Post on 26-Jun-2018
Is Your Culture too Loose,too Tight, or Just Right?
Brian K. Butler
Brian K.
ButlerBrian K
. Butler
Brian K.
ButlerBrian K
. Butler
Brian K.
Butler
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SolutionTree.com | 888.763.9045
Is Your Culture too Loose, too Tight, or Just Right?
Brian K. Butlerbkbutler497@gmail.com
Our Guiding Principles for Time Together
Share expertise Learners Hand signal Terminology Have fun!
Learn about Mason Crest’s journey and how the administrators set the parameters for what was tight but gave much flexibility (loose) within those parameters for freedom, creativity, and flexibility for staff.
Participants will have the opportunity to use multiple self and team refection tools to assess elements of their culture and individuals and teams will share with others how they constantly tend to their culture.
Understand the questions needed to create consensus for a cultureof collective responsibility.
Role play different scenarios in order to be able to go back to their team, schools, or districts with experience and confidence to create a culture of collective responsibility that is simultaneously loose and tight.
Learning Outcomes
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School Culture“School culture is the set of norms, values, and beliefs, rituals and ceremonies, symbols and stories that make up the ‘persona’ of the school.”
—Peterson in Cromwell, “Is Your School Culture Toxic or Positive?” Education World (2002)
© Butler 2018. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.
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SolutionTree.com | 888.763.9045
“[Good to great companies] first got the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats—and then figured out where to drive it.”
—Collins, Good to Great (2001), p. 13
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“People are not your most important asset. The right people are.”
—Collins, Good to Great (2001), p. 13
At Disney Elementary School, the happiest place on earth, the teacher teams were used to doing their own thing. There was no guaranteed and viable curriculum and in turn no common pacing. Common assessments were seen as when the students took the district quarterly benchmark assessments. The teachers enjoyed great autonomy and because many of the students in the school came from means, the test scores were very good. Upon entering the school as the new administrator you noticed that there was a huge gap, although it was hidden by the numbers. Only about 10% of the students came from poverty and about 8% had been identified for special education but 75% of those students were not on grade level or not proficient on the end‐of‐year assessment in both reading and mathematics. Come up with a plan for addressing this issue with your staff.
Scenario #1The former principal team at Mason Crest created an expectations document for all staff in order to ensure clarity around their employment. They were crystal clear on what was nondiscretionary (tight) as a condition for continuing on the journey at the school. What would be some of the concerns that you might anticipate from some of your staff members who are traditionally against change if your school administration created such a document? What would your response be for such challenges? Feel free to refer to the “Creating Consensus for a Culture of Collective Responsibility” handout.
Scenario #2
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Principal Kerr went to a Leadership Now Institute in Las Vegas, Nevada and learned about the concept of loose–tight leadership. She was excited to get back to her school and on her way home she created a loose–tight leadership document which was in line with everything that she had learned. She literally followed the script from Rick DuFour’s one page Loose vs. Tight article. She called a Monday afternoon staff meeting and handed the document to all staff and ask them to read it and give feedback. In less than two minutes the staff was up in arms yelling, many people saying that she did not trust them and that they were blindsided by these mandates. Principal Kerr agreed to table the conversation and retreated to her office alone, demoralized. What guidance could you give to Principal Kerr from your own experience and what you have learned today?
Scenario #3From what you have learned today, use the materials to create a document that is simultaneously loose and tight which aligns with the mission of ensuring high levels of learning for both students and adults.How would you create ownership? We don’t care for the term buy‐in because it could mean we are trying to sell it, and when people don’t like something they buy they can return it. Think of the following quote:
“People are less likely to tear down a fence if they help to build it.”
—Dr. Luis F. Cruz
Scenario #4
Celebration is a big part of a positive school culture. How would you create a loose–tight culture for celebration in your school? Be specific with examples along with the process that was used to institute such a culture.
Scenario #5Getting the right people in the right seats on the bus is critical to moving in the right direction as a school. Describe in detail how a school could institute a hiring and retention process that was simultaneously loose and tight.
Scenario #6
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“The journey will undoubtedly require hard work. But if there is one undeniable reality for every educator every year, it is that we are going to work hard. The real question is this: Will we work hard and succeed or work hard and fail?”
—DuFour, In Praise of American Educators (2015), p. 252
The Real Question
SolutionTree.com | 888.763.9045
Brian K. Butlerbkbutler497@gmail.com
To schedule professional development at your site, contact
Solution Treeat (800) 733‐6786.
DuFour, R., & Mattos, M. (2013). How do principals really improve schools? Educational Leadership, 70(7), pp. 34–40.
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. W., & Mattos, M. (2016). Learning bydoing: A handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (3rd ed.).Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Kramer, S. V., & Schuhl, S. (2017). School improvement for all. Bloomington, IN:Solution Tree Press.
Collins, J. (2001). Good to great. NY: HarperBusiness.
Cromwell, P. (2002). Is your school culture toxic or positive? Education World.
Muhammad, A. (2017). Transformingschool culture: How to overcome staff division. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Interviews, Videos, and Other Resources Erin Hansen C/O Mike Mattos Multiple Videos from Global PD Sarah Schuhl – Colleague Coaching Diane Kerr – Colleague Coaching
Resources and References
SolutionTree.com | 888.763.9045
© Butler 2018. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.
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Why Should We Articulate Collective Commitments?
With the democratization of organizations, especially schools, the leadership function becomes one of creating a “community of shared values” (Lezotte, 1991, p. 3).
“Values describe how we intend to operate, on a day-to-day basis, as we pursue our vision. . . . Values are best expressed in terms of behavior: If we act as we should, what would an observer see us doing? . . . If values are made a central part of the organization’s shared vision effort, and put out in full view, they become like a figurehead on a ship: a guiding symbol of the behavior that will help move people toward the vision” (Senge et al., 1994, p. 302).
