I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

President’s Greeting 1

Professionally

Speaking 2

Exec-Board News 3

Membership 4

Events and

Opportunities 5

Member Article 6

Protocol in Practice 7

Welcome to Learning Forward Washington’s (LF-WA)

second fall season! As you read through this newsletter

I’m sure you’ll find as I did that there is so much to be

excited about as our small organization grows. The

articles in this newsletter demonstrate the richness of LF

-WAs learning community.

You’ll see that the focus of the work of LF-WA this year

will be on supporting the implementation of the

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and emerging

teacher and principal evaluation systems through the

implementation of Learning Forward’s new Standards

for Professional Learning (2011, Learning Forward).

The LF Standards are the “container” that will lead to

successful implementation of any new initiative. We

hope to influence State work through the LF Standards

in the following five ways:

Newsletter articles, including a focus on data through

Edie Holcomb’s column “Speaking

Professionally” (you’ll really enjoy her article this

month!),

Joining with other State organizations to support State

efforts to implement the CCSS through

participation in symposiums led by OSPI and

WASCD,

LF-WA’s new PD-Bytes! that give our members an

opportunity to come to know and understand the

Standards for Professional Learning so you’ll feel

supported in the work you are doing in your

systems and organizations,

Sharing protocols and processes districts from around

the state are using to implement these huge system

changes (this month’s protocol was used at the fall

OSPI symposium on the implementation of CCSS),

and

Working at a State and National policy level through an

exciting project grant, Transforming Professional

Learning to Prepare College- and Career-Ready

Students: Implementing the Common Core, a

collaborative initiative between Learning Forward

and Council of Chief State School Officers.

Washington has been chosen as a Critical Friend

state in this five state initiative!

Learning Forward Washington’s mission is to

“increase student learning through actions that

connect and influence decision-makers to support

powerful professional growth experiences for

educators, and support members through networking

to narrow and eliminate achievement gaps”. We

believe that the work outlined above is aligned with

our mission. Meanwhile, we hope you will begin to

familiarize yourself with these seven standards. You

will recognize the importance of each.

Learning Communities that are committed to

continuous improvement, collective

responsibility, and goal alignment;

Leadership specifically supporting the development

of skillful leaders who develop capacity,

advocate, and create support systems for

professional learning;

Resources that are prioritized, monitored and

coordinated for educator learning;

Data from a variety of sources and types including

student, educator, and system data to plan,

assess, and evaluate professional learning;

Learning Designs that integrate theories, research,

and models of human learning to achieve

intended outcomes;

Implementation that applies research on change and

sustains support for implementation of

professional learning, and

Outcomes that align with educator performance and

student curriculum standards.

We look forward to hearing your stories about how

you will integrate these important ideas into your

work!

Jane Chadsey

Learning Forward Washington president

P R E S I D E N T ’ S G R E E T I N G

Welcome to

Learning Forward

Washington

Let’s continue to

come together in

community to

determine what is

essential.

VOICES Fall 2011

Learning Forward Washington is a state affiliate of Learning Forward .

Learning Forward 2011 Annual Conference

At Learning Forward's 2011 Annual Conference, educators from around the world will explore today's critical

topics in leadership, professional learning, and school improvement. Experience cutting-edge keynotes,

participate in interactive sessions, and form lasting professional relationships at the leading conference

designed to illuminate professional learning that advances educator and student performance. JOIN US IN

ANAHEIM, CA DECEMBER 3-7. Details can be found at www.learningforward.org/annual11/

President Chadsey’s column is focused on the new

Learning Forward Standards for Professional

Learning. One of these standards is use of Data from

a variety of sources and types including student,

educator, and system data to plan, assess, and

evaluate professional learning. I recently completed

a new book Data Dynamics: Aligning Teacher Team,

School and District Efforts1, and Jane invited me to

sample bits of it with you in this year’s newsletters.

In this issue, I’ll suggest some of the sources and

types of data that are useful for identifying

professional learning (PL) needs. The winter column

will provide tips for moving from those identified

needs to differentiated professional learning offerings

and options. Next spring, I’ll share a simple four-

step template that has enabled schools to maximize

the probability that the research-based strategies

they choose and learn together will be implemented

and will lead to the anticipated student gains.

