they teach. “Whole-Faculty” means that every faculty member at a school is a member of a study group focusing on data-based student instructional needs. In such a context, a study group is a small number of individuals joining together to increase their capacities to enable students to reach higher levels of performance. The collective synergy of all the study groups advance the whole school. --- Carlene Murphy Author, Whole Faculty Study Groups

27. Whole Faculty Study Groups Focused and guided by two questions: • What do students need for teachers to do so that teachers will have a deeper understanding of what they teach? • What do students need for teachers to do so that teachers will be more skillful in how they teach?

28. Whole-Faculty Study Groups Simply: • Structure • Vehicle • Place

29. WFSG are NOT: • A new program • Task Force • A one and done training and initiative • Quick fix ********************************************** Whole Faculty Study Groups = A way to focus school wide and individual teacher’s efforts through collaboration as a way to target effective instruction and student achievement.

30. Whole-Faculty Study Groups • Student centered • Student needs determine member needs • Leadership rotates • Asks: “What do I need to do and learn in order to change how I teach and what I teach?” • All members are equal and share the responsibility of the group. • Instructional techniques are practiced in the group members’ classrooms before sharing with others. • 3-5 members per group

31. Five Principles • Students are 1st ! • Everyone participates • Leadership is shared • Responsibility is equal • The work is public

32. Committees Traditional New Hope Meetings Department/Grade Level Managerial focus Agenda is developed by building administration Lead by a grade level/department chairperson Interaction and communication is often one-way Members are appointed or “volunteered” Lead by a chairperson Objectives are usually dictated by the administration or driven by “name “ of committee Limited actual control Finite in nature

33. WFSG Process/Cycle • Analyze student data • Identify student needs • Categorize student needs • Complete Individual Action Plan • WFSG design Action Plan • WFSG implement the Action Research • The whole faculty analyzes impact of AP

34. What Will Drive NHSD WFSG? The School Improvement Plan and SWOTS! • Analyze student data • Identify student needs • Categorize student needs

35. New Hope Key Areas • Mentor Program • Assessment • Reading initiative

36. WFSG in Action • Teacher groups of 3 – 5 people are established • The groups focus on the student needs identified in the District Improvement Plan and SWOTS. • An action plan is created by the group. The teachers collaborate to identify instructional techniques that will target the areas of need. • Individual teachers attempt these techniques in their classrooms and then report back to the group. • The effective techniques are then shared with the whole faculty/district.

37. Where are we now? • Initial District assessment (SWOTS) -- completed • Vision and Mission Statements -- revised • The 2009-2010 Improvement Plan was approved by PDE • All district and building level administrators have attended WFSG training. • Performance Tracker has been purchased

38. What happens next? Professional Development: • A core group of teachers from each building will attend PLC/WFSG training institute in December 2010. • Pilot PLC/WFSG teams will begin working as a PLC during the remainder of the 10-11 SY. • Pilot team data will be shared District wide in June. • The pilot team will train the remaining teachers in the New Hope SD during the Summer 2011 PD institute. • Full implementation – August 2011.

39. “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” - Henry Ford

40. QUESTIONS?

41. 1. DuFour, R., Dufour, R., Eaker, R., & Many (2006) Learning by doing: A handbook for professional learning Communities at work., (2-4). 2. Dufour, R. (2004). What is a professional learning community? Educational Leadership, May, 2004, 8-11. 3. Murphy, C. and Lick, D. (2005). Whole-Faculty Study Groups: Professional Learning Communities That Target Student Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. 4. Murphy, C. and Lick, D (2006). The Whole-Faculty Study Groups Field book: Lessons Learned and Best Practices From Classrooms, Districts, and Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. 5. Piercey, D. (2010) Why don’t teacher collaborate? A leadership conundrum. Phi Delta Kappan,92(1), 54-56. RESOURCES

42. NEW HOPE SCHOOL DISTRICT CURRICULUM INITIATIVE Anne Hoover

43. ISLLC Standards Components Addressed by the Reading Workshop Initiative Standard 1: The Vision of Learning Standard 2: The Culture of Teaching and Learning Standard 3: The Management of Learning Facilitating the development, articulation, implementation and stewardship of a school or district vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community by • 1.17 --Developing the vision • 1.19 -- Communicating the vision • 1.22 -- Implementing plans to achieve goals • 1.23 -- Using data to develop goals • 1.28 -- Monitoring and evaluating Advocating, nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth by • Valuing students and staff • Developing and sustaining the culture • Ensuring an inclusive culture • Supervising instruction • Monitoring student progress • Maximizing instructional time • Monitoring and evaluating Ensuring management of the organization, operations and resources for a safe, efficient and effective learning environment • 3.76 -- Making management decisions to ensure successful teaching and learning • 3.80 -- Supporting quality instruction and student learning • 3.82 -- Creating a safe, healthy environment to ensure successful teaching and learning • 3.84 -- Developing procedures to ensure successful teaching and learning • 3.81 & 3.96 -- Developing distributed leadership • 3.92 -- Allocating resources to ensure successful teaching and learning

44. SWOTS Applicable to the Reading Workshop • Weaknesses • Blanketed  directives/policies  from  school board • Summative assessment is primary method of assessment • Student data not driving instruction • Outdated  curriculum/textbooks • Insufficient  professional  development • Opportunities • Increasing  population  of  retirements/hiring of  new  teachers • Parent Volunteers • Staff/Administration communication • Full day kindergarten • Scheduling • New initiatives for new assessment methods • Threats • Budget • Cut programs/personnel • Global change • Traditions holding back progress • Time testing/teaching to the test • Time stolen to NCLB • Federal and state mandates without funding Strengths Tradition  of  excellence   Committed  staff High expectations  of  professional  growth          through  education/training  for  teachers Opportunities for students to be civically involved Parent Involvement High standardized tests Culturally strong ethnic groups/communities  

45. Activate Your Thinking • Think of your favorite book and why it was your favorite book. Was it a book you had to read or one you choose to read?

46. Why Read? • To become functional literate? • To score proficient on a test? • or • To nurture lifelong readers and thinkers? • To cultivate social responsibility? • To inspire relevant 21st century thinking? • To make a difference?

47. Non-negotiables in the Teaching of Reading • A set of beliefs about how children learn to read • Beautiful settings in which to read • Real reasons to read • Big blocks of time • High-quality books and plenty of them • A school wide stance that reading is “cool” • Powerful models • Well-informed teachers (Harwayne, 2000)

48. Why a Reading Workshop? • Problem: • Districts implementing scientifically based commercial reading programs to move students to proficient reading levels which has caused teachers to dramatically change their pedagogy (Miller & Higgins, 2008) The Real Problem: • Districts are not focusing on characteristics and abilities of the readers they are teaching (Serafini, 2005)

49. What is a Reading Workshop? • Components: • Mini-lesson - Whole Group 10-15 minute lesson Based on students’ needs Strategies, skills, and literary analysis (Fountas & Pinnell, 2001)

50. What is a Reading Workshop? • Components: • Independent Reading/Conferencing- One to one or small group instruction Teaching a student, not a text Strategy groups based on need Students become lost in their books which they are reading with approximately 98% accuracy (Ivey, 2000)