Both profit and nonprofit organizations should be grounded on “a timeless set of core values and an enduring purpose” (Collins & Porras, 1994, p. xxiv).
“The language of complaint essentially tells us, and others, what it is we can’t stand. The language of commitment tells us (and possibly others) what it is we stand for” (Kegan & Lahey, 2001, p. 32).
High-performing districts “tended to rely more on a common culture of values to shape collective action than on bureaucratic rules and controls. The shared values typically focused on improvement of student learning as the central goal” (Elmore, 2000, p. 26).
“Values provide guidelines on how you should proceed as you pursue your purpose and picture of the future. They answer the question . . . ‘How?’ They need to be clearly described so that you know exactly what behaviors demonstrate that the value is being lived” (Blanchard, 2007, p. 30).
Values must be driven into the policy, the decision-making, and ultimately the culture of the organization, otherwise value statements are just words. When values become part of an employee’s DNA, they not only guide day-to-day work but also empower employees to act in unique situations (Berry & Seltman, 2008).
“Values represent the commitments to action necessary to ensure the vision is realized. . . . In the best PLC cultures, vision and values ultimately become the driving force behind the decision-making process that takes place every day” (Kanold, 2011, p. 13).
To bring a mission statement to life “educators must be willing to transparently communicate their commitment to students as it relates to their stated mission and challenge one another to live up to that commitment” (Muhammad & Hollie, 2012, p. 28).
The key to values impacting the organization in a positive way is that people have to “live by them, reinforce them every day, and not tolerate behavior that is at odds with them” (Bryant, 2014).
REPRODUCIBLE
Learning by Doing © 2006, 2010, 2016 Solution Tree Press • SolutionTree.comVisit go.SolutionTree.com/PLCbooks to download this free reproducible.
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The Story that Drives 2016 Dufour Award Recipient Mason Crest as a Professional Learning Community (PLC) at Work
It has been said that the culture of every organization is found in the stories its members tell themselves about how the organization operates. These stories typically reflect the unspoken assumptions that drive the work of the school. At Mason Crest, if the story were put in writing, our story would sound like this. At Mason Crest you are expected to take an intense personal interest in the success of all of our students. You could never help all students learn if you work in isolation, so you will become a member of a collaborative team – colleagues who work interdependently to achieve a common goal for which they are mutually accountable. One of the most important responsibilities of every member of this staff is to make positive contributions to his or her team. Your teammates serve as your mentors as you do to them. You will find the collaborative culture of your weekly team meetings to be a major source of support as you work your way through the daily questions and challenges confronting the educators here at Mason Crest. You will be clear as to your understanding of the different formal structures of team meetings that we have at Mason Crest, as clarity precedes competence. These team meeting structures and purposes are grade level planning meetings (math, language arts as well as science and social studies), Data Discussion meetings, Progress Monitoring meetings and Team Observation and Reflection meetings. Equity is an important issue at Mason Crest. You will find that teams work continuously to ensure all students in the same grade level and subjects (language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, physical education, music, art and library) have access to the same knowledge and skills and have their work assessed according to the same criteria regardless of the teacher to whom they are assigned. During team planning meetings, your team will clarify the most essential learnings for each unit, agree on pacing of the content, and develop common assessments that will be administered to all students at your grade level. You will benefit greatly from this clear understanding of what students are expected to learn and how they will be asked to demonstrate their learnings from each unit you teach. Your teammates will solicit your questions and recommendations regarding the curriculum and assessments and will encourage you to become an active participant in their decision-making process. It is your obligation to do so. One of the reasons you were hired to be a part of the Mason Crest team was because we felt that you could make a contribution to the work of your team. Our commitment to equity also means the issue of what happens when some students do not learn is not left to chance or to the discretion of individual teachers. We have created a systematic intervention process to monitor student learning on a timely basis and to ensure students receive additional time and support for learning in a consistent and directive way as soon as they experience difficulty. In order for that system to work, you must report student progress accurately and often and be as precise as possible regarding the skill or concept the student is struggling to master. Remember, here at Mason Crest there is a structure in place to support your efforts to help all students learn, and you must make certain your students have access to that structure and rely on your teammates to help you.
