1. School Board Presentation September 24, 2012
Center for Education in Small Urban Communities
UNIT 4 BOOK STUDY
School Board Presentation
September 24, 2012
Drs. Lisa Monda-Amaya & AJ Welton
TITLE SLIDE OPTION 1 of 2

2. Center for Education in Small Urban Communities
Marzano, R.J. & Waters, T. (2009). District leadership that works: Striking the right balance.
Presentation slide option 4 of 6

3. Premise of book & discussions
Center for Education in Small Urban Communities
Purpose of book study
Premise of book & discussions
Dr. Judy Wiegand
Discuss how district leadership drives student achievement
Emphasis on strong communication- especially with the school board
Determine principles for effective instruction & assessment
Establish “non-negotiables” for instruction and achievement
Identify instructional and assessment frameworks
Define what social justice leadership means in Unit 4
Develop action plans & top priorities for Unit 4
Presentation slide option 1 of 6

4. Session 1: District Leadership Matters
Discussion questions
How do we define leadership in Unit 4?
How should Unit 4 define leadership with a social justice lens

5. Session 1: District Leadership Matters
Center for Education in Small Urban Communities
Session 1: District Leadership Matters
Summary of Priorities
Build consensus on district goals
Clearly communicate district goals
Shared accountability
Monitor effective instruction
Professional development and support for teachers
Presentation slide option 4 of 6
“Student achievement and social justice are non-negotiable.”

6. Session 1: Defining Leadership in Unit 4
FINDINGS
Transitional time from a more top-down approach (“chain of command” to “open flow”)
District leadership more transparent now
Still uncertainty in who would be considered leaders in district
“The leader is a good listener, leads by example, a strong communicator, proactive, a collaborator, and reflective.”
AJ slide
5 minutes

7. Session 2: Setting non-negotiables for achievement & instruction
Dr. Wiegand defined the district “non-negotiables” for achievement & assessment
Discussion Questions
Based on Dr. Weigand’s non-negotiables for achievement and assessment, what non-negotiables should be added? At least one recommendation should discuss equity
What are the holes or areas of improvement for achievement and how should they be addressed?
Lisa
5 minutes

8. Session 2: Setting non-negotiables for achievement & instruction
Sample FINDINGS & SUMMARY OF PRIORITIES
District must clearly define non-negotiables
Professional development and support for teachers (workshops, discuss equity, knowledge of work of master teachers)
Knowledge of the standards (Common Core) AJ
7 minutes

9. Session 2: Setting non-negotiables for achievement & instruction
Sample FINDINGS & SUMMARY OF PRIORITIES
Student needs (meeting basic needs, responsive to students, based on individual achievement)
Define acceptable student growth
Equity in assessment (“all means all”, “equal not always the same-same not always equal”)
Bringing people together (discuss report cards, progress toward standards, everyone on the same page)

10. Session 3: Collaborative goal setting, board alignment, & allocation of resources
Discussion questions
What should the board do to help us move forward in establishing our nonnegotiable goals for achievement and instruction?
What is it the Board needs to understand about equity and the allocation of resources in the School District?
Action Item: How do we make the Board a more integral part of our work?
Lisa
2 minutes

11. Sample Findings: Suggestions for Board moving forward
Session 3: Collaborative goal setting, board alignment, & allocation of resources
Sample Findings: Suggestions for Board moving forward
Serve as advocates for schools, teachers and students in the district
Building bridges between the schools and the community
Clear communication and transparency
Greater presence in buildings (spend “real time” with students and teachers; walkthroughs; conversations with teachers and principals)
Greater awareness

12. Session 4: Discussion Questions
What should the teacher’s union (CFT) do to help us move forward in establishing our nonnegotiable goals for achievement and instruction?
Define social justice and challenging the status quo
Create district-wide action steps for summer, fall, and spring

13. What should Union Do?
Be proactive in supporting collaboration with administration
Help establish and educate membership on “nonnegotiables”
Help define tools for moving forward
Unifying – open communication and dialogue

14. Action Steps for Unit 4 2012-13 SUMMER Common core
Plan of action for establishing goals, monitoring, implementation
Plan for collaboration regarding action steps and non-negotiables as well as common core standards
Social Justice & equity
Common understanding/definition
Funding allocations (equitable formula) with a social justice perspective
Safe places for discussion
Improve collaboration and sharing of information
Select model for the instructional framework
Administrators define central office goals

15. Action Steps for Unit 4 2012-13 FALL
Develop growth measures and monitoring system for assessment (formative and summative)
Anchor standards for common core (assessment)
Follow up on social justice discussions and definitions
Open dialogues and collaborations
Plan professional development around assessment and common core

16. Action Steps for Unit 4 2012-13 SPRING
Redesign report cards (Marzano/ common core)
Reevaluate and reflect on growth plan
Revisit goals and non-negotiables
Review accomplished action steps
Reevaluate implementation plan for common core standards
Facilitate student self-evaluation of growth

17. Please ask questions & share your thoughts…
Center for Education in Small Urban Communities
Please ask questions & share your thoughts…
Presentation slide option 4 of 6
CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr. Lisa Monda-Amaya
Dr. AJ Welton