Investment Schools Phase One: 2013-2014Anton Grdina School
May 9, 2013
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Hopes and dreams
What are your hopes and dreams for your child?
Becoming a doctor
Sharing my love of reading nonfiction
Earning a 4-year college degree
Mastering the multiplication
tablesEnjoying school
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Investment Schools: Our context
Investment Schools: Our plan
Investment Schools: Our message
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Becoming a portfolio district: Choices that children deserve
• Promote and expand high-performing schools• Start new schools• Strengthen mid-performing schools• Repurpose low-performing schools
The Cleveland Plan
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It is not enough to become a premier school district
CMSD must become a district of premier schools.
Key Message
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The time is right for CMSD
The Cleveland Plan
Tax levyState legislation
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What makes urban schools successful?
readiness to TEACH
4. Shared responsibility for achievement
Staff feel deep accountability and missionary zeal for student achievement.
5. Personalization of instruction Individualized teaching based on
diagnostic assessment and adjustable time on task.
6. Professional teaching cultureContinuous improvement through
collaboration and job-embedded learning.
readiness to LEARN
1. Safety, discipline & engagement Students feel secure and inspired to learn.
2. Action against adversity Schools directly address the challenges
faced by students living in poverty.
3. Close student-adult relationships Students have positive and enduring
mentor/teacher relationships.
readiness to ACT
7. Resource authoritySchool leaders can make mission-driven
decisions regarding people, time, money, and programs.
8. Resource ingenuityLeaders are adept at securing additional
resources and leveraging partner relationships.
9. Agility in the face of turbulence Leaders, teachers, and systems are flexible and inventive responding to
constant unrest.
Mass Insight Education, The Turnaround Challenge (2007)
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Investment Schools: Our context
Investment Schools: Our plan
Investment Schools: Our message
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“What happens in classrooms between teacher and student is the most critical moment in the delivery of service. But the quality of that moment depends entirely on the readiness of the system and the people who are part of it to teach, learn,
and act effectively and in accordance with the mission.”
The Turnaround Challenge (2007), page 31
Discussion question
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What works: Thinking differently about schools
Old thinking: “Conveyor belt”
Student is moved along a curriculum-, grade- and age-based “conveyor belt,” in a process that lends itself to
standardized inputs and outputs
New thinking: “Medical team”
A team rallies for each student, backed by a whole system of skilled
professionals, processes, and technologies organized and ready
to analyze, diagnose, and serve the goal of learning
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Five schools have been identified to focus on “Readiness to Act”
readiness to ACT
7. Resource authoritySchool leaders can make mission-driven
decisions regarding people, time, money, and programs.
8. Resource ingenuityLeaders are adept at securing additional
resources and leveraging partner relationships.
9. Agility in the face of turbulence Leaders, teachers, and systems are flexible and inventive responding to
constant unrest.
Anton Grdina Carl & Louis Stokes
Collinwood HS John Adams HS Lincoln-West HS
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Anton Grdina School: Relentless focus on “Readiness to Act”
readiness toTEACH
readiness to LEARN
readiness to ACT
Resource authoritySchool leaders can make mission-
driven decisions regarding people, time, money, and
programs.
Resource ingenuityLeaders are adept at securing
additional resources and leveraging partner relationships.
Agility in the face of turbulence Leaders, teachers, and systems are flexible and inventive responding to
constant unrest.
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What visible changes must we see in Investment Schools?
Building school leaders’ Readiness to Act: Allowing principals more budget flexibility to be responsive to the
needs of students in their school
• Protecting schools from unnecessary bureaucracy so that leaders
can focus on the students and teachers in the school Coaching Investment School principals in how to lead positive,
effective change processes
• Expanding school partnerships that have worked in other CMSD
schools (i.e., New Tech Network) Increasing cooperation and communication between external
partners to keep every program focused on the needs and goals
of the school and its students
7. Resource authoritySchool leaders can make mission-driven
decisions regarding people, time, money, and programs.
8. Resource ingenuityLeaders are adept at securing additional
resources and leveraging partner relationships.
9. Agility in the face of turbulence Leaders, teachers, and systems are flexible and inventive responding to
constant unrest.
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What “foundational levers” have been identified for Anton Grdina School?
Strategies considered Right levers for Grdina?Replace current principal YesReplace some or all staff Yes, some staff change will be positive to strengthen professional
learning community; all staff must commit to the conditions in the Investment letter and re-interview
Offer extended learning time Yes, with community input Overhaul school culture & discipline Yes
Improve school facilities Yes, “facelift” according to building conditionsAdd community/health support (“wraparound”) services
Yes, with community input
Add instructional programs NoProvide staff with meaningful professional development
Yes, with community input
Utilize external operating partner Yes
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Other changes to expect at Anton Grdina School
• Ongoing performance-monitoring against school
and classroom goals
• Regular, responsive interactions with families and
community stakeholders
• An intensively student-centered mindset
• Development of meaningful, effective, relevant
instructional models that will empower all students
to achieve at high levels
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Anton Grdina as a Phase 1 Investment School
• Select Year One Investment Schools based on a variety of criteria
• Collaborate with proven partners to dramatically change schools
• Engage families and educators at the school level to design high-leverage interventions for each building
Prepare to implement
effective practices in a subset of high-need
schools starting August 2013
These
are key
next steps!Many design
decisions will
need your
input over these
next weeks.
