Now that the new school year is well underway and we're enjoying the autumn and the leaves changing and the seasons changing ... it's time to revisit our vision and mission and reframe our models toward excellence - our continued focus.
How do we "live this out" or how do we illustrate this ... several ways actually. We continue to "on board" new employees by meeting with them regularly (after week 1, week 3, and week 12) with structured guiding questions and active listening and reflection; we follow this up with regular strategic coaching conversations and feedback.
In addition, we are continuing the volunteer efforts with the offer to conduct an interview with a team member, provide a strength principles feedback session; follow up with observation, feedback, and additional theme-based interviews.
Also, we prepare for "walk through" visits to all classrooms with the aim of stopping in, catching folks doing great work, and providing individual feedback and recognition! It's a busy time and an exciting time.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Sharing District Progress - Technology Integration
From the IASA website and video library: Dr.
Michael Lubelfeld, Superintendent Pennoyer School District # 79,
highlights the steps the district has taken to include technology in
learning and community outreach. Districts might be interested in how
Pennoyer uses both Facebook and Twitter to keep the public informed of
student learning and events. The district uses many kinds of technology
in the classroom, including the I-Pod Touch in primary grades.
Link to video
Link to video
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
August - September
OK - the first month of school is just about complete. A lot has happened during the past month, and I have not "blogged" as often as I would like! Recently, the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA), invited me to share the journey of Technology Integration at Pennoyer School (click the link to see the 22 minute video presentation). This is flattering and humbling; and it's great to share the outstanding work of the Pennoyer faculty, staff, school board, and community!
This year school has started, teachers are using the Discovery Education Network's suite of digital tools. This year marks the second year of transformative technology, transformative instruction, and transformative change at our historic school.
In addition, I have been pursuing leadership training, consulting, research, and development with HUMANeX Ventures (Ventures for Excellence). This work synthesizes the day to day leadership I am lucky to pursue, as well as the macro, or systems leadership I'm lucky to promote and support across the country.
That's all for now - more later!
This year school has started, teachers are using the Discovery Education Network's suite of digital tools. This year marks the second year of transformative technology, transformative instruction, and transformative change at our historic school.
In addition, I have been pursuing leadership training, consulting, research, and development with HUMANeX Ventures (Ventures for Excellence). This work synthesizes the day to day leadership I am lucky to pursue, as well as the macro, or systems leadership I'm lucky to promote and support across the country.
That's all for now - more later!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Article from AASA - Starting the School Year Right - Thomas Guskey
The School AdministratorAugust 2011 Number 7, Vol. 68
Guest Column
Starting the School Year Right
by
We soon will experience the most important time in the school year for all children — the first two weeks. What happens during this critical period pretty much determines how the rest of the year will go.
When children return to school after the summer break, their perceptions about school and about themselves as learners are mostly uncertain. It’s a new year with new teachers, new books, new classes, new schedules and new friends. All of these novelties come with the hope this year could be different and better than all previous years.
That uncertainty in their perceptions continues only until teachers administer the first quizzes and assessments around the end of the second week of school. When teachers assign grades to those first quizzes, the grades put students into categories. Getting out of a category is really difficult.
Students who receive a C on that first math quiz begin to see themselves as C students. Their uncertainty suddenly becomes fixed, and they begin to accept the idea they are likely to earn C’s in math for the rest of the school year.
When the second quiz or assessment occurs, they expect to receive another C. When they do, it reinforces their perception. Similarly, if they receive a failing grade on that first quiz, they think all ensuing grades will be the same. But if they succeed on that first quiz and receive a high grade, that too is their perception of all that might follow.
Student PersistenceFor school leaders, this means doing everything possible to help teachers ensure students’ success during the first two weeks. At every level and in every class, they must press teachers to do whatever is necessary to help students experience successful learning during this critical period — and not fake success, but an accomplishment on something meaningful and challenging. It should be something that makes students feel good about what they have achieved and confident in their abilities as learners.
The key to motivating students rests with that success. Students persist in activities at which they experience success, and they avoid activities at which they are not successful or believe they cannot be successful.