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You and your teammates will analyze the results from every common assessment, not only to identify students who are having difficulty or those who require extension but also to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each member’s instruction. On every common assessment you will be given prompt feedback regarding the success of your students in achieving the team’s agreed-upon standard of proficiency compared to all of the other students who took the assessment. The information is presented in a user-friendly format and is openly shared among teammates, so everyone has a wonderful opportunity to learn about materials and methods of colleagues who are getting the best results for each skill or concept taught. You will discover that leadership at Mason Crest is a function of expertise rather than position. Each and every one of you will be considered a leader at some point and we expect you to embrace this as an opportunity to help your colleagues improve their practices. When the evidence demonstrates you have you have been extraordinarily effective in helping your students learn a particular skill or concept, you will be encouraged and expected to take the lead in helping colleagues develop new insights and strategies in those areas. Building shared knowledge (learning together) is the prerequisite homework for making a decision in our school. Developing a common language and agreeing to a limited use of acronyms (without explanation) is an important piece to helping all team members move forward with clarity. We attempt to resolve every important question and issue by engaging in collective inquiry, jointly examining both external and internal evidence of best practice, and honestly assessing our own practice in light of the evidence. We operate from the premise, “without evidence, you are just another person with an opinion.” We make our important decision what to teach, how to assess student learning, best instructional practices, how to assign grades, etc. –on the basis of evidence rather than opinions. We will encourage Pilot Projects (like the joint Intellectual Disabilities’ Team –Kindergarten Guided Reading Project) because they will help us gather additional information before moving forward with a schoolwide initiative. As a part of our School Improvement Plan (SIP) every team is expected to develop and pursue SMART goals (Strategic and specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, Time-bound) to drive the continuous improvement process of Mason Crest. The goal will be aligned with one of our school goals, will focus on results that require evidence of student learning, and will call for a significant contribution from every member of the team in order to be achieved. One of the most powerful forms of professional development we experience at Mason Crest is the ongoing, job embedded learning that takes place among teammates as they work together to meet the needs of all their students. Your team will be able to pursue and identify the topics you feel are most critical to achieving your SMART goals. We learn collectively, we stay focused on issues that have the most powerful impact on teaching and learning, and move quickly to apply our new skills and insights. We value learning by doing, and you will see that working at Mason Crest is the best graduate program you could ever have. It should be evident to you how serious we are about hiring people who fit our culture. Before each of you was offered a job at Mason Crest you were given an expectations document from Diane and Brian, you were interviewed at length by the team, asked to respond to a variety of questions and probed your thinking around the school that you saw Mason Crest becoming in the future. We have invested considerable effort to bring each of you to Mason Crest, we expect you to be successful, and are prepared to offer you considerable support to promote that success. To continue with us, however, you must prove your strong commitment to the learning
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of all students, become a positive contributing member to your team (and the Mason Crest Team as a whole), and demonstrate a willingness to continue your own professional learning. Mason Crest is a wonderful place to work. Celebration is an important part of who we are. Every staff gathering gives us an opportunity to celebrate efforts and achievement of a variety of individuals and teams. The team process fosters both appreciation and recognition as you make contributions to your colleagues and they recognize improvement in your teaching. The achievement of SMART goals is another cause for collective celebration and builds a powerful sense of individual and collective self-efficacy. You will have a sense of belonging and connection because you will always have someone to turn to for help in meeting the challenges of this profession. All the systems that have been created to keep us focused on student learning will remind you of the significance of the work we do, and there is something very powerful about being a part of a collective effort to achieve a mighty purpose. Finally, you will become the very best educator you can by virtue of the fact that you work here at Mason Crest, and there is a tremendous sense of satisfaction that comes with fulfilling your full potential as a professional and a person. This is the story that drives Mason Crest to fulfill its mission of ensuring high levels of learning for both students and adults. If, through our collective effort, we are able to fulfill that mission/purpose, our students will have the knowledge, skills, and growth mindset essential to pursuing their goals and dreams throughout their lives.
(Adapted from DuFour & DuFour, Building the Foundation of a Professional Learning Community Course, 2012)
© Mason Crest Elementary 2016. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.
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The
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pri
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Th
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pro
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w
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pti
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to
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sin
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mo
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init
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ve,
and
are
will
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to
re
allo
cate
tim
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mo
ney
, mat
eria
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peo
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in o
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ve f
orw
ard
. S
mal
l im
pro
vem
ents
ar
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cog
niz
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leb
rate
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con
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nt
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t b
ehav
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Th
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an
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pri
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of
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sch
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evi
den
t b
y th
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ay
beh
avio
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f p
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le
thro
ug
ho
ut
the
sch
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l. T
ime,
mo
ney
, m
ater
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, peo
ple
, an
d r
eso
urc
es h
ave
bee
n st
rate
gic
ally
al
loca
ted
to
re
flec
t p
rio
riti
es.
Pro
cess
es a
re in
p
lace
to
rec
og
niz
e an
d c
eleb
rate
co
mm
itm
ent
to t
he
pri
ori
ties
. Peo
ple
th
rou
gh
ou
t th
e sc
ho
ol w
ill c
on
fro
nt
tho
se w
ho
dis
reg
ard
th
e p
rio
riti
es.
page
2 o
f 3
REPRODUCIBLE
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11
Ind
icat
or
Pre
-Ini
tiat
ing
Init
iati
ngIm
ple
men
ting
Dev
elo
pin
gSu
stai
ning
Th
e le
ader
s in
th
e sc
ho
ol c
om
mu
nic
ate
pu
rpo
se a
nd
p
rio
riti
es t
hro
ug
h m
od
elin
g, a
lloca
tio
n o
f re
sou
rces
, wh
at
they
cel
ebra
te, a
nd
w
hat
th
ey a
re w
illin
g
to c
on
fro
nt.
Th
ere
is n
o s
ense
o
f p
urp
ose
an
d
pri
ori
ties
. Dif
fere
nt
peo
ple
in t
he
sch
oo
l see
m t
o
hav
e d
iffe
ren
t p
et
pro
ject
s, a
nd
th
ere
is c
on
sid
erab
le in
-fi
gh
tin
g t
o a
cqu
ire
the
reso
urc
es t
o
sup
po
rt t
ho
se
dif
fere
nt
pro
ject
s.
Lea
der
s ca
n ar
ticu
late
th
e p
urp
ose
an
d
pri
ori
ties
of
the
sch
oo
l wit
h a
con
sist
ent
voic
e,
bu
t th
eir
beh
avio
r is
n
ot
con
gru
ent
wit
h th
eir
wo
rds.
Th
e st
ruct
ure
s, r
eso
urc
es,
and
rew
ard
s o
f th
e sc
ho
ol h
ave
no
t b
een
alte
red
to
alig
n w
ith
the
pro
fess
ed
pri
ori
ties
.
Th
e sc
ho
ol h
as
beg
un
to a
lter
th
e st
ruct
ure
s, r
eso
urc
es,
and
rew
ard
s to
b
ette
r al
ign
wit
h th
e st
ated
pri
ori
ties
. S
taff
mem
ber
s w
ho
o
pen
ly o
pp
ose
th
e in
itia
tive
may
be
con
fro
nte
d, b
ut
tho
se
con
fro
nti
ng
th
em a
re
likel
y to
exp
lain
th
ey
are
do
ing
so
meo
ne
else
’s b
idd
ing
. Fo
r ex
amp
le, a
pri
nci
pal
m
ay s
ay, “
Th
e ce
ntr
al
off
ice
is c
on
cern
ed
that
yo
u ar
e o
vert
ly
resi
stin
g t
he
pro
cess
w
e ar
e at
tem
pti
ng
to
im
ple
men
t.”
