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Lexington Universal Academy as an Example

Khaled Ghoniem, Board President

Rania El-Sioufi, School Principal

The 7 Characteristics Strategic Direction

X 1. Diverse, but United Team 2. Strategically Planned Direction 3. Strong Communication Channels 4. Macro-management 5. Data-driven Continuous Improvement 6. Collaboration with Stakeholders 7. Need & Financial Prioritization of Resources and Projects

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1. Diverse, but United Team LUA is independently governed by its Bylaws and its School Board LUA School Board

9 Board Members (Voting members) 4 Members elected by Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) 4 Members elected by Islamic Society of Central Kentucky General Body

(ISCK) 1 Member appointed by ISCK Shura Council (Liaison)

Principal/Administrator (Non voting member)

Islamic Society of Central KY

LUA Islamic Center

Masjid Bilal South Side

1. Diverse, but United Team Islamic School boards are generally determined

by elections – crucial to establish a thorough election procedure

Diverse elements of the community have accessibility to membership

Different elements from the community are represented: races, generations and genders

The Principal is a non-voting member(s) of the Board

Strong shared Islamic beliefs and values

How to go from…

….to this…

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1. Diverse, but United Team How to Unite

Alignment to the cause, vision, and mission Decision making - consensus (shura), not majority vote

agreeing to the problem discussion arriving at consensus ownership

Bylaws must be explicit articles on membership, elections, budget, & decision making

set boundaries and expectations

Use individual expertise/interests while requiring communication

Limited power

Last Updated 8/5/2015

Organization Chart

School Board Khaled Ghoneim President, Islam Masoud V. President

Ismael Shalash Secretary, Munir Shalash Treasurer

Eman Mustafa, Javaid Siddiqi, Issa Shalash, Sami Shalash, Syed Zaeem Ali ISCK

Academic Director Jim Reilly

Islamic Studies Director/ Administrator

Haitham Issa

Office Manager Hope Omran

PreK Courtney Marshall (PreK3), Kelli Evans (PreK4)

Primary School Kim Hood (KG), Nowal Allouch (1st), Saphia Isa (2nd), Nadia Shalash (3rd), Jessica Jenkins (4th)

Middle School Sunshine Al Jumaily (Social Std), Basimah Shalash (Math), Erin McDaniel (Lang Arts), Alison Zemba (Science)

Islamic Studies/Arabic/Quran

Iman Hadi, Jamila Naji, Fathia Shalash, Rasmieh Suleiman

Principal Rania El-Sioufi

2. Strategically Planned Direction

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2. Strategically Planned Direction

Strategic planning is the school’s process of defining its strategy & direction

Set priorities

Focus energy & resources

Strengthen operations

Ensure that all stakeholders are working toward common goals

Evaluate, assess & adjust the organization as needed

2. Strategically Planned Direction

Purpose:

Committee recommends a course of action with the goal of achieve the school’s vision

Bi-annual retreat – Goal is to create strategic report

Seek variety of stakeholders – board, school leadership, parents, teachers, alumni & community members

Consider limiting to first-come-first-serve

Issue special invitations

Strategic report guides the implementation of goals by suggesting actions to achieve those goals

2. Strategically Planned Direction

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2. Strategically Planned Direction Strategic Planning Process:

Before retreat - environmental data collection (via short survey, interviews and objective data) – parents and community at large

Identify external & internal components that impact the school by conducting SWOT analysis

External component – opportunities & threats (target community or service area, resources; competitors

Internal component – strengths & weaknesses (evaluate performance in terms of inputs – financial and human; processes -operating methods; output – results or outcomes)

Review and valuate the school’s vision and mission statements

2. Strategically Planned Direction

Strategic Planning Process cont.:

Review the school’s vision and mission statements

Develop a shared vision for the future

Develop a series of goals considering the desired status of school in specific number of future years

Goals are developed which are the breakdown of LUA’s vision in a series of statements covering: Programs

Resources (staff, finance, technology, facility)

Status – academic standing

Relationship with community

2. Strategically Planned Direction

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Strategic Plan and SMART Goals

Goals (strategic goals)

Objectives (specific results)

Activities

Draft Strategic Plan

Goal / Objective

Activities Responsibility Timeline Status

Post Retreat:

Strategic Plan gets drafted – ultimately approved by the board

Board focuses on “governance related goals”

Staff focuses on “program related goals” – more details in the SIP

Share Plan with school’s stakeholders & solicit their participation

Build monitoring procedures to assess & evaluate the progress of implementation

2. Strategically Planned Direction

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LUA Parents

LUA Parents

Board

Staff Administration

Teachers

PTO

Community At Large

Students

3. Strong Communication Channels

3. Strong Communication Channels

Board-Administration:

On the administrative level, the education-responsible members of the Board can:

Review progress on Academic Improvement Plan (AIP) and Islamic Studies, Arabic and Quran (ISAQ) Framework

Allows for more detailed involvement and quicker decision making

Similar meetings can be held with other Board branches such as maintenance, technology, etc

3. Strong Communication Channels Board-Faculty:

Goals: keeping a finger on the pulse & maintaining relationships

Maintaining the established hierarchy

Standard Procedures:

Meetings

Minimum of three annual meetings

Teambuilding events

Wellness Vitality Program

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3. Strong Communication Channels Board-Faculty:

Standard Procedures (continued):

Tokens of appreciation

random acts of appreciation should not be delegated to PTO

sending flowers/plants

emails

gifting employees during life events such as marriage and childbirth

E-Connect is an online platform

access to handbooks and policies

upload and access pictures and documents

log technical problems

3. Strong Communication Channels

Board-Faculty continued: Escalation

A clear procedure in place

“Open door” policy within a formal procedure

at least two members

document & communicate to the rest of board

A procedure for response listening with no decisions

reaching out to administrators

investigating if necessary

following back to concerned parties

reaching a conclusion

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3. Strong Communication Channels

Engaging the entire local community

Facebook, Linked-In, and Twitter

Assign a responsible party & set usage regulations

Weekly newsletters for announcements – short term information

Annual progress reports- long-term information

Annual Dinner

Community Events (EID Carnival, EID Prayers, etc…)

4. Macro-management

4. Macro-management Why not micromanagement?

Workers become timid, limiting their development & growth

Slows down the productivity of the school

Indicates a lack of trust

Common excuses for micromanagement…

Not qualified staff – Train/PDs

Parent complaints – Communication Protocol (motivate)

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Micromanager Macro-manager

Task/self oriented Goal oriented

Create closed & detailed plans consisting of rote tasks

Create open framework for team members to fill in

Practice control Encourage culture of creativity

Resist (or outright ban) input Encourage input

Demand doing Encourage thinking

Use language that threatens and intimidates

Use language that encourages and motivates

Self Check

4. Macro-management How to Macro-manage Successfully

Operates in broad terms & limit its involvement in the details of day to day operations

Align team to school vision

Goal-based strategic planning – SIPs

(AIP) & (ISAQ) Framework

Accountability driven

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5. Data-driven Continuous Improvement The process of continuous improvement process:

Step 1: Gathering data Why different stakeholders?

For accurate targets to be established

Internal vs. External

Hard data vs. Soft data

Step 2: Analysis to identify strengths and weaknesses What is disaggregation

How & why to create a data wall

Step 3: Alignment to Strategic Plan & Action Plans Developed

Step 4: Monitoring & Assessment

1 Target 1: Reading - Improve fluency as well as its sub components. Goal: Net 20% gain in Reading domain. 2015-2016 SIP p. 1

2 Strategy Strategy Description Date Due Date Compl. Evidence - Strategy number must be noted

3 1 Utilization of resource teachers - an attempt will be made to assign

4 teachers to resource their own students in their own subjects during 1st wk Nov Teacher LP to identify & highlight SIP strategy #

5 social studies lessons. then on-going

11 2 Remediation/resource teachers will attend conference that has asap Conference certificates to be added to PLC Binder

12 specific sessions that focus on fluency & intervention strategies.

13 Expenses to be covered by Title-I for 5 academic teachers. after Title -II

14 Conferences to consider already submitted to Title-I approval

15 Coordinator for initial Title-I consideration/approval date of

16 conference

26 3 EL & MS committees will come up with 2 lists of academic TBD by One copy of intervention packets to be put in PLC binder.

27 subject work - one that is remedial, and one that is advanced. strategy

28 These intervention packets will allow opportunities for #

29 student work that is more suited for the intended purpose,

30 which is reaching the extreme ends of each grade level's

31 demonstrated performance range. The long range

32 concept is that these lists of tasks will develop into

33 "assignment mini-packets" that can be used for remedial

34 and advanced concept independent work for students.

35 4 Vocabulary - create "vocab book marks" to jot down on-going Product in PLC binder

36 unknown words to be defined later. See web site: Grab

37 some words.

38 Teachers can set a goal of when to complete book marks,

39 after which students can turn them in for a new one.

40 Teachers can decide if/or any point value for this.

Intervention Teachers to

2015-2016 SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Core teachers grades

3 & up

Title Coordinator: determine

Principal: approval

Responsible

Attend PD: Alison, Basimah,

Erin, Jessica, Sunshine

cost & arrange for teachers.

ELA, MA, SS

Teachers

3rd and Up Teachers

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Strategy Strategy Description Responsible Ideas/Documentation

1 Identify an annual theme of the year. IS Director Assembly powerpoint, display case, newsletter

2 Choose a value for each month of the year. ISAQ List of Values/Month, assembly powerpoint, newsletter

3 Teach monthly value through daily assembly powerpoint, videos, books, songs, and talks IS Director & Iman Assembly powerpoint

4 Weekly Class Presentations during assembly Teachers & Students Pictures

5 Islamic basis to be explained for values taught where possible Rasmiah Creation of Go-to Islamic Values binder

6 Name classrooms with Islamic values ISAQ Sample or picture

7Review memorization & understanding chapters of juz' Amma in assembly and term1 Qur'an

classISAQ Assembly powerpoint & Quran curriculum, memorization trees & charts, newsletter

8 Wudu & salah annual review IS Director Elementary Student Made Posters, monthly salah & wudu practice, tashahood month

9 8th grade leadership of annual Hajj Simulation8th Teacher & IS

DirectorPictures

10 Islamic General Knowledge quiz before salat Dhur led by Middle School IS Director General Knowledge Questions

11 Have a school Hifz program Assigned Teacher Registration Form

12 Have ISAQ Competitions ISAQ Athan, General Knowledge,

13 Opening & closing duaa to be posted and used to start & end all classes & meetings Teachers Sample posters

14 Assign integrated LA/IS writing tasks (see Strategy #17 SIP 2015-16) English & IS Teachers Assignment, rubric, samples

15 Fieldtrip integration Teachers Fieldtrip forms

16 Islamic names to be used in assignments where possible Teachers Samples, List of Islamic names to be provided new teachers

17 Posters of common dua'a (student made) ISAQ Sneezing, thanking someone,

18 Each 8th grade student should be able to fluently read the Qur'an Q&A Teachers Graduation Ceremony

19 Have as many teachers attend ISNA as possible & have presentors form the school All Staff Presentation documents, Registration forms, Teacher sharing documents

20 Short khatera (talk) after Dhuhr prayer IS Director Tafseer, Facebook posts, Twitter?

21 Live the Sunnah Way Fathia Bulletin Boards, incentives

22 Ansar Program for middle school: 4 squads: leadership, service, spirit and A-Team (anti-bullying) IS Director & Advisors Powerpoint, application, Ansar, Class reader, presentations (book talks, bullying)

23 Inviting community to ISAQ events & conducting ISAQ events at other Islamic organizations IS Director Hajj Simulation

24 Hosting community Islamic events IS Director Youth programs, speakers

25Practical experiences/assignments will be assigned to coincide with the Islamic Studies

curriculumISAQ

Field trips (orphanages, cemetaries, parks, soup kitchen) Outside the classroom learning,

food/gift/clothing drives,

26Students will be provided with opportunities to lead/share their practical assignments with their

families and communities.ISAQ Memorize surah as family

27Provide the opportunity for each 8th grade boy to give the khutbah and each girl to give a

khatera

IS Director & 8th IS

TeacherWritten preparation kept as samples

Introduced 2014

Introduced to updated 2015

2015-2016 ISAQ SCHOOL FRAMEWORK

Target 6: Increase practical application Islamic behaviors/knowledge.

Target 3: Integrate Islamic Studies & Arabic across the curriculum

Target 2: Review Basic Islamic 3quidah & Core Knowledge

Target 1: Foster schoolwide understanding and practical application of LUA mission & values

Target 4: Increase love of Allah & His Prophet

Target 5: Engage students in creating a positive school community

6. Collaborate with Stakeholders Student-Board Collaboration - indirect means

Assigning responsibility of strategies Annual target assigned to student council or prefects (called the Ansars at LUA) is included

Parent Engagement Volunteer Program (Volunteer Coordinator)

Standard weekly & one-time opportunities

Announced through volunteer websites & weekly email Volunteer hours required & tracked by parent sign-in at a dedicated terminal Volunteers recognized

Collaborative Opportunities

PTO Fundraising Event organization & support

Staff Collaboration Members of the strategic planning process Members of the school’s social environment

The Muslim Community Alumni programs MSA collaboration Participate in school events such as Eid carnival, Stem Night, Heritage Fair, & Hajj Simulation Hosting Islamic lectures & events

Larger Community Community Service (SHARE, Eid gift donation, Nursing Home, Barkah Bags, Water for Flint, etc.) Relationships with Police force, fire department, education organization s, environmental orgs, etc.

PTO Curriculum Evaluations

Career Fairs

Teacher Lunches

Focus Groups

Office Volunteer

Classroom Volunteer

Board

Open House

Parent Conferences

Collaborative Opportunities Matrix

Invo

lvem

ent

Interest

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7. Need & Financial Prioritization of Resources & Projects

Identify the school’s available resources and skill sets Stakeholders bring various expertise and knowledge Fiscal year budgets and utilizing volunteers experts Set priorities to ensure that resources are not too spread out LUA’s projects & initiatives are executed based on the following categories: Money Human capital / resources Time

Considering the above categories, allocation of resources for projects are done utilizing the following budget types: Line-Item budget Program & Planning budget Zero based budget The allocation of resources is more than assigning dollar amounts to certain programs. It is the examination and confirmation of how those dollars are translated into actions

that address the overall school goals as well as the improvement of the learning process.

LUA Contact Information 4580 Nicholasville Rd, Lexington, KY 40515 Phone: (859) 272-3360 Email: office@luaky.org http://www.facebook.com/luaschool

Thank You!

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