SepulvedaSepulveda2010-20112010-2011

Proposal for a new school Proposal for a new school yearyear

The BeliefThe BeliefFirm belief that our students are capable of Firm belief that our students are capable of high cognitive content work.high cognitive content work.

Confidence in the capabilities of the resident Confidence in the capabilities of the resident experts to be significant partners in refining the experts to be significant partners in refining the art of teaching through professional art of teaching through professional development and practice.development and practice.

Certainty that Professional Learning Certainty that Professional Learning Communities (Learning Teams) represent a Communities (Learning Teams) represent a sustainable system for continued improvement.sustainable system for continued improvement.

The MissionThe MissionNourish a culture of collaboration, Nourish a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and community.continuous improvement, and community.

Foster distributed leadershipFoster distributed leadership

Build capacity.Build capacity.

Maintain a safe, appealing, and Maintain a safe, appealing, and emotionally secure learning environment.emotionally secure learning environment.

Exceed 800 on the APIExceed 800 on the API

The VisionThe Vision

Students will benefit from the enhanced Students will benefit from the enhanced instructional strategies developed when instructional strategies developed when teachers work together to agree upon “the teachers work together to agree upon “the best way to teach” a given standard.best way to teach” a given standard.

Teachers will find satisfaction in Teachers will find satisfaction in establishing and growing a collaborative establishing and growing a collaborative culture where the free flow of ideas and culture where the free flow of ideas and supports supplants isolation.supports supplants isolation.

John Dewey, 1916

““If we teach today If we teach today as we taught as we taught

yesterday, we rob yesterday, we rob our children of our children of

tomorrow.”tomorrow.”

Let’s Frame the PictureLet’s Frame the PictureSepulveda increased 8 points on the Sepulveda increased 8 points on the Academic Performance Index in 2009.Academic Performance Index in 2009.The school narrowly escaped becoming a The school narrowly escaped becoming a “Focus School” eligible for charter “Focus School” eligible for charter participation proposals.participation proposals.To continue to qualify for QEIA funds To continue to qualify for QEIA funds Sepulveda must improve 16 points overall Sepulveda must improve 16 points overall on the Academic Performance Index.on the Academic Performance Index.

““These are These are ExtraordinaryExtraordinary times” times”

Plan of ActionPlan of ActionA new plan must be created that is significantly A new plan must be created that is significantly different from any plan we’ve previously submitted.different from any plan we’ve previously submitted.

Professional Learning Communities for the purpose Professional Learning Communities for the purpose of stimulating explosive growth in personalization of stimulating explosive growth in personalization will be the cornerstone of the new plan.will be the cornerstone of the new plan.

Time will be restructured to provide training for Time will be restructured to provide training for successful implementation of new teaching successful implementation of new teaching practices.practices.

The relationship between the students and The relationship between the students and teachers around curriculum will be enhanced.teachers around curriculum will be enhanced.

Every organization Every organization is perfectly is perfectly

structured to get the structured to get the results that it gets.results that it gets.

Linda Darling-Hammond

Homeroom ObjectivesHomeroom ObjectivesBuild a relationship between a small group of Build a relationship between a small group of students and one caring adult (Personalization.)students and one caring adult (Personalization.)Develop and maintain the reading program.Develop and maintain the reading program.Provide academic monitoring and timely Provide academic monitoring and timely intervention (RTI.)intervention (RTI.)Promote the culture of the “Sepulveda Way”.Promote the culture of the “Sepulveda Way”.Protect instructional minutes from Protect instructional minutes from announcements, rule reviews, mandatory announcements, rule reviews, mandatory handouts, report cards, etc.handouts, report cards, etc.Provide a single destination during drills.Provide a single destination during drills.Facilitate grouping for testing needs.Facilitate grouping for testing needs.

