PowerWalks Hero Schools - March 2016

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.  For the month of March the PowerWalks Hero School Targets were as follows:

March For A Cure – Cancer Fightin’ Hero School Targets

High Schools – 325 PowerWalks Observations

Middle Schools / Junior High Schools – 275 PowerWalks Observations

Elementary / Intermediate / Combined Campuses – 225 PowerWalks Observations

Alternative Schools – 100 PowerWalks Observations

This month with Spring Breaks and state testing, we’ll modify the Hero Targets to the following:

April Hero School Targets

High Schools – 150 PowerWalks Observations

Middle Schools / Junior High Schools – 125 PowerWalks Observations

Elementary / Intermediate / Combined Campuses – 100 PowerWalks Observations

Alternative Schools – 50 PowerWalks Observations

In March, all of the schools using the PowerWalks Instructional Observation System conducted a total of 11,965 classroom observations. A commendable job, LYS Nation! But now, without further ado, here are your Seventeen Cancer Fightin’ PowerWalks Hero Schools for the month of March 2016.  Congratulations!!!

Elementary Schools & Combined Campuses (10 Heroes)	Middle Schools & Junior High Schools (3 Heroes)	Alternative Schools	High Schools (4 Heroes)
Southside PS (CISD) - 553	Cleveland MS (CISD) - 437		Iroquois HS (JCPS) - 665
Live Oak Learning Center (ACISD) - 514	Borger MS (BISD) - 324		Fairdale HS (JCPS) - 661
Northside ES (CISD) - 445	Rockport-Fulton MS (ACISD) - 317		Cleveland HS (CISD) – 460
McFee ES (CFISD) - 363			Kermit HS (KISD) - 361
Eastside ES (CISD) - 325
Gateway ES (BISD) - 319
Refugio ES (RISD) - 302
Duryea ES (CFISD) - 297
Hutto ES (HISD) - 284
Ray ES (HISD) - 226

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: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Conference (Multiple Presentations); LYS / TASSP Advanced Leadership Academy (Keynote) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Continue the Cancer Fight and Buy a Book

Today is the last day of the March For A Cure PowerWalks Challenge, so get out and visit as many classrooms as possible.  

But here at Lead Your School, we think a one-month fight just isn’t long enough.  So in April, here’s what we’re going to do...

For every copy of The Fundamental 5: The Formula For Quality Instruction (Cain & Laird) sold in the month of April 2016, we will donate $1.00 to the American Cancer Society.

So what are you waiting for?

Buy a Book – BEAT CANCER!

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: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Conference (Multiple Presentations); LYS / TASSP Advanced Leadership Academy (Keynote) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Writes... The Bad School Improvement Plan - Computer Version - Part 1

In response to the 1/7/2016 post, “The Bad School Improvement Plan – Computer Version,” a reader writes:

SC,

Computers will never replace a teacher. However, computers can save teachers time by screening students, providing some progress monitoring and providing daily formative assessment. This can all be done as a station inside the classroom.

SC Response

I don’t disagree.  What you describe is technology being used to augment instruction. Which is now a normal occurrence on most campuses. I was pointing out that the all too common “reform” plans to replace scores of teachers in a building with computers are misguided at best, and blatant money grabs at worst.

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: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Conference (Multiple Presentations); LYS / TASSP Advanced Leadership Academy (Keynote) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Leading the Process of Improvement

Recently, I was talking to a principal about the process of improving instruction. Essentially, the campus-wide implementation of a purposeful frequency / quality cycle.  The principal was having a very difficult time coming to grip with this concept.  I asked her, “What are you really concerned about?”

Her answer, “This sounds like we are OK with under-serving our students.”

My response, “Not at all. This is you having to admit that you know you are currently under-serving students. And as the leader, you are going to help your team purposefully correct this injustice.” 

To which she said, “Is it OK if I agree but not like it?”

That is how you confront the uncomfortable truth.

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: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Conference (Multiple Presentations); LYS / TASSP Advanced Leadership Academy (Keynote) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of March 20, 2016

If you are not following @LYSNation on Twitter, then you missed the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of March 20, 2016 when they were first posted.  And if you are on Twitter, you might want to check out the Tweeters who made this week’s list.

1. Does more money equal better outcomes for schools? YES – if it is spent wisely. (By @tgrierhisd)

2. "School choice" forces wonder why Texans don't buy vouchers. Easy. Texans love -- and protect -- their neighborhood and community schools. (By @pastors4txkids)

3. If you have nothing good to say about schools, it's likely because you haven't been in one lately. (By @BobFarrace)

4. Free time in the classroom holds as much value as zeros in the grade book. (By @landerson320)

5. Excited to announce that I'll present multiple times at the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association conference in June! (By @LYSNation)

6. You can critically write in short bursts. (By @landerson320)

7. Copying and dictation are not note taking. They are just ways to turn students into slow speed Xerox machines. (By @finleyt)

8. School climate and culture are a reflection of the school leadership. (By @Shaffer_LCPS)

9. Voting is a radically subversive act. (By @pastors4txkids)

10. E. Don Brown, the LYS Principal Emeritus is now... E. Don Brown, the National Association of Secondary School Principals Principal Emeritus! (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: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations); Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association Conference (Multiple Presentations); LYS / TASSP Advanced Leadership Academy (Keynote)
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook