Mid September Post

   
                                                      It is critical for people to make reflect. The result: clarity, ability, empathy, and action at a higher level of performance.

Observations from walk thru/class visits at two different schools this past week:
In the strand of inspirational and passionate teachers, I continued to watch for:
* A balance between teacher talk, student talk
* Effective classroom management due to strong relationships and do to a safe, trusting environment
* Actively participating or engaged students
*Clarity around the learning for the day (and possibly also clarity around the outcome of the day)

In the strand of visible learner, if there was an opportunity to talk to kids, I may inquire about their learning be visible with such questions as:
*What are you learning for the day?
*How do you know when you reached or achieve "that" for the day?
*What do you do as a student, when you get stuck?
*How do you learn?
*What do you next (when you are done)?

In the few classrooms and in the snap, I continue to see:
* An appropriate balance between teacher talk and student talk/time
*Strong class management with strong connections both between the students and between the students and teacher.
*Clarity around the learning for the day.
* In a majority of the classrooms, students were actively engaged in their learning. If students were not actively engaged, 90% of them were on task.
In the few classrooms that I could ask questions of the students,
* All students articulated their learning for the day.
* Most students (very very few responded "I do not know") answered with such responses as "we will correct the work at the end". I can check with my table group." How well I do on the test. My teacher is good."
* Most students replied  with such answers as, "I can check with my table group". I can ask the teacher".
N/A this time as I did not ask that question to any student.

I continue to gather such evidence when visiting classrooms. I will bring the data (the classrooms remain autonomous) to the September 26th professional development when management analyzes, interprets, and plans next steps from a variety of district data points and school data points with the guidance of a visible learning consultant.

I also send the immediate observations statements to the classroom teacher via email, and offer more feedback in person. Each teacher can use the descriptive statements as they see fit.

The student's welcoming responses to Konocti's collective increased knowledge; collective drive and inquiry; collective improvement (already), demonstrate our mutual investment to student well-being and student academic success!

September Calendar

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Sat/Sun
September Celdt testing
19 Adm. SRI Adm. Star	20 Pip/STP workshop 4:30 – 6:30 in McClung Room Coaches Mtg. 10 -12:00	21 Management School board meeting	22 District collab day Collections  6th&7th PD At 3:45 pm in McClung	23
26 All day staff develop (EIA part II for management, coaches, teacher leaders)  *Teachers get foundation day visible learning training	27 . Ed-Tech Committee 3:45-5:00 pm at DO	28 Newcomer/EL collaboration at 3:45 at the Do	29	30 Initial CELDT testing completed SRI and Star completed

Piloted materials Professional Development Feedback and next steps:
My response to the feedback received (informally) from the a random selection of staff that attended the pilot materials professional developments this week:
* Make sure I clearly communicate the PD by the publishing trainers around how to navigate the instructional materials is purely optional, based on each teacher's desire and need.
*Try to work with the publishing trainer in advance about the structure of the training: ie. periodic needs assessment (take questions every 30 minutes) to tailor the training to the necessities of the audience; couple audience practice time with direct instruction; do a time check every hour with the audience to tailor the end time based on the desire of the audience.

References:
Rock, Dave (2006) Quite Leadership and A Brain Based Approach to Leadership. Harper Collins Publisher.: New York.

Kee, Kathy, 2010) Konotic USD Coach Leader 2016: Austin, Texa: Results Coaching Global, LLC. p. 25 (print)

September Post

At the start of  the school year, we take the time to fit the pieces together; building relationships and making connections; establishing routines and norms; organizing the curriculum; unpacking the big ideas into daily learning intentions (learning goals) and success criteria (outcomes); and so on.



Preliminary findings by the Visible Learning consult around the district-wide capability needs assessment. Below are some celebrations from the focus group questions and responses on August 30:

Visible Learner: Most, if not all students, could describe what they were learning - skill or content for that block of time.While some students defined a "learner"  on a behavioral, compliant level, many also defined a good learner  on an academic level (ie. Someone who is curious and asks questions)

Know thy impact: Most students felt the results of and comments on the assessments was some sort of positive feedback about them as a learner.

Inspirational and passionate teacher:  All students felt they had quality teachers; teachers that cared for them...teachers that would stay after school with them....teachers that made them feel safe.....teachers that were there for them.

Effective feedback: While many were not sure what feedback was, students did feel their teachers do help them in their learning by, teaching the material in a different way; asking if they understood, showing examples, etc.

These celebrations were very similar to the evidence the visible learning consults gathered in the student and teacher focus groups around the whole district the day before.

The strengths validate how well the pieces are fitting together. And the focus on data analysis and progress monitoring this school year allows Konocti to collectively and systematically solve the puzzle, by embracing research -informed next steps for that profound impact on student learning!

"Start by doing what is necessary: then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." Francis of Assisi

Important calendar events in the month of September

September

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Sat/Sun
September			1 Renaissance PD all day	2
5 Labor Day	6 Celdt testing starts ELS Williams Visit Coaches Mtg 10 -12:00	7 Management LLES Williams Visit	8 Site collaboration day	9  LLHS Williams Visit
12 Pomo Williams Visit	13 MyPerspectives PD for high school pilot folks at 3:45 in McClung Room Wonders PD for K -2grade at  LLES	14 Journeys, 3rd -5th grade PD at 3:45 in McClung Room	15 MyMath, K -5 PD at 3:45 in McClung Room Collections, GoMath 6th&7th grade PD at 3:45 at LLES Library	16
19 Adm. SRI Adm. Star	20 Pip/STP workshop 4:30 – 6:30 in McClung Room Coaches Mtg. 10 -12:00	21 Management	22 District collab day	23
26 All day staff develop (EIA part II) while teachers get foundation day training	27	28	29  Ed-Tech Committee 3:45-5:00 pm at DO	30 Initial CELDT testing completed CELDT continues	Finish administration of SRI Finish administration of  Star Renaissance

Your site administrators continue to gather evidence in the strand, "know thy impact" and evidence in
one additional strand:
* Visible learner
* Inspirational and passionate teacher
* Effective Feedback

On September 26th, a visible learning consultant, using a set of professional norms, will guide the district leadership team (comprised of site and central administration, designated teacher-leaders and instructional coaches) through a comprehensive data analysis of the schools and the district. The team will use a variety of  protocols (like "here's what, so what, and now what") to analyze the data and make next steps. The findings and next steps will be shared with staff back at sites.