Teachers F.I.R.S.T.“Framework for Inducting, Retaining, and

Supporting Teachers”

Welcome to the 2010-11 School Year

August 24, 2010Dr. Steven L. Walts

Superintendent of Schools

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Meet the School Board Members

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Today’s Agenda

• Welcome, SPARK, and, a Little Humor

• Changing PWCS Demographics

• Social Media Revolution

• Providing a World-Class Education

• Strategic Plan• Promoting Student

Success• Preliminary SOL

Data• Celebrating Success• Closing Thoughts

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SPARK

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Embracing Change: Student Growth• 89 schools, 10,000

employees, over 78,300 students next year

• Opened ten new school buildings, a Governor’s School, and administrative center in five years

• Four new schools under construction

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Embracing Change: PWCS Is a Microcosm of the Nation

American School Board Journal January 2010

PWCS Student Demographics

• White: 39.7%

• Hispanic: 24.3%

• Black: 22.9%

• Asian: 7.7%

• Other: 5.3%

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Embracing Change: The Yin and the Yang

One in three PWCS students on free or reduced lunch

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Embracing Change and growing a little older

“I had a flat-screen when I was a kid. It

was called an “Etch-A-Sketch.”

Kappan

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Embracing Change: Social Media Revolution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB_P-_NUdLw

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PWCS Mission Statement:Providing A World-Class Education

What Does This Mean?1. The focus is on teaching

and learning, enhanced by professional learning communities

2. All students achieve high standards

3. Instruction is engaging and rigorous

4. Reading/writing literacy taught in all content areas

5. There is a sense of belonging – including all students

6. We develop student assets7. Schools/offices are inviting,

welcoming, and customer oriented

8. We will accomplish our Strategic Plan by working together

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2011-15 Strategic Plan1. All students meet high standards of

performance.2. The teaching, learning, and working

environment is caring, safe and healthy, and values human diversity.

3. Family and community engagement create an environment focused on improved student learning and work readiness.

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2011-15 Strategic Plan4. Faculty, staff, and

leaders are qualified, high performing, diverse, and motivated.

5. The organizational system is aligned, integrated, and equitable.

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Attributes of Successful Learning Environments in PWCS

1. Teach to VA SOLs and PWCS curriculum2. Emphasize prior learning3. Apply knowledge in a real life context4. Provide opportunity for dialogue & debate5. Use a variety of strategies to assess learning6. Promote rigor in student work7. Ask higher order questions of students

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Promoting Student Success Through School Connectedness

1. Create decision-making processes that facilitate student, family, and community engagement; academic achievement; and staff empowerment.

2. Provide education and opportunities to enable families to be actively involved in their children’s academic and school life. [Volunteers in the Classroom]

3. Provide students with the academic, emotional, and social skills necessary to be actively engaged in school.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2009

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Promoting Student Success Through School Connectedness

4. Use effective classroom management and teaching methods to foster a positive learning environment.

5. Provide professional development and support for teachers and other school staff to enable them to meet the diverse cognitive, emotional, and social needs of children and adolescents.

6. Create trusting and caring relationships that promote open communication among administrators, teachers, staff, students, families, and communities.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2009

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• Met elementary SOL targets in reading and math• Met middle school SOL targets in reading and

grade 8 math, continuing to make progress in grades 6 and 7 math

• Met End-of-Course SOL targets in reading and math (except Geometry, which is improving)

• Many schools showed improvement in subgroup performance, particularly in mathematics.

• All schools fully accredited

2010 Divisionwide Results

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Teachers Make Schools Great

Letter to the Editor in the “Washington Post” dated April 11, 2010

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Celebrating Success, Including…

•All 10 high schools in the top six percent nationwide

•Nine elementary schools ranked in the Northern Virginia Top 100

•31.7% of graduates had a qualifying score in AP, IB, or AICE, exceeding national average of 15%.

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Celebrating Success•Four schools under construction: Patriot HS, “Silver Lake” MS, and “Linton Hall Road” ES and T. Clay Wood ES

•Governor’s School @ Innovation Park opens in September

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Celebrating Success•VSBA Certified Green School Division for 2009

•Second place in the nation in the Digital School Districts Survey

•41 Schools of Excellence… increase of 12

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Every Once in a While…

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Every Once in a While…

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September Is Right Around the Corner

Teachers F.I.R.S.T.Framework for Inducting, Retaining, and

Supporting Teachers

Welcome to the 2010-11 School Year

August 24, 2010Dr. Steven L. Walts

Superintendent of Schools