INSTRUCTIONAL EXCELLENCE INVENTORIES: A PROCESS OF MONITORING FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin Superintendent of Schools

“Excellence is the Standard” Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin Superintendent of Schools

It is our mission in Thomasville City Schools to partner with parents, community, and staff to nurture and prepare our students for success in the 21 st century. Educating the whole child and providing them the tools needed for success in life is paramount. Expectations for a positive learning environment along with rigor, relevance, and relationship building will ensure success for all students. Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin Superintendent of Schools OUR MISSION:

o Above the state average on school accountability measures for all grade levels, content areas, and student groups o Above the state average for our graduation rate o Increased ACT scores o Increased stakeholder engagement Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin Superintendent of Schools WHERE ARE WE GOING?

o Having a laser-like focus on classroom instruction o Doing fewer things well and at a higher level o Involving more stakeholders in the work o Monitoring our work for continuous improvement o Exhibiting ‘first-rate’ professional behaviors Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin Superintendent of Schools HOW DO WE GET THERE?

TCS Session Description Ensuring that students are prepared to live independent and productive lives is the ultimate goal of all the activities monitored by Thomasville City Schools. In TCS, Instructional Excellence Inventories (IEIs) are completed at each school four times a year to help educators focus on continuous improvement and monitoring. IEIs are designed to help schools analyze and interpret data and seek trends and patterns to determine the impact of classroom instruction on student learning. The inevitable goal of the IEI visit is to improve educational practice.

Session Objectives/Outcomes Participants will: ▪ Learn about a method for reviewing schools and providing feedback to school leadership teams that could lead to improving educational practice. ▪ Discuss how classroom walk-throughs, data discussions, and teacher focus groups can provide the necessary feedback that can lead to school improvement. By the end of this session, participants will be able to: ▪ Investigate the possibility of a similar process for a school or LEA ▪ Determine some of the key steps to reviewing schools within a LEA

Instructional Excellence Inventory Purpose ▪ To ensure high-quality teaching and learning ▪ To establish common expectations for delivering high quality instruction across schools ▪ To monitor high leverage instructional shifts for each school in order to provide support for continuous improvement

In order to review schools as a school or district team, what would need to happen first?

What are critical steps to consider? ▪ Determine training needs and schedule training throughout the year ▪ Determine who will be on the team (school based and central office) ▪ Determine common expectation for classroom walkthroughs ▪ Determine IEI agenda: What does the day look like? ▪ Determine how feedback will be presented to the school leadership teams ▪ Determine what accountability measures will be put in place to foster improvement

Instructional Excellence Inventory ▪ Each Inventory included a data dive, several 20 minute walk-throughs, and focus group discussions. ▪ The process was based on the NC DPI Comprehensive Needs Assessment process. ▪ Please visit:

NCDPI Comprehensive Needs Assessment School Rubric DimensionSub-dimension A. Instructional Excellence and Alignment Part I: Teaching and Learning 1. High Expectations Communicated to All Teachers and Students 2. Curriculum and Instructional Alignment A. Instructional Excellence and Alignment Part II: Support for Student Achievement 3. Data Analysis and Instructional Planning 4. Student Support Services B. Leadership Capacity 5. Strategic Planning, Mission, and Vision 6. Distributed Leadership and Collaboration 7. Monitoring Instruction in School C. Professional Capacity 8. Teacher Quality and Experience 9. Quality of Professional Development 10. Talent Recruitment and Retention D. Planning and Operational Effectiveness 11. Resource Allocation 12. Facilities and Technology E. Families and Community 13. Family Engagement 14. Community Engagement

Who is involved? ▪ Reviewers ▪ Central Office Instructional Support Staff ▪ Observers ▪ Principals, Assistant Principals. Instructional Coaches, Interventionists

Documents really do help……… Group 1 - Instructional Excellence Inventory Process Group 2 - TCS Data Inventory Process Group 3 - ES Inventory – Round 2 Group 4 - Teacher Observation Form Group 5 - Instructional Focus Calendar and Curriculum Resource Alignment Timeline

▪ What do you see? ▪ What do you wonder? ▪ What could you use?

What is next for Thomasville City Schools? ▪ Continue analysis of the SBE Rigor Policy ▪ TCS Instructional Framework ▪ Consistent Lesson Planning Protocols and Template ▪ More refined Instructional Focus Calendars ▪ More standards aligned resources

WE BELIEVE… WE BELIEVE in every child and celebrate their worth and value. WE BELIEVE parents are a critical component of each student’s success. WE BELIEVE in high expectations for all students and staff, and expect our students to be challenged to reach their greatest academic potential. WE BELIEVE in working collaboratively to enhance student learning. WE BELIEVE all students learn differently and therefore require instructional methods to be tailored to their needs. WE BELIEVE that diversity is a valuable and vital asset to our school community. WE BELIEVE that learning is a lifelong process for both students and staff. WE BELIEVE that all students and staff will incorporate innovative 21 st Century technology in the learning process. WE BELIEVE in promoting the health and well-being of our students and staff: emotional, physical, and nutritional. Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin Superintendent of Schools