Characteristics of Effective Schools By: Wendy Jaye Popescu

Characteristics Of An Effective School A Strong Instructional Leadership A Strong Instructional Leadership A Strong Sense of Mission A Strong Sense of Mission An Effective Instructional Behavior An Effective Instructional Behavior High Expectations for All Students High Expectations for All Students Frequent Monitoring of Student Achievement Frequent Monitoring of Student Achievement A Safe and Orderly Operation A Safe and Orderly Operation

Correlates of Effective School Instructional Leadership Instructional Leadership Clear & Focused Mission Clear & Focused Mission Safe & Orderly Environment Safe & Orderly Environment Climate of High Expectations Climate of High Expectations Frequent Monitoring of Student Progress Frequent Monitoring of Student Progress Positive Home-School Relations Positive Home-School Relations Opportunity to Learn & Student Time on Task Opportunity to Learn & Student Time on Task

Why Strive to Reach High? Our Goal as Educators is: Our Goal as Educators is: –To select a significant curriculum content, accurate and precise –To teach for in-depth understanding –To share a common mission –To believe all students can learn –To provide a safe and orderly environment –To welcome and utilize student diversity

Self Assessment Should be Our Ultimate Goal If you want to appear accountable –T–T–T–TEST YOUR STUDENTS If you want to improve your school –T–T–T–TEACH TEACHERS TO ASSESS THEIR STUDENTS If you want to maximize learning –T–T–T–TEACH STUDENTS TO ASSESS THEMSELVES Hawley, The Keys to Effective Schools

How to Strive to Reach High Develop an In-Depth Needs Assessment Develop an In-Depth Needs Assessment Set Clear Priorities for Action Set Clear Priorities for Action Create a Reasonable Timeline Create a Reasonable Timeline Understand Your Current Budget Understand Your Current Budget Plan ahead Plan ahead Be Continually Revising & Revisiting Be Continually Revising & Revisiting Create a Living Document Create a Living Document

MINORITIES SUBJECT SPECIFIC GRADE LEVEL ENTIRE CAMPUS SPECIAL ED STUDENTS REGULAR ED STUDENTS NEEDS ASSESSMENTS Needs Assessments need Needs Assessments need to be throughough Data should be collected from all students Data should be collected from all students Data should be collected from sub-groups Data should be collected from sub-groups –Regular Ed Students –Special Ed Students –Grade Levels –Subject Specific –Minorities

PRIORITIES FOR ACTION WHAT ARE WE DOING TO INVOLVE PARENTS ALIGN CURRICULUM TEACH PROFEFSSIONAL EXPERTISE UTILIZE RESOURCES

TIMEFRAMES & PERSONS RESPONSIBLE Remember PATIENCE is a Virtue Timelines should be long range and flexible Our Job is to Find a Way to Involve All Stakeholders in Every Aspect of the Strategic Plan……Why? –B–B–B–BECAUSE AN INVOLVED STAKEHOLDER IS A COMMITTED ONE –B–B–B–BECAUSE TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE & MANY HEADS ARE MUCH BETTER THAN A FEW

THE BIG BUDGET ISSUE Budgets should be strategically planned by a LEADERSHIP TEAM –P–P–P–Principal –S–S–S–Select Staff –C–C–C–Community Budgets should be Current & Futuristic –W–W–W–What do we have to work with right now? –W–W–W–What do we want to plan on for the future? –M–M–M–MAKE IT REALISTIC and FLEXIBLE

My Favorite Quote! It Says it All!

Ron Edmonds Author of Programs of School Improvement: An Overview Ron Edmonds Author of Programs of School Improvement: An Overview We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children whose schooling is of interest to us. We already know more than we need to do that. Whether or not we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we havent so far.

References Hawley, W., & Rollie, D. (Eds). (2002). The Keys to Effective Schools. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press Hawley, W., & Rollie, D. (Eds). (2002). The Keys to Effective Schools. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press Effective Schools: Revolutionary and Evolutionary: The Effective Schools Movement. (2001). Okemos, Michigan: Effective Schools Products, Ltd. Effective Schools: Revolutionary and Evolutionary: The Effective Schools Movement. (2001). Okemos, Michigan: Effective Schools Products, Ltd. Using Data to Strengthen Schools. (2004b). Canter (DVD). Using Data to Strengthen Schools. (2004b). Canter (DVD).

I hope this is what you wanted! Wendy