1. 2014-2015 Illinois SMART School Academy
August 5 and 6, 2014
Session I - Day 1

2. Sponsored by

3. Presenters
Anne Conzemius
Carol Pulsfus
Perry Soldwedel

4. Session I Overview
Purpose: Develop a community of learners who understand and commit to their roles as learners, leaders and coaches of the SMART School Improvement Process.
Concept: Focus
Bridges: Day 1 Community
Day 2 Growth

5. Session I Overview
Essential Question: How do we, as a community of learners, focus on student growth?
Outcomes
Agenda Overview

6. Community
Communities are built through the process of convening conversations where people’s thoughts are valued and they have the opportunity to present choices. The experience created is designed in such a way that relatedness, accountability, and commitment are always available, experienced and demonstrated. As a leader you create the conditions for the engagement. You have all that is required for this to happen in your organization.
~ excerpts from Community
by Peter Block

7. Convene a Conversation
What would make this
Academy experience
successful for you?
Why are you here?

8. Characteristics of a Community

9. I’ve seen that there is no more powerful way to initiate significant change than to convene a conversation. When a community of people discovers that they share a concern, change begins. There is no power equal to a community discovering what it cares about.
~ Margaret Wheatley
Turning to One Another: Simple
Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future, page 22

10. Kinesthetic Representation of a System

11. The Framework for Shared Responsibility

13. Five Key Questions It is good to have an end to journey toward;
but it is the journey that matters in the end.
Ursula K. LeGuin 1999
5. Where should we focus next?
4. What are we learning?
3. How will we get to where we want to be?
2. Where do we want to be?
1. Where are we now?

14. Collaborative Reading
Divide your table team into three pairs and assign one of the following sections from The Power of SMART Goals to each pair.
Framework for Shared Responsibility (pages )
Define SMART (pages 13-17)
Five Key Questions (pages 35-38)
Share the main points from each section with others at your table.

15. The Framework for Shared Responsibility
SMART Goals
Data
Teamwork

16. Our School Self-Assessment
Focus
Reflection
Collaboration
Leadership Capacity

17. The Data – Logic Chain
Logic
Data
Logic
Data
Logic
Data
Logic
LEARNING and ACTION are embedded in the process.
Data
Logic

18. SMART School Improvement Process
Step #5
Analyze and refocus
Begin again!
Step #4
Develop action plans
Between Steps
Implement plans
Step #3
Select strategies
Between Steps
Explore professional learning options
Step #2
Create school
SMART goal
Between Steps
Investigate effective practices
Step #1
Isolate need
Between Steps
Gather and analyze data

19. It is good to have an end to journey toward;
but it is the journey that matters in the end.
~ Ursula K. LeGuin, 1999

20. Five Key Questions Where are we know? Where do we want to be?
How will we get to where we want to be?
What are we learning?
Where should we focus next?

21. Where should we focus next? How will we get to where we want to be?
SMART School Improvement Process
Where should we focus next?
What are we learning?
Step #5
Analyze and refocus
Begin again!
Step #4
Develop action plans
Between Steps
Implement plans
Step #3
Select strategies
Between Steps
Explore professional learning options
Where do
we want
to be?
How will we get to where we want to be?
Step #2
Create school
SMART goal
Between Steps
Investigate effective practices
Step #1
Isolate need
Between Steps
Gather and analyze data
Where are we now?

22. School Improvement Planning Cycle

23. SMART School Improvement Process
Step #5
Analyze and refocus
Begin again!
Step #4
Develop action plans
Between Steps
Implement plans
Step #3
Select strategies
Between Steps
Explore professional learning options
Step #2
Create school
SMART goal
Between Steps
Investigate effective practices
Step #1
Isolate need
Between Steps
Gather and analyze data

24. Data Trust Rules Create dialogue and understanding.
Promote shared learning.
Be open—acknowledge and respect various interpretations.
Search for meaning even when the conclusions are not readily apparent.
Handle with care…this is not for “gotcha.”
Be patient with those who may find this difficult or threatening.
Make the best of the data you have.

25. Practice Step #1 Isolate Need Purpose: Isolate perceptions
of student learning needs
Pages 113
and

26. Action Planning for Step #1
Key elements to consider:
Review school mission, vision and values
Establish/review data trust rules
Gather and analyze individual perceptions
Create a data plan

27. Journal Entries
What did I learn today that affirmed my prior knowledge and skills?
What did I learn today that furthered my prior knowledge and skills?
What did I learn today that challenged my thinking and raised questions in my mind?
What did I learn today that excited me most?

28. Appreciations and Feedback
Share appreciations from the day.
Individually complete your feedback form and leave at the center of your table.
Tidy your table.
Thank you for your time and energy today!

29. Building capacity for student-focused, goal-directed learning
Thank you
SMART People!
smartlearningsystems.com
Building capacity for student-focused, goal-directed learning