Preparing the Soil: Strategic Leadership In Action A Session for School-Based Administrators

1. Preparing the Soil:Strategic Leadership In ActionA Session for School-Based Administrators Collaborative Conference on Student Achievement March 21, 2012

2. “People are like dirt. They can either nourish you and help you grow as a person or they can stunt your growth and make you wilt and die.” ~Plato Strategic Leadership: Prepare the Soil

3. Access to materials: www.greatprincipals.wikispaces.com Image from Microsoft Online Images

4. A few assumptions: • You desire continuous improvement for yourself and the school you lead. • You are open to trying at least one new idea gained at today’s session. • You realize that you must be strategic in order to be successful.

5. "He who fails to plan is planning to fail.” -Winston Churchill Sharing: Plans and Strategies That Worked

6. Elements of Strategic Leadership • School Vision, Mission and Strategic Goals • Leading Change • School Improvement Plan • Distributive Leadership Today, we will focus on behaviors of a distinguished principal in each of these areas.

7. Look at the wording just under the“strategic leadership” standard: “Re-image” “Re-purpose” “21st century” “Climate of Inquiry” “Builds on core values” “Develop a pathway”

8. Re-image

9. School improvement is a process, not a product.

10. Re-Image: School Improvement Retreat @ NCCAT

11. Vision, Mission and Goals Image from Microsoft Online Images

12. Is the vision shared?

13. As a school, who are we?

14. Identity and Core Values…

15. Re-Purpose

16. Re-Purpose Image from Microsoft Online Images

17. Importance of Communication Image from Microsoft Online Images

18. Leading Change

19. What Has Worked For Me… • Including a “School Improvement Moment” on the agenda at every staff meeting • Including a School Improvement update/reminder on my weekly update to staff • Weaving our SIP goals into post-observation conferences…with data • Asking LOTS of questions to inform the process and the product.

20. Distributive Leadership

21. Think of an example… • Think of a teacher leader in your building. • Think of some adjectives to describe the teacher – leader’s attributes in terms of: • Interpersonal Skills • Professional Expertise • Focus on Students • Leadership

22. What the Experts Say…

23. Shared Leadership Keith Eades

24. Shared Leadership • Balance of power • Shared information • Shared responsibility and accountability • Shared purpose • Respect • Embrace differences • Value partnerships

25. Shared Leadership • What does it look like • Give power. • Define the limits • Cultivate a climate • Give qualified people discretion and autonomy • Don’t second guess

26. Leadership • Is Proactive • Is transparent • Transforms schools • Creates an environment where students learn and teachers grow • Needs to be embedded in all job roles • Is a social act • Creates processes and systems • Aligns horizontally and vertically • Sets the vision, aligns and motivates the people to implement positive sustained improvement

27. “A highly effective school leader can have a dramatic influence on the overall academic achievement of students.” BreakThrough Fullan, Hill 2005

28. Real 21st Century transformation cannot occur unless administrators free people to • Lead with questions, not answers. • Engage in dialogue and debate, not coercion. • Conduct autopsies, without blame. • Speak up when they identify a problem. Daniel Pink - DRIVE

29. The most effective change in school culture happens when principals, teachers, and students model the values and beliefs important to the institution. The actions of the principal are noticed and interpreted by others as "what is important."

30. Effective leadership means more than simply knowing what to do–it’s knowing when, how, and why to do it. Effective leaders understand how to balance pushing for change while at the same time, protecting aspects of culture, values, and norms worth preserving. They know which policies, practices, resources, and incentives to align and how to align them with organizational priorities. They know how to gauge the magnitude of change they are calling for and how to tailor their leadership strategies accordingly. Finally, they understand and value the people in the organization. They know when, how, and why to create learning environments that support people, connect them with one another, and provide the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to succeed. This combination of knowledge and skills is the essence of balanced leadership

31. Good To Read • Drive and A Whole New Mind – Daniel Pink • BreakThrough – Fullan, Hill 2005 • School Leadership that Works – Marzano • Leading Change in Your School – Douglas Reeves • Leading Change and Our Iceberg is Melting – John Kotter • Who Moved the Cheese? – Spencer Johnson • Leading in a Culture of Change – Michael Fullan

32. Thank you!

33. A Successful Model Anna Brady

34. Some sage advice… Image from Microsoft Online Images

35. Commit…and re-commit I chose this profession. I am here for the students I serve. I make a difference.

36. Introductions, please! Image from Microsoft Online Images

37. One idea I will try… at my school.