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Lexington Universal Academy as an Example
Khaled Ghoniem, Board President
Rania El-Sioufi, School Principal
The 7 Characteristics Strategic Direction
X 1. Diverse, but United Team 2. Strategically Planned Direction 3. Strong Communication Channels 4. Macro-management 5. Data-driven Continuous Improvement 6. Collaboration with Stakeholders 7. Need & Financial Prioritization of Resources and Projects
1. Diverse, but United Team LUA is independently governed by its Bylaws and its School Board LUA School Board
9 Board Members (Voting members) 4 Members elected by Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) 4 Members elected by Islamic Society of Central Kentucky General Body
(ISCK) 1 Member appointed by ISCK Shura Council (Liaison)
Principal/Administrator (Non voting member)
Islamic Society of Central KY
LUA Islamic Center
Masjid Bilal South Side
1. Diverse, but United Team Islamic School boards are generally determined
by elections – crucial to establish a thorough election procedure
Diverse elements of the community have accessibility to membership
Different elements from the community are represented: races, generations and genders
The Principal is a non-voting member(s) of the Board
Strong shared Islamic beliefs and values
1. Diverse, but United Team How to Unite
Alignment to the cause, vision, and mission Decision making - consensus (shura), not majority vote
agreeing to the problem discussion arriving at consensus ownership
Bylaws must be explicit articles on membership, elections, budget, & decision making
set boundaries and expectations
Use individual expertise/interests while requiring communication
Limited power
Last Updated 8/5/2015
Organization Chart
School Board Khaled Ghoneim President, Islam Masoud V. President
Ismael Shalash Secretary, Munir Shalash Treasurer
Eman Mustafa, Javaid Siddiqi, Issa Shalash, Sami Shalash, Syed Zaeem Ali ISCK
Academic Director Jim Reilly
Islamic Studies Director/ Administrator
Haitham Issa
Office Manager Hope Omran
PreK Courtney Marshall (PreK3), Kelli Evans (PreK4)
Primary School Kim Hood (KG), Nowal Allouch (1st), Saphia Isa (2nd), Nadia Shalash (3rd), Jessica Jenkins (4th)
Middle School Sunshine Al Jumaily (Social Std), Basimah Shalash (Math), Erin McDaniel (Lang Arts), Alison Zemba (Science)
Islamic Studies/Arabic/Quran
Iman Hadi, Jamila Naji, Fathia Shalash, Rasmieh Suleiman
Principal Rania El-Sioufi
2. Strategically Planned Direction
Strategic planning is the school’s process of defining its strategy & direction
Set priorities
Focus energy & resources
Strengthen operations
Ensure that all stakeholders are working toward common goals
Evaluate, assess & adjust the organization as needed
2. Strategically Planned Direction
Purpose:
Committee recommends a course of action with the goal of achieve the school’s vision
Bi-annual retreat – Goal is to create strategic report
Seek variety of stakeholders – board, school leadership, parents, teachers, alumni & community members
Consider limiting to first-come-first-serve
Issue special invitations
Strategic report guides the implementation of goals by suggesting actions to achieve those goals
2. Strategically Planned Direction Strategic Planning Process:
Before retreat - environmental data collection (via short survey, interviews and objective data) – parents and community at large
Identify external & internal components that impact the school by conducting SWOT analysis
External component – opportunities & threats (target community or service area, resources; competitors
Internal component – strengths & weaknesses (evaluate performance in terms of inputs – financial and human; processes -operating methods; output – results or outcomes)
Review and valuate the school’s vision and mission statements
Strategic Planning Process cont.:
Review the school’s vision and mission statements
Develop a shared vision for the future
Develop a series of goals considering the desired status of school in specific number of future years
Goals are developed which are the breakdown of LUA’s vision in a series of statements covering: Programs
Resources (staff, finance, technology, facility)
Status – academic standing
Relationship with community
2. Strategically Planned Direction
Post Retreat:
Strategic Plan gets drafted – ultimately approved by the board
Board focuses on “governance related goals”
Staff focuses on “program related goals” – more details in the SIP
Share Plan with school’s stakeholders & solicit their participation
Build monitoring procedures to assess & evaluate the progress of implementation
2. Strategically Planned Direction
LUA Parents
LUA Parents
Board
Staff Administration
Teachers
PTO
Community At Large
Students
3. Strong Communication Channels
3. Strong Communication Channels
Board-Administration:
On the administrative level, the education-responsible members of the Board can:
Review progress on Academic Improvement Plan (AIP) and Islamic Studies, Arabic and Quran (ISAQ) Framework
Allows for more detailed involvement and quicker decision making
Similar meetings can be held with other Board branches such as maintenance, technology, etc
3. Strong Communication Channels Board-Faculty:
Goals: keeping a finger on the pulse & maintaining relationships
Maintaining the established hierarchy
Standard Procedures:
Meetings
Minimum of three annual meetings
Teambuilding events
Wellness Vitality Program
3. Strong Communication Channels Board-Faculty:
Standard Procedures (continued):
Tokens of appreciation
random acts of appreciation should not be delegated to PTO
sending flowers/plants
emails
gifting employees during life events such as marriage and childbirth
E-Connect is an online platform
access to handbooks and policies
upload and access pictures and documents
log technical problems
3. Strong Communication Channels
Board-Faculty continued: Escalation
A clear procedure in place
“Open door” policy within a formal procedure
at least two members
document & communicate to the rest of board
A procedure for response listening with no decisions
reaching out to administrators
investigating if necessary
following back to concerned parties
reaching a conclusion
3. Strong Communication Channels
Engaging the entire local community
Facebook, Linked-In, and Twitter
Assign a responsible party & set usage regulations
Weekly newsletters for announcements – short term information
Annual progress reports- long-term information
Annual Dinner
Community Events (EID Carnival, EID Prayers, etc…)
