RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOLS

MARCH 7 , 2011

Collaborative Goal Setting

Task Force Meeting

Why Leadership Focus Matters

There once was a splendid school leader……

“Finding Your Leadership Focus” (2011)-Doug Reeves

Introductions

Find the person at your table with the next birthday

That person will start the introductions and then move to his/her right

Please state the following: First and Last Name Current Position How long have you been a part of the Rapid City

CommunityWhen all introductions are complete please

hold up your GREEN Flag at your table

Agenda

Orientation Learning Target/Criteria for Success Our Story Shared understanding: Whole System Reform

Group decision-making: Sufficient consensusEstablish priority areas

Consensus Building Strategy: The Focusing SixNext stepsMeeting closure

Today’s Learning Target (The Task)

Today’s Learning Target/The Task:

The work of the task force today is to establish district priorities in the areas of student achievement and instruction.

Today’s Criteria for Success: The district’s priorities are established. The task force members reach consensus.

Long-term Learning Target/The Task:

The long-term work of the task force is to develop an aligned district-wide strategic plan that articulates measurable, prioritized goals and focuses on student achievement and instruction.

Long-term Criteria for Success: All stakeholders can see where their work fits and connects.

The task force members reach consensus.

The district’s stakeholders have a tool that will provide decision-making guidance regarding programmatic priorities, future direction, and budgetary issues.

Organizational Background: Our Story

Where Have We Been?

Where Are We Now?

Balanced Leadership-Six Areas of Superintendent Responsibilities

1. Collaborative goal-setting process2. Non-negotiable goals for achievement and

instruction3. Board alignment with and support of

district goals4. Use of resources to support the goals for

achievement and instruction5. Monitoring goals for achievement and

instruction6. Defined autonomy: Superintendent

relationship with schools

Collaborative Goal Setting

Researchers found that effective superintendents

include all relevant stakeholders, including central

office staff, building level administrators and board

members, in establishing goals for their districts

Non-Negotiable Goals

Effective superintendents ensure that the

collaborative goal setting process results in non-negotiable goals in the

areas of student achievement and classroom

instruction

Board Alignment and Support

The board of education must act in alignment with and supportive of the non-

negotiable goals for achievement and

instruction

Monitoring Goals

Effective superintendents continually monitor district

progress towards achievement of goals to ensure that these goals remain the driving force

behind the district’s actions

Use of Resources

Effective superintendents ensure that the necessary resources are allocated to accomplish district

goals. This does mean cutting back on and dropping

initiatives that are not aligned with district goals for

achievement and instruction

Whole System Reform-Michael Fullan (2009)

Develop the entire teaching professionEstablish a two-way street between instruction

and assessmentFocus on a small number of ambitious prioritiesDistributive coordinated leadership at all levels

of the systemEstablish a focused, comprehensive, relentless

intervention strategyUse resources to drive reform only in the

service of the previous five fundamentals

Whole System Reform-Michael Schmoker (2011)

Reform efforts have failed because we have not focused on essential elements

Determine priorities, expend all organizational energy on clarifying, reinforcing, and rewarding their implementation

Whole System Reform-Doug Reeves (2011)

Three essential clusters of leadership practices:

Focus-identify and monitor a few priority instructional initiatives

Monitoring-systematic monitoring of adult actions

Efficacy-the believe that our actions will influence the success of our students

Group Decision-Making

There are many ways a group can go about making decisions.

For most groups sufficient consensus is enough

What is and what are the guidelines for sufficient consensus?

Establishing Priority Areas

Consensus Building Strategy—The Focusing Six

Focusing Six is a process for building consensus and determining priorities

Please refer to the handout in your packet!!

Key Questions:In the areas of student achievement and instruction,

what should the district’s priority areas be?

Please be mindful of: These are areas, not goals. Goals will come next.

In the area of student achievement, visualize students walking across the stage at graduation. What will they need for their future success?

In the area of instruction, what do our educators need in order to prepare students for this success?

Focus on “big ideas,” rather than specific programs.

The Question:

In the areas of student achievement and instruction, what should the district’s priority areas be?

The Group Data: District Priorities

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE DATA?

WHAT INTERESTS YOU?

WHAT DO THE DATA SAY ABOUT THIS GROUP’S THINKING REGARDING PRIORITIES IN THE AREAS OF STUDENT

ACHIEVEMENT AND INSTRUCTION?

The Group Data: District Priorities

What do you see in the data?

The Group Data: District Priorities

What interests you?

The Group Data: District Priorities

What do the data say about this group’s thinking regarding priorities in the areas of

student achievement and instruction?

Today’s Learning Target (The Task)

Today’s Learning Target/The Task:

The work of the task force today is to establish district priorities in the areas of student achievement and instruction.

Today’s Criteria for Success: The district’s priorities are established. The task force members reach consensus.

In Closing…

Next Steps:Post the results of today for more input from

additional stakeholdersShare that information back with this groupPlanning Task Force will take priority

statements and develop SMART GoalsThese Goals will be shared back with this

group as well as posted for stakeholder feedback

RCAS School Board will approve Goals

Weeding The Garden

Focus is easy to talk about but difficult to implement!!

“One person’s dandelion is another person’s rose. It is time to start picking some roses and it is dangerous for our system if we

fail”