“WE” is Smarter Than “ME” Team I-SS – A Way of Work Amy Rhyne Principal, Third Creek Elementary Iredell-Statesville Schools

Iredell County population 146,384 Iredell-Statesville Schools population 21,274

55th Indicates Improvement

Work with your team to name at least three movies that honor education. Dead Poet’s Society Mr. Holland’s Opus Dangerous Minds Stand and Deliver Freedom Writers The Great Debaters What do these movies say about collegial practice?

Imagine a different feature film… A place where teacher teams analyze data and fluidly move students between classrooms based on learner needs. A place where student success isn’t left to the “luck of the draw” in the yearly classroom lottery. A place where EVERY employee knows that what they do impacts student learning and a different way of educating students!

Great organizations “row as one;” they are quite clearly in the same boat, pulling in the same direction in unison. There is a palpable sense of “we.” ~~ Lickona and Davis 2006

Moving from “silos” InstructionFinanceHuman Resources ITSupport Services

To Cross-functional Teams Process Process Process Process Process Process Process Process Process Process Instruction Human Resources FinanceIT

Mission Iredell-Statesville Schools will rigorously challenge all students to achieve their academic potential and to lead productive and rewarding lives. We will achieve this mission with the support of parents, staff, and the community. Vision A school system committed to improving student learning by igniting a passion for learning. Values *Student and learning focus*Management by fact *Motivated faculty and staff*Results focus *Partnerships and teamwork *Continuous Improvement focus 3

School Classroom Student Interlocking plans connect the work at all levels of the system and provide synergy! District Work Unit Department Worker

Data Analysis sets Direction SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities for Improvement, Threats) End of Year/MY Review Quarterly Reports on Leading Indicators Environmental Scan H-1

12 System-wide use of 4 Data Questions What are our celebrations and the data to support them? What are our opportunities for improvement and the data to support it? What data do we need that we do not have? What are our next steps?

Appropriate Planning Tools Facilitate the Work District Strategic Plan Department Improvement Plans District PDSAs (Plan-Do-Study-Act) All of these have undergone multiple improvement cycles based on stakeholder feedback. Keep the focus “user-friendly” Emphasize “it’s what we do” H-2

Strategic Planning that includes: SMART goals Specific, Measurable, Aligned to Standards, Results- focused, Time-framed) Measures: Implementation, Fidelity, Impact Regular reporting cycles Coaching and Support

H-3

Bus Driver Overtime

Results from 2002 to 2009 Other areas of improvement – bus discipline, energy savings, faith based partners, highly qualified teachers, overtime costs, child nutrition costs, maintenance, custodial, workmen’s compensation ratio, fund balance, credit recovery Expenditures per Pupil – 111/115 LEAs in NC remain in bottom 10 - $700 below state average

H-3

55th Indicates Improvement 3rd

Dropout Rate % of Dropouts Grades 9-12 Indicates Improvement

SAT Average Indicates Improvement Average SAT Score

Cohort Graduation Rate % of Students Graduating Indicates Improvement

We measure what we treasure and use the data to: Make corrections in real time Provide coaching and support

Professional Development that Supports Change Presentation : 1:7 Models/Examples Practice Feedback Coaching 38

A Model of Coaching and Support Knowledge Skill Classroom Student Effect Acquisition Application Sizes* Present Information Present + Model Present + Model + Practice + Feedback Present + Model + Practice + Feedback + Coaching 40-80% 10% 5% % 10-40% 5-10% % 80% 10-15% % 90% 80-90%1.68 National Staff Development Council, 1995; Fullan, 1991; Joyce & Showers, 1984; Joyce & Showers, 1988; Mehring, 1999.

We’ve realized improvement is a marathon, not a sprint,

And leaders at every level commit to creating the conditions for sustainable change by… Building relationships and teams Actively working to build the capacity of every employees to do the work Pacing change and innovation Modeling the change we want to see

It’s a different way of thinking about education that defies the traditionally scripted ending played out in districts across the country: visionary leader brings change and when he/she leaves, the change goes with them.

But we know we’re on to something when we see the way it empowers students!

It’s about creating and refining processes that break down our silos and move us from a teaching system to a learning system… and ANY district can do it!

Amy Rhyne, Ed S. Principal, Third Creek Elementary