FASA Middle School Principal ’ s Leadership Academy Don Griesheimer Laura Hassler Lang July 22, 2007

2 Background History Principal Nomination Process Principal Leadership Standards Survey

3 Goals of the MSPLA Provide principals support for implementing whole faculty study groups as a process for improving teaching and learning Provide specific professional development in identified areas for development

4 WFSG Context, Process and Content Context –The nature of your school and how things are “ done around here ” –What is rewarded? –What is recognized? –What is monitored? –Are people accustomed to working alone or together? –Are teachers comfortable taking risks?

5 WFSG Context, Process and Content Process –How does the work get done? –What processes are in place to support WFSG? –What steps and procedures are required for full implementation?

6 Context, Process and Content Content What skills and knowledge will be acquired through participation in WFSG? What are the students’ instructional needs (see Decision Making Cycle)? What changes will be made to what is learned? What new instructional strategies will be employed? What changes will will be made to the way learning is assessed? What resources will be used?

7 Building Commitment  Key Commitments:  Participation of ALL faculty  Examination of the achievement of ALL students  Examination of instructional practices and how they impact student performance  Willingness to make professional learning and growth part of the daily work  Willingness to hold one another accountable by adhering to norms (i.e., common meeting times, routines, standardized action plans and meeting logs)  Laying the Foundation:  What issues does our school face?  Should all faculty members be involved in solving the problems and raising achievement?  Should students’ learning needs drive professional learning and the school improvement plan?  Would we be willing to work on these issues in small study groups if we could carve out and protect time for faculty members to meet on a regular basis? Planning… Time… Research… Time…  Laying the Foundation:  What issues does our school face?  Should all faculty members be involved in solving the problems and raising achievement?  Should students’ learning needs drive professional learning and the school improvement plan?  Would we be willing to work on these issues in small study groups if we could carve out and protect time for faculty members to meet on a regular basis? Planning… Time… Research… Time…

8 Implementing WFSGs Integrating WFSGs with existing structures and initiatives Cultivating internal and external support Dealing with specific logistics focus team roles size and make-up of study groups year-long published schedule of meetings PD how how to participate, research skills, data use Principal’s role- encourage, support, guidance

9 Using WFSGs to support cultural change Changing school culture rely on data rather than teacher perceptions build trust and a desire to have “fun” anticipate initial struggle with action research plans monitor logs and attend study group meetings hold instructional council meetings/full group faculty meetings

10 WFSG and Use of DATA Introduction- Why is data analysis so important? Data Analysis, WFSG and Action Research –Analyze existing data - identifying areas of strength and weakness –Establish baseline and set targets –Research and select interventions –Implement, monitor, make mid-course corrections –Analyze and evaluate end-of-year results –Plan for next year

11 Some Questions Instructional Leaders Can Answer Using Data What are our areas of strength and weakness? Do we have any students who are not attaining proficiency across indicators? Which students are most at risk? What screening information do we have about them to inform instruction? How do we chose valid and reliable alternate assessments? What classroom interventions have we tried? What interventions do we plan to try next? What extended time interventions have we tried? What should we do next? Do we need to consider program interventions? When we compare performance by subgroups (e.g. racial group, gender, students with disabilities, LEP students), do we see any groups not performing as well as the whole group? If so, what are we going to do about that?

12 Data Analysis and Action Research Action research can provide a useful framework for conducting data analysis. Why? –Provides a procedure for focusing data analysis –Helps us gain a greater understanding of our own practices. –Allows us to integrate theory (research findings) and practice. –Provides a framework for developing and implementing of professional development plans. –Increases student achievement and collaboration among teachers.

13 What is Action Research? Action Research is a deliberate, solution-oriented investigation that is group or individually owned and conducted. It is characterized by spiraling cycles of problem identification, systematic data collection, reflection, analysis, data-driven action taken, and problem redefinition. Linking the terms action and research highlights the essential features of this method: trying out ideas in practice as a means of increasing knowledge and/or improving curriculum, teaching, and learning (Kemmis & Taggart, 1982 cited in B. Johnson, 1993)

14 Where do you begin? Begin with DATA State assessments District assessments School assessments Classroom assessments CIM A+

15 Decision-Making Cycle* 1.Collecting and analyzing data 2.State student needs school-wide based on CRT and NRT data 3.Categorize and prioritize student needs 4.Organize study groups (use post-it notes) 5.Develop Study Group Action Plans (pg. 120) 6.Implement the study group action plan 7.Evaluate the impact of the study group work on student learning *Lick and Murphy, 2007

16 Action Plan Plan 1. Student needs based on data analysis: 2.Objective3. Actions/Strategies/Intervention Training needs to implement actions/strategies/intervention: How will you monitor progress and measure objective? [List the instruments you will use] 4. Formative Evaluation5. Summative Evaluation Implementation:Outcome Measure: Student Progress:

17 The End!