Happy Holidays!

George Couros recently posted a blog about the importance of taking care of yourself and although his message presents ideas for those weeks just before the holiday, he mentions ideas that are well worth considering over the winter break. 

Here are a few that I'm putting on my list:

• Schedule time to work out
• Read for pleasure
• Watch a tv series 
• Surround myself with people that lift me up

It is a challenge to take time for yourself, but I agree with George when he states, "taking this time not only gives you more energy, but the time spent with those you care about --you will be in a much better mood."  The time with those you love and care about will be quality time because you have filled your own cup! Not as easy as it sounds, because educators are so giving, so try to pick at least one of the few things on your list and stick to it!

Wishing you all the best of holidays!  I look forward to an awesome start to 2018!

Cleaning out the Cognitive Clutter

The holidays are meant to be the the best time of the year.

However, the holidays can be extremely stressful for many of our students and families. Kate Crowe is guest blogger this week with some tips on how to clean out the cognitive clutter.

Each of us has a mental workspace where we process and manipulate information.  This workspace is called working memory.  Your workspace can only hold so many chunks of information at one time (probably about 5-9), and it doesn’t hold on to those chunks for very long.

Most of us have plenty of “stuff” in our workspace - planning, decision-making, cognition, emotion, and behavior can all exist there.  The amount of stuff in your workspace is called your cognitive load, which is the total amount of mental effort

Most of us have plenty of “stuff” in our workspace - planning, decision-making, cognition, emotion, and behavior can all exist there.  The amount of stuff in your workspace is called your cognitive load, which is the total amount of mental effort being used by your working memory.  While a “typical” student has plenty of cognitive load to try to manage, students from poverty frequently have more than the average number of pieces of information trying to take up valuable space in their working memory.  Worries about holidays, home life, and basic necessities such as food and supervision can crowd out and take priority over learning, and IQ can even temporarily drop from having too much cognitive load.  

The good news is that we can help remove some of the clutter from our students’ workspaces and free up room for the learning that must take place.  Classroom environment and instructional design can play a big part in alleviating an overwhelming cognitive load.  

Here are a few strategies that can have a big impact:

• Remove unnecessary complexity and distraction such as poor instructions, visually cluttered presentations, and things not relevant to the learning task (this does NOT mean to “water down” the curriculum or lessen the level or rigor).
• Create a safe classroom environment where students are not bullied or teased.
• Say less - get rid of lengthy explanations and irrelevant content.  Say the minimum you need to in order to convey the necessary information.
• Scaffold your students’ learning.
• Utilize student collaboration - group learning spreads the cognitive load between several brains, and can be more efficient when there are high cognitive demands.
• Provide cognitive aids and memory tools  - scratch paper, checklists, concept maps,  word association, key words, acronyms, loci method, or peg words - any supports that can offload some of the demands on working memory.  
• Help reduce student stress (which has a high impact on working memory) by teaching coping strategies, giving students increased control, and helping them feel connected to their classroom and school.

If we help our students to declutter their working memory, we can dramatically lessen their cognitive load and increase their learning.  I can’t think of a better reason to try to clean out some cognitive clutter!

I Believe.....

In the Grand Island Public Schools, we can honestly say that we have common goals, 11 of them to be exact and I am so proud and excited about the progress and direction that we are making so far as a district. Please know that no progress would be made without the dedication and commitment of all of you!

In today's blog, I'm going to update you on our progress on one of our eight objectives and specific action steps within our strategic plan. I know you are all familiar with our three priorities; PLC 2.0, Standards Based Planning, and Using data to inform decisions, however, you might not be familiar with the progress on our other strategic initiative action steps developed to help us achieve our mission, vision, and goals.  There is a lot of information, but I'll try to be brief!

Obj. 1: GIPS Classrooms will be led by instructional experts who guarantee the delivery of a rigorous and relevant curriculum to all students.

