Simpson County Schools Summer Leadership Retreat 2011 Enhancing Leadership Capacity and Effectiveness to Impact Student Learning and Staff Performance Continuing Our Journey toward the Realization of our Vision 2020 “Clear Focus on Student Learning”

Vision 2020 “Clear Focus on Student Learning” The primary aim of education is not just to enable students to do well in school, but to help them do well in the lives they lead outside of the school.

Vision 2020 “Clear Focus on Student Learning” SUCCESS FOR ALL! Simpson County Schools is a top- ranked learning community that graduates thoughtful, productive, and caring citizens who are prepared to succeed in life.

What is prepared for success in LIFE? College and Career Ready… Communicator both written and oral language Literate with media, information, and technology Critical Thinker Creative Thinker Collaborator, Team Player, Leader Researcher Good Citizens Self- and Socially- Responsible

What is our CORE BUSINESS? Our CORE BUSINESS is to ensure that every student, every day of the school year is provided challenging, interesting, satisfying work and leading them to success in that work – TASK PREDICTS PERFORMANCE: –We must spend time getting to know & build rapport with our students, because positive professional relationships are the foundation for learning in schools - RELATIONSHIPS. –Designing work that is interesting and produces a sense of satisfaction for our students - RELEVANCE; –Designing work that is challenging and with which students persist even when they experience difficulty - RIGOR; –For this to occur, all district activity must be organized around students, their success and the work they do – OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

Vision 2020 “Clear Focus on Student Learning” We will achieve this in part by doing the following very well: Student-Centered Decision-Making Student-Centered Decision-Making Results/Data Driven Decision-Making Results/Data Driven Decision-Making Embrace a Philosophy of Continuous Improvement Embrace a Philosophy of Continuous Improvement Consistent Focus on Rigor, Relevance, Relationships and Our Responsibility for Each Child’s Learning and Success Consistent Focus on Rigor, Relevance, Relationships and Our Responsibility for Each Child’s Learning and Success Aligning District Resources to Increase Student Learning to Achieve Our Goals in Achievement, Growth, Gap and College/Career Readiness. Aligning District Resources to Increase Student Learning to Achieve Our Goals in Achievement, Growth, Gap and College/Career Readiness.

What Do We Believe? Our Beliefs Drive Our Vision  All children can learn at high levels if given the right work, support and time. Positive High Expectations For ALL!!!  All students have dignity & worth and deserve to learn. Every Student Counts!  We must provide students a safe, secure & conducive environment for learning. Positive and Professional Relationships!  Effective effort by students creates ability. Value and recognize effort and hard work!

Our Beliefs Drive Our Vision  In order for us to take our system to GREAT, we must focus on providing our students consistently with engaging work that is aligned to the core content. Our Teachers can and do produce engaging work for students given the resources, time and training. Professional Learning Communities!  The assessments teachers give students communicate their true standards to the students more than anything else. Use Formative Assessments in addition to Summative Assessments in the classroom.

Our Beliefs Drive Our Vision  Students deserve teachers, administrators & support staff who are caring, competent & knowledgeable. They deserve our BEST!  We can mandate their attendance, but we must earn the attention and commitment of our students. Students must know you care before they care what you know!  Everyone needs to experience success and be recognized for it. Find success in all students and help them build a track record of success!!!  Parents, students, schools and the community are joined in a partnership of mutual respect. Parents & Community as Partners! We need them on our team!  Working together, we can accomplish great things for the students of Simpson County!

Guiding Questions for Our MISSION: Do we have a clear plan for building positive, professional relationships with students, their families and one another? Do we have clear procedures for making sure we are teaching the standards we expect all students to know? Do we have clear procedures for making sure our students have learned these standards? Do we have clear procedures for making sure we “fix it” when students do not learn the standards? Do we have clear procedures for providing enrichment strategies for students who are already meeting or exceeding our learning goals?

What do WE VALUE? Building positive relationships – –Through open & honest communications – –Having a service attitude – servant leadership – –Through professional dialog and collaboration – –Being proud to be a part of the FS Wildcat Family Teaching to standards and beyond – developing the whole person for LIFE Assessing student learning to guide instructional and learning decisions Interventions for students who need extra support meeting the standards Enrichments for students who meet or exceed the standards Leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle – –Work hard and make work fun – –Balance my personal and work time – –Excellence is worth the effort

District Priorities Build and foster a high performance culture that ensures positive, enduring professional relationships that are the foundation of all initiatives. Execute productive professional learning community days through intentional vertical and horizontal collaboration to answer our five guiding questions. Recruitment, retention, and development of high quality staff members in all positions. All students will perform at or above grade level in reading, writing, and math with appropriate interventions and enrichments to meet individual learner needs. Provide rigorous and relevant instruction that engages students, promotes independent thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and the development of self understanding and social responsibility in a democratic society.

REFLECTION What went well? What else can we do? What resources do we have in place to further support this work? What are my PROMISES for the future?