Of course, it all begins and ends with student learning

data. It’s now common practice to have an annual

data retreat, look for peaks and valleys in the state

test scores, and identify skills and concepts that

remain a challenge for many students. However, it

would be a mistake to drive use of scarce professional

learning resources directly from those findings

without: (a) looking at your formative assessment

data to confirm or question them, (b) conducting a

root cause analysis exercise such as a fishbone

diagram to explore why those student needs might be

ongoing challenges, and (c) remembering that many

teachers’ roles and needs would not be represented,

especially at the secondary level. As an example of

root cause analysis, one district noted many factors

that could be related to middle school students’

struggle with the more demanding mathematics

standards, one of which was teacher content

knowledge and confidence teaching those skills.

They turned then to educator data, checking the

original certifications and teaching backgrounds of

their math teachers. Upon discovering that these

teachers all had elementary experience, were licensed

K-8, and did not have any master’s level math

courses, the professional learning need was clear.

In addition to formative, summative and high stakes

assessment information, another important source of

student data for PL planning is derived from their

own voices and perceptions. Issues related to school

and classroom climate, learning styles and classroom

management can be surfaced through simple surveys

and focus groups that address two basic questions:

What is one thing that would make this school a

better place? What is one thing that teachers (or I as

your teacher) could do more to help you learn?

Professional learning needs related to the learning

environment and the importance of relationships

merit attention, as well as the academic needs.

In the same way, educator data should combine objective

information such as degrees and experience with

perceptual data. This is not the bygone (I hope) menu of

topics from which educators choose ―one from column A

and one from column B‖ but a more structured reflection.

For example, after the first full year of implementation of

a new program or practice, questions drawn from the

CBAM Stages of Concern can identify whether next steps

of professional learning should continue to focus on basic

orientation and preparation, management of time and

materials, or accommodations to student needs.

Gathering this data in one school district revealed

common needs across the district by grade level, but these

differed from one grade level to the next – leading

logically to the consideration of differentiated PL.

A bigger challenge may be availability of system data.

Districts can typically describe dates and venues such as

in-service days, workshops, and stipends or salary

increases for graduate work. When asked for data about

participation, they may have total numbers who attended

and for a given training initiative, they may produce

attendance lists. It is unusual to have such information

compiled teacher by teacher as a record of continuous

learning. Yet these data are critical for diagnosing the

needs of teachers and planning for their support. A

statement like ―All staff were trained in…‖ must be

followed by questions like: When was that? Are all those

staff still here? Who has joined us since that training; did

they gain the knowledge somewhere else, or is it a missing

piece? Has their teaching assignment changed? What

follow-up and feedback have been provided?

In large districts, the schools’ improvement plans also

provide system data, helping central office leaders

conserve resources by coordinating common efforts at

scale, and avoid over-planning district-wide initiatives

that compete for the same time, energy and funds.

This edition’s question for reader reflection is: What

sources of (a) student data, (b) educator data, and (c)

system data does your school and/or district use to

identify professional learning needs? Feel free to respond

by visiting the Learning Forward Washington Blogspot.

http://learningforwardwashington.blogspot.com/

Dr.Edie Holcomb

Learning Forward WA featured columnist

1Data Dynamics: Aligning Teacher Team, School and

District Efforts is available at www.solution-tree.com. Go

right to the Search box and enter Holcomb or Data

Dynamics.

P R O F E S S I O N A L L Y S P E A K I N G

Page 2 VOICES

Dr. Edie Holcomb

Connections and

Relationships

leads to powerful

professional

learning

Are you a member of

Learning Forward

Washington? Join

today!

https://

sites.google.com/site/

sdcwa1

Page 3 F A L L 2 0 1 1

Learning Forward

Washington is proud

to further the work

of Learning

Forward’s new

professional learning

standards.

vacated before the

expiration of term and succeed to the office of the

President at the expiration of the presidential term.

One brave soul , Ellen Hopkins, has agreed to step

forward and there will be an official election in

November. Read more about Ellen in her article. Voting

will be open November 16, 2011 and close November

30, 2011. To vote, go to

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/Poll/

Embed/WEB22DTYBXH8DT#.TsNTL9eiXSk

We regret to inform the LF-WA membership that our

President-Elect, Terrie Vanderwegen, resigned effective

September 29, 2011.

Role and responsibility of the President-Elect as

described in the LF-WA Constitution include the

following:

*Attend all Executive Board meetings;

*Actively participate in relevant LFWA activities and

events;

*Preside in the absence of the President; and

*Assume the office of the President if the office is

P R E S I D E N T - E L E C T R E S I G N A T I O N

Ellen Hopkins is the brave

soul who has offered to

serve as president elect of

Learning Forward WA.

