The Rock Hill Climb: A Journey to Excellence Presented by The Rock Hill Leadership Team and the Urban Learning and Leadership Center June, 2009

Mountain Climbing is not for the timid or the weak! Getting extraordinary things done in organizations is hard work. The climb to the summit is arduous and steep. Leaders encourage others to continue the quest. They inspire others with courage and hope.

Are you up to the Challenge?

Activity: Based on the video clip and your knowledge of climbing, if you were at base camp, planning a climb to the summit, list 3-5 things you would do. Think-Pair-Share

Laws of the Mountain Know your pathways-use the wisdom of those who have created markers before you Know your equipment-your life and those on your team may depend on your preparation Know your plan-every team member must know his unique role and execute it with fidelity

Shared Vision and Beliefs Future Focus Nurturing EnvironmentDesign Quality Work School Name The Rock Hill Climb Developing Proficient Mastery Distinguished Emerging

The Pathways of the Rock Hill Climb: Research-based and Proven Shared Vision and Beliefs Future Focus Nurturing Environment Quality Work Design and Delivery

Shared Vision and Beliefs Articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision and belief system that is shared and supported by all stakeholders so that students can learn, grow, connect, and thrive.

VISION CLEAR VISION COMES FROM A PROFOUND UNDERSTANDING OF AN ORGANIZATION. THE VISIONARY LEADER CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT THE END PRODUCT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT MUST BE DONE TO ACHIEVE IT. IN CONTRAST, SIMPLY FOLLOWING A SET OF INSTRUCTIONS WITHOUT VISION WILL NEVER CREATE SUPERIOR RESULTS -Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus, LEADERS, 1985

Developing Vision Vision is a description of the desired state of affairs for your school. If you could wave a magic wand and have your school transported 5 years into the future, what would you want your school to look like? Just like a blueprint gives the builder a structure to focus the skills of his workmen, the vision paints a picture of a desired state that motivates and guides.

An instructional leader’s Belief System is a frame of reference for his vision and impacts all of his actions! Values Are Beliefs in Action!

Future Focus Create school environments that promote student conceptual understanding and use of essential skills to solve problems, collaborate, and communicate so our students will effectively create, reflect, and evaluate in the global environment of the 21 st century.

Implications for Public Education “This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education… whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can’t think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, distinguish good information from bad, or speak a language other than English.” –“How to Build a Student for the 21st Century”, TIME Magazine, December 18, 2006

What skills are most important for job success when hiring a High School graduate? Work Ethic80% Collaboration75% Good Communication70% Social Responsibility63% Critical Thinking & Problem Solving58% 21 st Century Skills Are They Really To Work? 2006

Of the High School students that you recently hired, what were their deficiencies? Written Communication81% Leadership73% Work Ethic70% Critical Thinking & Problem Solving70% Self-Direction58% 21 st Century Skills Are They Really To Work? 2006

What applied skills and basic knowledge are most important for those you will hire with a four-year college diploma? Oral Communication95.4% Collaboration94.4% Professional/Work Ethic93.8% Written Communication93.1% Critical Thinking/Problem Solving93.1% 21 st Century Skills Are They Really To Work? 2006

What skills and content areas will be growing in importance in the next five years? Critical Thinking78% Information Technology77% Health & Wellness76% Collaboration74% Innovation74% Personal Financial Responsibility72% 21 st Century Skills Are They Really To Work? 2006

Nurturing Environment Create an environment that is emotionally, physically, and intellectually safe for all stakeholders so that students may learn, grow, connect, and thrive.

“The nurtured child is more likely to be a resilient child-one who can achieve despite the challenges of life.” (Werner and Smith, 1992)

“The ability to disassociate from dysfunctional environments, the ability to exercise control over one’s surroundings, and nurturing that results in feelings of self worth contribute to a person’s resilience.” (Bernard, 1997)

Current achievement levels of many minority students may be indicative of the need for educators to consider factors that might enhance the likelihood of resilience in students. (Werner and Smith, 1992)

Quality Work Design and Delivery Use of data in the planning and delivery of instruction aligned to content standards using specific structures including professional development, differentiation, technology, and SIPS to help all students achieve excellence.

When principals make the transition from instructional leaders to learning leaders, they move the conversation from “What was taught?” or “How was it taught?” to the far more important questions of “What was learned?” and “How can we use the evidence of learning to strengthen our professional practice?” (DuFour and Marzano, 2009)

“We describe effective curricular designs as “backward” because many teachers begin with textbooks, favored lessons, and time- honored activities rather than deriving those tools from targeted goals or standards. We are advocating the reverse: One starts with the end—the desired results (goals or standards)—and then derives the curriculum from the evidence of learning (performances) called for by the standard and the teaching needed to equip students to perform.”

Your leadership team has created a Rock Hill Climb rubric by which you can (1) calibrate your current position relative to the summit and (2) plan with a focus on the next marker of your journey with your team.

Objectives of the Rock Hill Climb Retreat Participants will: Identify the critical elements of each Rock Hill Pathway and define them in their own words Analyze and describe the growth progression of the stages of each critical element List questions for analysis for each critical element to define data sources for school placement on the Climb rubric Appraise their school’s current status on each element of the Climb rubric