1. Distributed Leadership…A Tool For the School Improvement Journey
Presented by…
Denise Hicks Barnes, Assistant Principal
Louis L. Redding Middle School
Sherry Gross, Principal & Lindsay Baker, Teacher Leader
Glasgow High School
Amy Levitz, Principal & Tracy Soisson, Teacher Leader
Gauger-Cobbs Middle School

2. Overview… Opening Activities: Definition of Distributed Leadership
Common Attributes
The Perfect School
Definition of Distributed Leadership
Common Themes
Lessons Learned
Individual Reflection
What Are Our Common Attributes?
Final Thoughts

3. Common Attributes…
Although we are all different…we have many things in common
Activity
Distribute “Common Attributes” handout

4. In a Perfect World… What does your dream house look like?
Silent reflection. Purpose of this slide is to get the audience in the proper mindset…

5. In a Perfect World…. What does your “DREAM SCHOOL” look like?
Take a few minutes to discuss what your “DREAM SCHOOL” would look like in 5 years.
Programs…Characteristics…Professional Development…Groups record thoughts on chart paper…share out. During share out, one of the presenters should be writing down (on chart paper) the “common themes” that many of the groups share that relate to the distributed leadership model.

6. Distributed Leadership…
What does DISTRIBUTED LEADERSHIP mean to you?
Large group conversation. Ask for volunteers to share their definitions.

7. Distributed Leadership Is…
Distributed leadership centers around a different model within the school where the distinctions between followers and leaders tends to blur (Gronn, 2000)
It incorporates the activities and efforts of multiple groups in a school who work at guiding staff in the instructional change process (Spillane, 2001)

8. Distributed Leadership is Not…
It is not one more committee on which people serve
It is not one person single handedly reforming a school
It is not a top-down leadership model
It is not possible without building leadership capacity among your faculty

9. Traditional professional development models have some flaws/disparities. Discuss how the Distributed Leadership model provides possible solutions to these flaws…
*Need to change background to match the rest of the slide show.

10. Common Themes…Goals Building Leadership Capacity
Improving Student Achievement
Enhancing Climate and Culture of the School
Increasing Family and Community Engagement

11. Common Themes… Accomplishments
Louis L. Redding Middle School…
This year we had common planning for grade levels
Curricular meetings monthly that were about Best Instructional Practices – Social Studies for example
Common Grade Level Assessments (Math)
Using an Enhancing Education Through Technology (E2T2) to develop Understanding by Design units of study
Communication with parents through mailings
Team Leader meetings were proactive and problem solving in nature
Started our vision for the perfect school
Redding needs to add accomplishments in white font

12. Common Themes… Accomplishments
Glasgow High School…
PLC’s
Time built in to master schedule for regular, frequent meetings
Approximately 30 groups of 4-6 professionals linked by subject area or responsibilities
Increased Teacher Leadership
in areas of PEP and MAP
PD delivered via PLC’s
Individualized PD for faculty
Faculty meetings focused more on instruction and less on administrivia
Glasgow needs to add accomplishments in white font

13. CommonThemes… Accomplishments
Gauger-Cobbs Middle School…
Increase in DSTP data
MAP Growth
Collaborative Teaching
Time for Collaboration
PBS Planning Team
Action Teams
Teachers are committed to improving student achievement
Teachers facilitating professional development
Roll Through Professional Development
10 percent increase in math…6 percent in writing…and maintained our 18 percent increase in reading (higher than the district percentage in all three areas)

14. Need to change the background to match rest of slide show

15. Common Themes…Barriers
Achievement Gaps
Discipline Disparities
Time
Staff Transition (turnover in administration and teachers)
Low Parental Involvement
Resistance to Change
Resistance to Change = “Distributed Leadership is just the latest fad in school reform”…getting buy in from staff, parents, and administration.

16. Common Themes…Next Steps
Louis L. Redding Middle School
Vision
Time
Collaboration
Meeting Norms
Parent Involvement

17. Common Themes…Next Steps
Glasgow High School…
Individualized PD continued
Sophisticated PLC projects to impact greater number of faculty/students
Improved public relations/parent involvement
Glasgow needs to add “Next Steps” in white font

18. Common Themes…Next Steps
Gauger-Cobbs Middle School
Collaboration
Norms
Goal Setting
Using Data
Logs
Common Assessments
Peer Visits
Video Tape as a Tool
Targeted Interventions
PBS
Targeted Interventions = FastForward, double-dosing math and LA, special Math support classes.

19. Professional Development…
This year
Future
Outside Opportunities
Gauger-Cobbs
Teaching in the Block
Curriculum
Collaboration
PBS
Professional Development
School Visits
Glasgow
Block Scheduling
Individualized PD
MAP
Louis L. Redding
DPAS II
Data Day
Visioning
Curriculum Days
Instructional Meetings
Meeting Norms
Vision
Glasgow needs to add to “Future” box.

20. Lessons Learned…
All teachers are leaders, and this leadership promotes a feeling of professional satisfaction.
Opportunities for Authentic Leadership
Celebrate Leadership
“People support what they help create” (No Name) “
Amy, I lost the 2 other quotes you had in here…feel free to paste back in…sorry

21. Individual Reflection…
How is distributed leadership exemplified in your school or organization?
Identify examples that currently exist.

22. Individual Reflection…
What are the common attributes that exist among the three schools?
Of these common attributes…what can we make common to our school or organization?

23. Final Thoughts….
Distributed Leadership may already exist in various forms within your school
Although we may all look very different, we all have common attributes…
most notably…our desire to positively impact student achievement!!!!