This is the reason truancy and attendance problems rarely occur during the first two weeks of the school year. They begin to occur after the first graded quizzes, papers or assessments. In students’ minds, the grades they receive on these first quizzes and assessments establish their likelihood of future success. And why come to school if there is so little chance of doing well?
Parent UnderstandingSchool leaders also must help parents understand the importance of this time and how essential it is for them to be genuinely involved in their children’s education during these first two weeks. Routines established at home in this critical period profoundly affect the likelihood of students’ success.
Daily conversations about school activities help children recognize that their parents value success in school. Providing a quiet place for children to work on school assignments and limiting the time they spend watching television or playing computer games further increase the chances for success. Checking with the teacher to ensure children are well-prepared and ready to succeed also can help.
Successful experiences during these first two weeks of school do not guarantee success for the entire year. But they are a powerful and perhaps essential step in that direction. School leaders, teachers and parents alike need to take advantage of this critical time and use it well. It can make all the difference.
Thomas Guskey is professor of educational psychology at University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. E-mail: Guskey@uky.edu
School Year 2011-2012 Has Started!
Our school year started yesterday with the teacher institute day and today with the first day for students. At school, the excitement is palatable, the energy high, and the shine on the floors bright!
All of the expectations are fresh, all of the students are on an even playing field, and all of the school supplies are fresh! As the principal and I visited all classrooms K-5 and all 5-8 students at a welcome back assembly, we were warmly greeted and welcomed by students and staff alike.
One of the great benefits of working in a one-school school district as the superintendent is the true instructional nature of the leadership position! On a daily basis the principal and I are in classrooms, in hallways, in the lunch room, in the parking lot, basically "everywhere" students and staff interact.
Our aim is excellence. Our mission is:
At Pennoyer School, we are dedicated to the development of our children academically, emotionally, and socially. We must prepare our students to become life-long learners, positive contributors of our community and responsible citizens of a global society.
We are very happy to facilitate learning for our 400 students and we are happy to facilitate professional growth for our 31 teachers and 10 support staff personnel!
Stop by our district's website and Facebook and Twitter pages to stay informed!!
One of the great benefits of working in a one-school school district as the superintendent is the true instructional nature of the leadership position! On a daily basis the principal and I are in classrooms, in hallways, in the lunch room, in the parking lot, basically "everywhere" students and staff interact.
Our aim is excellence. Our mission is:
At Pennoyer School, we are dedicated to the development of our children academically, emotionally, and socially. We must prepare our students to become life-long learners, positive contributors of our community and responsible citizens of a global society.
We are very happy to facilitate learning for our 400 students and we are happy to facilitate professional growth for our 31 teachers and 10 support staff personnel!
Stop by our district's website and Facebook and Twitter pages to stay informed!!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The upcoming school year
The 2011-2012 school year is all set to be an amazing year for student growth, teacher growth, learning, integrating digital literacy and technologies, and overall progress for our school district.
This year we will continue to implement the changes begun last year like Google Apps for Education (Gmail, Documents, Sites, etc.). We also plan to continue the use of Gaggle Net email for students (protected, restricted usage). This year our Interactive White Board experiences will expand from Promethean and eBeam to include Mimio as well, and we have acquired several mounted and mobile projectors from our generous Parent Teacher Council.
In addition, we have contracted with the Discovery Education Network for video streaming, science curriculum materials, media sharing, and digitization of material across all curriculum areas. Beyond the "stuff", we will have job-embedded professional development throughout the school year on how to best utilize these digital media tools within the classrooms.
Teachers will continue to use the student management system Skyward for grades, attendance, etc. The school plans to "open" the portal to parents later in the fall for 24/7 access to student progress and performance. This year our substitute system will be automated with AESOP (an online caller and tracker system).
Students will also use iPod touch devices for reading and math remediation, practice, and enrichment. The school will also continue to use the Multiple Assessments of Progress (MAP) assessments in reading, language usage and mathematics to track and measure student growth and learning.