She has been an educator

on the east side of the state

of Washington for 24

years. During this time, Ms. Hopkins spent numerous

years as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, Teacher

on Special Assignment, Literacy Facilitator and Summer

Programs Principal. Her current position is Coordinator

of Assessment and Professional Development in the East

Valley School District (Spokane).

Hopkins received her BA in Education with a Reading

focus through Eastern Washington University; her MA in

Reading through the University of Idaho and completed

the Educational Leadership and Administration program

through Gonzaga University. Her 24 years in education

have included participation on several OSPI committees

to include MSP item writing, scoring, curriculum

reviews and the Literacy Leadership Cadre.

Ms. Hopkins is strong in the belief that teachers are

crucial to the development of proficient readers, writers,

thinkers, students. All children have the right to quality

instruction, and it is the teacher that makes the

difference. Current professional development practices

must focus upon learning as the core of the work.

Hopkins resides in Eastern Washington with her husband

and 2 sons.

M E E T E L L E N H O P K I N S

M E M B E R S H I P N E W S

Are you a Charter Member or a New Member?

What is the difference?

Why does it matter to you?

Charter Members start with a two year membership with a

renewal membership after 2012.

You are a Charter Member if you joined before 5/1/2011. Your

membership is not due for renewal until August 2012.

If you joined after June 1 2011, you are a New Member and will

renew your membership in August 2012.

G E N E R A L M E M B E R S H I P M E E T I N G S U M M A R Y

Page 4 VOICES

by

Marlyn Hutton

Learning Forward – Washington (LF-WA) held

it’s first General Membership meeting at 3:00

p.m. on August 25, 2011 via Learn Central Webi-

nar (Blackboard Collaborate). Participants were

welcomed and introduced to the interactive tools

(polling feature) that were used during the meet-

ing. The mission and commitments of the organi-

zation were reviewed as described in the Constitu-

tion and the accomplishments of the organization

were shared. LF-WA launched in July 2010 and

is proudly currently supported by 92 members, a

five-member Executive Board, and three working

committees (Technology, Membership, Nominat-

ing). In this first year, LF-WA established an

Advisory Board whose role is to provide guidance

to the Executive Board. This Advisory Board

held its first virtual meeting in June 2010. LF-

WA also hosted a short series of “World Café”

events focused on building and sustaining systems

of professional development that provide powerful

professional growth opportunities for educators at

all levels.

Participants in the first World Café held in Renton

on November 29, 2010 were asked to reflect on

the following essential question: Learning For-

ward’s definition of powerful professional devel-

opment is a comprehensive, sustained, and inten-

sive approach to improving teachers’ and princi-

pals’ effectiveness in raising student achievement.

Given diminishing resources, how can we close

the gap between our reality and the ideals of the

Learning Forward definition of professional de-

velopment? This event gave participants the op-

portunity to talk about how districts, schools, etc.

might use technology to support.

Participants in the World Café held in Seattle on

May 3, 2011 were asked the essential question,

“how do we support collaboration given the lim-

ited resources we have?” The event started with a

presentation on “how we do observations without

judgment?” Participants watched a video from

Success at the Core and then applied/practiced

their skills. The event also raised awareness about

professional development standards among par-

ticipants and provided an opportunity for network-

ing. This even reinforced the importance of col-

laboration within the membership and fostering

this value.

Participants in the World Café held in Renton on

May 24, 2011 heard a presentation by a panel

working on the Anacortes Teacher and Principal

Evaluation Project as one of the very active pilot

projects in the state. The panel shared their collabo-

ration process around teacher evaluation in a part-

nership between the Anacortes School district, the

teacher association and the University of Washing-

ton’s Center for Educational Leadership (CEL).

During the remainder of the general membership

meeting, participants replied to a technology poll,

provided ideas for the website, reviewed the mem-

bership guidelines and financial report, and ap-

proved changes to the Constitution to reflect the

name change of the National Staff Development

Council to Learning Forward, terms of office from

one to two years, and Advisory Board meetings to

include virtual meetings vs. requiring face-to-face

meetings.

Looking ahead to 2011-12, the organization will

focus on the implementation of the new Learning

Forward Standards for Professional Learning and

supporting efforts to increase awareness among

educators across the state. These Professional

Learning Standards can provide a framework and

support school systems, educators and school lead-

ers in implementing the Common Core Standards

and new Teacher and Principal Evaluation Stan-

dards. LF-WA hopes to continue partnering with

state organizations such as OSPI, WA-ASCD and

others as well as explore other ways to support its

current members through webinars, electronic

newsletters, blogs. In addition, LF-WA hopes to

provide additional opportunities for networking and

connecting educators across the state. LF-WA

maintains

The general membership meeting concluded at 4:08

p.m. The presentation, handouts, and recording of

this meeting are available at: http://

learningforwardwa.wikispaces.com/

MembershipMeeting2011.

