CARE Model Plan

Week Three Assignment, Part 1 – CARE Model Analysis of District/Campus Improvement Initiatives or Action Research Plans

Concerns – Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research, and list at least three concerns that you have identified from these experiences – a concern may be any matter that engages your attention or interest.

1. Upon starting my internship, an area of concern was the use of technology in our district. While there is an abundance of technology, I wanted to know how often does the teacher use technology in a lesson and how is the use interactive? How often does the student use technology during class, per week, month and school year? This may be an easier assessment on one campus but with a district that has over 52,000 students, processes and procedures in technology vary from school to school even if it is servicing the same age group.
2. Our district has built 5 new middle schools in the past few years. Reviewing data, the 5^th grade scores have steadily increased, however our 6^th grade ELAR scores have steadily decreased. Upon discussions with the middle school principals, I noted that all schools did not follow the district timelines or curriculum. Many felt that the curriculum needed to be re-aligned before they would commit to following the time-lines.
3. As I reviewed the district improvement plan, I noticed that there are many statements on how we will empower students and give them a voice. How do we give students at the lower age levels a voice? Do students really have a say in what happens on a campus, other than deciding on a few fundraisers?

Affirmations - Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research, and affirm or identify at least 3 actions that must be sustained and supported to achieve the District/Campus improvement initiatives.

1. Being a campus principal, I voiced my concerns to my administrative team. We came up with a plan to gather more information so that we knew where our weaknesses were as a campus. We found that 85% of our teachers on campus had a foundation on using technology. They did stream in videos and relevant real world information to incorporate in daily lessons! We found that 70% were at least doing basic student technological interaction with the Prometheans located in every classroom.
2. Our Superintendent created a 6^th Grade ELAR committee, which wrote the new curriculum for the district this summer. There was a high level of commitment from the Superintendent to resolve the issues so that there would be alignment. Members from all schools were represented on the committee. I was able to be a part of the committee to revamp the curriculum.
3. Discussions with secondary principals led me to believe that student voice is more evident at the secondary level than it is in the elementary level. Honor Society and numerous organizations provide involvement at the secondary level to ensure students feel ownership at the school.

Recommendations - Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research and describe at least 3 recommendations you would make regarding the District/Campus Improvement plans or action research plans.

1. As a recommendation concerning technology in our district, I suggest that the District Technology Committee decide what a 21^st Century Classroom looks like. Do all schools have access to the same technology? A Superintendent would have the technology committee survey the principals and teachers in the district. Reviewing the feedback would give one a baseline on where to begin discussions. Questions such as what software has research behind it? What material is in the teachers’ hands? In the students’ hands? What steps need to take place in order to implement the district plan on all schools?
2. I was able to be a part of the District Curriculum Alignment committee and had the opportunity to experience the process first hand. It is definitely a process that brings all to consensus. I contributed by hosting the meetings at our campus during this summer and bringing in the perspective of what is the data telling us. What are the most successful schools doing? The curriculum is posted on-line through district software all teachers have access to.
3. I sought out various organizations to find one that offers training on leadership to students. In October we will be bringing Leadership training and it has been offered to all schools in our district as I feel that not only my campus but all schools can be benefit by giving students leadership tools.

Evaluate - Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research and identify at least 3 strategies for evaluating the improvement plans or recommendations.

1. I am currently serving on the District Technology Committee. The questions that I presented earlier have been raised to the committee. We are in the process of deciding what a 21^st Century Classroom looks like. I will be meeting with the committee next week and we will begin to look at feedback so that we will have a starting point. Our Superintendent is very supportive and once we have gathered data and vote on the recommendations, he will be trying to pass a bond for the technology needed in the classrooms.
2. The committee has created the curriculum for half of the year. We will be meeting again this month to work on the second semester. The truest evaluation is to have every middle school principal check for fidelity of the timeline and instruction during their walk-throughs. Review the data after the first nine weeks. Is there an increase in CBA scores?
3. I will evaluate the outcome by following up on how many schools went back and implemented the ideas given at the workshop. I will also survey principals on how many opportunities are given to students to have their voices heard as part of the decision making on the campus.

Week Three Assignment, Part 2 – Part C of the Comprehensive Final Report

Describing Recommendations and District/Campus Improvement Initiative/Action Research Lessons Learned

Through my experience on the District Technology Committee, I have realized that Principals with their own agenda’s and bringing everyone to a consensus is not always as easy as one thinks. It has been an opportunity to work with colleagues at various levels, including elementary, middle, intermediate, high school and central office. Each individual brings a wealth of knowledge. I found it interesting that while many discussed great use of software and materials for teachers, the conversation could not move towards putting technology in the students’ hands. We covered a myriad of tools from wireless mobile labs, voting devices, to Prometheans.

One of our big topics was having all five 5A high schools have students with personal lap-top computers. The high school people persuaded the majority to vote NO on this item. When the Superintendent received the feedback, he shared that he would like one of the high schools to run a pilot program. I thought he created a Win-Win situation. The people on the committee who were against the lap-tops felt heard yet as a leader he has to know that our children must leave knowing how to use technology. I was able to have a one on one conversation with the Superintendent about the vote and his decision. He conveyed that it is the Superintendent’s role to move the district and learning forward so that our students do not get left behind. Dr. Lewis genuinely cares about his employees and wanted the stakeholders serving on the committee to know that he valued them as well. It was a great opportunity to see how a Superintendent has to be a visionary for the district and has to work with the stakeholders so that they know he has the best interest of students at the forefront of his agenda.

Knowing how curriculum impacts students directly, it was a great opportunity to serve on the district curriculum alignment team this summer. There were heated discussions as there were those that were tied to their favorite lesson that was at a lower level of instruction. The amount of communication the Superintendent has to have during these alignments was an eye-opener. Dr. Lewis conveyed to me that the Superintendent had to ensure that each child in the district had an opportunity to receive an excellent education. That cannot be accomplished unless all principals and teachers are committed to implementing district timelines with fidelity. It was a much needed process and I am thankful to have gone through it as I would not otherwise understand the obstacles that are faced when revamping the curriculum. I’ve always had a high respect for Instructional Specialist and interaction with them this summer only reinforced that they are truly masters of their craft.

I am looking forward to the Leadership Conference for Students that our campus has set up. We have asked all middle schools in the district to send a team of students. I would like to see students experiencing leadership opportunities that are concrete not just on paper. We have to at least start in the middle school level, as many have decided they will drop out by the end of their sixth grade year. I believe Leadership Skills in students can make a difference.

Week Three Assignment, Part 3 - Scheduling a Conference with the District Site Supervisor to review the SISE

I have a conference scheduled with my District Site Supervisor, Troy McCarley-Area Superintendent, scheduled for Friday, September 16, at 9:00 am.