Applying the Six Principles that Guide High-Performing Schools...

APPLYING THE SIX PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE HIGH –PERFORMING SCHOOLS 1

Applying the Six Principles that Guide High-Performing Schools

Michelle D. Chase

Oakland University


Background

The South Redford School District is one of two school districts located in

Redford Township, Michigan. The district, adjacent to the western border of the City of

Detroit, is comprised of four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high

school.

George H. Fisher Elementary School is the largest of the four elementary schools

with a student population of approximately 480 students. Enrollment has been

increasing over the past five years. Fisher Elementary is a school wide Title I school.

Over the past five years, the school has had an increase in the percentage of

students in several subgroups. Subgroups reflecting students who are economically

disadvantaged (currently 68%), African American (currently 64%), and McKinney-Vento

eligible (homeless, currently 2.77%) have all demonstrated upward trends. During this

same time, the school has experienced a decrease in the percent of Caucasian

students.

Teachers at Fisher are all highly qualified. There are typically three sections of

each grade kindergarten - fifth, with class size ranging between 26 and 30 students.

The school offers special education, social work, Title I, and 31A services to students

who qualify. All children receive art, music, and physical education as a part of their

academic program.

Fisher Elementary School students have demonstrated consistent performance

on the MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program) with some upward shifts in

the Language Arts portion of the test. Fisher is not a Reward, Focus, or Priority school.


This paper will examine the current practices and policies of Fisher Elementary

School as they align to the six principles of high performing schools describe in Alan

Blankstein’s (2013) book, Failure Is Not An Option. Additionally, recommendations will

be offered regarding next steps the Fisher Staff might take in the journey toward

becoming a high performing school.

Principle 1: Common Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals

The mission, vision, values, and goals of an organization are the guiding beliefs,

plans, and action steps designed to articulate a common purpose among stakeholders.

Well planned and effectively implemented, these “four pillars” (Blankstein, 2013, p. 81)

can propel a school toward high levels of achievement. It is therefore necessary to

have these be living documents, frequently allowing members of the organization and

community to revisit, reflect upon, and revise to ensure an ongoing commitment to their

implementation.

Mission

The mission of an organization, “serves as a polestar, or guiding principle, for a

school” (Blankstein, 2013, p. 93) leading all staff members in the same direction. It

should clarify the reason the organization exists. Blankstein (2013) recommends that a

mission statement provide specifics about:

• What do we want to do?

• How will we know if we are succeeding?

• What will we do to ensure success?

• What will we do if they don’t learn? (p. 86)


Using Blankstein’s (2013) guiding questions, the Fisher Elementary School

mission statement was reviewed. With regard to the first question, “What do we want to

do?” the Fisher mission clearly states that the school community wants to “ensure

continuous academic growth and promote responsible citizenship.” The second

question, “How will we know if we are succeeding?” is addressed with the statement

that students will be, “college and career ready”. The phrase, “best practices,” provides

an answer to the third question, “What will we do to ensure success?” The last

question, “What will we do if they don’t learn?” is again addressed by the phrase, “best

practices”. The school has addressed the guiding questions recommended by

Blankstein, however, the answers are vague, a trait he cautions against (p 86).

The Fisher Elementary School staff and community might benefit by reviewing

the school’s mission using Blankstein (2013) guidelines. In order to do this work

efficiently, and to gain the input of all stakeholders, it is recommended that a survey be

designed to gather input from the stakeholders in the system. Once the surveys have

been completed, a task force can review the data and create a first draft of the mission

for further review and revision by staff and other key members of the community.

Vision

Another guiding document is the school’s vision statement. According to

Blankstein (2013) “a vision paints a picture of what we can become” (p. 93) and

describes “A realistic alternative for a better future” (p. 94).

As with a mission statement, the vision statement can guide the work of a school

by allowing all stakeholders to envision together what the organization will look like and

how it will function in the future. Blankstein (2013) provides a list of data and research


to compile for review prior to writing a vision statement (p. 100). Following a

comprehensive review of school/district data and a review of research on high-

performing schools and school change, the stakeholders can create a vision that will

move the school toward a common ideal.