Finally, students will still be encouraged to use Prezi, Glogster, Voice Thread, Edmodo, Wiki's, Blogs, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Alexandria, and countless other Web 2.0 and 3.0 services, tools, and learning enhancements.
The school's Twitter and Facebook pages will continue to be updated with information, events and happenings at Pennoyer School.
All in all we are looking forward to a GREAT school year full of exploration and growth for students and staff!
This year we will continue to implement the changes begun last year like Google Apps for Education (Gmail, Documents, Sites, etc.). We also plan to continue the use of Gaggle Net email for students (protected, restricted usage). This year our Interactive White Board experiences will expand from Promethean and eBeam to include Mimio as well, and we have acquired several mounted and mobile projectors from our generous Parent Teacher Council.
In addition, we have contracted with the Discovery Education Network for video streaming, science curriculum materials, media sharing, and digitization of material across all curriculum areas. Beyond the "stuff", we will have job-embedded professional development throughout the school year on how to best utilize these digital media tools within the classrooms.
Teachers will continue to use the student management system Skyward for grades, attendance, etc. The school plans to "open" the portal to parents later in the fall for 24/7 access to student progress and performance. This year our substitute system will be automated with AESOP (an online caller and tracker system).
Students will also use iPod touch devices for reading and math remediation, practice, and enrichment. The school will also continue to use the Multiple Assessments of Progress (MAP) assessments in reading, language usage and mathematics to track and measure student growth and learning.
Finally, students will still be encouraged to use Prezi, Glogster, Voice Thread, Edmodo, Wiki's, Blogs, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Alexandria, and countless other Web 2.0 and 3.0 services, tools, and learning enhancements.
The school's Twitter and Facebook pages will continue to be updated with information, events and happenings at Pennoyer School.
All in all we are looking forward to a GREAT school year full of exploration and growth for students and staff!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Social Networks
I recently won a free book by Solution Tree: Communicating & Connecting with Social Media - just released, written by William Ferriter (first blogger I ever followed) - author of the Tempered Radical Blog, and Jason Ramsden and Eric C. Sheninger (one of the leaders I follow on Twitter).
Before I read the book and share my thoughts via Twitter ... I wanted to take a moment to list the "social media" I use - kind of a personal inventory ...
Facebook - personal private page as well as public school page
Posterous - work related - posts via email to school Facebook, Twitter, Blogger sites
Twitter - personal public page as well as public school account
Blogger - this blog, as well as work blog (pushed from Posterous)
Diigo - don't really know "how" to use this - but I'm exploring it's possibilities
Google + - not yet a "member" but I requested access
Open Text IL Supt. social network (professional)
So ... I'm pretty "wired/connected" etc.
Personally I use the social networking to stay connected with current friends, family and old friends.
Professional I use the social networking for public communication, outreach, professional development, "just in time learning", and networking and growth!
Edmodo is another work-related social media site members of the faculty and I are exploring, we aim to incorporate Edmodo next year with students and families.
Before I read the book and share my thoughts via Twitter ... I wanted to take a moment to list the "social media" I use - kind of a personal inventory ...
Facebook - personal private page as well as public school page
Posterous - work related - posts via email to school Facebook, Twitter, Blogger sites
Twitter - personal public page as well as public school account
Blogger - this blog, as well as work blog (pushed from Posterous)
Diigo - don't really know "how" to use this - but I'm exploring it's possibilities
Google + - not yet a "member" but I requested access
Open Text IL Supt. social network (professional)
So ... I'm pretty "wired/connected" etc.
Personally I use the social networking to stay connected with current friends, family and old friends.
Professional I use the social networking for public communication, outreach, professional development, "just in time learning", and networking and growth!
Edmodo is another work-related social media site members of the faculty and I are exploring, we aim to incorporate Edmodo next year with students and families.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
A few thoughts
I've been really bad about blogging this spring! My goal is to get back to more regular posts!!
The school year has ended for students and staff, and now the summer administrative work begins: Professional Development planning, Summer Construction, Budget, Staffing, Scheduling, etc.
My summer is full of exciting leadership work with learning, leading, listening.
I'm amazed at the amount of incredible bloggers and tweeters and leaders I have "interacted" with online and in person. (See the blog list for a sample of the great bloggers I follow), check out those I follow on Twitter for the amazing leaders who are sharing information and collaborating and demonstrating and illustrating leadership across state lines and international boundaries.
Teaching in the classroom can mirror the innovative and creative and powerful leadership I have participated in through the collaborative colleagues who share, write, ask probing questions, and offer support for the myriad of tasks the typical classroom teacher will endeavor in a particular school year.
The coming school year will allow us to continue to embed sustainable staff development on instructional technology, thinking, writing, using research to inform decision making, teaming, partnering and collaborating.
My goal is to join the conversation as a contributor more than as a consumer!
More to follow!
The school year has ended for students and staff, and now the summer administrative work begins: Professional Development planning, Summer Construction, Budget, Staffing, Scheduling, etc.
My summer is full of exciting leadership work with learning, leading, listening.
I'm amazed at the amount of incredible bloggers and tweeters and leaders I have "interacted" with online and in person. (See the blog list for a sample of the great bloggers I follow), check out those I follow on Twitter for the amazing leaders who are sharing information and collaborating and demonstrating and illustrating leadership across state lines and international boundaries.
Teaching in the classroom can mirror the innovative and creative and powerful leadership I have participated in through the collaborative colleagues who share, write, ask probing questions, and offer support for the myriad of tasks the typical classroom teacher will endeavor in a particular school year.
The coming school year will allow us to continue to embed sustainable staff development on instructional technology, thinking, writing, using research to inform decision making, teaming, partnering and collaborating.
My goal is to join the conversation as a contributor more than as a consumer!
More to follow!
Monday, April 18, 2011
What have I been doing the past few weeks
It's been a few weeks since my last post. During the past few weeks, I've been engaged with staff on whole staff professional development, collective bargaining labor negotiations, testing out a new observation/evaluation model, and working with educational leaders on selection of staff.
With the whole staff professional development, my administrative partner, the principal, and I worked with staff and a staff leadership team to engage the faculty in workshops on the following topics:
Excellence - what is excellence in a teacher? In addition to looking in the mirror, since I am fortunate to work with excellent faculty members, we took a look at the attributes and skills and themes and behaviors of excellent teachers.
We also looked at digital offerings through the Discovery Education Network - what an impressive array of current digital technologies!
Marzano's team's research on Classroom Instruction That Works contributed to a card game, inspired by John Antonetti and allowed the faculty to check out, discuss, and categorize the 9 high yield strategies that Marzano's meta-analytical research described.
Our excellent faculty team shared an overview of the new direction in professional evaluation and coaching and growth based upon the Danielson Frameworks
All in all it was an energizing and action packed professional experience that was well received and highly regarded by staff!
In addition, the teacher's association and the Board of Education have been involved in highly professional and respectful labor negotiations!
It's been a typically busy few weeks; and as I reflect, I find daily value in leadership, coaching, mentoring, and professionalism. Public education is rich, robust, dynamic, and challenging all in one.
With the whole staff professional development, my administrative partner, the principal, and I worked with staff and a staff leadership team to engage the faculty in workshops on the following topics:
Excellence - what is excellence in a teacher? In addition to looking in the mirror, since I am fortunate to work with excellent faculty members, we took a look at the attributes and skills and themes and behaviors of excellent teachers.
We also looked at digital offerings through the Discovery Education Network - what an impressive array of current digital technologies!
Marzano's team's research on Classroom Instruction That Works contributed to a card game, inspired by John Antonetti and allowed the faculty to check out, discuss, and categorize the 9 high yield strategies that Marzano's meta-analytical research described.
Our excellent faculty team shared an overview of the new direction in professional evaluation and coaching and growth based upon the Danielson Frameworks
All in all it was an energizing and action packed professional experience that was well received and highly regarded by staff!
In addition, the teacher's association and the Board of Education have been involved in highly professional and respectful labor negotiations!
It's been a typically busy few weeks; and as I reflect, I find daily value in leadership, coaching, mentoring, and professionalism. Public education is rich, robust, dynamic, and challenging all in one.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Digital Learning and Change
I am proud of the graduate students with whom I am working on Managing and Evaluating Instructional Technology and Distance Learning! They are open to new, innovative, and creative methods of instructing and facilitating learning and growth in their respective areas, PK-Graduate School. Our journey continues with evidence and experiences that lead to changed perspectives and new learning! Change is not easy - change is a journey!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Accountability Measures
There has been a ton of "chatter" of late in the news, in the Twittersphere, in the Blogosphere, in the education journals ... you get the picture .. about teacher evaluation - teacher accountability - measuring teacher performance. A noted and highly regarded educational reformer and former educational leader was recently interviewed on NPR and she said (paraphrasing) that teacher performance should not be measured. Really? That makes no sense ... In my opinion, all employee performance should be measured. Whether one is a dentist, a lawyer, a baker, a teacher, an engineer, an architect, a factory worker - you get the point - everyone should be coached, guided, mentored, led, evaluated, helped to become excellent.
My whole focus is on EXCELLENCE - I have lived my life by this focus, I conduct my work by this focus. As a public school superintendent - a proud superintendent - my charge is to support student growth and learning every day - I am held to high standards by my school board, my staff, the students, the community - everyone. And I should be held accountable to very high standards, and my performance is measured - as it should be - according to established best practices and internationally accepted standards for leadership.
I also have the honor of working as a Sr. Educational Consultant for HUMANeX Ventures (Ventures for Excellence) as a practitioner scientist, researcher, trainer, and developer of leaders. In my roles (private and public) I work on helping others reach heights higher than they thought they could reach through scientifically validated highly predictive instruments and research and analyses used in selection and development of staff.
During my nearly two decades of public educational leadership, I value the coaching I have received through mentors and coaches powerfully dedicated to supporting my impact as a leader. As I read the news about "reforms" and legislation and philanthropic efforts toward impacting education, I state emphatically and publicly that selection of staff AND the development of staff will lead to excellence in our schools.
I state that we all deserve to be held accountable - not by student test scores and other measures with way too many intervening variables to isolate elements of excellence in the classroom by classroom teachers - but by scientifically validated, research and practice proven methods and processes that focus on instructional excellence.
Students and communities deserve Excellence in their child's classroom - every day - every year - period.
Teacher performance must be evaluated - fairly and justly, with integrity and honor.
The aim of teacher evaluation should be formative as well as summative, and it should be orientated towards the improvement of excellence and impact!
My whole focus is on EXCELLENCE - I have lived my life by this focus, I conduct my work by this focus. As a public school superintendent - a proud superintendent - my charge is to support student growth and learning every day - I am held to high standards by my school board, my staff, the students, the community - everyone. And I should be held accountable to very high standards, and my performance is measured - as it should be - according to established best practices and internationally accepted standards for leadership.
I also have the honor of working as a Sr. Educational Consultant for HUMANeX Ventures (Ventures for Excellence) as a practitioner scientist, researcher, trainer, and developer of leaders. In my roles (private and public) I work on helping others reach heights higher than they thought they could reach through scientifically validated highly predictive instruments and research and analyses used in selection and development of staff.
During my nearly two decades of public educational leadership, I value the coaching I have received through mentors and coaches powerfully dedicated to supporting my impact as a leader. As I read the news about "reforms" and legislation and philanthropic efforts toward impacting education, I state emphatically and publicly that selection of staff AND the development of staff will lead to excellence in our schools.
I state that we all deserve to be held accountable - not by student test scores and other measures with way too many intervening variables to isolate elements of excellence in the classroom by classroom teachers - but by scientifically validated, research and practice proven methods and processes that focus on instructional excellence.
Students and communities deserve Excellence in their child's classroom - every day - every year - period.
Teacher performance must be evaluated - fairly and justly, with integrity and honor.
The aim of teacher evaluation should be formative as well as summative, and it should be orientated towards the improvement of excellence and impact!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Evaluation - Performance - Assessment
Leadership is often about taking a stand.
