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Along the Road to Rigor, Relevance and Relationships: West High

Improvement Plan for 07-08

Mike Ashurst / CRA

Ed Jones / Principal

RED COACHES

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Bill Gates – National Governor’s Conference - 2005

By obsolete, I mean that our high schools -- even when they're working exactly as designed -- cannot teach our kids what they need to know today. Training the workforce of tomorrow with the high schools of today is like trying to teach kids about today's computers on a 50-year-old mainframe. It's the wrong tool for the times.”

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The Mission Changed…

OLD Mission Every Student Can

Learn Assessment of

Learning (Summative) Select and Sort

Students Winners and Losers Focus on Teaching

NEW Mission Every Student Will

Learn Assessment for

Learning (Formative) Differentiate Failure is Not an

Option Focus on Learning

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West High’s Goal: West High’s Goal: Rigor/Relevance ForRigor/Relevance For All All

WhyWhy

Do We Do We Need Need

to Changeto Change

??

WhatWhat

Needs Needs to to

Be Be Done?Done?

HowHow

Do We DoDo We Do

It?It?

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Our Responsibility:

Create a curriculum driven by data from two categories:

Academic Skills that are rigorous and which students must master in our test driven education system

Essential Skills and knowledge that employees need to succeed in our technology and information infused economy

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The What An Evolution not a Revolution

Building capacity throughout the school / CRA

District Leadership Support

Red Coaches development and leadership

Principal Role

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Year One- GoalsAligned to our best practices strategic plan.1. Create and implement a framework for

rigorous and relevant secondary curriculum.

2. Create multiple career-focused pathways.3. Provide effective leadership development

opportunities for administrators, teachers, parents and the community focused on instructional practices and strategies .

4. Provide opportunities that include a caring adult relationship with each student.

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Resources for Strategic Plan

Kasc CRA/Red Coaches

DeFour District

Assessment tools / PD

Leadership to the entire school

P

Professional Learning Communities

Whatever it Takes Culture

Support for WEST HIGH / West individual needs

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Resources for Strategic Plan

Kasc CRA

Red Coaches

Principal

DeFour District

Assessment tools / PD

Leadership to the entire school

PD from principal academy

Professional Learning Communities

Whatever it Takes Culture

Support for WEST HIGH / West individual needs

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Secondary Design – An Evolution not a Revolution

It may seem obvious, but the first step is to have a clear mission and vision for what you are trying to create.

“Having agreement on the key elements allows schools to establish as non-negotiable the practices and philosophies that will be held sacred

among the group.”

“Getting Off the Hamster Wheel” by Grace Sammon

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Secondary Design: West High

The Guiding Principles - The Backbone

of What We Believe

Guiding PrinciplesThe Principal is the Instructional Leader for Professional Learning CommunitiesCurriculum is Non-negotiableEach Student Will LearnThe Primary Focus is on Instruction Not StructureEach School has a Unique Learning CultureDecisions are Based on Data AnalysisTeachers will Provide Optimal Learning Opportunities to Ensure all Students Learn

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West High Priority Components

Priority Secondary Redesign Components

High Expectations withRigor and Relevance

Grade Level TransitionsSustained and Supported

Staff Development

Supportive Student /Teacher

Relationships

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Priority Secondary Reform Components

District Initiatives Support Resources

School Initiatives Data Analysis Small Learning

Communities RED Collaborative Analysis

Teams Flexible Scheduling

High Expectations with Rigor and Relevance

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Priority Secondary Reform Components

School Initiatives Freshman Transition Program Community Learning Culture / Climate

Grade Level Transitions

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Priority West High Reform Components

School Initiatives

Mini Grant (12) Walk thru data Develop 20 minute

walk – thru instrument that is analytical

Coaches that work PD for technology

Sustained and Supported Staff Development

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Priority West High Reform Components

District Initiatives Red Coach training Red Coach

supplement Support team

members

School Initiatives Culture ESS PT conferences Teacher Web sites Discipline Teacher Support

Supportive Student / Teacher Relationships

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Best Practices Redesign Rubric

All new and on-going programs will be evaluated in light of their rating on the Best Practices Indicators Rubric.

New Programs will be approved, based on the rating.

Existing programs will be continued, modified or cancelled based, on the rating.

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Best Practice Indicators

Core AcademicRigor

AccelerationMechanisms /

StretchLearning

StudentEngagement /

Relevancy

Personal SkillsDevelopment -

Character &Citizenship

Secondary Redesign District Initiatives Menu

ProgressMonitoring for

ContinuousImprovement

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Best Practices Indicator Area Rating

Core Academic Rigor  

Acceleration Mechanism/ Stretch Learning  

Progress Monitoring for Continuous Improvement

 

Student Engagement/ Relevancy  

Personal Skills Development-Character & Citizenship

 

Best Practices Rubric Rating

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Secondary Redesign Timelinefor 2007-08 West High School

Action Planning – This four-phase process will be used by West High School in the formulation/review /refinement/approval and ongoing implementation of the school’s secondary redesign action plan for 2007-08

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West design Timeline-2007-08

Phase 1: July 2005 – July 14, 2006 New Administration Retreats Academies Phase One Action Plan due and reviewed by West Support leadership team

Phase 2: August – September 2007 West Culture Shock / New ways / New days at West Red Coaches in place / Support team reviews Awareness for Professional Learning Communities Principal Academy – Lexington, Berea Successful OD and Plan testing sessions

Phase 3: October 2006 – November 2007 Red Coaches training PLC Conference - Atlanta Data Analysis / School Improvement Plans created Pilot Professional Learning Communities

Phase 4: November – May 2008 Create a “Whatever it Takes Culture” for West High

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Next Steps: Racing to Proficiency

Focus on the New Goals Ensure quality implementation of district and school-

based programs Increase monitoring of school and student progress Increase the opportunities for acceleration with support ESS that works Design an intervention system with multiple strategies

and options. Continue the culture improvement Create SIP’s that can be monitored and measured

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Next Steps

Focus on Strategic Implementation of Professional Learning Communities Establish a working PLC Provide District-wide training on a staff

development day. Provide on-going training at Faculty Meetings

when appropriate

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Next Steps

Red Coaches monitoring and continued implementation of goals Teams of departments meeting to improve /

meeting to train and be trained / modeling and monitoring

School Support team meets bimonthly to discuss progress and provide strategic support.

Plan of Coaches given by timeline for support teams