The process for creating a vision at Fisher Elementary has not been as thorough

as the one that is advocated for in, Failure Is Not an Option (Blankstein, 2013). The

sample of an effective vision statement included in Blankstein’s book is detailed and

descriptive (2013, p. 95). It is suggested that a quality vision statement be a,

“thoughtful, fairly lengthy documents that encompass many aspects of a school”

(Blankstein, 2013, p. 100). In contrast to this ideal, the Fisher vision is brief, vague, and

was designed without the input of all stakeholders.

It is recommended that Fisher Elementary School rewrite the current vision

statement following the guidelines presented in Failure is Not an Option (Blankstein

2013). This should start with a review of school data and the best practices used by

high performing schools. Individuals can then make a list of their top ten priorities to

share with a larger group that includes all stakeholders. Each of these groups will

collaborate to create one list of top ten priorities. Using the top ten lists, a draft vision

statement can be created by a task force.

Values

“An established set of shared values is a key factor in an organization’s success”

(Blankstein, 2013, p 101). Organizational values “represent commitments we make

regarding how we will behave on a daily basis in order to become the school we want to

be” (Blankstein, 2013, p. 101). Effective values are:


• Few in number:

• Direct and simply stated

• Focused on behaviors, not beliefs; and

• Linked to the vision statement. (Blankstein, 2013, p.103)

Blankstein (2013) suggests that values be statements telling what members of

the organization will do and how they will behave (p. 103). The values for Fisher

Elementary School do tell what the staff will do and, for the most part, describe how

things will be done. The Fisher Elementary School community may benefit from

reviewing the established values following Blankstein’s (2013) recommendations. This

review should follow the revision of the vision statement to assure the two documents

are in alignment. The “snowball” process Blankstein (2013) suggests in Failure is Not

an Option will allow all faculty members to have an opportunity to express what they will

commit to doing (p. 104).

Goals

A key component to the school improvement process in the state of Michigan is

the establishment of school goals. These “short-term minitargets” serve the school by

providing manageable steps in the process of fulfilling the mission (Blankstein, 2013, p

105). The Fisher Elementary School leadership team drafted new school goals in the

spring of 2013. This change took place following the review of several articles

describing the shifts schools need to make in order to meet the demands of the

Common Core State Standards in addition to a review of the article, High Performance

in High Poverty Schools: 90/90/90 and Beyond by Douglas Reeves. All of the goals

have been written in the S.M.A.R.T. format as recommended by Blankstein (2013).


The school leadership team informally received input from staff regarding the

development of school goals. Due to this, some staff members are unaware of the shift

in goals or do not feel vested in their implementation. As the year progresses, the

leadership team would be wise to allow staff member to review the articles, research,

and data used to develop the current goals. Prior to making revisions for the 2014-2015

school year, staff should be given the opportunity to provide feedback and give

recommendations for the improvement of the school goals.

Celebrating

Celebrating is a part of the Fisher Elementary School culture. Prior to each staff

meeting, colleagues are given the opportunity to, “bravo” each other for a job well done.

Additionally, there is the yearly and monthly goose award to recognize staff members

who have worked to support others in the school community. Celebration and

recognition can also be observed in the way staff interacts with students. Following

quarterly testing, children are often seen celebrating their improvement with staff

members and administration.

Celebration is an important part of Blankstein’s (2013) principle number one.

Fisher Elementary is already making an effort to acknowledge success. Blankstein’s

suggestions to link recognition and celebration to the data and S.M.A.R.T. goals is a

next step the Fisher Staff can take in this area.

Principle 2: Ensuring Achievement for All Students – Systems for Prevention and Intervention

It is a common practice for schools to have a mission, vision, values, and goals.

