2015 SPRING REGIONAL A+ LEADERSHIP MEETINGS

WELCOME TO OUR NEW A+ SCHOOLS! North Graham Elementary, Townsend MS, New Bridge MS, ZECA Charter School and Hunt Elementary! This summer, the A+ Schools Program welcomed 3 new A+ Schools from across the state. These schools range from urban to rural, large to small and from the west to the east in location. All schools participated in A+ 5-Day Institutes this summer and will continue a three year process of engaging with the A+ Network.

Leading your A+ School Creatively TransformA+ion Leading your A+ School Creatively ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS How has A+ helped you to transform your school?   What are the unique celebrations and challenges of leading a creative A+ school? How do we lead our community through change, assess our success, and continue to push forward through on-going transformation?

Your Task: Read quote together Discuss briefly Share via tableaux Use 1-3 words to enhance your tableaux Share names/schools

Application Available on A+ Website ~ Deadline April 15th Nominations Open for 4th Annual A+ Educator of the Year Award 2014 Award Recipient Carolyn Florence Application Available on A+ Website ~ Deadline April 15th

From our NASC Partners

Four member states have created the National A+ Schools Consortium that will help to insure the quality of the A+ Model while providing a platform for cross-state collaboration. http://www.nationalaplusschools.org/

Paired Conversation

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO? YOUR TASK: WRITE DOWN 3 HIGHLIGHTS ON STICKY NOTES (AWARDS, GRANTS, EVENTS, NEW PROCESSES…) ADD SCHOOL NAME TO STICKY NOTE 1 MINUTE SHARE PER PERSON SELECT BEST ONE TO SHARE FROM GROUP PUT ALL STICKY NOTES ON CHARTS

ARE YOU KEEPING UP WITH A+? http://aplus.ncdpi.wikispaces.net http://aplus-schools.ncdcr.gov

SPREADING THE A+ WORD Arts Education Partnership Forum, Pittsburgh A+ leadership from 4 states presented a session: All Students, All Schools: Arts-Centered Solutions Using A+ Schools’ Practices SP3: Americans for the Arts: North Carolina was one of ten states selected to join Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, as part of ten state teams administering a three-year pilot program to strengthen arts education by advancing state policy. NEA COLLECTIVE IMPACT GRANT: To support additional A+ Schools in Jones County while Building Creative Leadership and a Comprehensive Arts Education Plan http://t.co/G4tdpDZYa2 The A+ Schools Program continues to garner recognition and interest across the nation.

A+ SESSION AT DPI CONFERENCE! CHAMPIONS ENGAGING NORTH CAROLINA IN 21ST CENTURY  TEACHING AND LEARNING March 30 - April 1, 2015 Koury Convention Center Greensboro, NC                                 SPEAKER SESSION Sean McComb, 2014 National Teacher of the Year Keynote: "Sparking Hope: Teaching as a Catalyst to Launching Great Learning" Concurrent: "The Decisive Element: Defining Your Ability to be the Difference" Principal Baruti Kafele For Administrators: "Your School's BRAND Determines Student Outcomes“ "Effective Vice Principal Leadership“ For All Educators: "Creating a School Climate and Culture that Yield High Academic Performance" CREATIVE LEADERSHIP: THE HEART OF TRANSFORMED SCHOOL CULTURE The arts are at the heART of creative leadership and school transformation. In this hands-on session, school leaders will consider the challenges of developing school-wide creative capacity. Join the A+ Schools Program and NCDPI to explore the role of the arts in cultivating creative leadership and successfully transforming schools.

A+ PARTNERSHIPS NCCAT VIF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION RESA SESSIONS AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC TRAIL

http://www.artsnc.org/

A Celebration of Teaching and Learning Through the Arts 20 YEARS OF A+ SCHOOLS A Celebration of Teaching and Learning Through the Arts August 3-5, 2015 CALL FOR SESSION PROPOSALS – DUE 3/31 CALL FOR STUDENT ARTWORK – OPEN NOW STUDENT PERFORMANCES – CALL MICHELLE A+ PECHA KUCHA – WATCH FOR INFO

HAVE YOU HEARD? The End of EOGs and EOCs? The NC State Board of Education's Task Force on Summative Assessment met on March 13, 2015.   At this meeting, the task force presented a draft framework of assessment that included two models.  Both models end familiar end-of-year tests. The first model, for grades three through eight, eliminates NC End-of-Grade tests.  It replaces them with a system of periodic assessments that, "serves the purpose of guiding teacher instructional practices and promoting student learning along the way."   The second model, for grades nine through twelve, eliminates NC End-of-Course tests.  These tests are replaced with, "a pre-test/post-test model with grade level assessments administered at grades 9, 10, and 11." 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS March 31st – 20th Anniversary Conference RFPs Due April 15th – Student Artwork Submissions Due April 21ST – Deadline for A+ Ed of the Year Apps May 7th, 4-5pm - Final Quarterly A+ Network Webinar for 14-15 School Year August 3rd-5th – A+ 20th Anniversary Conference, Durham September 3rd, 4-5pm – 1st Quarterly Webinar of 15-16 October 8th, 10-3pm Raleigh Fall Statewide A+ Leadership Meeting and New Teachers Training

