1. Set Clear Strategic Priorities. If your school does not have clear, actionable goals and aligned strategic priorites for what you intend to accomplish throughout the building, you are wasting precious time! Note: this is NOT “we will raise test scores 15% points” – that is a metric. It does not indicate what actions people should take to raise student proficiency. If your goal is to increase proficiency, you’ll need your strategic priorities to be statements that everyone can sing: “i.e. TIMELY RIGOROUS PLANNING! Plan rigorous lessons based on data in advance of instruction so that these can be peer-reviewed and collaboratively refined.” That way, everyone in the building knows that if he/she is late with planning, is not using data, is not collaborating with peers, or is not applying rigor, he/she is not working in tune with the goals of the building (priorities should also tie to performance reviews). I frequently walk into school buildings and staff don’t know what they are prioritizing! Of course there are a million things for schools to get right, but a team has to start somewhere, and having a few memorized, actionable statements is the way to build cohesion.
2. Use a Meaningful Measurement System. NOW we get to the 15% point gains in reading and math. You need to have a way to define success. That way, you can celebrate it when you reach it! One of the biggest problems I see in schools have is that they fail to structure their assessment system and effectively establish an initial benchmark. If you are already into week three of school and you have not screened, diagnosed, and initially benchmarked your students, you are already behind. The first thing you need to do (week 1)–before performing instruction–is capture a baseline of what students know and can do. This will drive your lesson planning, your RtI process, your goals refinement, your PD, your curricular enhancements… and, it will later prove your progress! This is the way assessments were meant to be used–again, standardized test bumps are not, in themselves, the goal; rather they represent the evidence that you have reached your goal… annual state tests are classified as outcome assessments. If you use assessments according to the purposes for which they were designed (note that there are FOUR unique types), you will feel much more comfortable with the process AND the results.
3. Establish Order Building-wide. A system is far easier to dismantle than it is to build. Make sure that everything you want people to do has a clear and realistic process (visual is always best), and that your team is tightly following these. This will flow down to your students (improving behavior, climate, and learning), and it will flow outward to your families and stakeholders. You will be able to easily tweak procedures as you go along, but if you have not established order by month 2, the entire year will be an uphill battle. Example: Some schools require uniforms and silent halls. I have seen schools waste hours doing paperwork for students out-of-order in November. If everybody enforces the rules during month 1, the behavior becomes programmed and you will have fewer one-off discipline infractions and distractions down the road. It is critical that you not bend the rules early, delegate a point-person, and hold your teams accountable for any deviations! Save excuses for holidays and pre-summer celebrations. For the first few weeks, order is more important than speed or content delivery. And, if you already find yourself rushing around, take a deep breath and slow down–likely there is a more efficient way to do business that achieves even higher results.
Good luck in ’15-16!