It is also common for these documents to articulate the desire for all students to learn

and achieve at high levels. Unfortunately, when the desired student outcomes and the


actual outcomes do not coincide a staff may develop a sense of frustration and

helplessness. Blankstein’s (2013) Principle 2 addresses reasons why this disconnect

may occur in a school and provides recommendations to help schools and teachers

embrace the challenge of helping all students achieve success.

Staff Beliefs

A school as an organization may state the belief that all children will learn.

However, individuals within the system may not share this philosophy. According to

Blankstein (2013), it is first necessary to change the behaviors and language of

teachers to align with the schools mission, vision, values, and goals before the beliefs of

staff members will shift.

Blankstein (2013) identifies three beliefs teachers may hold that will interfere with

the ability to help all children achieve at high levels. First, “teachers may not believe

that a school can succeed with all students” (p. 116). Second, “Teachers may not feel

personally competent to succeed with all students” (p. 118). And third, “teachers may

believe that new reforms aren’t worth pursuing” (p. 121).

Teachers holding the first belief, not all students can learn, often base it on their

previous experiences and misinterpretations of a child’s learning or social behavior

(Blankstein, 2013, p. 116). In order for teachers holding this belief to change,

Blankstein suggests presenting them with new information and ideas that challenge

their beliefs. Most teachers want to do well for students, and given additional

information they are willing to make changes to improve their practice (2013, p. 117).

The second belief, not feeling personally competent to succeed with all students,

is more challenging to address (Blankstein 2013, p. 118). This is difficult because


teachers and administrators need to recognize the underlying sense of inadequacy.

Once the problem is acknowledged, a combination of support and “creative tension,”

can be used to challenge a teacher to make necessary changes (p. 118). Blankstein

suggests developing a greater affinity between teachers and students in order to

establish this tension (p. 119). When teachers have a strong relationship with students

they are less likely to dismiss a student’s academic potential (p. 119). Relationship

building experiences may be created through “social events, field trips, or experiential

learning activities” (p.120). All of these activities will help to build an affinity between

teacher and student as a result of increased communication and shared experiences (p.

120).

Lastly, teachers may believe that new reforms aren’t worth pursuing (Blankstein,

2013, p. 121). Teachers who have worked diligently in the past to implement new

programs and philosophies are often less willing to try new initiatives. Based on the

experience of these staff members, they are hesitant to embrace new reform efforts (p.

121). School leaders must take the time to listen to staff concerns regarding reform

efforts and provide support when possible (p.121).

Changing a staff’s hidden beliefs “is an extremely difficult and complex process”

(Blankstein, 2013, p. 114). This is true for the staff of Fisher Elementary School.

Teachers do not proclaim that children are unable to learn, but they may identify

reasons why children demonstrate limited learning. Reasons such as unidentified

learning disabilities, disconnected or uncaring parents, and lack of preschool become

validation for children’s limited learning. In conversations with staff members I often


sense this excuse making is rooted in the Blankstein’s second belief, a teacher’s

feelings about not being competent to meet the needs of all students (2013).

Most teachers want to be effective, however, they do not always know how to

achieve this goal. Blankstein’s second belief, “teachers not feeling competent to

succeed with all students” (Blankstein, 2013, p. 118) seems to be revealed when

teachers over-advocate for student support. At Fisher Elementary, some teachers try

to maximize out of class services with Title I aides and parent tutors. This type of

support leaves the most needy students receiving the least expert instruction. These

few teachers feel justified in having the student out of the classroom because they

believe the students are not capable of doing the class work.

With legislative reforms mandating school change, it is essential for educators to

embrace and implement new practices. Blankstein’s third belief, preventing student’s

success by the unwillingness to embrace reform efforts (2013) seems to be growing

less common at Fisher. Although some teachers have disregarded district initiatives in

the past, the pressure of the new teacher evaluation and accountability system seem to

be pushing teachers to be compliant to initiating reform efforts.