Page 5 F A L L 2 0 1 1

Please join us in Spokane( January 12). OSPI is hosting a Common Core symposiums in partnership with

Learning Froward Washington and WASCD.

As you know, the state has formally adopted the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics and English

Language Arts as Washington’s revised K-12 learning standards in those subjects. This symposium has been

designed to serve as an introductory learning event for teams of educators from districts ready to start

thinking about CCSS transition and implementation issues.

This symposium is intended for school district teams of five to include building and district administrators,

math and ELA instructors, and curriculum coaches.

$150.00 per team of five (5)… Seating is limited.

To register and learn more about the symposium, view the attached flier or go directly to the registration link.

http://www.wasbo.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=281

5:00-8:00 p.m.

Bowdish Middle School

2109 South Skipworth Road

Spokane Valley, WA 99206

C O M M O N C O R E S T A N D A R D S S Y M P O S I U M

Every few weeks, Learning Forward is offering a new video to help educators understand the importance of

the Standards. Learn from these practitioners and share the videos with your colleagues.

Watch Margarita Calderón as she speaks about the Outcomes standard.

http://www.learningforward.org/standards/outcomes/index.cfm

Watch Dan Bickel as he speaks about the Resources standard. http://www.learningforward.org/standards/

resources/index.cfm

Watch Mike Ford as he speaks about the Leadership standard.

http://www.learningforward.org/standards/leadership/index.cfm

P R O F E S S I O N A L L E A R N I N G

S T A N D A R D S V I D E O S

Professional Development in Tough Economic Times How can we continue to

provide effective

professional development

that improves teaching

and learning when fiscal

resources for professional

development are reduced?

Get ideas from Learning

Forward at

www.learningforward.

org/advancing/

pdtoughtimes.cfm

A U B U R N T E A C H E R L E A D E R S H I P A C A D E M Y

Page 6 VOICES

P D B Y T E S

Interested in learning more about the professional

development standards but hate to travel to a

workshop?

Enjoy a unique opportunity to connect with other

Learning Forward WA members using webinar tools

to interact and learn from the convenience of your

own location… yes, you can grab your favorite

beverage, put on your comfy clothes and join in

from the convenience of your own home, school, or

any place you have Internet access.

If you joined our online membership meeting, you

had a taste of this ―byte of learning‖. Join us in

January as we launch PD Bytes… a 45 minute

experience that allows you to learn, collaborate, and

share.

Dates and times will be published after January 1.

According to Mike Clancy, dean of students at

Auburn Mountainview High School and ATLA

participant, "“All teachers have the capacity to lead.

The training provides us with the time and tools to

learn what our leadership strengths are and then how

to share those strengths with our colleagues. Since we

as teachers and individuals all have different

strengths, we can all be leaders and share our

strengths with one another in order to build leadership

capacity in our schools.”

Lyn Hess, Lakeland Hills reading and language arts

specialist and ATLA 1 participant concurs, “ATLA

encourages all teachers to share their expertise with

their colleagues. As we share these leadership skills

with our colleagues everyone will benefit.”

ATLA training will increase the leadership capacity of

Auburn School District teachers and provide teachers

the skills to work collaboratively together for student

learning. The focus on teacher leadership will

ultimately increase student achievement.

For more information about ATLA, visit the Auburn

School District website: www.auburn.wednet.edu or

the CSTP website: http://www.cstp-wa.org/leadership

-framework-action

Jeanne Harmon, Executive Director

Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession

www.cstp-wa.org

Teachers in the Auburn School District are developing

collaborative leadership skills to improve student

learning. Partnering with the Center for Strengthening

the Teaching Profession (CSTP), Auburn School

District welcomed its second cohort of teacher leaders

into the Auburn Teacher Leadership Academy

(ATLA). Fifty teachers from across the district

participated in a four-day institute in August, learning

strategies and skills to assist their colleagues in

improving student achievement. Research indicates

that the best professional practice occurs when we

change the culture within our schools from one of

isolation to one of collaboration. Through a focus on

learning in a results-oriented collaborative culture, a

collective commitment to continuous improvement

emerges.