Paired Conversation

A+ SNAPSHOT OF LEARNING WALKTHROUGH As I watched your students today, I observed: ____ Smiling, joyful students ____ Focused, thinking students ____ Highly engaged/on-task students ____ Students learning through multiple pathways (varied instructional strategies) ____ Kinesthetic (body/hands active) learning ____ Students collaborating (problem solving/product production) ____ Students working independently/individually ____ Students building their 21st century skills (global awareness, info/tech skills, life skills and/or the 4 C’s) ____ Learning through standards-based arts integration (arts and non-arts standards have equal weight) ____ Learning through standards-based arts education (pure learning in or of an art form) ____ Learning through standards-based arts exposure (Experiencing the arts from outside school community) ____ Students using a variety of multiple intelligences during learning activities ____ Students who can explain the lesson objectives ____ Students sharing what they are learning with each other ____ Students having choice and autonomy in their learning experiences   ____ Students demonstrating mastery of content through enriched assessment opportunities ____ Students demonstrating mastery of content through traditional ____ Students rehearsing or preparing for informance/performance ____ Students learning/using both arts and non-arts vocabulary ____ Students actively creating ____ Students being facilitated or coached ____ Students using classroom management processes that support collaboration and creativity ____ Students listening and/or engaged in direct instruction ____ Students engaged in traditional instruction methods that include seatwork or small group work ____ Learning facilitated through team-teaching ____ Students participating in transition activities ____ Students experiencing respectful, positive classroom relationships ____ Confidant students ____ Students being celebrated or celebrating student/classroom successes In or around your classroom environment, I observed:   ____ Arts standards displayed along with non-arts standards ____ Student created artwork is on display ____ Student artwork on display has corresponding art/non-art standards attached/displayed Questions to ponder: Other observer reflections: ____ A+ essentials and/or multiple intelligences information displayed in the room ____ Students have visible access to a variety of arts material/supplies ____ Desk/room arrangement that is conducive to a creative/active learning environment WANT TO TALK THROUGH THIS PROCESS? CALL MICHELLE!

A+ LESSONS IN ACTION Where to find the A+ Lesson Plan Template: A+ Live Binder: http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/902360 Binder Access Key: A+NCNetwork Under A+ Curriculum you will find the Lesson Plan Template as well as the DPI Quick Reference Guides. You will find your submitted lesson under the “Lessons in Action” section. Create an arts-integrated lesson using the A+ Lesson Plan Template. Make sure to include your name, your school name, your grade/discipline and your email. Also include anyone you collaborated with to create the lesson as well as their grade/discipline and email. Teach your lesson to your students. Take a photo of at least 1 student product for submission with your lesson. Additional photos of student work, or of students participating in the lesson may also be included. Links to videos (uploaded to youtube) are also welcome. Reflect on the lesson, thinking about what worked and what needed revision. Tweak the lesson plan as needed based on your actual teaching of the lesson. Share lesson with a colleague (or two) at your school for feedback. Include their feedback on your lesson plan if it makes sense to do so. Finalize your lesson plan, making sure that all sections of the template are fully completed. If there are handouts, web links, books, special materials or other resources that you used in the lesson, please make sure to include that information as well. Keep in mind that you want your lesson documented so that any other A+ teacher could try your lesson (with adaptations as needed) with their students. They will need all of the background information and resources that you needed. Submit your lesson plan with any supporting materials (handouts, photos, video links, resource materials, web links, etc.) to michelle.burrows@ncdcr.gov Note: If any part of your lesson comes from a source outside of yourself, please include any crediting information as necessary. Please do not include copyrighted material in your lessons.

http://www. ncpublicschools. org/docs/intern-research/reports/arts2014 http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/intern-research/reports/arts2014.pdf RESEARCH QUESTIONS: What are principals doing to support arts integration in their schools? What are principal preparation programs doing to prepare pre-service principals to support arts integration?

91% of Principals agree that arts integration is vital to a child’s education 82% agree that arts integration can increase test scores BUT Only 24% actively promote arts integration practice in their schools Only 17% regularly allow targeted planning time for arts integration Only 18% regularly look for arts integration in teacher observations Only 5% regularly provide PD opportunities that support arts integration 83% report that they have received little to no support around integrating the arts into their school

A+ principals mentioned multiple times that ongoing professional development was one of the most critical components that A+ offers. The State can learn from A+’s successes as well as from its less successful experiences. A+ is constantly taking member feedback and growing to better serve the needs of its members. By learning from A+, DPI can become more aware of current challenges in supporting arts integration

Paired Conversation

Ongoing A+ Professional Development Keeping in Mind What We Know: Criteria for Levels of Engagement Ongoing A+ Professional Development Teacher Engagement Principal Leadership Distinguished A+ School The level of engagement of our A+ schools is directly related to three criteria: ongoing professional development, principal leadership and teacher engagement. OK’s recent research confirmed these criteria.

EXPLORING CREATIVE HOT SPOTS http://www.fapeglobal.org/projects/print-collection/

VISUALIZE YOUR SCHOOL Close your eyes and picture yourself arriving at school, walking in, and moving from place to place over the course of a typical day. Pay attention to the entrance ways, what you see on the walls, the furniture and how it's arranged, and the main office. How welcoming it is? Look in on classes, lunch and recess times, hallways and staircases, trailers and far-off wings of the building, meetings, extracurricular activities, after-school and evening events -- the entire gamut of what occurs on regular school days. Finally, imagine yourself preparing to leave and departing, and then open your eyes. Now ask yourself some questions about what you experienced: Where and when do you experience "positive" emotions such as pride, joy, and excitement? Where and when do you experience "negative" emotions such as anxiety, frustration, and anger? Where do you experience both types of emotions? Where do you detect harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying going on? Where do you see the most student peer-to-peer, adult-to-student, and adult-to adult support? What is happening in these places to cause these emotions?

HANDS-ON EXCERCISE

INSIGHTS LEARNING ACTION

Questions and Clarity

WISHING YOU A RESTFUL SPRING BREAK!