To encourage the teachers at Fisher Elementary to change their belief systems,

the school administrator is building teacher directed professional literature study into the

staff meeting time. Grade level teams have been allowed to select an area they want to

investigate in order to improve student achievement. The principal has provided staff

members with books and made arrangements for teachers to earn State Continuing

Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) for the work being done. The desired outcome is


that teachers will support and challenge each other to shift their beliefs and

practices to improve student achievement.

Unifying Philosophy

For school administrators, aligning programs and initiatives to address the needs

of students can be challenging. However, schools can develop a shared philosophy to

address the needs of students who fail “to meet high academic standards” (Blankstein,

2013, p. 122). In an effort to address the needs of the whole child, Blankstein

recommends a “strengths-based approach to viewing and ‘treating’ young people”

(2013, p.123).

After reviewing the work of experts in the field of child psychology, Blankstein

(2013) developed the “Community Circle of Caring” (p. 125). Young people strive to

meet the four needs within the circle: contribution, connection, self-control, and

competence, in either a “prosocial or antisocial manner” (p. 125).

In an effort to address the four domains of the Circle of Caring, a school staff

needs to reflect on challenges that may prevent all students from having high

achievement. Staff members can collaborate to develop a plan that will address the

areas of concern in a way that will increase a student’s connectedness to the school.

Blankstein (2013) provides some examples of simple shifts in staff behavior that will

advance the connection between the teacher, school, and student. Actions like greeting

students when they arrive each day helps to develop a connection between home and

school. Blankstein also suggests cross grade collaboration, community service, and

special classes to promote the sense of belonging and contribution to the school

community.


Establishing a unifying philosophy to proactively address the four domains of the

“Circle of Caring” has not been addressed at Fisher Elementary School. The school is

currently receiving a grant for the implementation of the Positive, Behavior, Intervention,

and Support (P.B.I.S) program. Unfortunately, the P.B.I.S program promotes some

practices that are not in alignment with Blankstein’s (2013) Circle of Caring. It may be

beneficial for the staff of Fisher School to review this segment of Failure in Not an

Option to plan school protocols that draw students into a “circle of caring”.

Comprehensive System for Ensuring Success

Creating an academic support system that addresses the needs of all students is

essential to student success. In order to provide high quality of instruction, schools

must create core classroom learning environments that are engaging and address the

interests and passions of students. In addition to high quality core instruction a school

must establish a support system that will meet the needs of students who are struggling

academically and behaviorally.

Blankstein (2013) recommends the implementation of project-based learning for

core classroom instruction. This method allows students to study real-world problems

while increasing motivation. Project-based learning incorporates the application of

basic skills and develops life-long learning habits. Blankstein states that this “inside

out” teaching approach yields great success (p. 130).

In spite of the best efforts of classroom teachers, there are times when additional

support is needed to accelerate a student’s academic or behavioral progress.

Response to Intervention (RtI) is a model designed to provide a ladder of support to

students. The first level of the RtI system is high quality classroom instruction.


Teachers use common assessments to determine the level of student academic

development. A team of teachers reviews the data from the common assessments to

determine if a student is in need of additional learning support. Students with the

greatest need receive the greatest amount of support in the RtI model. Using the

“pyramid of support” (Blankstein, 2013, p. 137) staff members identify student’s different

levels of need and determine a course of action for each child or group.

A schools RtI system should reflect the mission. School leadership and staff

need to work together to provided high quality instruction to all students, including those

in need of additional support. Criteria must be established to ensure students with the

greatest needs are receiving the greatest amount of support. Instruction for students

receiving RtI services should be reviewed to make certain it is of the highest quality.

South Redford School District has established an RtI system to provide students

additional support if they demonstrate academic risk factors. The system established

by the district identifies assessment to be used as “screeners” and “progress

monitoring” tools. The district has also created forms for teachers to document support

services provided to students. The way individual schools identify students for support,

determine staff to provide services, and select supplemental resources varies.

