Using the Indistar® Web-based Planning Tool to Support School Improvement Session #4 Presenters: Yvonne A. Holloman, Ph.D. Associate Director Michael Hill PASS Coordinator Office of School Improvement December 12, 2011

Field trip to Indistar® to review school improvement plans Discuss procedures for monitoring the school improvement plan using Indistar® Purpose

I.Review Process for Developing Tasks (5 minutes) II.Field Trip to Indistar® (25 minutes) III.Model Process for Monitoring a School Improvement Plan (15 minutes) IV.Introduce Indistar® Productivity Tools (15 minutes) V.Questions Agenda

Rapid improvement school indicators are the “pie.” (“What” will happen) Yvonne Holloman will bake a cherry pie. The tasks are the recipe. (“How” the pie is created) 1)Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place bottom crust in pie pan. Set top crust aside, covered. 2)In a large mixing bowl combine tapioca, salt, sugar, cherries and extracts. Let stand 15 minutes. Turn out into bottom crust and dot with butter. Cover with top crust, flute edges and cut vents in top. Place pie on a foil lined cookie sheet--in case of drips! 3) Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Developing Tasks for an Improvement Plan

Step 1: Begin with the end in mind – the rapid improvement school indicator. Step 2: Review the Wise Ways® research briefs and other research related to the selected improvement indicators. This information will provide ideas for possible tasks. Step 3: Begin drafting the “recipe”(series of tasks) for the “pie” (indicator). The tasks should clearly outline the steps involved in making the indicator (objective) a reality in the school. The indicator tells “what” will happen. The tasks tell “how” the indicator will be accomplished. Step 4: After developing a series of tasks for an indicator, revisit the Wise Ways® research briefs and other research to determine whether your team has adequately addressed the literal meaning of the indicator.

Field Trip to Indistar® Role of the Volunteer PresenterRole of the Webinar Audience Share the process used by your school improvement team to develop tasks for one rapid improvement school indicator that is included in the plan. Describe the following: What was the rationale for selecting the tasks included in your plan for the selected rapid improvement school indicator? How did your team reach consensus regarding the tasks that were ultimately included in your plan? How did your team determine target dates for task completion? Listen to the volunteer presenter’s description of the tasks associated with the selected rapid improvement school indicator. Consider the following: Are the tasks a series of related steps for accomplishing the indicator? (i.e. a recipe for how the indicator will be accomplished) What suggestions for improving the tasks would you propose to the presenter?

Indistar® Six-Step Improvement Plan A web-based tool for assessing, planning, implementing, and monitoring progress toward the rapid improvement school indicators. Step 1 – Register school Step 2 – Provide school information Step 3 – Form school team Step 4 – Assess school indicators Step 5 – Create school plan Step 6 – Monitor school plan

Focus Questions: Step 6 (Monitoring the Plan) Are the rapid improvement school indicators and the resulting tasks included as integral components of the staff meeting agenda? Describe how the online monitoring tool will be used during staff meetings as well as grade-level/content area team meetings. What steps have been developed to monitor the school plan?

Indistar® enables school teams to monitor their improvement plans online. “Click” on the task to display monitoring information

Detailed comments regarding the status of tasks should be entered here on a consistent basis.

Indistar® Productivity Tools Reports – Tasks Reports – Progress Reports – Comprehensive Plan Reports – Coaching Comments – Where Are We Now? Planning Your Meeting – Meeting Agenda Set-up – Minutes – Worksheets – Wise Ways™

Indistar® tools may be accessed here

Tools for planning meetings

Links to meeting agendas Links to meeting minutes

Sample meeting agenda

Sample meeting minutes

List of Wise Ways™ resources

Available resources and reports

Indistar provides a variety of worksheets for planning, and reports that may be generated to share with stakeholders.

Division contact persons will be able to enter coaching comments for their assigned school teams

Sample comments from a coach (division contact person) and responses from the school team

“Where are we now?” provides an overview of the school’s improvement plan

Where Are We Now? provides a graphic overview of the school improvement plan.

Next Steps Finalize tasks for each indicator by January 13, – After January 13, 2012, the division leadership team will review the school improvement plan. – The VDOE division liaison will follow-up with the division leadership team regarding the school’s plan. Implement and monitor the school improvement plan. – Enter comments into Step 6 of Indistar® on a monthly basis regarding the status of tasks associated with each indicator. – Document monthly school improvement plan meetings on Indistar® using the meeting agenda and minutes tools. Update the indicators and tasks, as needed, after reviewing quarterly data (beginning February 2012). – School divisions were provided three options for reporting data quarterly: Option 1: Datacation Tool (Virginia Dashboard) Option 2: Data reporting tool currently in use in the local educational agency (LEA) provided that it has the capability to generate reports included in the Datacation Tool Option 3: Completion of the Office of School Improvement’s Data Analysis Quarterly Report that has been used in previous years Contact the Office of School Improvement for assistance with using the Indistar® web-based planning tool.

Thank you. You’ve been a great audience. For technical assistance please contact: Dr. Yvonne A. Holloman at (804) or