TL;DR: School systems should all have the same end goal for students. In order to achieve this goal, schools need to be aligned on what they are teaching and how they are preparing their students. School systems are designed for multiple purposes, including but not limited to a) Opportunity to Learn, b) Student Growth, c) Develop Lifelong Learners, d) Teach … Read More
A RoadMAP for Faculty Meetings
TL;DR: After-school staff meetings are difficult for staff who have a lot of other things going on following the school day. Sunday Drive meetings are a type of staff meeting without clear or desired outcomes. Staff drives this type of meeting. Problem-solving meetings analyze data and are more structured. Often there is very little time to actually problem-solve, despite the … Read More
What Should Students Know and Be Able to Do?
TL;DR: Certain skills are necessary for students to be successful beyond high school. Many schools no longer address these skills because of their focus on standards and mandated tests. Backward design helps prepare K-12 students for the future. “As societies become more complex in structure and resources, the need of formal or intentional teaching and learning increases. As formal teaching … Read More
Five Leverage Points For Supporting School Improvement
TL;DR: Every year, schools work to establish school improvement goals. Schools may fall into one of three categories: improvement, diminishing returns, or flatlining. There are five leverage points schools should look at for improvement. Each year, school improvement teams identify needs, create goals, and determine how to measure each goal. Staff commits to focusing on school priorities and strategies for … Read More
Community Members Supporting Schools
TL;DR: Community members can support schools a number of ways. They can Adopt-a-School, provide snack packs, gift cards, prayers, donations, reading time, angel trees, lunches, handwritten notes, and other donations. Social media can be a tool that community members use to support their local schools. Community Members Supporting Schools Community members have expressed concern that schools are failing communities and … Read More