At Fisher Elementary School the administrator provides staff members with the

opportunity to review student performance data at least four times a year. During these

meetings teacher teams establish and revise student groups. Title 1 and 31A support

staff assist grade level teams in planning and providing services to students. Teachers

on each team have some freedom to determine how they choose to incorporate support


staff into the RtI plan for their grade. Based on the quarterly reviews of student data,

teacher teams make adjustments to the RtI plan.

The Fisher Elementary School Community works hard to “ensure achievement

for all students” (Blankstein, 2013, p.111). The leadership team and staff continue to

collaborate to create opportunities for staff to learn about best practices. A

recommendation for improvement would be for the staff to development a common

philosophy around the “Circle of Caring.” Additionally, an investigation into project-

based learning, and allowing teachers to pilot the principles in their classrooms, may be

beneficial for both staff and students. The school has established an academic RtI

system. The current protocols need to be continually monitored for effectiveness and

thoughtful adjustments should be made to improve system.

Principle 3: Collaborative Teaming Focused on Teaching for Learning

High-achieving schools maintain a culture of interdependent collaboration among

teachers and other staff members. This may appear to be a simple principle to institute

for a Failure is Not an Option (Blankstein, 2013) school. Providing teachers with

common planning time, creating content area committees, and allowing cross grade

collaboration may all appear to fulfill the intent of this principle. These collaborative

opportunities are a start, but the heart of this principle is a focus on teaching for

learning.

Thoughtful planning is necessary when developing a collaborative culture

focused on teaching for learning. Teams must work to advance the mission, vision,

values, and goals of the school. All team members need to be clear about their purpose

for meeting and the desired outcome of their work together. Participants also need to


develop and agree on meeting protocols to ensure productive meeting processes

(Blankstein, 2013).

Teachers on effective teams are “focused on helping students learn by becoming

active learners themselves” (Blankstein, 2013, p. 147). Collaboration is rooted in

intense, supportive conversations about data. Discussions are had about student data,

teacher data, and the data about specific areas of instruction in order to learn what

support is needed. Plans to address identified needs are based on “open-ended inquiry

that incorporates new ideas from both inside and outside the team” (Blankstein, 2013,

p. 148). Team members commit to action steps based on their study and discussion.

Teachers plan time to reflect on and revise identified action steps and meeting

processes (Blankstein, 2013).

There are many ways schools can support collaboration between staff members.

The leadership of Fisher Elementary School structures common planning times for

grade levels, plans collaborative staff meetings, and arranges teacher release time to

support teamwork. Additionally, staff members will frequently work during their lunch to

collaborate on projects. It is common to see teacher teams working on curriculum and

literature study within and across grade levels. The enthusiasm of highly productive

teams has proven to be contagious. Teachers are reaching out to one another for

support with teaming practices.

A close evaluation of collaboration at Fisher Elementary would indicate most

teams are functioning somewhere between “contrived collegiality” and “collaborative”

(Blankstein, 2013). To support teams in becoming fully collaborative it may behoove

the leadership of Fisher Elementary school to share Blankstein’s (2013)


“Implementation Guidelines” with staff. Providing staff with the time to thoughtfully plan

how they will work together, in a non-deadline time period, will help teams work more

productively on the tasks directly related to teaching for learning. Additionally, using

staff meeting time to teach and practice Blankstein’s (2013) “Tuning Protocols” (pp. 262-

267) will help teachers learn another way they can work together to advance student

learning.

The Fisher staff has been collaborating to advance teaching and learning. They

are using data to guide decisions, using input from within and outside the room for

planning, and working in different teaming configurations to best support students. The

school needs to support staff in developing protocols for how teams will work together.

Planning more efficient collaboration methods will result in greater student learning.

Principle 4: Data-Based Decision Making for Continuous Improvement

Data-driven decision-making is a trait of high performing schools. Blankstein

(2013) advises implementing the “four C’s;” collection, culture, capacity and

commitment (pp. 163-164) to ensure successful use of data in schools.

The first “C”, refers to “collecting, sorting and distributing data” (Blankstein 2013,

p. 163). At Fisher Elementary the staff collects reading and math data quarterly.

Students in grades 2-5 are given an adaptive assessment in each subject area as well

as a quarterly assessment designed by grade level staff members. The assessment

tools provide a variety of reports for teams of teachers to review. Teachers enter cross-

grade student data into an Excel spreadsheet. This allows staff to sort the data to

answer additional questions they may have about student achievement. Kindergarten

and first grade teachers also collect quarterly reading and math data. Teachers in these


grades are developing systems to sort and distribute data for review. All teachers on

the staff maintain student behavior data and report it monthly. This is collected for the

buildings Positive Behavior Intervention Support program (P.B.I.S). Currently teachers

are not reviewing this information on a regular basis. In the future it might benefit the

staff to review academic and behavioral data together.

The second “C” is “creating the climate and culture of trust for effective data use”

(Blankstein 2013, p. 163). A key to developing this culture is for teachers to have a

clear understanding of the purpose for collecting data (Blankstein 2013, p. 164). This

transparency builds confidence within a staff and allows for open discussions

(Blankstein 2013, p. 165). Prior to the 2013-2014 school year, the primary purpose for

quarterly data collection at Fisher School was to create and adjust leveled learning

groups and to identify students in need of academic intervention. Teachers

collaborated to plan for students in grade level and cross-grade level teams. Beginning

with the 2013-2014 school year, teachers will be evaluated using the same assessment

tool. This additional purpose has been shared with the staff. It is unclear at this time if

this additional purpose will alter the climate of trust for data usage.

Capacity for data analysis is the third “C.” The most effective way to develop this

is by using a “facilitator of the collaborative change process” (Blankstein 2013, p. 166).

Staff must deeply analyze data to improve instructional practices and school policies.

To do this effectively teams must ask critical questions, identify the data needed to

answer the questions, and be able to interpret the data in a meaningful way as a result

of “frank dialogue” (Blankstein 2013, p. 168). Teachers at Fisher Elementary School

are very thoughtful when using data to group students for learning. The school


improvement team also uses hard and soft data to reflect on school practices and plan

goals and action steps. Fisher would benefit by having greater transparency with all of

the data collected. Additionally, the staff needs to be proactive about gathering data in

areas of concern. Tardiness and incomplete homework are issues that continually

concern teachers. Gathering data about these areas, with the goal of establishing

supportive policies and programs, would be beneficial for all stakeholders.

The final “C” identified by Blankstein (2013) is a “commitment to implementation”

(p. 168). Data needs to be used to guide the work schools do, not simply to evaluate

what has been done. Following the review of, and frank dialogue about, data, a plan of

action needs to be developed. School personnel must implement the action plan and

use ongoing date reviews to determine effectiveness. This continuous improvement

model (PDSA) provides the opportunity for frequent revision and improvements to the

plan (Blankstein 2013, p178). This data review action plan model has proven very

effective for teaching and learning at Fisher. Prior to the 2013-2014 school year,

teachers were required to commit to an annual action research project. In every case

that the action research was designed around student needs and based on teaching

best practices found in professional literature, the students demonstrated gains in

achievement on local and state assessment. The action research process was

designed to implement the continuous improvement model (PDSA), something all

teachers were familiar with as a result of Baldrige training. The staff at Fisher has seen

the benefits of the fourth “C,” commitment to implementation, and will benefit from using

this model when planning for change in the future.

Principle 5: Gaining Active Engagement From Family and Community


Research indicates that family “involvement leads to higher levels of student

achievement and improved student behavior” (Blankstein 2013, p. 188). It is therefore

essential for schools to work in partnership with families. When there is a positive

relationship between the home and the school the result is higher achievement for

students.

Blankstein (2013) recommends three principles for developing positive

relationships with families. First, there needs to be an empathetic understanding based

on shared interests. Second, the school needs to meaningfully involve families in a

variety of activities. Third, the school needs to reach out to families and have ongoing

communications (p. 192).

It is important for a school staff to be empathetic to the life circumstances

impacting students and their families. Parents’ work situations, past experiences with

school, and financial status can affect a student’s behaviors and academic

performance. When school personnel recognizes that parents are putting forth their

best effort to support their children they may be more willing to design support systems

to help students overcome barriers (Blankstein 2013, p. 193).

The staff at Fisher Elementary School struggles with having an empathic

understanding toward families. Most staff members grew-up in middle-class or affluent

families, while most of the students live in poverty or working poor families. The

struggles facing students are often so foreign to the staff that they simply cannot

comprehend some of the decisions made by families. This is an area the staff must

continue to develop in an effort to better meet the needs of students.


Welcoming parents and community members into the school to support students

and programs in meaningful roles is another way to build active engagement. This is

much more difficult that it may seem. Volunteers may not always feel welcomed or

useful. To overcome this roadblock, it is important to thoughtfully plan parent

participation programs (Blankstein 2013, pp. 195-196).

Parent and community volunteer programs are in place at Fisher. Watch

D.O.G.S. (dads of great students), E.L.V.S (early literacy volunteers), and lunch clubs

are all ways community members can volunteer and work with students. Each of these

programs provides parents and community members with direction on how to support

students and a schedule that matches their volunteer commitment. Additionally,

classroom teachers have parents volunteer to help run copies or assist with classroom

activities. Blankstein (2013) also recommends having volunteers run a mentoring or

tutoring program (p. 198). This type of support for students may be a next step for the

community and staff of Fisher Elementary School to consider and plan.

A great way to build positive community relationships is by being visible. Just

being seen outside of the traditional school roles is a way to connect with families in a

less threatening way (Blankstein 2 013, p.199). The staff of Fisher Elementary makes

an effort to be visible to the school community. Many staff members attend students

sporting events, recitals, and special programs. Several teachers live in the district and

have children attending the school. Teachers attend P.T.O. activities in the evenings

and on weekends to spend time with students and families in a casual setting.

Increasing family and community engagement is something the Fisher staff

strives to achieve. Reviewing hard and soft data through the lens of involvement and


engagement might provide the staff with ideas about the next steps to improve in this

important area for student achievement.

Principle 6: Building Sustainable Leadership Capacity

School leadership is not a solo job according to Alan Blankstein (2013).

Effective leadership is driven by a shared focus on learning, distributed amongst

stakeholders, and is designed to endure during administrative transitions. A shared

leadership model, based on common purpose and responsibility, allows participants to

transcend the social and political pressure placed on educators by empowering them to

focus on teaching and learning.

Instituting a distributed leadership system requires administrative support and

structure. Teachers often feel it is their job to comply with the directives of their “boss,”

similar to the way a student complies with the rules of the teacher in a class. In a

distributed leadership system, stakeholders work together to plan and carry out

initiatives. This work may, or may not, be done with the school administrator present.

Initially, school leaders may need to support staff members as they transition into this

leadership model. In addition to giving stakeholders the opportunity to plan school

initiatives, leaders need to create a structure that allows staff to collectively review and

revise routines and practices. This time to work together will encourage teachers to

plan and revise programs to advance student learning.

A focus on learning is essential for all educational leaders. It is also a critical

component to building a distributed leadership model. Planning for a sustainable school

requires a focus on, “deep learning for all that spreads and lasts” (Blankstein 2013, p.


219). School leaders, and staff members sharing the leadership of a school, must have

all decisions reflect a commitment to deep learning for all.

Fisher Elementary School has implemented a distributed leadership model. Staff

teams meet regularly to reflect on data and plan action steps for student learning.

Teams consult with the building administrator to determine if funding or organizational

shifts need to be made to implement plans. Also, teams are given the opportunity to

use student performance data to plan an annual action research project. Using best

practice research, teachers make adjustments to their teaching and have conversations

to support each other in carrying out change for student learning. Additionally, staff

members have the opportunity to participate on the P.B.I.S. committee to review data

and plan action steps related to the schools behavioral initiatives.

Creating a plan for sustained leadership is important to maintaining the

effectiveness of a school. As school leaders transition it is important for the current

administrator, or district leadership, to plan the succession. “Succession always poses

a threat to sustainable improvement,” (Blankstein 2013, p. 225) and ensuring the

successor comes from within the organization or shares a common philosophy with the

previous leader can minimize this threat. South Redford School District has replaced

most administrators within the last five years. In each case, promoting from within the

system has resulted in the least disruption to student learning and the highest levels of

staff morale. Considering this, the central office administration should consider

implementing a leadership program within the district. Developing teachers for formal

leadership or empowering staff members to be proactive in creating a distributive


leadership model within buildings. Both of these outcomes will benefit student learning

and the cohesiveness of the district.

Conclusion

George H. Fisher Elementary School is well on the way to becoming a high

performing school as defined by Blankstein’s (2013) six principles. The staff is using

data to guide decisions, collaborating to plan for student programs, and working in a

distributed leadership model. To advance teaching and learning to a higher level the

staff may want to consider revising or establishing systems to: review mission, vision,

values, and goals, develop teacher learning, use data to answer questions, and build

relationships with stakeholders.

The first step the Fisher community might consider on the journey of continuous

improvement is to revise the mission, vision, values, and goals. A system needs to be

established to include all stakeholders in the process. Once these beliefs are agreed

upon, the school community must ensure they are used to guide all school decisions.

Additionally, the staff at Fisher Elementary School might consider instituting

ongoing programs and systems to develop teacher’s learning and skills. This might be

done through a collaboration with the South Redford School District. Supporting

teacher’s understanding and implementation of teaching techniques such as

differentiated instruction, project based learning, and others as indicated by data would

have a direct impact on student achievement. Facilitating staff in using teaming and

tuning protocols for effective collaboration within the building and across district level

teams would help teachers be more efficient and effective in planning for improvement.

Additionally, instituting a leadership academy will empower staff members to be a part


of a distributive leadership model. This will also help create opportunities for

sustainable leadership for the district.

The staff members at Fisher Elementary School have developed systems to

effectively use student test data when planning and designing academic programs and

interventions. The school should now apply these skills to reviewing behavioral data

and stakeholder survey data. In order to do this, a system needs to be designed to

make all of the data transparent. Additionally, a time needs to be designated to review,

discuss, and interpret the data. Along with review data, the school needs to develop

systems to collect the data needed to answer questions that arise. Unfinished

homework and student tardiness are both areas of frustration for staff. Designing a tool

that will help identify causes and lead to the establishment of an action plan based on

facts will help the school to be more responsive to the needs of students and their

families.

Developing relationship with students, parents, and the community are important

to the academic success of children. The staff at Fisher Elementary School should

review Blankstein’s “Circle of Caring” (2013, pp. 125-127), and establish school-wide

protocols and make staff agreements to implement this affective change. Instituting

these changes will allow the school to collaborate with the community. This might be

done by creating mentor relationships for students, providing tutors, or by creating

community led clubs. Additionally, stronger relationships might be developed with

students and families by helping the staff become more empathic toward their life

situations. Creating a literature study group to investigate living in poverty or making


home visits to connect with families and observe their real life circumstances might help

to achieve this goal.

As the staff of Fisher Elementary School implements new programs and

systems, they must continue to review the effectiveness of established programs and

make revisions as needed. As a highly effective school, where failure is not an option,

the school must function like a master juggler, keeping all of the balls in the air, even

when a new one is added. When all goes as planned, it is truly amazing!


References Blankstein, A. M. (2013). Failure Is Not an Option: 6 Principles That Advance

Student Achievement in Highly Effective Schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Applying the Six Principles that Guide High-Performing Schools...

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