• Strategic Initiative 1: Ensure all teachers have access to high-quality curriculum resources, including curriculum maps, common assessments, academic programs, and instructional materials.
• An external team conducted an audit of our curriculum map and resources.  Initial findings revealed
• High ratings for Elementary, Middle School and High School ELA resources which means our ELA resources are highly aligned to standards and reflect the instructional shifts that we want to make
•  Growth areas: Create more user friendly curriculum maps and lesson level support for teachers to maximize the instructional opportunities
• Next steps: T&L has identified teams that will be working 2nd semester and into the summer to conduct recommended revision work

• Strategic Initiative 2: Develop a school based professional growth system for teachers
• Success criteria has been developed with mentors to ensure high quality supports for mentees.  Overall first quarter reflection from mentees showed positive results regarding the supports.
• Implementation of the Marzano's Focus Framework evaluation model.  Professional learning has been provided to principals and instructional coaches. All certified staff and administrators have set professional goals.  The intention is to move from a compliant practice to reflective practice with growth monitored through iObservation.
• Monthly seminars are offered through sched (14 so far) with a focus on instructional strategies and district priorities.  
• Principals have engaged in side by side coaching (August and Nov/Dec) to calibrate on observations of effective planning and instruction as well as feedback that promotes celebration and/or change in practice.
• Instructional coaches participate in monthly meetings focused on how to improve teacher practice through coaching. 
• Implementation of Demonstration Schools for Rigor initiative at Walnut, Jefferson and Starr

• Strategic Initiative 3:Define the goals and structures for teacher collaborative time at each school level to ensure that all school's educators regularly analyze student outcomes, address individual student's barriers to learning, plan effective lessons

• Resources such as "Collaborative Teams that Transform Schools","Leaders of Learning", "The Essentials for Standards Driven Classrooms" are studied and utilized during principal meetings to develop common language and understanding of effective practice.
• PLC 2.0 and Standards Based Planning guiding documents have been developed with district and school leaders, along with resources and defined supports available
• Two seminars have been offered for teachers around standards based planning along with differentiated supports for buildings requesting additional PL.
• The first set of Data Rounds were conducted in October.  Principals, Dr. Grover, Dr. McDowell and Dr. Palmer met to collaboratively establish indicators for school improvement, collect data demonstrating progress towards those indicators, analyze the data, celebrate success and address challenges.  Action steps for principals and central office were established during this time as well.  The next rounds will occur in February.

• Strategic Initiative 4: Develop a robust leadership development system for principals

• Held Leadership Institute in June to kick off the strategic plan and establish district priorities
• Conducted professional learning in July around PLC 2.0 and Focus Framework
• August administrators participated in instructional coaching training with a focus on professional goal setting
• Conducted new principal induction training-3 days
• Developed guiding documents for GIPS Instructional Leadership Model
• Engaged in professional learning regarding the process of data rounds in September, conducted data rounds in October
• Pk-12 admin meetings focus on strategic plan priorities and collaboration 
• Continue to work on a systematic plan for leadership development including establishing a model for an aspiring principal pipeline.
• Implementation of Demonstration Schools For Rigor, principal and school leadership coaching with LSI

Whew! Sorry for the lengthy blog, but wanted to provide you with a glimpse of progress so far this year just on Objective 1.  Although I am sharing this update, please know there are many others from different departments, campuses, and outside partners working as a team to move this work forward.  On page 9 of the strategic plan, it states: "A plan alone will not change practice".   The evidence here ensures that it's more than a plan.  We are following through with our Theory of Action: Empowering, Personalizing, Designing, and Partnering for the benefit of our students!  If you want to hear and see more about progress on our other seven objectives and strategic initiative action steps, join us at the December BOE meeting!


I believe in this work and I believe in all of you!  We are #bettertogether!

Empowered or Compliant-What's the difference?

“Replace the word can’t with can. Know that you can, believe that you can, and know with ALL of your heart that you will. You will succeed in spite of any obstacles that may try to hinder you! There’s so much power in having a positive attitude, positive mindset, and positive outlook.”
― Stephanie Lahart

So, what does it take to get to the point where you "know you can, believe you can, and know that you will succeed despite any obstacles?"  I actually thought a lot about this over the holiday.  I pondered why we doubt, why we choose behaviors that hinder progress, why we demonstrate reluctance to ideas, suggestions, initiatives, and practices that we know will improve our lives and/or the lives and opportunities for others? We could get technical and reference the change process that we all go through and how to overcome it, but what I think it really comes down to is the idea of feeling "empowered"!  Now, you have seen this word a lot this year, (hopefully), as it is one of our four pillars and visible in every building. But was does it really mean?