4. Macro-management Why not micromanagement?
Workers become timid, limiting their development & growth
Slows down the productivity of the school
Indicates a lack of trust
Common excuses for micromanagement…
Not qualified staff – Train/PDs
Parent complaints – Communication Protocol (motivate)
Micromanager Macro-manager
Task/self oriented Goal oriented
Create closed & detailed plans consisting of rote tasks
Create open framework for team members to fill in
Practice control Encourage culture of creativity
Resist (or outright ban) input Encourage input
Demand doing Encourage thinking
Use language that threatens and intimidates
Use language that encourages and motivates
Self Check
4. Macro-management How to Macro-manage Successfully
Operates in broad terms & limit its involvement in the details of day to day operations
Align team to school vision
Goal-based strategic planning – SIPs
(AIP) & (ISAQ) Framework
Accountability driven
5. Data-driven Continuous Improvement The process of continuous improvement process:
Step 1: Gathering data Why different stakeholders?
For accurate targets to be established
Internal vs. External
Hard data vs. Soft data
Step 2: Analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses What is disaggregation
How & why to create a data wall
Step 3: Alignment to Strategic Plan & Action Plans Developed
Step 4: Monitoring & Assessment
1 Target 1: Reading - Improve fluency as well as its sub components. Goal: Net 20% gain in Reading domain. 2015-2016 SIP p. 1
2 Strategy Strategy Description Date Due Date Compl. Evidence - Strategy number must be noted
3 1 Utilization of resource teachers - an attempt will be made to assign
4 teachers to resource their own students in their own subjects during 1st wk Nov Teacher LP to identify & highlight SIP strategy #
5 social studies lessons. then on-going
11 2 Remediation/resource teachers will attend conference that has asap Conference certificates to be added to PLC Binder
12 specific sessions that focus on fluency & intervention strategies.
13 Expenses to be covered by Title-I for 5 academic teachers. after Title -II
14 Conferences to consider already submitted to Title-I approval
15 Coordinator for initial Title-I consideration/approval date of
16 conference
26 3 EL & MS committees will come up with 2 lists of academic TBD by One copy of intervention packets to be put in PLC binder.
27 subject work - one that is remedial, and one that is advanced. strategy
28 These intervention packets will allow opportunities for #
29 student work that is more suited for the intended purpose,
30 which is reaching the extreme ends of each grade level's
31 demonstrated performance range. The long range
32 concept is that these lists of tasks will develop into
33 "assignment mini-packets" that can be used for remedial
34 and advanced concept independent work for students.
35 4 Vocabulary - create "vocab book marks" to jot down on-going Product in PLC binder
36 unknown words to be defined later. See web site: Grab
37 some words.
38 Teachers can set a goal of when to complete book marks,
39 after which students can turn them in for a new one.
40 Teachers can decide if/or any point value for this.
Intervention Teachers to
2015-2016 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Core teachers grades
3 & up
Title Coordinator: determine
Principal: approval
Responsible
Attend PD: Alison, Basimah,
Erin, Jessica, Sunshine
cost & arrange for teachers.
ELA, MA, SS
Teachers
3rd and Up Teachers
Strategy Strategy Description Responsible Ideas/Documentation
1 Identify an annual theme of the year. IS Director Assembly powerpoint, display case, newsletter
2 Choose a value for each month of the year. ISAQ List of Values/Month, assembly powerpoint, newsletter
3 Teach monthly value through daily assembly powerpoint, videos, books, songs, and talks IS Director & Iman Assembly powerpoint
4 Weekly Class Presentations during assembly Teachers & Students Pictures
5 Islamic basis to be explained for values taught where possible Rasmiah Creation of Go-to Islamic Values binder
6 Name classrooms with Islamic values ISAQ Sample or picture
7Review memorization & understanding chapters of juz' Amma in assembly and term1 Qur'an
classISAQ Assembly powerpoint & Quran curriculum, memorization trees & charts, newsletter
8 Wudu & salah annual review IS Director Elementary Student Made Posters, monthly salah & wudu practice, tashahood month
9 8th grade leadership of annual Hajj Simulation8th Teacher & IS
DirectorPictures
10 Islamic General Knowledge quiz before salat Dhur led by Middle School IS Director General Knowledge Questions
11 Have a school Hifz program Assigned Teacher Registration Form
12 Have ISAQ Competitions ISAQ Athan, General Knowledge,
13 Opening & closing duaa to be posted and used to start & end all classes & meetings Teachers Sample posters
14 Assign integrated LA/IS writing tasks (see Strategy #17 SIP 2015-16) English & IS Teachers Assignment, rubric, samples
15 Fieldtrip integration Teachers Fieldtrip forms
16 Islamic names to be used in assignments where possible Teachers Samples, List of Islamic names to be provided new teachers
17 Posters of common dua'a (student made) ISAQ Sneezing, thanking someone,
18 Each 8th grade student should be able to fluently read the Qur'an Q&A Teachers Graduation Ceremony
19 Have as many teachers attend ISNA as possible & have presentors form the school All Staff Presentation documents, Registration forms, Teacher sharing documents
20 Short khatera (talk) after Dhuhr prayer IS Director Tafseer, Facebook posts, Twitter?
21 Live the Sunnah Way Fathia Bulletin Boards, incentives
22 Ansar Program for middle school: 4 squads: leadership, service, spirit and A-Team (anti-bullying) IS Director & Advisors Powerpoint, application, Ansar, Class reader, presentations (book talks, bullying)
23 Inviting community to ISAQ events & conducting ISAQ events at other Islamic organizations IS Director Hajj Simulation
24 Hosting community Islamic events IS Director Youth programs, speakers
25Practical experiences/assignments will be assigned to coincide with the Islamic Studies
curriculumISAQ
Field trips (orphanages, cemetaries, parks, soup kitchen) Outside the classroom learning,
food/gift/clothing drives,
26Students will be provided with opportunities to lead/share their practical assignments with their
families and communities.ISAQ Memorize surah as family
27Provide the opportunity for each 8th grade boy to give the khutbah and each girl to give a
khatera
IS Director & 8th IS
TeacherWritten preparation kept as samples
Introduced 2014
Introduced to updated 2015
2015-2016 ISAQ SCHOOL FRAMEWORK
Target 6: Increase practical application Islamic behaviors/knowledge.
Target 3: Integrate Islamic Studies & Arabic across the curriculum
Target 2: Review Basic Islamic 3quidah & Core Knowledge
Target 1: Foster schoolwide understanding and practical application of LUA mission & values
Target 4: Increase love of Allah & His Prophet
Target 5: Engage students in creating a positive school community
6. Collaborate with Stakeholders Student-Board Collaboration - indirect means
Assigning responsibility of strategies Annual target assigned to student council or prefects (called the Ansars at LUA) is included
Parent Engagement Volunteer Program (Volunteer Coordinator)
Standard weekly & one-time opportunities
Announced through volunteer websites & weekly email Volunteer hours required & tracked by parent sign-in at a dedicated terminal Volunteers recognized
Collaborative Opportunities
PTO Fundraising Event organization & support
Staff Collaboration Members of the strategic planning process Members of the school’s social environment
The Muslim Community Alumni programs MSA collaboration Participate in school events such as Eid carnival, Stem Night, Heritage Fair, & Hajj Simulation Hosting Islamic lectures & events
Larger Community Community Service (SHARE, Eid gift donation, Nursing Home, Barkah Bags, Water for Flint, etc.) Relationships with Police force, fire department, education organization s, environmental orgs, etc.
PTO Curriculum Evaluations
Career Fairs
Teacher Lunches
Focus Groups
Office Volunteer
Classroom Volunteer
Board
Open House
Parent Conferences
Collaborative Opportunities Matrix In
volv
emen
t
Interest
7. Need & Financial Prioritization of Resources & Projects
Identify the school’s available resources and skill sets Stakeholders bring various expertise and knowledge Fiscal year budgets and utilizing volunteers experts Set priorities to ensure that resources are not too spread out LUA’s projects & initiatives are executed based on the following categories: Money Human capital / resources Time
Considering the above categories, allocation of resources for projects are done utilizing the following budget types: Line-Item budget Program & Planning budget Zero based budget The allocation of resources is more than assigning dollar amounts to certain programs. It is the examination and confirmation of how those dollars are translated into actions
that address the overall school goals as well as the improvement of the learning process.
LUA Contact Information 4580 Nicholasville Rd, Lexington, KY 40515 Phone: (859) 272-3360 Email: [email protected] http://www.facebook.com/luaschool