Friday, March 6, 2015

The Kentucky Department of Education Writes... The Fundamental 5 Changes Schools

Three years ago, the LYS Team began working with the dedicated staff of Fairdale High School. The purpose, to help teachers and instructional leaders work just a little bit different in order to increase student opportunity.  Since then the student performance trajectory for this large, diverse, Title I school has been, quite simply... unprecedented. But don’t take the word of the proud principal, enthusiastic staff, or me.  Instead, take a look at what the Kentucky Department of Education wrote.

FINDINGS OF THE KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REVIEW TEAM

POWERFUL PRACTICE
The implementation and monitoring of the “Fundamental 5” initiative, which is a process for designing, delivering, and reflecting on the instructional process, is truly exemplary and has helped move the school forward in the quest to be a model school of teaching and learning.

EVIDENCE AND RATIONALE
The student performance data, staff survey data, stakeholder interviews, and the school leadership presentation to the KDOE Internal Review Team strongly indicate that the “Fundamental 5” initiative has changed the culture of the school into one of continuous improvement for all. Classroom observations reveal that all classrooms implement the first fundamental, “Frame the Lesson,” by posting the day’s learning target and closing task on a small white board in the classroom.

The observations and interviews with teachers reveal an intentional focus on “Working in the Power Zone” whereby teachers are in close proximity to their students increasing feedback and monitoring for understanding.

Most observed lessons included teachers arranging students in small groups and having the students engage in “Purposeful Talk” which allows students to derive personal meaning from the content and foster collaboration among students.

Teachers also “Recognized and Reinforced” increased student performance which improved student behavior and increased student motivation.

The “Fundamental 5” initiative has also caused all content areas to now engage in “Critical Writing” to help formatively assess mastery of the content. While not all content area teachers are comfortable with the writing piece as of yet, the PLC (professional learning community) structure that has been implemented to discuss student data has taken on a whole new level of importance.

The data derived from PowerWalks walkthroughs is analyzed and addressed through the PLC process to improve teaching and increase student achievement. The PLC structure at the school has been recognized as a model school for PLC work.

The turnover rate of teachers at the school has been minor compared to some PLA (persistently low-achieving) schools. Interviews with teachers indicate the biggest reason they want to stay is the administration’s commitment to helping them improve as teachers and the feeling of community with the school building as a whole.

Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...

  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
  • Upcoming Presentations: ASCD Annual Conference; TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Thursday, March 5, 2015

The Current Superintendent and Principal Searches

LYS Superintendents, Central Office Administrators, Principals and Assistant Principals there are two districts that are looking for you!

The Superintendent Search

Culberson County-Allamoore ISD, a small district located at the base of the Guadalupe Mountains in beautiful West Texas is looking for a dynamic, forward thinking leader to serve as its next Superintendent.  Interested candidates should send a letter of interest, resume, certificates, and a list of references to: Search@LeadYourSchool.com   


The Principal Search

Aransas County ISD, a mid-sized district on the Texas Gulf Coast is seeking an experienced school administrator with documented success serving at-risk students to be the next Principal at Rockport-Fulton High School. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and resume to: Search@LeadYourSchool.com   

For both positions, an understanding of and experience with The Foundation Trinity and The Fundamental 5 is a significant plus!  Don’t wait, apply now!
    
Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...

  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
  • Upcoming Presentations: ASCD Annual Conference; TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

The Legendary Leadership Badge (February 2015)

There are those that don’t understand the power of reflective observation.  They mistakenly believe that there is nothing to learn after a few cursory visits to a classroom.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, the most important key to building insight and deeper understanding about teaching and learning is to engage in a steady volume of daily classroom observation.  What we have learned over the past ten years is that about every 300 classroom observations, the observer will notice, discern and/or learn something new... something that was previously hidden. It is the “Eureka” moment, and there is nothing else like it in instructional leadership.

In this pursuit, there is the PowerWalks Legendary Leadership Badge that is earned every 300th PowerWalks Observation. The following instructional leaders have already earned the Legendary Leadership Badge for the 2014/2015 school year (as of 2/28/15).

2 Badges
Lorie Bratcher: January 2015; October 2014
Sean Cain: January 2015; October 2014
Sandra Wilson: January 2015; October 2014


1 Badge
Leslie Ackmann: February 2015
Carmen Bellefant: February 2015
Denise Bird: February 2015
Tonia Cummings: February 2015
Jonathon Gutierrez: February 2015
Kari Eggleston: February 2015
Kathy Horvath: February 2015
Chris Johnstone: February 2015
Kelli Maikell: February 2015
Kimberly McKnight: February 2015
Edna Parr: February 2015
Martha Pulido: February 2015
Molly Swanson: February 2015
Lisa Weaver: February 2015
Brad Weston: February 2015


Joan Alvey: January 2015
Tracey Bennett: January 2015
Wes Brown: January 2015
Jenn Cooper: January 2015
Ethan Crowell: January 2015
Donny Green: January 2015
Julie Hinson: January 2015
Todd Jones: January 2015
Charles King: January 2015
Lyle Lackey: January 2015
Kim Meador: January 2015
Tim Merki: January 2015
R.J. Rodrigue: January 2015
Patsy Sanchez: January 2015
Michelle Schreiner: January 2015
Melissa Summers: January 2015
Tamika Washington: January 2015


