1. There is No Magic Dust
Sharing of Information Presented at the PLC Conference by Anthony Muhammad
Jan Bennett, presenter

2. Magic Dust? You want instant results with…
No personal commitment to change?
No threat to tradition?
No inconvenience?
No accountability?

3. PLCs are not established and sustained without…
Commitment
Organization
Effort
Vision
Dedication
Accountability
Teamwork

4. “Success does not permit shortcuts
“Success does not permit shortcuts. It makes you pay all that is due, and it only rears its head after all fees are paid.” - Napolean Hill, Think and Grow Rich

5. Levey Middle School 97% African-American student population
800+ students
School-wide Title One
Over 80% of students from homes headed by single female
30% of students proficient in reading
31% of students proficient in math
25-40% mobility rate
3,000 disciplinary suspensions
150 students failed two or more classes
65% of staff in first, second, or third year of teaching
Anthony Muhammad was the third principal in three years.

6. Levey Results Reading Math 2000 – 30% Proficient (State Avg. 68%)
2005 – 76% Proficient (State average 62%)

7. Levey moved from a Low Performing School to a Blue Ribbon School.
Other Levey Victories
Six students failed one or more classes (down from 150 in 2002)
suspensions (down from over 3,000 in )
52% of Levey students on the honor roll
Levey moved from a Low Performing School to a Blue Ribbon School.

8. So, how did he do it? Did he use magic dust or dedication, commitment, and hard work?

9. Nine Core Beliefs
Schools are places built for the education of children, not for adult employment.
Schools play a major role in the future life success of students and their community.
Education is a profession, and educators should conduct themselves as professionals.
Education is a mission, and educators should conduct themselves as missionaries.
Schools are a community’s most precious institution, and they have the power to transform a community.

10. continued
Children are at the center of everything that we do, and our practice should reflect their best interest.
We believe that schools must partner with other members of the community in order for the educational experience to be optimal.
We believe that character is important and that schools can help shape a child’s character.
We believe that service to the community is important and that it is essential in a democratic society.

11. What do you think? Do you agree with these?
Does your staff agree with these?
How would our schools be different if we “lived” and “worked” according to these beliefs?
Is it even possible to do so?
Are there any you would eliminate? Are there any that you think are missing?

12. Political vs. Principled
Concerned with self-interest
Lobbying
Alliances with special interest groups
Principled
Dedication to the mission of the school
Service orientation
Holds self and others accountable for contribution toward organizational goals

13. Part 1 Establishing Professionalism Collective Inquiry
Establishing Shared Mission and Vision
Organizing Collaboration

14. Specific Steps Form Leadership Team
Review All Critical Data (Comprehensive Needs Assessment)
Choose Goals (No more than four/five)
Identify best literature/research that helps increase staff ability to meet goals
Develop study questions that apply the research to school’s current reality
Prepare study guide for teachers and pace their curriculum for the entire school year
Binder questions were given to faculty to read. They had to answer the questions at home and come prepared to discuss their answers. He used the book Expectations by Dr. Robert Green for some of the questions.

15. Each team was required to write a mission statement – and to list their commitments to the mission.

16. Team Goals Were Set

17. Learning Centers
Use staff meetings as “learning centers,” not for announcements and trivia
Sessions are used to find solutions for your problems, not for complaints
Prepare to answer the naysayers
Tie the information learned in your book studies to the vision for the school
Suggested Readings
65% of the teachers were new, so they would keep quiet and lay low. Naysayers have trusted, then been burned, trusted, then been burned until they find a relatively cool spot in Hell. They stayed there to avoid frustration. Find your adversaries. Allow them to speak and be heard. Then convince them.

18. Shared Mission
“We will work collaboratively to ensure that each student will be prepared for post-secondary education.”
He told his staff… You are going to work hard anyway, so you might as well be great!

19. “Why do we need to learn this?”
If you can’t answer that question, you shouldn’t be teaching.

20. Team Planning Schedule
Monday: Academic Planning
Tuesday: Nuts and Bolts
Wednesday: Counselor Meeting
Thursday: Grade Level Dept. Meeting
Friday: Grade Level Dept. Meeting
Each person was part of three teams: interdisciplinary, grade level, and department
Principal met 25 minutes every day with some team
Meetings were 25 minutes each day

21. Intervention Handout
The system was developed by the group, and no one had the right to trump it, just because they didn’t like it.

22. Creative Strategies Homework Lunch
Character Education and Community Service
Connection to Public and Private Sectors
Parental Partnerships
University Partnerships
Discipline System
Discipline problems were divided into Class 1 (Misbehaviors – with systematic results and Class 2 (Severe) - a short list of nonnegotiables

23. Creative Strategies Continued
Tutors met with principal monthly to share results
Students scoring less than 80% on common assessments were assigned to a tutor (counselors scheduled all of this). Students were pulled only from P. E.
Title One Student Support Specialist
Student Success Plan
Writing Month
Levy Leaders
Title One Support Specialist: monitored, mentored, planned, and assisted Title One students
Taught no more than 3 reading support classes and assisted with reports and paper work associated with Title 1 funds
* Student Success Plan: 80% of students who had a success plan made the honor roll the next year. His last year, no student had an F anywhere on their report card.

24. Ask the Students… Were the lessons interesting?
What could I change to make it better?
How can you use this lesson in real life?
Why aren’t some students learning?

25. There is no magic dust. Where do you go from here
There is no magic dust. Where do you go from here? Will you sit on your hands and wait for change? Or Will you go to work and make a difference in the lives of your children and community?
In groups of ___ process and discuss this

26. What do I do with this information?
Process/discuss this information in your group.
What possible application does this have for your students?
Brainstorm implementation ideas.
Have you generated any new/creative ideas as a result of this information or discussion?
Other comments?
Select a spokesperson and be prepared to share.