RAPID CITY AREA SCHOOLS MARCH 7, 2011 Collaborative Goal Setting Task Force Meeting

Why Leadership Focus Matters There once was a splendid school leader…… “Finding Your Leadership Focus” (2011)-Doug Reeves

Introductions Find the person at your table with the next birthday That person will start the introductions and then move to his/her right Please state the following:  First and Last Name  Current Position  How long have you been a part of the Rapid City Community When all introductions are complete please hold up your GREEN Flag at your table

Agenda Orientation  Learning Target/Criteria for Success  Our Story  Shared understanding: Whole System Reform Group decision-making: Sufficient consensus Establish priority areas  Consensus Building Strategy: The Focusing Six Next steps Meeting closure

Today’s Learning Target (The Task) Today’s Learning Target/The Task: The work of the task force today is to establish district priorities in the areas of student achievement and instruction. Today’s Criteria for Success:  The district’s priorities are established.  The task force members reach consensus.

Long-term Learning Target/The Task: The long-term work of the task force is to develop an aligned district-wide strategic plan that articulates measurable, prioritized goals and focuses on student achievement and instruction. Long-term Criteria for Success:  All stakeholders can see where their work fits and connects.  The task force members reach consensus.  The district’s stakeholders have a tool that will provide decision-making guidance regarding programmatic priorities, future direction, and budgetary issues.

Organizational Background: Our Story Where Have We Been? Where Are We Now?

Balanced Leadership-Six Areas of Superintendent Responsibilities 1. Collaborative goal-setting process 2. Non-negotiable goals for achievement and instruction 3. Board alignment with and support of district goals 4. Use of resources to support the goals for achievement and instruction 5. Monitoring goals for achievement and instruction 6. Defined autonomy: Superintendent relationship with schools

Collaborative Goal Setting Researchers found that effective superintendents include all relevant stakeholders, including central office staff, building level administrators and board members, in establishing goals for their districts

Non-Negotiable Goals Effective superintendents ensure that the collaborative goal setting process results in non- negotiable goals in the areas of student achievement and classroom instruction

Board Alignment and Support The board of education must act in alignment with and supportive of the non- negotiable goals for achievement and instruction

Monitoring Goals Effective superintendents continually monitor district progress towards achievement of goals to ensure that these goals remain the driving force behind the district’s actions

Use of Resources Effective superintendents ensure that the necessary resources are allocated to accomplish district goals. This does mean cutting back on and dropping initiatives that are not aligned with district goals for achievement and instruction

Whole System Reform-Michael Fullan (2009) Develop the entire teaching profession Establish a two-way street between instruction and assessment Focus on a small number of ambitious priorities Distributive coordinated leadership at all levels of the system Establish a focused, comprehensive, relentless intervention strategy Use resources to drive reform only in the service of the previous five fundamentals

Whole System Reform-Michael Schmoker (2011) Reform efforts have failed because we have not focused on essential elements Determine priorities, expend all organizational energy on clarifying, reinforcing, and rewarding their implementation

Whole System Reform-Doug Reeves (2011) Three essential clusters of leadership practices: Focus-identify and monitor a few priority instructional initiatives Monitoring-systematic monitoring of adult actions Efficacy-the believe that our actions will influence the success of our students

Group Decision-Making There are many ways a group can go about making decisions. For most groups sufficient consensus is enough What is and what are the guidelines for sufficient consensus?

Establishing Priority Areas Consensus Building Strategy—The Focusing Six Focusing Six is a process for building consensus and determining priorities Please refer to the handout in your packet!!

Key Questions: In the areas of student achievement and instruction, what should the district’s priority areas be? Please be mindful of:  These are areas, not goals. Goals will come next.  In the area of student achievement, visualize students walking across the stage at graduation. What will they need for their future success?  In the area of instruction, what do our educators need in order to prepare students for this success?  Focus on “big ideas,” rather than specific programs.

The Question: In the areas of student achievement and instruction, what should the district’s priority areas be?

The Group Data: District Priorities WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE DATA?WHAT INTERESTS YOU? WHAT DO THE DATA SAY ABOUT THIS GROUP’S THINKING REGARDING PRIORITIES IN THE AREAS OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND INSTRUCTION?

The Group Data: District Priorities What do you see in the data?

The Group Data: District Priorities What interests you?

The Group Data: District Priorities What do the data say about this group’s thinking regarding priorities in the areas of student achievement and instruction?

Today’s Learning Target (The Task) Today’s Learning Target/The Task: The work of the task force today is to establish district priorities in the areas of student achievement and instruction. Today’s Criteria for Success:  The district’s priorities are established.  The task force members reach consensus.

In Closing… Next Steps: Post the results of today for more input from additional stakeholders Share that information back with this group Planning Task Force will take priority statements and develop SMART Goals These Goals will be shared back with this group as well as posted for stakeholder feedback RCAS School Board will approve Goals

Weeding The Garden Focus is easy to talk about but difficult to implement!! “One person’s dandelion is another person’s rose. It is time to start picking some roses and it is dangerous for our system if we fail”