““One looks with appreciation to One looks with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with the brilliant teachers, but with

gratitude to those who touched gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The our human feelings. The

curriculum is so much necessary curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the raw material, but warmth is the

vital element for the growing vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the plant and for the soul of the

child.”child.”Carl Jung

Restructuring TimeRestructuring Time

Block schedule will allow for longer, college Block schedule will allow for longer, college schedule type instructional periods. (classes schedule type instructional periods. (classes on Monday/Thursday or Wednesday/Friday. on Monday/Thursday or Wednesday/Friday. Tuesdays remain unchanged.)Tuesdays remain unchanged.)

Less attendance taking.Less attendance taking.

Less distribution and collection of materials.Less distribution and collection of materials.

Less time spent on giving instructions; more Less time spent on giving instructions; more time spent on instruction.time spent on instruction.

Secondary BenefitsSecondary BenefitsAn additional discipline “lever” for teachers An additional discipline “lever” for teachers with each period ending in a meal period with each period ending in a meal period or dismissal.or dismissal.

Half as many passing period mean fewer Half as many passing period mean fewer “Tardy” students per day.“Tardy” students per day.

Fewer required ISIS attendance reporting.Fewer required ISIS attendance reporting.

““Total Student Load” per day significantly Total Student Load” per day significantly reduced.reduced.

““As teachers, we must As teachers, we must constantly try to improve constantly try to improve

schools and we must keep schools and we must keep working at changing and working at changing and

experimenting and trying until experimenting and trying until we have developed ways of we have developed ways of

reaching every child.”reaching every child.”

Albert Shanker

Professional Learning Professional Learning CommunitiesCommunities

The Block Schedule will require a The Block Schedule will require a reevaluation of teaching practices.reevaluation of teaching practices.

Professional Development will be on site Professional Development will be on site during the regular business day, preserving during the regular business day, preserving our Saturdays, avoiding after school our Saturdays, avoiding after school sessions, and promoting coherence among sessions, and promoting coherence among all staff members.all staff members.

Excellence will be a collaboratively discussed Excellence will be a collaboratively discussed and mutually agreed upon commodity.and mutually agreed upon commodity.

““If you want to feel secure, do what If you want to feel secure, do what you already know how to do. If you you already know how to do. If you want to be a true professional and want to be a true professional and continue to grow, go to the cutting continue to grow, go to the cutting edge of your competence, which edge of your competence, which

means a temporary loss of security. means a temporary loss of security. So whenever you don't quite know So whenever you don't quite know what you're doing, know you are what you're doing, know you are

growing.”growing.”

Madeline Hunter

Extraordinary MeasuresExtraordinary MeasuresSepulveda must demonstrate proactive Sepulveda must demonstrate proactive attempts to significantly overcome our attempts to significantly overcome our obstacles through innovative, and obstacles through innovative, and sustainable improvements in practices.sustainable improvements in practices.The Charter movement was created to The Charter movement was created to promote competition; let’s give them promote competition; let’s give them more competition than they ever more competition than they ever envisioned.envisioned.

Words of WisdomWords of WisdomOne definition of insanity is One definition of insanity is doing the exact same thing doing the exact same thing

over and over, and expecting over and over, and expecting different results.different results.

Attributed to the well known,and often quoted, ancient Greek philosopher:

Anonymous

Why Vote Yes?Why Vote Yes?Are there costs?Are there costs?

Are there “pain points?”Are there “pain points?”

Will the supports to make it work be Will the supports to make it work be provided?provided?

Does the Principal believe it will have a Does the Principal believe it will have a positive impact on student achievement positive impact on student achievement and student well-being?and student well-being?

Are you willing to venture into that Are you willing to venture into that unknown for a chance at something unknown for a chance at something extraordinary? extraordinary?

YesYesYesYes

YesYes

YesYes

To be To be determineddetermined

““One learns by doing a One learns by doing a thing; for though you thing; for though you think you know it, you think you know it, you have no certainty until have no certainty until

you try.”you try.”Sophocle

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Thank you for Thank you for your kind your kind attention.attention.