Peo
ple
th
rou
gh
ou
t th
e sc
ho
ol a
re
chan
gin
g t
hei
r b
ehav
ior
to a
lign
wit
h th
e p
rio
riti
es.
Th
ey a
re s
eeki
ng
n
ew s
trat
egie
s fo
r u
sin
g r
eso
urc
es
mo
re e
ffec
tive
ly t
o
sup
po
rt t
he
init
iati
ve,
and
are
will
ing
to
re
allo
cate
tim
e,
mo
ney
, mat
eria
ls,
and
peo
ple
in o
rder
to
mo
ve f
orw
ard
. S
mal
l im
pro
vem
ents
ar
e re
cog
niz
ed a
nd
ce
leb
rate
d. L
ead
ers
con
fro
nt
inco
ng
ruen
t b
ehav
ior.
Th
e p
urp
ose
an
d
pri
ori
ties
of
the
sch
oo
l are
evi
den
t b
y th
e ev
eryd
ay
beh
avio
r o
f p
eop
le
thro
ug
ho
ut
the
sch
oo
l. T
ime,
mo
ney
, m
ater
ials
, peo
ple
, an
d r
eso
urc
es h
ave
bee
n st
rate
gic
ally
al
loca
ted
to
re
flec
t p
rio
riti
es.
Pro
cess
es a
re in
p
lace
to
rec
og
niz
e an
d c
eleb
rate
co
mm
itm
ent
to t
he
pri
ori
ties
. Peo
ple
th
rou
gh
ou
t th
e sc
ho
ol w
ill c
on
fro
nt
tho
se w
ho
dis
reg
ard
th
e p
rio
riti
es.
page
2 o
f 3
REPRODUCIBLE
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12
Whe
re D
o W
e G
o F
rom
Her
e? W
ork
shee
t C
om
mun
icat
ing
Eff
ecti
vely
Ind
icat
or
of
a P
LC a
t W
ork
Wha
t st
eps
or
acti
viti
es m
ust
be
init
iate
d
to c
reat
e th
is
cond
itio
n in
yo
ur s
cho
ol?
Who
will
be
resp
ons
ible
fo
r in
itia
ting
o
r su
stai
ning
th
ese
step
s o
r ac
tivi
ties
?
Wha
t is
a
real
isti
c ti
mel
ine
for
each
ste
p
or
pha
se o
f th
e ac
tivi
ty?
Wha
t w
ill
you
use
to
asse
ss t
he
effe
ctiv
enes
s o
f yo
ur in
itia
tive
?
Th
e sc
ho
ol h
as e
stab
lish
ed a
cle
ar p
urp
ose
an
d p
rio
riti
es t
hat
h
ave
bee
n ef
fect
ivel
y co
mm
un
icat
ed. S
yste
ms
are
in p
lace
to
en
sure
act
ion
step
s al
ign
ed w
ith
the
pu
rpo
se a
nd
pri
ori
ties
ar
e im
ple
men
ted
an
d m
on
ito
red
.
Th
e le
ader
s in
th
e sc
ho
ol c
om
mu
nic
ate
pu
rpo
se a
nd
pri
ori
ties
th
rou
gh
mo
del
ing
, allo
cati
on
of
reso
urc
es, w
hat
th
ey
cele
bra
te, a
nd
wh
at t
hey
are
will
ing
to
co
nfr
on
t.
page
3 o
f 3
REPRODUCIBLE
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13
Whe
re D
o W
e G
o F
rom
Her
e? W
ork
shee
t C
om
mun
icat
ing
Eff
ecti
vely
Ind
icat
or
of
a P
LC a
t W
ork
Wha
t st
eps
or
acti
viti
es m
ust
be
init
iate
d
to c
reat
e th
is
cond
itio
n in
yo
ur s
cho
ol?
Who
will
be
resp
ons
ible
fo
r in
itia
ting
o
r su
stai
ning
th
ese
step
s o
r ac
tivi
ties
?
Wha
t is
a
real
isti
c ti
mel
ine
for
each
ste
p
or
pha
se o
f th
e ac
tivi
ty?
Wha
t w
ill
you
use
to
asse
ss t
he
effe
ctiv
enes
s o
f yo
ur in
itia
tive
?
Th
e sc
ho
ol h
as e
stab
lish
ed a
cle
ar p
urp
ose
an
d p
rio
riti
es t
hat
h
ave
bee
n ef
fect
ivel
y co
mm
un
icat
ed. S
yste
ms
are
in p
lace
to
en
sure
act
ion
step
s al
ign
ed w
ith
the
pu
rpo
se a
nd
pri
ori
ties
ar
e im
ple
men
ted
an
d m
on
ito
red
.
Th
e le
ader
s in
th
e sc
ho
ol c
om
mu
nic
ate
pu
rpo
se a
nd
pri
ori
ties
th
rou
gh
mo
del
ing
, allo
cati
on
of
reso
urc
es, w
hat
th
ey
cele
bra
te, a
nd
wh
at t
hey
are
will
ing
to
co
nfr
on
t.
page
3 o
f 3
REPRODUCIBLE
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14
REPRODUCIBLE
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15
REPRODUCIBLE
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16
REPRODUCIBLE
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17
Mason Crest: A Professional Learning Community at Work To: Mason Crest Staff
From: Brian Butler, Diane Kerr, and Sherry Shin - Administrators
Subject: Expectations for Staff
In our collective commitments to you we promised to promote and protect the foundation the staff established when the school opened and continue to refine and commit to before each school year (Mission, Vision, Collective Commitments, and Goals: The Four Pillars). If you are interested in continuing to work at Mason Crest Elementary School, we feel obligated to share our expectations for all staff so that there is no guessing or wondering about our expectations for the 2016–2017 school year. The following are our expectations to ensure that we continue to focus on our mission of ensuring high levels of learning for all students and adults. The staff develops and promotes a shared mission, vision, collective commitments, and goals at Mason Crest by embracing the “Three Big Ideas” of the Professional Learning Community at Work process: A Focus on Learning, Building a Collaborative Culture, and a Focus on Results that drives all instructional conversations, decisions, and actions. Focus on Learning
Collaborative teams confirm a guaranteed and viable curriculum for every content area, grade-level, and unit.
Frequent, team-developed common formative assessments (although we support district common assessments, they should not substitute for team-developed common formative assessments—the genius of “and” not the tyranny of “or”)
Systematic, timely, and directive interventions Specific plans to enrich learning for students who are proficient Team analysis of, and dialogue about, results from common assessments to determine the
efficacy of different instructional strategies The faculty continually examines policies, practices, and procedures to assess their impact
on learning. Collaborative Culture
Faculty is organized into collaborative teams with a focus on learning. Team is defined as “a group of people working interdependently to achieve a common goal for
which they are mutually accountable.” Collaboration is specifically designed to analyze and impact practice. Teams are given time to collaborate. Teams are provided with the resources, support, templates, and exemplars to guide their work. Leaders have created processes for monitoring the work of teams to ensure that teams remain
focused on the questions most crucial to student learning.
© Mason Crest Elementary 2016. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.
18
Focus on Results Every team has identified a SMART goal specifically aligned to the schoolwide goal. Teachers are provided with frequent feedback on the performance of their students in meeting
an agreed upon standard on a valid assessment in comparison to others. Growth Mindset
Have a genuine and sincere interest in working with children. Embrace the belief that every child can and will learn and achieve success. NOT use our students’ ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and/or home language as
excuses for adults who are responsible for their learning. The answer is in the room. It is our responsibility to find it. No Excuses!
Recognize students’ individual strengths and interests and plan accordingly. Be transparent with classroom practices, policies, and procedures in order to share with and
learn from colleagues. Possess a “total school” perspective; see the big picture. Maintain a focus on professional growth and learning. Learn about and support the schoolwide focus on co-teaching models; plan for co-teaching and
continuously refine practices through reflection. Embrace the concept of a using a common language for all terms and refrain when possible
from using acronyms that tend to confuse, distract, and slow down the learning and collaborative process.
Have a subject area expertise/strength and focus of interest. Be knowledgeable about innovative teaching and assessment strategies, current research-
based effective practices, instructional technology, appropriate resources, and current trends in education.
Accept additional responsibilities (i.e., patrol sponsor, committee member, etc.). Be willing to view and use setbacks and failures as opportunities to learn. Be willing to celebrate “small victories” early and often. Participate in planned staff development activities. Be ambitious, positive, energetic, and willing to put in extra time when necessary and
requested. Be willing and able to share how Mason Crest operates—sharing our collaborative culture,
the various types of meetings we have, our co-teaching models, and how we use data to differentiate and meet the varying needs of our students with various audiences (parents, school visitors, writing articles for journals, etc.).
Meet and exceed all standards of teaching performance. Assess our effectiveness on the basis of results rather than intentions and, as a member of a
professional learning community, seek relevant data and information and use that information to promote continuous improvement.
Community Building
Value parent involvement and be willing to communicate frequently with parents. Support and attend PTO and extracurricular school-related functions.
© Mason Crest Elementary 2016. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.
19
Mason Crest is a true Professional Learning Community at Work. Staff members who elect to move forward with us in 2016–2017 also agree to the following: We will continue to refine our literacy, math, social studies, and science instructional practices
through ongoing, job-embedded learning. All general education, special education, reading, and ESOL teachers working in grades K–5 will
be trained in DRA2. Teachers and administrators will continue to work towards Advanced Academics Certification
to be completed within 5 years of your first course completion. Instructional assistants, public health training assistants, and public health attendants will
continue the tradition of excellence with their positive attitudes, eagerness to learn, and willingness to pitch in to support the various daily challenges that we face.
All staff members will continue to learn together about our Growth Mindset philosophy. Mission Statement The purpose of Mason Crest is to ensure high levels of learning for all—students and adults. Vision Statement We, the staff of Mason Crest Elementary School, recognize that the fundamental purpose of our school is to ensure high levels of learning for all—students and adults. If, through our collective effort, we fulfill that purpose, our students will have the knowledge, skills, and growth mindset essential to pursuing their lifelong goals. Collective Commitments In order to realize our vision we have developed core values and beliefs, which describe the specific behaviors that individuals and collaborative teams at Mason Crest must demonstrate to move us in the desired direction of our goals. (See Staff and Administrator’s Collective Commitments Documents.)
© Mason Crest Elementary 2016. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.
20
The
Pro
fess
iona
l Lea
rnin
g C
om
mun
itie
s at
Wo
rk™
C
ont
inuu
m: R
esp
ond
ing
to
Co
nflic
t
DIR
EC
TIO
NS
: Ind
ivid
ually
, sile
ntly
, and
ho
nest
ly a
sses
s th
e cu
rren
t re
alit
y o
f yo
ur s
cho
ol’s
imp
lem
enta
tio
n o
f ea
ch in
dic
ato
r lis
ted
in t
he le
ft
colu
mn
. Co
nsid
er w
hat
evid
ence
or
anec
do
tes
sup
po
rt y
our
ass
essm
ent.
Thi
s fo
rm m
ay a
lso
be
used
to
ass
ess
dis
tric
t o
r te
am im
ple
men
tati
on
.
We
hav
e es
tab
lish
ed p
roce
sses
fo
r ad
dre
ssin
g c
on
flic
t an
d u
se c
on
flic
t as
a t
oo
l fo
r le
arn
ing
to
get
her
in o
rder
to
imp
rove
ou
r sc
ho
ol.
Ind
icat
or
Pre
-Ini
tiat
ing
Init
iati
ngIm
ple
men
ting
Dev
elo
pin
gSu
stai
ning
Mem
ber
s o
f th
e st
aff
reco
gn
ize
that
co
nfl
ict
is a
n es
sen
tial
an
d in
evit
able
b
y-p
rod
uct
of
a su
cces
sfu
l su
bst
anti
ve
chan
ge
effo
rt.
Th
ey h
ave
tho
ug
htf
ully
an
d
pu
rpo
sefu
lly
crea
ted
pro
cess
es
to h
elp
use
co
nfl
ict
as a
to
ol f
or
lear
nin
g
tog
eth
er a
nd
im
pro
vin
g t
he
sch
oo
l.
Peo
ple
rea
ct
to c
on
flic
t w
ith
clas
sic
fig
ht-
or-
flig
ht
resp
on
ses.
Mo
st
staf
f m
emb
ers
wit
hd
raw
fro
m
inte
ract
ion
s in
o
rder
to
avo
id
con
tact
wit
h th
ose
th
ey f
ind
d
isag
reea
ble
. O
ther
s ar
e p
erp
etu
ally
at
war
in
acr
imo
nio
us,
u
np
rod
uct
ive
arg
um
ents
th
at
nev
er s
eem
to
get
re
solv
ed. G
rou
ps
ten
d t
o r
egar
d
each
oth
er a
s ad
vers
arie
s.
Ad
dre
ssin
g
con
flic
t is
vi
ewed
as
an
adm
inis
trat
ive
resp
on
sib
ility
. S
cho
ol l
ead
ers
take
ste
ps
to
reso
lve
con
flic
t as
qu
ickl
y as
p
oss
ible
. Th
e p
rim
ary
ob
ject
ive
in a
dd
ress
ing
d
isp
ute
s is
to
re
sto
re t
he
pea
ce
and
ret
urn
to
th
e st
atu
s q
uo
.
Team
s h
ave
esta
blis
hed
no
rms
and
co
llect
ive
com
mit
men
ts in
an
eff
ort
bo
th t
o
min
imiz
e co
nfl
ict
and
to
cla
rify
h
ow
th
ey w
ill
add
ress
co
nfl
ict
at t
he
team
leve
l. N
on
eth
eles
s, m
any
staf
f m
emb
ers
are
relu
ctan
t to
ch
alle
ng
e th
e th
inki
ng
or
beh
avio
r o
f a
colle
agu
e. If
th
e si
tuat
ion
bec
om
es
too
dis
turb
ing
, th
ey w
ill e
xpec
t th
e ad
min
istr
atio
n to
inte
rven
e.
Sta
ff m
emb
ers
hav
e cr
eate
d
pro
cess
es t
o
hel
p id
enti
fy
and
ad
dre
ss t
he
un
der
lyin
g is
sues
ca
usi
ng
co
nfl
ict.
T
hey
are
will
ing
to
pra
ctic
e th
ose
p
roce
sses
in a
n ef
fort
to
bec
om
e m
ore
ski
llfu
l in
eng
agin
g in
cru
cial
co
nver
sati
on
s th
at
seek
pro
du
ctiv
e re
solu
tio
n to
co
nfl
ict.
Sta
ff m
emb
ers
view
co
nfl
ict
as a
so
urc
e o
f cr
eati
ve e
ner
gy
and
an
op
po
rtu
nit
y fo
r b
uild
ing
sh
ared
kn
ow
led
ge.
Th
ey h
ave
crea
ted
sp
ecif
ic s
trat
egie
s fo
r ex
plo
rin
g o
ne
ano
ther
’s t
hin
kin
g,
and
th
ey m
ake
a co
nsc
iou
s ef
fort
to
un
der
stan
d a
s w
ell a
s to
be
un
der
sto
od
. Th
ey s
eek
way
s to
te
st t
hei
r co
mp
etin
g a
ssu
mp
tio
ns
thro
ug
h ac
tio
n re
sear
ch a
nd
are
o
pen
to
exa
min
ing
res
earc
h, d
ata,
an
d in
form
atio
n th
at s
up
po
rt
or
chal
len
ge
thei
r re
spec
tive
p
osi
tio
ns.
Th
ey a
pp
roac
h d
isag
reem
ents
wit
h h
igh
leve
ls
of
tru
st a
nd
an
assu
mp
tio
n o
f g
oo
d in
ten
tio
ns
on
the
par
t o
f al
l m
emb
ers
bec
ause
th
ey k
no
w t
hey
ar
e un
ited
by
a co
mm
on
pu
rpo
se
and
th
e co
llect
ive
pu
rsu
it o
f sh
ared
g
oal
s an
d p
rio
riti
es.
page
1 o
f 2
REPRODUCIBLE
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21
Whe
re D
o W
e G
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Creating Consensus for a Culture of Collective Responsibility
A culture of collective responsibility is based on two fundamental beliefs:
1. The first assumption is that we, as educators, must accept responsibility to ensure high levels of learning for every student. While parental, societal, and economic forces impact student learning, the actions of the educators will ultimately determine each child’s success in school.
2. The second assumption is that all students can learn at high levels. We define high levels of learn-ing as high school plus, meaning every student will graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge required to continue to learn. To compete in the global marketplace of the 21st century, students must continue to learn beyond high school, and there are many paths for that learning, including trade schools, internships, community colleges, and universities.
Discussing the following critical questions will assist the school leadership team in creating consensus for a culture of collective responsibility aligned with these beliefs.
1. How will we provide a compelling case for change? For someone to change, they first must see a compelling reason to change. In other words, one must show why there is a need to change. Raising test scores or meeting district, state, or federal mandates hardly meets this goal. Instead, look to paint a picture of what adulthood will likely look like for students who don’t succeed in school.
2. What must we do differently? Besides a compelling reason to change, one must also provide a doable plan. The noblest cause is useless if the changes required are seen as unrealistic. Staff mem-bers want a clear picture of exactly what changes are necessary to achieve learning for all students.
3. How do we know these changes will work? Having experienced the pendulum of school change for the past decades, many educators are skeptical of change processes. What evidence is available to demonstrate the validity of the recommended changes? (Besides the research quoted in Simplifying Response to Intervention, the website www.allthingsplc.info has dozens of schools and hundreds of pages of research validating the elements of PLCs and RTI.)
4. What concerns do we expect, especially from staff members traditionally against change? The leadership team should brainstorm the concerns staff members will have regarding the recom-mended changes. What will be the leadership’s response to these concerns?
5. What is the best setting or structure for the conversations needed to create consensus? One of the leadership team’s greatest leverage points is its ability to determine the location, structure, and timing of the conversations to create staff consensus. All stakeholders must have a voice in the process, but not necessarily in the same meeting. Sometimes the feelings of the silent majority can be drowned out by the aggressive opinions of a loud minority resistant to change. Consider a series of meetings with teams, grade levels, or departments. Also, set clear norms for the meeting, as professional, respectful dialogue is essential.
6. How will we know if we have reached consensus? Remember, it does not take 100 percent approval to get started; it takes consensus. Consensus is reached when all stakeholders have had a say and the will of the group has emerged and is evident, even to those who disagree. Consider how many key people will be needed to create the tipping point necessary for consensus.
In the end, true commitment comes when people see that the changes work. So the key is to build consensus, then get started doing the work. You will never get commitment until you start doing the work, but you cannot start until you get consensus.
Source: Adapted from Buffum, A., Mattos, M., & Weber, C. (2012). Simplifying response to intervention: Four essential guiding principles. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
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Creating Consensus for a Culture of Collective Responsibility
A culture of collective responsibility is based on two fundamental beliefs:
1. The first assumption is that we, as educators, must accept responsibility to ensure high levels of learning for every student. While parental, societal, and economic forces impact student learning, the actions of the educators will ultimately determine each child’s success in school.
2. The second assumption is that all students can learn at high levels. We define high levels of learn-ing as high school plus, meaning every student will graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge required to continue to learn. To compete in the global marketplace of the 21st century, students must continue to learn beyond high school, and there are many paths for that learning, including trade schools, internships, community colleges, and universities.
Discussing the following critical questions will assist the school leadership team in creating consensus for a culture of collective responsibility aligned with these beliefs.
1. How will we provide a compelling case for change? For someone to change, they first must see a compelling reason to change. In other words, one must show why there is a need to change. Raising test scores or meeting district, state, or federal mandates hardly meets this goal. Instead, look to paint a picture of what adulthood will likely look like for students who don’t succeed in school.
2. What must we do differently? Besides a compelling reason to change, one must also provide a doable plan. The noblest cause is useless if the changes required are seen as unrealistic. Staff mem-bers want a clear picture of exactly what changes are necessary to achieve learning for all students.
3. How do we know these changes will work? Having experienced the pendulum of school change for the past decades, many educators are skeptical of change processes. What evidence is available to demonstrate the validity of the recommended changes? (Besides the research quoted in Simplifying Response to Intervention, the website www.allthingsplc.info has dozens of schools and hundreds of pages of research validating the elements of PLCs and RTI.)
4. What concerns do we expect, especially from staff members traditionally against change? The leadership team should brainstorm the concerns staff members will have regarding the recom-mended changes. What will be the leadership’s response to these concerns?
5. What is the best setting or structure for the conversations needed to create consensus? One of the leadership team’s greatest leverage points is its ability to determine the location, structure, and timing of the conversations to create staff consensus. All stakeholders must have a voice in the process, but not necessarily in the same meeting. Sometimes the feelings of the silent majority can be drowned out by the aggressive opinions of a loud minority resistant to change. Consider a series of meetings with teams, grade levels, or departments. Also, set clear norms for the meeting, as professional, respectful dialogue is essential.
6. How will we know if we have reached consensus? Remember, it does not take 100 percent approval to get started; it takes consensus. Consensus is reached when all stakeholders have had a say and the will of the group has emerged and is evident, even to those who disagree. Consider how many key people will be needed to create the tipping point necessary for consensus.
In the end, true commitment comes when people see that the changes work. So the key is to build consensus, then get started doing the work. You will never get commitment until you start doing the work, but you cannot start until you get consensus.
Source: Adapted from Buffum, A., Mattos, M., & Weber, C. (2012). Simplifying response to intervention: Four essential guiding principles. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Why Should Celebration Be a Part of Our Culture?
“In successful change efforts, empowered people create short-term wins—victories that nourish faith in the change effort, emotionally reward the hard workers, keep the critics at bay, and build momentum. Without sufficient wins that are visible, timely, unambiguous, and meaningful to others, change efforts inevitably run into serious problems” (Kotter & Cohen, 2002, p. 125).
“Milestones that are identified, achieved, and celebrated represent an essential condition for building a learning organization” (Thompson, 1995, p. 96).
“Remembering to recognize, reward, and celebrate accomplishments is a critical leadership skill. And it is probably the most underutilized motivational tool in organizations” (Kanter, 1999, p. 20).
“Win small. Win early. Win often” (Hamel, 2002, p. 202).
“The most effective change processes are incremental—they break down big problems into small, doable steps and get a person to say ‘yes’ numerous times, not just once. They plan for small wins that form the basis for a consistent pattern of winning that appeals to people’s desire to belong to a successful venture. A series of small wins provides a foundation of stable building blocks for change” (Kouzes & Posner, 1987, p. 210).
