1. The Principalship: Being a Learning Leader March 6, 2012

2. Learning Leader Think-Pair-Share: What comes to mind when you hear the words Learning Leader?

4. Wordle Web 2.0 tool at wordle.net to create “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes.Web 2.0 tool at wordle.net to create “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. Important to model best practices, technology, etc to staff and students!Important to model best practices, technology, etc to staff and students!

5. Paradigm Shift in Education from Teaching to Learning “ Learning is the constant while time, resources and support become the variables.” Richard DuFour “Whatever it Takes: How Professional Learning Communities Respond When Kids Don’t Learn

6. Students!!! Our decisions must always be based on what is best for the student.Our decisions must always be based on what is best for the student. Staff should hear you asking “What is best for our students?” all the time.Staff should hear you asking “What is best for our students?” all the time. I always ask myselfI always ask myself “What would I want “What would I want for my own children?” for my own children?”

7. The School Principal As Leader: Guiding Schools to Better Teaching and Learning (The Wallace Foundation January, 2012) Five key functions effective principals perform well: Shaping a vision of academic success for all studentsShaping a vision of academic success for all students Creating a climate hospitable to educationCreating a climate hospitable to education Cultivating leadership in othersCultivating leadership in others Improving instructionImproving instruction Managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement.Managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement.

8. Characteristics of a PLC Shared mission, vision, core values, and goals/prioritiesShared mission, vision, core values, and goals/priorities Collaborative teams FOCUSED ON STUDENT LEARNINGCollaborative teams FOCUSED ON STUDENT LEARNING Collective inquiry into “best practice” and “current reality”Collective inquiry into “best practice” and “current reality” Action research and experimentationAction research and experimentation Commitment to continuous improvementCommitment to continuous improvement Results orientedResults oriented 8

9. “Data analysis isn’t a destination but rather a beginning to a quest to improve academic excellence and equity”. - By Douglas B. Reeves, Ph.D.

10. What is a Data Wall? “Guidelines for Data Walls, or “The Science Fair for Grownups” By Douglas B. Reeves, Ph.D

11. What is a Data Wall? A focal point for faculty discussions and staff meetings to focus on improving student achievement.A focal point for faculty discussions and staff meetings to focus on improving student achievement. A technique to ensure that data analysis is a continuous part of decision making throughout the whole school year rather than a yearly data retreat.A technique to ensure that data analysis is a continuous part of decision making throughout the whole school year rather than a yearly data retreat. Allows staff members to ask one another questions and to share informally with each other how they achieved their classroom successes.Allows staff members to ask one another questions and to share informally with each other how they achieved their classroom successes. A dynamic and constantly changing device which lends itself to discussions about “best practices” that yield results and a means for replicating these practices in other classrooms.A dynamic and constantly changing device which lends itself to discussions about “best practices” that yield results and a means for replicating these practices in other classrooms.

12. What is a Data Wall? A search for interventions for struggling learners and enrichment for gifted students.A search for interventions for struggling learners and enrichment for gifted students. Engages the staff in discussing all students in the school, not just the ones in their classroom.Engages the staff in discussing all students in the school, not just the ones in their classroom. A way to bring the adopted standards and benchmarks of each curriculum to the forefront.A way to bring the adopted standards and benchmarks of each curriculum to the forefront. A means to emphasize “Assessment for Learning” which when effectively done leads to success in “Assessment of Learning”.A means to emphasize “Assessment for Learning” which when effectively done leads to success in “Assessment of Learning”. Directs staff development towards a focus on teacher’s needs that will improve student learning and achievement.Directs staff development towards a focus on teacher’s needs that will improve student learning and achievement. A tool to engage teachers in collaborative work to improve student achievement.A tool to engage teachers in collaborative work to improve student achievement.

13. Success for All Students!!! PLC Critical Questions: When we believe that all students can learn, then … 1. What is it we expect them to learn? (Curriculum) 2. How will we know when they have learned it? (Assessment) 3. How will we respond when they don ’ t learn it? (Instruction, Intervention, RtI, PBIS) 4. What do we do for those who have mastered it? 13

14. “All students can learn and succeed, but not on the same day in the same way.” ---William G. Spady

15. People Not Programs It is all about relationships with students, staff, parents and the community.It is all about relationships with students, staff, parents and the community. “Get the right people on the bus, wrong people off the bus and people in the right seats.” (Michael Fullan)“Get the right people on the bus, wrong people off the bus and people in the right seats.” (Michael Fullan) Hiring is KEY! Hire people you want your school to become (Todd Whitaker)

16. People Not Programs Principal’s job is to develop others. How many good leaders you leave behind that can sustain what you have started is important.Principal’s job is to develop others. How many good leaders you leave behind that can sustain what you have started is important. Recognize your staff!Recognize your staff! Gift of Time Pocket Praises Dare to Soar

17. Be Visible in Your School… Walk Throughs, Informal, Formal ObservationsWalk Throughs, Informal, Formal Observations Provide feedback to staffProvide feedback to staff Reflect with staffReflect with staff Schedule on your calendarSchedule on your calendar Get out of the office---nothing like being in the classroom with kids!Get out of the office---nothing like being in the classroom with kids!

20. Sharpen Your Saw… Your professional growth and development is important.Your professional growth and development is important. Network with other administratorsNetwork with other administrators Read professional journals and books. My favorites Reeves, DuFour, Stiggins, Fullan, Hayes-Jacobs, Tomlinson, Dagget, Marzano, Whitaker, Sir Robinson, Pink.Read professional journals and books. My favorites Reeves, DuFour, Stiggins, Fullan, Hayes-Jacobs, Tomlinson, Dagget, Marzano, Whitaker, Sir Robinson, Pink. Get involved in organizations like AWSA, ASCD, NAESP, NASSP.Get involved in organizations like AWSA, ASCD, NAESP, NASSP.

21. Contact Information: Jennifer Gracyalny Hillcrest Elementary School 4193 Hillcrest Rd. Oneida, WI 54162 920-272-6900jrgracyalny@pulaskischools.org