Brenda Blackmon: December 2014
Marianne Buentello: December 2014
Dexter Floyd: December 2014
GayLynn Holt: December 2014
Cara Jolly: December 2014
Brian Lowe: December 2014
Mike Metz: December 2014
Leslie Thomas: December 2014
Pam Williams: December 2014
Jim Womack: December 2014


Mary-Margaret Crandall: November 2014
Charlie Crisp: November 2014
Rita Faulkner: November 2014
Jenny Morris: November 2014
Twyla Thomas: November 2014


Michael Clifton: October 2014
Rankin Hitt: October 2014
Jennifer Phillips: October 2014
Jessica Robert: October 2014
Chris Viator: October 2014

Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...

  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
  • Upcoming Presentations: ASCD Annual Conference; TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

PowerWalks Hero Schools (February 2015)

In furtherance of a LYS Nation tradition, we will take this time to tip our caps to the campuses that have embraced the most important step in creating and maintaining an action oriented professional learning community.  These are the campuses that have conducted an extraordinary number of formative classroom observations in a given month. In February, the Hero Schools met or exceeded the targets below:

The February Hero School Targets
Big Schools – 250 PowerWalks Observations
Medium Sized Schools – 175 PowerWalks Observations
Small Schools – 95 PowerWalks Observations
Very Small Schools – 50 PowerWalks Observations

For March, due to potential weather days and Spring Break we will adjust the targets:

The March Hero School Targets
Big Schools – 225 PowerWalks Observations
Medium Sized Schools – 150 PowerWalks Observations
Small Schools – 80 PowerWalks Observations
Very Small Schools – 40 PowerWalks Observations.

For the record, the schools in the LYS nation conducted a total of 6,928 PowerWalks observations this past month.  But enough stalling, here are your twenty-eight PowerWalks Hero Schools for the month of February 2015.  Congratulations!!!

Elementary Schools
Junior High & Middle Schools
Alternative Schools
Combined Campuses
High Schools
Marlin ES (MISD – very small school): 405
Magnolia JH (MISD – midsized school): 234
San Marcos School (JWPCS – very small school): 80

Fairdale HS (JCPS – large school): 383
Veterans’ Hill ES (HISD – small school): 363
Big Spring IS (BSISD - small school): 166
Afton Oaks School (JWPCS – very small school): 65

Morton Ranch HS (KISD – large school): 341
Rennell ES (CFISD – midsized school): 326
Dublin IS (DISD – very small school): 140


Weatherford 9th Grade Center (WISD – small school): 117
Ray ES (HISD – small school): 210
Winona MS (WISD – small school): 110


Winona HS (WISD – small school): 104
Dublin ES (DISD – very small school): 184



Dublin HS (DISD – very small school): 89
Raymond E. Curtis ES (WISD – small school): 158




Refugio ES (RISD – small school): 146




Washington ES (BSISD - small school): 142




Winona ES / IS (WISD – small school): 137




West Avenue ES (NEISD – small school): 131




Johnson ES (HISD – small school): 124




Hutto ES (HISD – small school): 110




Goliad ES (BSISD - small school): 109




Moss ES (BSISD - small school): 108




Cottonwood Creek ES (HISD – small school): 101




Bill W. Wright ES (WISD – small school): 101




Bose Ikard ES (WISD – small school): 101





Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...

  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
  • Upcoming Presentations: ASCD Annual Conference; TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Monday, March 2, 2015

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of February 22, 2015

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now Twitter users.  If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us.  To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of February 22, 2015.

1. School choice? Options abound: Relocation, Transfers, Charters, Home School, Private School. No, it's not "choice" they want. It's vouchers. (By @pastors4txkids)

2. The Texas Legislature has debated vouchers 9 times over past 25 years, always defeating it. Why 10th time now? Ask yourself: Who keeps this bad idea alive? (By @pastors4txkids)

3. Talk about purposefully confusing the issue. “School Choice / Voucher” proponents are claiming vouchers will increase teacher pay. Shameless. (By @LYSNation)

4. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, please explain publicly why the PEG Program, in place for about 2 decades, doesn't meet your vision of school choice. (By @MJHPrincipal)

5. 82% of Florida vouchers go to religious schools. Since when has God needed Caesar's money to do His work? Vouchers violate religious liberty! (By @pastors4txkids)

6. Public schools face "Double Secret Accountability" and private schools have no accountability. (By @LYSNation)

7. $4.6 Billion Senate proposed tax cuts.  The higher this number, the less funds available to meet needs of schools and children. (By @texasisd)

8. Shutting down instruction for multiple days to take a practice STAAR test is not STAAR prep. It is STAAR stupidity. (By @LYSNation)

9. When you are teaching someone or learning from others, remember that the people who do the most talking do the most learning. (By @kenblanchard)

10. Leaders vs. Managers. A leader will sacrifice his people for the good of the people. The manager sacrifices his people for the good of himself. (By @LYSNation)

Think. Work. Achieve.
Your turn...

  • Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
  • Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
  • Upcoming Presentations: ASCD Annual Conference; TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook