Performance Principals: Leading towards Florida Standards Implementation Presented by PCG Education

Leadership Panel 2  Julie Alm and Leslie Lee, Aventura City of Excellence School  Julie Frederickson, School of Arts and Sciences  Devarn Flowers and Michael Castellano, Pembroke Pines Charter Middle School

Charter Pilot/ Showcase School2013 Total Points2014 Total PointsGrowth School of Arts and Sciences Aventura City of Excellence Pembroke Pines Avg (6% increase) Avg. State -167 (-38 %) The Impact: 3

This session will focus on how to actively engage your school community in the transition to the Florida Standards. Our interactive session will give school-based examples by leaders who have begun implementing the Florida Standards with fidelity. Based on the exemplary leadership practices (Wallace Foundation, 2010), Principals from our Showcase Schools will share their “Best Practices” Session Goals: 4

My expectations have increased every year, I’ve learned that as long as you support them, there is really nothing [the students] can’t do. One of the things we have helped students learn is respect for learning/education. We value educational responsibility and independence and start teaching that at Kindergarten. We refer to our students as Scholars and scaffold their learning to help them attain that ideal. We have a Scholar Pledge that our 4-8 graders read, sign and commit to. In our younger grades, the teachers use the words and descriptors from the older student version. When our students have academic or behavioral missteps, we consider them an "oops" and reteach the misstep. Focus Area 1: Shaping a vision of academic success for all students. 5

“the most effective principals focus on building a sense of school community- respect for every member of the school community; “an upbeat, welcoming, solution- oriented, no-blame, professional environment;” and efforts to involve staff and students in a variety of activities, many of them schoolwide" Self reporting is encouraged. It is OK to make mistakes, we all do. But, seek assistance that is what the "team" is here for. 6 Focus Area 2: Creating a climate hospitable to education.

I believe in the team approach to leadership. I have a leadership team that consists of the team leaders, Guidance Counselor and Assistant Principal. We meet twice a month to discuss issues and concerns - generate possible solutions/resolutions and the team leaders take those ideas back to their teams for further discussion until a consensus is reached. I chose individuals to become the Florida Standards Leadership Team in 2013 and these are the teachers who went for the PCG trainings then came back and led the trainings here at school. I believe in allowing teachers to find new approaches to teaching and bring them back to the staff as the trainer (or lead) on the project. With all that said, when the situation warrants it, I am also very comfortable doing top down leadership. I create a sense of urgency with the leadership team and that gets that team to "buy in" and then spread the word. 7 Focus Area 3: Cultivating leadership in others.

Embedded professional development is key. Isolated workshops do not impact a teachers professional development. Professional development must be targeted with a strategic plan for monitoring and supporting the implementation. In real estate they call the most important factor, Location, Location, Location for a school site the most important factor is Implementation, Implementation, Implementation! Focus Area 4: Improving instruction. 8

Create a culture of high expectations so that staff are consistently aware of teaching and learning performance. Celebrate growth/small victories Highlight exemplars based on goals and expected outcomes Monitor the process as well as the outcomes Involve the school community (staff, students, families) in helping to examine best practices, data and resources Focus Area 5: Managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement. 9

Q & A? 10

Participate in the Principal Playbook Project Document best practices Gather artifacts Celebrate gains/outcomes Create balanced scorecards to examine progress AND process Learn and share together! Next Steps: 11