I'm still thinking about our welcome back event Monday morning and so energized and excited about the new year! Among the prize giveaways, awesome style show, inspiring chorus, and announcement of Friday jeans day, the message for what we need to accomplish as a unified organization was clear. How do we increase the likelihood that students are prepared to thrive in an ever changing world? We must rally around our theory of action by being intentional and committing to our four pillars: Empower, Personalize, Design, and Partner.
Our keynote presenter Michael Toth provided the "why" education has to transform and shared some great examples of what it looks like in action. The brain research presented was motivating-brains can change with productive struggle! George Couros recently described supporting examples in a recent blog-Some things change, some things stay the same.
The "how" is where we all play a role. This summer, our campus leaders identified three strategic plan priorities that will leverage our ability to progress and achieve our goals:
1.Define the goals and structures for teacher
collaborative time at each school level to ensure that all schools’ educators
regularly analyze student outcomes, address individual students’ barriers to
learning, plan effective lessons and units, and evaluate the implementation of
programs. (Empower and Personalize)
2. Provide all teachers with embedded professional learning on a core set of Robert Marzano’s high-impact, instructional strategies. (Standards-based planning) (Empower)
3. Use data to continuously improve teaching and learning (Design)
By focusing on a few "big rocks" and wrapping our supports and professional learning on growth in these areas, we will move the needle for all of our students. The GIPS mission is clear (and probably the best one in the nation), "Every Student, Every Day, A Success". In educating students, we teach hearts as well as minds". I know we will RISE to the challenge and work together to achieve this outcome! Our students are so fortunate to be here with all of you making a difference! I can't wait to start school visits and see the work in action!
Have a great start to the 2017-18 school year!
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