The dictionary definition: make someone stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life; give someone the authority or power to do something

In our strategic plan to empower educators to be instructional leaders is defined as: support educators in delivering a rigorous and robust curriculum to our students with the tools and resources to be instructional leaders

Think about the difference if everyone in the district (students, administrators, educators, support staff, volunteers, etc..) was feeling empowered to achieve our mission and vision as well as progress, grow and succeed personally and professionally rather than just demonstrating compliance (conformity to meet official requirements).

Student message to Mr. Foley at Walnut!  I wonder if this student is feeling empowered ?

George Couros recently posted the following chart in his blog providing examples of the difference of a compliant response, an engaged response and an empowered response.  I thought about how this applies to our priorities and the impact it could have on students.  Think about the next time you are in a meeting (PLC, Staff meeting, Professional learning).  What do you need to feel empowered, how might you empower others? How are you responding to professional learning opportunities? What does this look like in the classroom?  Are students empowered to take risks, express ideas, demonstrate learning in different ways? Achieving our mission and vision will take all of us to #RISE Up and be #Better Together!

https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/7853

This is our goal to become:  

“An empowered organization is one in which individuals have the knowledge, skill, desire, and opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collective organizational success.” ~unknown

Here Come the Holidays - Using Student Choice to Lessen Stress

“A critical feature of those growing up in poverty is a feeling of NOT having control over one’s life.” - Eric Jensen

Thank you to Kate Crowe, Title I Coordinator, for being my guest blogger today. 

The holiday season is fast approaching, and that means additional stress for everyone.  While for some of us this stress comes from trying to find the perfect gift or plan the perfect get together, for our students from poverty holiday stress can mean something very different.  For them, it can mean worries about limited food, lack of supervision, and sometimes even fear of angry and violent episodes in chaotic home environments.  For some students from poverty school is the only place they feel safe, and during breaks they lose the order and stability that we provide.

As our students’ holiday worries mount, we sometimes see their stress manifest in escalating behaviors that can make this a difficult time of year for everyone.  So what can we do to help?  How can we maintain productive classrooms and assist our students in dealing with their stress?  As teachers, when we feel the chaos and tension increasing in our classrooms, our first instinct is often to try to discipline our way through it and, of course, sometimes consequences are necessary.  However, one strategy I would offer up as an alternative is to try providing more student choice.  When our students’ lives are feeling stressful and out of control, empowering them in the classroom is an effective strategy to lower their stress levels and help them continue to be “present” so they can learn.

So what kinds of choices should we offer?  There are unlimited answers to that question, and it really depends on what works for you and your students.  Dr. Amy Mancini says that she thinks of these choices in terms of four categories - process, product, materials, and environment.  

For example, you might give students the option to:

• Use colored pens, pencils, or highlighters - anything different can be exciting 
• Decide whether to word process or handwrite an assignment
• Choose where to sit in the classroom
• Select their own partner or group  
• Skip a homework problem of their choosing
• Decide the order in which they will complete their work
• Select a meaningful way to present their learning
• Determine their own next steps for moving their learning forward                                                                                                                      

One tip that Eric Jensen provided at his conference was that the teacher needs to really “sell it.”  In other words, make a huge deal of the choice you are offering so that it seems special to students.  This is a crucial step, because in order for this strategy to be effective students must recognize that you have empowered them and feel empowered.

Giving up control can be hard, but empowering our students by providing choices can be an extremely effective way to help manage their stress not only during the holiday season, but all year round.

                                                                                                

Check out these resources for more ideas on how to provide choice and voice for your students:

9 Simple Ways to Provide Choice in Your Classroom

The Power of Choice

The Highly Engaged Classroom - Robert Marzano

Teaching with Poverty in Mind - Eric Jensen

Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind - Eric Jensen

What's the Intent?

"Striking the right balance between district direction and school support, and superior execution of the responsibilities and practices we have presented, may be the difference between a failed system and one that delivers on the promise of opportunity and hope for all children through high-reliability education." ~Marzano & Waters, 2009

I believe that if I asked any GIPS employee if they would like to be a part of a system that provides a high reliability education for our students, I would get a 100% "of course"!  It sounds great, it makes sense! So how do we accomplish the right balance to achieve this goal?

Well, we have direction! Grand Island Public Schools has taken a bold leap in trying to "strike the right balance" that will lead us to achieving the vision for our students!  If you haven't referred to our plan recently, take a minute to review and remember the work that went into identifying our goals, objectives, progress indicators, and strategic initiatives.  The strategic plan defines our direction and outlines our "how" through our Theory of Action. 

When it comes to school support, it is the role of the central office to provide products, services and resources that will ensure that our campuses can meet our student's needs.  Human resources, T&L, IT, Business, Nutrition services, Buildings and Grounds, Student Services, EL, CNSSP, the Foundation, Innovation and Engagement, and Leadership Development (hope I didn't miss anyone) all are prioritizing the strategic plan initiatives to ensure we are moving in the same direction.

Lincoln Elementary

So how do we accomplish "Superior execution of responsibilities and practices" that are clearly outlined in the strategic plan?  What first comes to mind: growth mindset, attitude, action, support, and reflection.   We know what we need to do, we have the research, we have supports, and we have highly skilled, highly experienced staff interacting and educating our students every day!  However, reality is, transformation isn't easy.  It takes work, commitment, perseverance, and focus on on the outcomes.  In "District Leadership that Works" (2009),  authors Marzano and Waters describe change as external and I think we can all agree that we know it's inevitable, however, they also describe how change can result in a transition for staff that is internal and personal. Although a gain for students, the school and the district, change can be perceived as a loss for people responsible for implementation.  This is why level of implementation occurs over time, it takes some people more time to move through the transition period than others.  It's difficult to give up practices and actions that have been routine, maybe even expected, without time to adjust or process the "loss".  This is why it's important to honor the past, celebrate the small wins, and stay true to "why"!

Wasmer Elementary

In our business, it is our responsibility to prepare our students to thrive in this ever changing world, which means we must be proactive, be innovative, and continue to change our practice so our students have a high reliability education!  Let's RISE UP and be a learning organization together, help each other through any personal transitions by understanding the purpose, referring to the plan, seeking supports, and engaging in the process. We are #BetterTogether!

"When shifts and transitions in life shake you to the core, see that as signs of the greatness that's about to occur". ~Chelsea Dinen

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

GISH JROTC

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Celebrations from Wednesday Walks

 "Successful organizations understand the importance of implementation, not just strategy, and, moreover, recognize the crucial role of their people in this process." ~Jeffrey Pfeffer 

RISE GI! Through our Wednesday Walks, we have the opportunity to observe implementation of our strategic plan priorities and initiatives--the quote says it well, the people have a crucial role in the process!  Little would be accomplished without all stakeholders committed to achieving our mission! Thank you for all you do, every day!!

Last week completed our first cycle of Wednesday Walks and I couldn't be more excited and proud of our GIPS team!  So many examples of how we are a learning organization from the student level to our teams at the district office! After each of our walks, we have time to visit with the principals and it is so exciting to hear them describe the highlights of the beginning of the year, how teachers and principals are feeling empowered to be instructional leaders, and initial evidence of progress in implementation of prioritized district initiatives. 

During our first cycle of Wednesday Walks, we collected data to better understand the "systematic" implementation of using learning targets in the classroom.  Displaying and using learning targets to communicate what students need to know and be able to do is only one step in the process of standards based planning, however, it is evidence that can be collected to inform progress in implementation.  It is celebration to share that Walk data revealed 84% of our classrooms had learning targets visible to students.  During this time, we did not collect data on the alignment of the target to the standard or the activities, just that they were visible and available to students.  We know that teachers and PLC 2.0 teams are engaging in continued professional learning around the work of standards based planning so I'm confident that we will see growth around this practice. The research is clear from John Hattie and Dr. Bob Marzano, the more students understand and interact with the targets, and take ownership of monitoring progress of the learning progression, the more likely they are to achieve the standard.

 So we will continue to monitor systematic implementation as a district through our Wednesday Walks.  During our second cycle,  data will continue to be collected on learning targets, however, we will also be monitoring if students, when asked, are able to explain the learning target.  There will be no evaluative ties to this data, it will only be used to monitor progress and identify what we might need to do to best support principals and teachers. This is all about growth as a district and it's ok that some campuses are at different levels of implementation.  We realize that this is a shift in practice, and will take intentional practice, reflection, and support along the way.  Reach out to your instructional coaches, principals, and attend offered seminars to support your learning around this district priority.  We believe that if teachers engage in standards based planning, and execute the planning through instruction, that we will see the results in student achievement.

 We are Better Together and will RISE GI!