This class of ATLA teachers will meet eight more full

days throughout the school year, working on key

leadership areas identified in CSTP's Teacher

Leadership Skills Framework, but prioritized

according to ATLA participants' needs:

working with adult learners

communication

collaboration

knowledge of content and pedagogy

systems thinking.

They join a community of 50 teacher leaders who

participated in 2010-2011. Ultimately, the district

intends to have 250 Auburn teachers complete the

yearlong academy.

Stay tuned!

New web site com-

ing early 2012

opportunities to

connect as

members

online

Calling All Schools: Apply to Join LSA

Is your school seeking

powerful strategies to

advance teacher and stu-

dent performance?

Do you believe collabora-

tive professional learning,

teamwork, and problem

solving are keys to school

improvement?

Do you have what it takes

to be a Learning Forward

Learning School?

If you answered "yes" to any of

these questions, then apply

today to become a member of

Learning Forward's Learning

School Alliance -- a network of

schools committed to improved

professional practice and stu-

dent achievement.

A P P L I C A T I O N

D E A D L I N E : F E B .

2 8 , 2 0 1 2

F O R M O R E I N F O :

W W W . L E A R N I N G F

O R W A R D . O R G / A L L

I A N C E / I N D E X . C F M

LEARNING FORWARD

WA EXECUTIVE

BOARD

Jane Chadsey—President

To Be Determined—

President Elect

Marlyn Hutton—

Secretary

Abbey Alessi—Treasurer

Shelee King George—

Communications Chair

Purpose

To ensure that a group of educators has the opportunity to interact meaningfully with peers whose expertise it

needs. At the same time the protocol’s additional purpose is to help the experts think about and frame their

expertise so that it best meets the needs of the people they are working to support. In this example, the experts

are two school districts who are sharing their implementation plans for the Common Core State Standards. You

can adapt this at the school level to grade level teams or departments are beginning the implementation of the

CCSS.

Details

The experts are asked to prepare by developing a written case study focused on either a problem of professional

practice (in this case the systems implementation of the Common Core State Standards). This should be no longer

than one page. The case should be written in a way that highlights the ambiguities and uncertainties the experts

are facing, and should end with questions to prompt readers to identify next steps. The following, for example, are

good closing questions:

In light of the information you have, what action would you take?

Was there any action that might have been taken earlier (especially related to the Learning Forward

Standards for Professional Learning) that you would choose to do?

What additional information do you need to act?

How would you proceed to get that information?

Steps

Introduction (5): The facilitator explains the steps to follow, and asks the experts to introduce themselves and give a brief

description of their area of expertise.

Case reading (5): Small groups each receive a prewritten case, with each case going to at least two groups. The facilitator

allows reading time, and encourages note taking.

Case interpretations (15): Groups work together to interpret the case and try to solve the problem it highlights. Where do

you see evidence of the LF Standards? How are you thinking about your own implementation as you read this case –

especially in relation to the LF Standards? Each group prepares a 2-3 minute presentation that includes an answer to the

question, “What is this a case about?…” an answer that will help the participants who did not read the case to understand

the rest of the presentation. Each group will then present its interpretation of the case and either the group’s consensus (or

confusion) concerning action steps that were taken. You may want to think about a short list of alternative steps that

your team is considering after reading the case study that you will take back to your team planning time.

Expert consultation (same time as above): During the work time, groups may call over the experts to answer specific

questions. Experts will avoid giving elaborate responses to these questions, and to avoid providing overall “solutions” to

the case problems. When they are not engaged in answering “call overs”, the experts wander the room and listen in.

Presentations (10): Following the small group work time, the facilitator announces the first case, calling on all the groups

who worked on it to make their presentations. One group will lead and the other groups reading the same case study will

“add to” what they’ve heard (5 minutes for each case). Presentations continue until both cases have been presented.

Expert panel reactions (20): The experts assemble into a panel to react to what they have heard. The facilitator suggests

that they focus especially on the strengths and wonders of their case as well as pointing out what they think the groups may

have overlooked and/or their own reflections of their implementation plans after hearing from the groups or listening into

the group’s discussions. Each expert will get 10 minutes of reaction time.

Questions and comments (5)

T H E P A N E L P R O T O C O L : C O N T R U C T I N G M E A N I N G W I T H P E E R S

Page 7 V O I C E S

(2007) The Power of

Protocols: An

Educator’s Guide to

Better Practice.

McDonald, J. Mohr,

N. Dichter, A.

McDonald, E.

Teachers College Press.

New York