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Building the school that students need and deserve
• What do you need to see to ensure that Anton Grdina
is constantly improving to meet the needs of
every student?
WE WILL ISSUE REPORT CARDS ON OUR PROGRESS.
• How can leadership and staff at Anton Grdina
communicate with every family to build a genuine
home-school partnership to support every student?
WE WILL LISTEN, AND CREATE THE
STRUCTURES THAT WORK FOR YOU.
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What turnaround is NOT:
Investment Schools = Positive Change
Settling for incremental
improvement Requiring additional improvement plans
Additional mandates without support
Multiple programs implemented
without intentionality
Infrequent coaching
“Every man for himself”
What SUCCESSFUL turnaround IS:
Recognition of the challenge: Our kids
deserve betterDramatic,
fundamental change
Collaborative community of professional
educators
Urgency to make every minute a
learning minute
Working smarter, not harder
Supportive operating conditions
We will not do business as usual; this is unusual business.We will not repeat old mistakes.
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No “magic bullets” – Only people can bring real change
We need all of our staff, families, community, business, and education partners to come together
around the Investment Schools.
Key Message
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• Communications outreach to all families and school staffs: CEO Gordon and CAO Pierre-Farid will personally lead meetings in each school community during the next month
• Schools will undergo an intensive and collaborative analysis and planning process with carefully selected partners
• CMSD Human Resources will commence a recruitment and staff selection campaign
Investing in our children: CMSD’s Investment Schools
What else is happening across Investment Schools?
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How YOU can INvest in your child’s education
Some examples include:
Get your child to school on time, every day. Every minute missed is a lost learning opportunity! Read with your child and encourage him/her to read for pleasure. Check your child’s backpack each evening for homework assignments and/or communications from the school. Ask your child what he/she learned at school that day. Learn about available enrichment opportunities and sign up your child to take advantage of them. Attend SPO meetings, open houses and parent-teacher conferences. Every day, remind your child that he/she must work hard to get smarter and that you believe in his/her ability to do so. Check in with your child’s teacher about his/her progress. Visit a college with your child!
…and so many other ways!
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Q&A / Listening to the community
WE ARE INvested.
ARE YOU IN?
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Appendix: Why is this happening in CMSD right now?
• According to HB 525, the CEO must identify schools each year in need of corrective action, then decide what corrective action is warranted for each school and when the plan should be implemented.
• Approximately 6-10 schools will be identified each year to become Investment Schools
“Corrective Action” = Investment
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CMSD must accomplish two goals simultaneously
• Select Year One Investment Schools based on a variety of criteria
• Collaborate with proven partners to dramatically change schools
• Engage families and educators at the school level to design high-leverage interventions for each building
Prepare to implement effective practices in a
subset of high-need schools starting
August 2013
• Across multiple neighborhoods, engage families and educators in meaningful dialogue
• Design and communicate a transparent and equitable process for the next three years of CMSD Transformation through Investment
Engage the community and
conduct in-depth reviews to design an
equitable change process
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We examined CMSD schools across multiple criteria
Candidate schoolAcademic
achievement
Culture, teamwork,
vision
Strong school leaders
Motivated, caring
teachersRigorous
instruction
Social & emotional support for
students
Family engage-
mentSchool 1 X X X X School 2 X X X XSchool 3 X X X School 4 X X X X School 5 X X X School 6 X X School 7 X X XSchool 8 X X School 9 X X X School 10 X X X School 11 X X School 12 X X X X
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Selecting the first Investment Schools
Review research base and examine multiple criteria RE
high-performing, high-poverty schools
Stage Two: List of candidate schools reduced to approximately 25
Apply Academic Team knowledge and expertise of
individual school contexts across criteria
Stage One: Consider ALL underperforming CMSD schools
as candidates
Deep-dive with CEO and Chiefs to determine district capacity
for Quick Win success
Stage Three: Final candidate schools selected
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Investing:What is possible in all CMSD Investment Schools?
People
Time
Money
Programs
• Selection of principal for 2013-14• Selection of teachers and staff for 2013-14• Investment Commitment letters to be signed by all staff
• Pilot CMSD initiatives (student-weighted funding, differentiated compensation)• Increased budget autonomy to invest in positions,
programs, partners best suited to a specific school
• Extended instructional time• Extended planning/preparation/collaboration time• Restructured use of existing time
• Intensive coaching and professional development to support specific school needs and goals• Intentional alignment of student and family supports• External supports for programs and operations