“Specific goals should be designed to allow teams to achieve small wins as they pursue their common purpose. Small wins are invaluable to building members’ commitment and overcoming the obstacles that get in the way of achieving a meaningful, long-term purpose” (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993, p. 54).
“When people see tangible results, however incremental at first, and see how the results flow from the overall concept, they will line up with enthusiasm. People want to be a part of a winning team. They want to contribute to producing visible, tangible results. . . . When they feel the magic of momentum, when they can begin to see tangible results—that’s when they get on board” (Collins, 2001, p. 178).
“Reward small improvements in behavior along the way. Don’t wait until people achieve phenomenal results” (Patterson et al., 2008, p. 205).
“Small successes stimulate individuals to make further commitments to change. Staffs need tangible results in order to continue the development of their commitment to the change program and small steps engender understanding as well” (Eastwood & Louis, 1992, p. 219).
“Visible measures of progress are critical for motivating and encouraging educators to persist in the challenging work of improvement. Even the most dedicated and optimistic among us will stop if there’s no sign that what we’re doing is making a difference, or might make a difference eventually” (Elmore & City, 2007).
“When you set small, visible goals, and people achieve them, they start to get it into their heads that they can succeed. They break the habit of losing and begin to get into the habit of winning” (Heath & Heath, 2010, p. 144).
One of the most important things leaders can do is to create the conditions that allow people to experience progress in their work and then recognize and celebrate their accomplishments, even small accomplishments (Amabile & Kramer, 2011).
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MasonCrestStaffCollectiveCommitments
2016-2017
Inordertohonorandadvanceoursharedpurpose,vision,andgoals,wepledgetohonorthefollowingcollectivecommitments.Wewill:
Ø Identifyandteachtheagreed-uponessentialstandardsandbreakdownintolearningoutcomes(writteninstudentfriendlylanguage),adheretothecurriculumpacingestablishedbytheteamandhelpourstudentsdiscoverwhattheycandowiththatknowledge.
Ø Exploreavenuesofinnovationforallstudentsandadults.Ø Createbothcommonformativeandsummativeassessmentsandadminister
themaccordingtotheteam’sagreed-upontimeline.Ø Usetheresultsfromourcommonassessmentstoimproveourindividualand
collectivepracticeandtomeettheextensionandinterventionneedsofourstudents.
Ø Contributetoaneffectivesystemofinterventionandextensionwhileprovidingenrichmentopportunitiestoall.
Ø Bepositivecontributingmembersoftheschoolwideteamasweworkinterdependentlyusingcommonlanguagetoachievesharedgoalsanddemonstratemutualaccountability.
Ø Engageinopenfrequenttwo-waycommunicationamongallstakeholders,providefamilieswithongoinginformationabouttheirchildren,andofferspecificideasandmaterialstohelpfamiliesbecomefullpartnersintheongoingeducationoftheirchildren.
Ø Embracesharedresponsibilitiesandhelpothersgrowintheirleadershipresponsibilities.
Ø Contributetoacultureofcelebrationbyacknowledgingtheeffortsandachievementsofourstudentsandcolleaguesaswecontinuallystriveforevengreatersuccess.
Ø Agreetocommonbehavioralexpectations,modelandteachthatbehavior,andconsistentlyreinforceourexpectations.
Ø Considerallpointsofviewandcometoourworkeachdayasthebestversionsofourselves.
Ø Wewillhonortheindividualanduniquequalitiesofourstudentsandatthesametimenotusetheiruniquenesstolabelthem.
UpdatedandApprovedonAugust29,2016
© Mason Crest Elementary 2016. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.
25
MasonCrest2016-2017
CollectiveCommitmentsfromMasonCrestAdministrators2016-2017
Inordertocreatetheschoolwehavedescribedinoursharedvision,wemakethefollowingcommitments.Wepledgethatwewill…
• Promoteandprotectoursharedmission,vision,collectivecommitments,andgoalsandkeepthemattheforefrontofalldecisionsandactions.Indoingsowewillconfrontstaffwhoseactionsareincongruentwithoursharedpurposeandprioritiesandwillattempttobufferthestafffromcompetinginitiativessotheycandevotetheirfullenergiestotheprofessionallearningcommunityprocess.
• Buildsharedknowledgearoundtheterm“collaborativeteam”andthevariousstructurestheycantake.
• Supportthecollaborativeteamsbyprovidingthemwithsufficienttimetomeet,cleardirectionregardingtheworktobedone,ongoingfeedback,andthetrainingandresourcesnecessarytohelpthemsucceedatwhattheyarebeingaskedtodo.
• ProvideallteamstheProgramofStudies,pacingguides,andresourcesandensurethespecialistsworkingwiththoseteamsfacilitatedialoguetopromoteadeepunderstandingofessentialstandards-learningoutcomes.
• Buildsharedknowledgearoundteam-developedcommonformativeassessmentsandprovidetrainingthatwillenablethemtoeasilyandeffectivelydisaggregatedatato:
o bettermeettheinterventionandextensionneedsofindividualstudents,
o informandimprovepracticeofindividualmembersoftheteam,ando improvetheteams’collectiveabilitytoachieveitsSMARTgoals
• Provideexamplesofsystemsofintervention,extensionandenrichmentandworkwithstafftocreateaneffectivesystemforMasonCrest
• Helpstaffunderstandthedefinitionofandtheirroleasateammember• Modelopencommunicationbysharingimportantinformationinatimely
manner• Createopportunitiesforleadershipthroughoutthestaffbasedonindividual
expertiseandinterest.• Model,encourage,andplanforcelebrationasapartofourcultureand
approachinitialeffortsthatdonotachievetheintendedresultsasopportunitiestobeginagainmoreintelligentlyratherthanasfailures.
© Mason Crest Elementary 2016. SolutionTree.comDo not duplicate.