1. MS SOARS November 18, 2014 1

2. Agenda Overview Indicators Wise Ways Expectations Upcoming training 2

3. Overview 3

4. Getting Started 4 School improvement can be a complicated journey. Lots of people have ideas on where to go and what to do. They just do not always have the same idea on how to get there.

5. Getting Started 5

6. What is MS SOARS? 6

7. MS SOARS “ When used right, technology becomes an accelerator of momentum, not a creator of it.” -Jim Collins 7

8. Indicators and Wise Ways 8

9. Indicators of Effective Practice in·di·ca·tor [in-di-key-ter] (noun) A pointer or a gauge for assessing progress toward the destination. Indicators provide the structure for building a continuous school improvement plan, while still allowing each school flexibility and creativity on how it implements the plan. Indicators point the way toward effective practices. Indicators are: Guideposts for effective practice Written in plain language Aligned with research base (Wise Ways) Drivers of planning and improvement 9

10. Indicators of Effective Practice Samples 10 Teams All teams operate with work plans for the year and specific work products to produce. Instructional Teams meet for blocks of time (4 to 6 hour blocks, once a month; whole days before and after the school year) sufficient to develop and refine units of instruction and review student learning data. Teachers All teachers maintain a record of each student’s mastery of specific learning objectives. All teachers differentiate assignments (individualize instruction) in response to individual student performance on pre-tests and other methods of assessment. Principals The principal spends at least 50% of his/her time working directly with teachers to improve instruction, including classroom observations. The principal challenges, supports, and monitors the correction of unsound teaching practices.

11. What are Wise Ways? Wise Ways are research briefs that provide: a context for each indicator research syntheses action principles examples and templates references and resources guiding questions 11

12. Finding Wise Ways… Wise Ways can be found in each step of the Indistar process. The Leadership team should discuss each Wise Ways research brief during the assessment, planning, and monitoring processes. 12

13. Expectations 13

14. MS SOARS is an on-line tool to facilitate planning, implementing, and monitoring of the action steps for continuous improvement. MS SOARS (What) ©MDE - OFP 14

15. LEAs that have: Focus schools Not Meeting AMOs schools(previously Approaching Target schools) MS SOARS (Who) ©MDE - OFP 15

16. Key Indicators 16 Key Indicators have been revised Added College and Career Ready Indicators Focus -32 indicators and Not Meeting AMOs- 22 indicators

17. All schools need to reassess indicators that are fully implemented. If there are indicators that are not at full implementation, be sure to create plans detailing the steps to achieve full implementation MS SOARS (What) ©MDE OFP 17

18. A comprehensive plan report and Quality of Work Checklist is due March 20, 2015 (Not Meeting AMOs) and December 8, 2014.(Focus and Priority Schools) MS SOARS (When) ©MDE - OFP 18

19. LEAs and schools should be able to access the system using the same login information that was previously used at www.indistar.org www.indistar.org MS SOARS (Where) ©MDE - OFP 19

20. Must complete Registration form Email completed form to OSR (Focus) and OFP (Not Meeting AMOs) OSR- Focus Schools OFP- Not Meeting AMOs Username/Password Winter 2012 DTC Training©MDE - Your Program Name 20

21. The Leadership Team District and School Necessary for Strong Implementation of Effective Practice Necessary for Sustained Improvement Guided by MS SOARS Supported by Coach 21

22. The School Team... Completes and submits all required forms Plans Leadership Team meetings with agendas and minutes Assesses, plans, and tracks progress of success indicators, following SEA guidance and expectations Links to resources relative to each success indicator Generates a variety of reports Dialogues with coaches Electronically submits reports to SEA School Leadership Team CoachLEASEA

23. Expectations 23

24. Leadership Team Expectations 24 1.Select a process manager 2.Meet a minimum of twice per month 3.All team members attend scheduled leadership team meetings 4.Review data indicators on a regular basis to improve instruction 5.Discuss and act on feedback from coaches

25. District Coaches A school cannot build capacity alone Coaches are a critical partner in the process and in the school’s success Coaches are in regular communication with the school to ensure they have support to move forward and guidance when they get off track –Coaches should send a minimum of two coaching comments to their assigned schools per month 25

26. District Coach Coach in person… Join the team meetings as you can Stop in and review the plan with the principal Coach online… On a regular basis, keep track of the district or school’s progress Use coaching comments and/or reviews to send suggestions, encouragement and reminders 26 Two ways to coach

27. Upcoming Trainings 27

28. School Improvement Grant (1003g) Training Focus and Priority Schools Trainings – December 1, 2014- GHEC (Greenville, MS) – December 2, 2014- Muse Center (Pearl, MS) Individualized Technical Assistance – December 3, 2014- South Pike School District – December 4, 2014- Hattiesburg School District – December 5 and 10, 2014- MDE – December 8, 2014- Starkville School District – December 9, 2014-Grenada School District 28

29. Regional Trainings (Tentative) –January 21-22 (North) –January 26-27 (South) –January 29-30 (Central) Upcoming Trainings ©MDE - OFP 29

30. Questions 30 federalprograms2@mde.k12.ms.us

31. Office of School Recovery Focus, Priority, and SIG Chris Norwood (601) 359-1003 Aisha McGee Office of Federal Programs Schools Not Meeting AMOs Farrah Nicholson (601) 359-3499 Office of School Recovery Focus, Priority, and SIG Chris Norwood (601) 359-1003 crnorwood@mde.k12.ms.us or Aisha McGee amcgee@mde.k12.ms.us Office of Federal Programs Schools Not Meeting AMOs Farrah Nicholson (601) 359-3499 fnicholson@mde.k12.ms.us crnorwood@mde.k12.ms.us amcgee@mde.k12.ms.us fnicholson@mde.k12.ms.us 31