The Macon Miracle: Connecting Strengths, Reinventing Education, Helping Children Flourish

1. The Macon Miracle:Connecting Strengths, Reinventing Education, Helping Children Flourish Presented By: Dr. Romain Dallemand, Susanne Griffin-Ziebart, Dr. Judy Godfrey, Kathy Becker, and Jim Pulliam

2. Where is Macon/Bibb County?

3. County and District Demographics • 155,000 people in the County (2010 Census) • 43% white • 51% African-American • 6% Other • Student Population • 21% white • 79% African-American and Other

4. The Macon Miracle: Why is Transformation Urgent? • Approximately 25,000 students • Rated 174th out of 179 Georgia districts • Has 10 of the 78 lowest performing schools • 51% graduation rate • 9,441 students suspended – 48,000 days of missed instruction • 703 students dropped out • 493 students expelled

5. The Macon Miracle: Why is Transformation Urgent? • 20,000 students are receiving services from D.F.C.S. • 632 students are documented as homeless students • 1,000 students are living with someone who is not a biological parent • 1,111 students have at least one parent incarcerated • 78% of students receive free or reduce priced lunch • 1,100 students arrested from August 2011 – March 15, 2012

6. Why Appreciative Inquiry? • Recognized the challenge of increasing the “probability” of “buy-in” • Recognized the need to include more than the “traditional” voices in the creation of the plan • Wanted to ensure that employees and key stakeholders played an active role in creating the plan

7. Why Appreciative Inquiry? • Involves everyone in the process • Creates “space” for people to envision possibilities rather than barriers • Develops a sense of unity by bringing everyone in the same room and creating a shared experience • Ensures equitable access to information

8. The Macon Miracle: Bibb County’s Planning Process • Two days to complete what was typically done in four days (i.e., Dream, Discovery, Design and Destiny) • All employees, parents, community members, business partners and state and local dignitaries participated (i.e., approximately 4500 people)

9. The Macon Miracle: Bibb County’s Planning Process • Dedicated time during the work day for all employees to participate • Held at the Macon Centreplex Arena • Co-facilitated by the Center for Appreciative Inquiry and educators from Bibb County

10. Opportunities of Facilitation

11. Engaging the Core Team • Core Team Participants • Represented all employee groups • 60 members • Core Team Involvement • Champions of the process • Planned, designed the process • Selected topics for interviews • Facilitated groups in the interviews • Assisted with data collection • Thoughts of Core Team Members

12. SUMMIT ONE Positive Core & Headlines captured from each circle group Strategic Plan Themes Developed SUMMIT TWO Employees surveyed to identify energy for each theme Initiatives for each Theme emerged Data Collection Strategy

13. What Were the Summit Outcomes? • Participants in the Summits created: • 6 Focus Areas • 22 Goals • Strategic Plan • District Management Plan • Research-based initiatives • Innovative initiatives

14. Key Initiatives • Year-round school  • Instruction in Mandarin Chinese for all students beginning in kindergarten • System-wide portfolio schools of choice 

15. Key Initiatives • Proficiency for all students in numeracy and literacy by third grade • Students earn up to 30 college credits by graduation • Change the culture of schools through system-wide, strategic professional learning

16. Key Initiatives • Integrate 21st Century teaching tools in the classroom and in the home • District Welcome Center to provide information and training to parents • Gifted instruction, Advanced Placement classes, and Honors classes for all students

17. Key Initiatives • Students initiate a portfolio they will continue to develop through high school • Dormitories for students experiencing unanticipated circumstances

18. Lessons Learned • Including all stakeholders is powerful • Clear expectations and training and supportive scripts are important to ensure the message and experience is consistent • Dedicating 4 full days to the process would have been valuable

19. Lessons Learned • The Core Team plays a critical role—selection and training is key • Initiate the Strategic Planning process AFTER you have leaders in place to lead the work • Using existing leaders meant that “old” mindsets could interfere with the work

20. Lessons Learned • For large scale summits, develop a plan that ensures everyone hears the work of other groups • Be prepared to address the fact that not everyone will agree with everything (yet) • Be prepared to address the fact that some will be against the plan for various reasons

21. Bibb County’s Successes • The process and the inquiry created hope and enthusiasm • The effort resulted in a comprehensive, research-based innovative plan that was approved by the School Board

22. Bibb County’s Successes • The inquiry created broad-based engagement in the conversation about education • The inquiry engaged individuals not previously included • The inquiry engendered support

23. Bibb County’s Opportunities • Engage and maintain “buy-in” • Build equity so all students excel—create unified support • Change the culture of the organization and community • Help people to focus their energy in a positive way

24. Bibb County’s Next Steps • Strong implementation • Communication • Building understanding of strategies • Build understanding of each individual’s unique role • Impact of Initiatives on students and staff • Communicate expected outcomes of each initiative • Build understanding of requirements fromstudents and parents

25. Bibb County’s Next Steps • Create and celebrate quick wins • Continue to support the strong guiding coalition

26. Why was this inquiry so powerful?

27. Questions?

28. Presentation brought to you by: