Administrators Kick Off 2014 The Science of Implementation

Practice: SIG Transformation/Reform Model ImplementationName: Tom Hiltz/Monica CesarelloSchool: T.S. MacQuiddy Elementary

Stage & Scope of implementation

• Exploration/Installation – (pre 2010)– Best structure for teacher collaboration (Data Teams)– Persistently Low Achieving School (PLAS) identified– Received School Improvement Grant (SIG)

• Initial Implementation – (2010 – 2013)– First 3 years with SIG Grant

• Full Implementation - ongoing– Preparing for the Common Core– Visible Learning

History & Context Why was this THE idea to push to full implementation?

• District initiated Data Team process previous year (2009-10)

• PLAS identified school provided opportunity for SIG and extra $$ for 3 years

• Key components of SIG– Build shared leadership capacity– Continue Data Team implementation– Response to Instruction

implementation– Technology upgrades

Shared Leadership

• Grade Level stipends to help establish importance and develop leadership qualities

• Monthly leadership meetings with focus on instruction and school culture

Data Teams

• Support from outside consultant – Paul Bloomberg (beginning year 2)

• Extra pay for weekly collaboration for all teachers to help establish importance of the process

• Grade level half day collaborations every 6-8 weeks to plan and review instruction with admin using DT process

• Effective structure for teacher collaboration• Strategic use of ongoing formative assessments as one of

the most critical components of the process• Ongoing data collection and use of comprehensive

spreadsheets• Show Data samples

RTI - It Takes a Village

• Support from outside consultant – Cara Bergen• Assessing and leveling of students during part of ELA

block• Additional support staff added/identified to provide

extra support to students assessing at the lower levels• Weekly grade level ELA curriculum planning where all

teachers planned and provided input for each level of the grade level (Intervention, Strategic, Benchmark, Enrichment)

• Established an expectation that all grade level teachers were responsible for all grade level students

The Skill and Will of it All

• The Skill – First 3 years• Data Teams• RTI• Targeted and

differentiated instruction

• Transition to the common core using more authentic assessments

• The Will – Focus for year 4

• Anthony Muhammad – The Will to Lead the Skill to Teach

• Leadership Team book study

• Revisited Principal commitments to staff

• Developed a school wide vision

Next Steps: The Science of Learning 2014-15

• Support from outside consultant - Paul Bloomberg• John Hattie – Visible Learning book study with staff• Response to Students vs. Response to Instruction (RTS vs. RTI)• Continue refinement of most effective learning strategies for

students• Teachers share learning intentions, continuums and scoring

rubrics with students• New forms of data collection – student interviews throughout

the year• Transition from transformational leadership to instructional

leadership

Transformational– inspirational motivation– individualized support– sets direction– vision, group goals, high

expectations– instructional support– monitoring school activity– buffering staff from

external demands– fair and equitable staffing– easily accessible

Instructional– classroom observations– interpreting test scores with

teachers– focusing on instructional

issues– ensuring a coordinated

instructional program– highly visible– communicating high

academic standards– ensuring class atmospheres

are conducive to learning

3 key obstacles and how they were overcome

1. Recruiting union support for all identified SIG implementation practices

2. Changing teachers’ perceptions of their students’ learning capabilities and their own teaching abilities

3. Identifying and getting the right people on the leadership bus

Which DRIVERS do you have in place?• Organization Drivers

– Systematic data team process that uses pre, interim and post assessments (concentration on constructed response) with re-teaching opportunities offered throughout each unit/cycle

– Improved implementation of SST process

• Competency Drivers– Support from outside consultants– Continued developing district support/collaboration to provide more

trainings for new CCSS implementation

Non-negotiables• The new CCSS are the curriculum, not the

textbooks• The need to follow the district developed pacing

guide/calendars for ELA and math• Weekly grade level collaboration time to analyze

student data and plan common curriculum lessons for each unit of study

Impact on students and staff

• API data• Kinder BPST• K-2 Rigby data• Data Cycle data• New CCSS pacing guides and

units of study• Teacher reflections

How will you sustain or grow the practice?

• Continue to develop strong supportive relationships with district office to ensure the work continues

• Continue to identify and obtain expert support from outside the district to help identify best practices and build capacity and expertise at site and district levels

• Be strategic and careful about hiring new staff/positions that may disappear when time sensitive/specific categorical funding ends

Reflections/Recommendations

• With the coming of the new CCSS, all schools have a sense of urgency to reform. This should be looked at as an opportunity for school leaders to implement change for the better

• Full implementation doesn’t exist, continuous improvement does

• Always be on the lookout for potential future school leaders that may be present and working at your site