C tiConversations on reshaping p gour SchoolsFeb/Mar/Apr 2009Feb/Mar/Apr 2009

D G N iDr. Gary NorrisSuperintendent

Did you know?Did you know?

My task today:My task today:• Share a small portion of my vision for p y

reshaping our schools • Include the compelling “why” for reshaping p g y p g

our schools• Ask for your active involvement and y

support• Convince you that the problems caused by y p y

failure to reshape are far more significant than the temporary discomfort caused by h hthe change

M task toda :My task today:• Convince you that if we implement theConvince you that if we implement the

strategic plan that we share with you today--student engagement, parent involvement, stude t e gage e t, pa e t vo ve e t,attendance, discipline, students’ willingness to follow directions, the dropout rate, and o o ow d ec o s, e d opou e, dour ITBS scores will ALL improve

• Garner your “buy in” for a plan that is only• Garner your buy in for a plan that is only now in its infancy

My task today:

• Do all of that in 30 to 40 minutes!

IMPOSSIBLEIMPOSSIBLE…• …and then I thought of January 3, 2008g y ,• …and how being uncomfortable with the

“status quo” later resulted in the events ofstatus quo later resulted in the events of November 4, 2008 and January 20, 2009

Iowans (and Americans) wereIowans (and Americans) were uncomfortable with???

• War(s)• Economy—lack quality jobsy q y j• Direction of our country• Broken go ernment• Broken government• Politics as usual• Feeling helpless

A question to ponder--q p

As you think about our total K-12 system today…

Are you uncomfortable ywith any of these…

• Lack of respect for adults• Unexcused absencesUnexcused absences• Violence

D• Dropout rate• Unwillingness to do homework• The achievement of many• Discipline problemsDiscipline problems

You are not alone!You are not alone!• Your School Board• Local businesses and corporations• Many elected officials• Many elected officials• Many citizens• Our committee• Your principalsp p• Your superintendent

Th l f t bl ll!These people are uncomfortable as well!

Our concerns involve complex and strategic thinkingand strategic thinking…

i l l inot simple solutions!

No one believes that schools d it l thcan do it alone…anymore than

President Obama can fix all of our country’s issues by himself!

We need a very comprehensive planWe need a very comprehensive plan that is:

• Personalized to Waterloo• Involves stakeholders• Supported by the communitypp y y• Will not be derailed by the naysayers • Beneficial to the entire community• Beneficial to the entire community

Plan will include:Plan will include:• Curriculum (Iowa Core) and

Instruction• Early Childhood• Technology

• Assessment and use of data• HS Continuous

I t

gy• Equity• Facilities

Improvement• Student Services • Dropout Prevention

• Finance• Student Activities

S fDropout Prevention• Career Technical education • Professional and Leadership

• Safety• Human Resources• Community Partnershipsp

Development• Community Partnerships

• Signature Programs

•Parent Involvement and Communication

Put the skunk out on the table!• My current plans are to

retire in 7-8 yearsN b ildi• Not building my resume

• Picked the Midwest• Passion urban education• Love Waterloo• Very happy that your

School Board selected me

The “big picture” for Reshaping Our SchoolsOur Schools

I present this to you t d b I’ i d th ttoday because I’m convinced that

• Student engagement g g• Parent involvement • Attendance• Attendance • Discipline problems• Willingness to follow directions • Dropout rate p• ITBS scores

WILL IMPROVE SIGNIFICANTLY thWILL IMPROVE SIGNIFICANTLY over the next 3-5 years with a good implementation

If those things improve…so willIf those things improve…so will• Faculty morale• Professional quality of life• Legacy fulfillment• Pride in our work• Pride in our work• Respect for our work• Our community

…ALL Improve!

My job is to help with…

• Time to work with your colleagues to reshape things

• Time for professional development• Tools for engagement and effectiveness• Resources needed for facilities and equipment• Community supporty pp• Identification of current responsibilities to

“selectively abandon”

My job is NOT to…

• Blame anyone for system issues• Ask you to work harder• Expect you to do everything “in theExpect you to do everything in the

evening”

Where do these ideas come from:

• Research from McRel and others• Brazosport, TXp ,• Teachers—Grand Prairie, TX• 300+ Daggett (ICLE) High Schools• 300+ Daggett (ICLE) High Schools• Salina, KS and Sarasota, FL• Research from universities and product

developers

Waterloo Community SchoolsCommunity Schools

have a very proud tradition!

Di it• Diversity• Hard Working, Quality

StaffStaff• Facilities improvements

O t iti• Opportunities• Community support

hi• Focus on Teaching & Learning

But we also • Providing quality instruction for EVERY

child

have i ifi

• Eliminating the achievement gap • Dramatically increasing graduation rate• Enhancing career, technical educationsignificant

challenges

Enhancing career, technical education• Providing adequate resources• Developing pride, confidence, &

ownershipchallenges ownership• Maintaining focus on safety, security

Wh h ld h l h ?Why should schools change?

Jobs now and in the future:

• Network administration and programming

• Respiratory therapistp y p• Automotive technician• Computer systems technician• CAD drafter• Commercial Art• Website and graphic design• Electronics engineering

t h ltechnology

Is our system of education broken?y

What are AmericanWhat are Americanbusiness leadersbusiness leaderssaying??saying??

1950s and 1960s work force

P f iP f iIndustry/Blue CollarIndustry/Blue Collar ProfessionsProfessionsIndustry/Blue CollarIndustry/Blue Collar

Low SkillsLow Skills

Now need high Now need high skilled workersskilled workers

Teaching with the bell curve

• Cover lesson one• Cover lesson two three and fourCover lesson two, three and four• Cover lesson five

Gi i• Give a unit test• Grade on the curve20% master, 60% learn parts, 20% fail• Cover lesson six and so onCover lesson six…and so on

What are AmericanWhat are American Students saying?y g

1950s Educational strategies just will not work

• Passive• Passive• Receive Knowledge• Learn Alone• Learning Contentg• Replicate• Tracking• Tracking

What is needed?What is needed?• A plan focused on increasedA plan focused on increased

student engagement.• A plan to empower our

instructional staff with researchinstructional staff with research-based, highly-effective teaching strategies and facilitate laser-like, focused instructionfocused instruction.

• A plan that addresses the new three R’s plus reflection

• A strategic plan and accountability system.

Why?Why?• Because children’s brains are

wired differently

• Because we must align teaching and learning to

’ kf dtomorrow’s workforce needs

• Because we must acknowledge world economic and technological realitiestechnological realities

Powerful Teaching StrategiesPowerful Teaching Strategies

• Active Learning• Construct Knowledgeg• Learn Together• Learning to Learn• Learning to Learn• Innovate• Different Learning Styles

Activboard technologyActivboard technology

Transforming the Intersectionof Work and Learningof Work and Learning

Learning Work Applied 80% Conceptual 20%

Hawkeye Community College

Conceptual 50%

Work

Applied 50%New Model: Smaller Learning communities

LearningWork

Conceptual 80% Applied 20%High School AP Courses

Learning Work (c) VisionLink 1996

The NEW three R’s plus reflection

• RIGORRELEVANCE• RELEVANCE

• RELATIONSHIPSRELATIONSHIPSand• REFLECTION

tion our practice

l i i h l killNearly every occupation requires technology skills!

Career Technical Education

• Hands on• Appliedpp• Technology• Rele ant• Relevant• Contextual• Discrete skills• Intersection of school and work

CTE belongs in each school…not j t H k C it C lljust Hawkeye Community College.

• Agriculture, Food, • Health ScienceAgriculture, Food, & Natural Resources

• Architecture & C t ti

Health Science • Hospitality & Tourism • Human Services

Construction • Arts, A/V Technology &

Communications

• Information Technology• Law, Public Safety &

Security• Business, Management &

Administration • Education & Training

Security • Manufacturing • Marketing, Sales & Service

• Education & Training • Finance • Government & Public

• Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

• Transportation, Distribution Administration

p ,& Logistics

Iowa Career PathwaysIowa Career Pathways• Business, Information, Management and g

Marketing• Agriscience and Natural ResourcesAgriscience and Natural Resources• Family, Consumer and Human Services

H lth S i• Health Sciences• Engineering, Industrial and Technology

Services• Arts and Communications

• Manufacturing• Financial Cluster• Creative Cluster

Business Clusters

• Logistics• Education and Health Care

Clusters

• Education and Health Care

• Advanced Manufacturing• Advanced Manufacturing• “Bio” productsTargets

REFLECT: Does increased focus on t hi t t i ithi i t tteaching strategies within in a context

make sense?

• Active Learning• Construct Knowledge• Learn TogetherLearn Together• Learning to Learn

I• Innovate• Different Learning Styles

Is it possible forIs it possible for nearly all children tonearly all children to learn at significantly g yhigher levels?g

Student Achievement

Field TripsProf. Develop.

Talking to Evaluation

Talking to press

Talking to critics decisions

Advancement (evaluation)

Travel & time out of the district

B d M i

Publications

Purchasing d i i

press (evaluation)

Board Meetingsdecisions

Policies, Procedures and

Laser Focus

D b 2009

Procedures and Programs

December 2009

RESHAPING our schools:RESHAPING our schools:Big picture first, then…

• FrameworkDi i• Discussion

• Structures• Timelines• InputInput• Decisions

I l t ti• Implementation

Th k !Thanks!• Hard work • Dedication• Dedication• Years of service• Opinions• Opinions• Care and concern for students

Willi t t id• Willingness to try new ideas

Y i t d!You are appreciated!