Current rhetoric across the nation is about "reform" and "accountability" and about "labor rights". It is revolutionary ... what is happening around the world in the Middle East, in North Africa, and even in Wisconsin and Indiana. Today during a Twitter conversation I indicated that excellence is not equal to experience. A noted educational leader seemed to indicate that my opinion was that of others in education being one in favor of limiting rights or that test scores, student test scores should measure teacher effectiveness- actually that could not be further from the truth. Since the earliest days in my career, and now, I completely support worker's rights and as you read this post, you will discover why I do not support the notion that student tests are appropriate measures of teacher excellence!
I do not support any assertion or over value on experience though - alone, experience is equal to "being there" or showing up. I believe that talent, talent in new, older, and experienced and inexperienced staff makes the difference. I am knowledgeable about how to predict talent and identify talent through scientifically validated structured selection instruments. I know how to develop talents in people through using the selection instruments as part of development, or coaching.
The "stand" I take is that we all should be accountable for our performance. We all should be committed to talent and excellence. We should hold professionals accountable for excellence and competence. I do not believe that student performance on tests - standardized (culturally biased in many cases) tests should "judge" a teacher's performance or efficacy. I believe that proper evaluation and accountability through formative assessment measures should "judge" teacher performance.
Perhaps we in education can develop "boards" or proficiency exams - tests for adults - to help determine our competence and to hold us accountable. Perhaps we in education can "force our way to the table" of policymakers and legislators and those who fund initiatives to develop real / authentic tools to evaluate and hold us accountable.
Student performance tests are measures that show student performance.
Well designed and implemented teacher appraisal systems measure teacher performance.
I stand for scientifically validated assessment for selection and development of staff.
I stand for accountability measures that measure standards-based indices.
Is anyone listening??
Current rhetoric across the nation is about "reform" and "accountability" and about "labor rights". It is revolutionary ... what is happening around the world in the Middle East, in North Africa, and even in Wisconsin and Indiana. Today during a Twitter conversation I indicated that excellence is not equal to experience. A noted educational leader seemed to indicate that my opinion was that of others in education being one in favor of limiting rights or that test scores, student test scores should measure teacher effectiveness- actually that could not be further from the truth. Since the earliest days in my career, and now, I completely support worker's rights and as you read this post, you will discover why I do not support the notion that student tests are appropriate measures of teacher excellence!
I do not support any assertion or over value on experience though - alone, experience is equal to "being there" or showing up. I believe that talent, talent in new, older, and experienced and inexperienced staff makes the difference. I am knowledgeable about how to predict talent and identify talent through scientifically validated structured selection instruments. I know how to develop talents in people through using the selection instruments as part of development, or coaching.
The "stand" I take is that we all should be accountable for our performance. We all should be committed to talent and excellence. We should hold professionals accountable for excellence and competence. I do not believe that student performance on tests - standardized (culturally biased in many cases) tests should "judge" a teacher's performance or efficacy. I believe that proper evaluation and accountability through formative assessment measures should "judge" teacher performance.
Perhaps we in education can develop "boards" or proficiency exams - tests for adults - to help determine our competence and to hold us accountable. Perhaps we in education can "force our way to the table" of policymakers and legislators and those who fund initiatives to develop real / authentic tools to evaluate and hold us accountable.
Student performance tests are measures that show student performance.
Well designed and implemented teacher appraisal systems measure teacher performance.
I stand for scientifically validated assessment for selection and development of staff.
I stand for accountability measures that measure standards-based indices.
Is anyone listening??
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Web Quest for in-district Professional Development with Google Apps for Education
In an effort to demonstrate differentiated adult learning, I put together this webquest in support of our school district's "gone Google" efforts. The most and least "techhie" among the staff can benefit from the tools, resources, tasks, and exercises.
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=86466
http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=86466
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The Networked Administrator
Check out this SlideShare Presentation from a colleague via Twitter:
The Networked Administrator
View more presentations from Lyn Hilt.
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