"The pile is LARGE" (Dr. Malone) "Leadership Matters! Principals are key to the success of the educational system" (Dr. Malone) "The role of principal is critical" (Dr. Malone)
Wow! I really appreciated hearing all the different perspectives regarding improving our schools and the development of CSIP. In my own personal journey the consistent element continues to be relationships. Taking the time to develop trusting, authentic, relationships. From our interviews, collaboration is vital. Everyone should take part and be made aware of where our schools are heading and how we are getting there. So many wonderful metaphors today, the house on fire, construction zone, driving blind, and a winding journey. Whatever metaphor you choose to make sense of the process, what is important is it is going to be difficult, but the foundation of change. This is a challenge that we can concur with a systematic and purposeful process. How exciting that we, as future leaders, can motivate our buildings to really breathe life into our mission and prepare the plan to foster achievement. Plus, data is amazing and now we have a ton of neat tools to make data pretty. And accessible, but also...lots of colors... and graphs. Yay!
Kelsey, Very well said! I appreciate how comprehensive your reflection is on the evening. I rather enjoyed the metaphors as well. It helps me to compartmentalize things a bit in a useful "format".
Tonight was an eye opening experience for how varied schools are in their SIP development and process. Within each presentation tonight, though, there was definitely a "take away" for me as I look ahead to an administrative role. I get the sense that each principal's view of the SIP process is based on a lot of different factors - factors like years of experience in administration, demographics, culture of their building and district direction.
Wow I am really shocked that we all don't have a SIP! Having had a SIP in some for many multiple year I guess I just thought it was what all schools did. That said I liked how short Nate's Plan for ER was. I wonder how measurable some of the goals were, as that was a key for the plan that Indistar uses.
I think that this process of learning more about SIP's will be a great experience and great information for us to be extremely knowledgeable about.
I had never heard of a SIP until I came to Clover Park and it wasn't until my second year when I was on the committee that I understood what it actually was. It wasn't until last night that I actually understood the importance of it.
I truly enjoyed learning from everyone's presentations tonight---I have to say, we are a talented group of leaders. I found it fascinating that all of our reports were fairly similar and aligned in what the SIP process is (or the thought/idea of). I feel like our leaders hearts are all in the right place but that the politics and systems are not. I do feel although SIP plans have been around for some time, that the process has not been clearly defined especially as it applies to the AWSP and the high stakes that our school systems are under. Looking forward to next week---hope everyone has a great weekend!
I agree Jenna! It seems like the SIP process from school to school and district to district varies greatly. My experience with the process at FP is that all of our schools (K-12) have the same goals but numbers/percents and action plans are different, so there is some continuity there. I'm looking forward to talking with my principal about the process since I will be viewing it through a different lens.
So interesting to hear multiple perspectives about SIP plans. We will all be important resources for each other in our first year as principals. For me, I am still unclear about how specific SIP plans should be. When I was in Kent, our goals were specific and measurable. We looked at the data in every way possible, identified our cells of concern, talked about kids by name, created a plan and a process for assessment, did it and then came back, looked at our results and started over. We talked about the SIP all the time. The school that I am in now, has a very different feel. The SIP is not a part of the daily functions of the school. We are not setting specific, measurable goals. As I enter into an internship in this school, I feel like this is where the work needs to be. This is a little scary and overwhelming and I'm not sure where to start but what a wonderful and usable experience! Thank you for the great conversations and support. Alyssa
Alyssa I agree, it will be very useful to have this wide array of knowledge our cohort represents when it comes to writing our own building's SIP's. I too am unclear, just like my current principal but that's to be expected with so many changes in our district and state. With the roll out of TPEP and the Principal Eval, and our Danielson Frameworks, I foresee a lot of unknowns in our future. It's exciting to be a part of this change. We will have to connect as we continue this process, it seems as if the work that needs to take place in my builidng is parallel to yours. I'm looking forward to rolling my sleeves up and getting some work done.
Brittane-Thank-you for you crab cake and tuna cake analogy. I am sure not to forget that anytime soon. This ties in with what really resonated with me over our presentations tonight. A quality crab cake recipe will produce quality crab cakes, thus a quality SIP process will produce quality plans! It was interesting to see and hear what a range that entails. Bottom line...for me it comes to systems that are teacher driven, needs based, and evaluated constantly. When school leaders implement systems that allow for teacher clarification of expectations and accountability, SIP plans can be kept alive and woven into the very fabric of the school culture.
Coug Cohort Challenge: *Guys -- buy your wife some flowers this weekend *Ladies -- plan a quick date night or get a Redbox movie just for you and your husband (We've all had long, late nights and our spouses miss us. Take a little break from homework and get recharged)
It's amazing to me how I've been able to teach for so long and I've never had a mission/vison statement or anything remotely close to a SIP presented or mentioned to our staff. That's a lot of years, schools, and principals! This class and listening to the presentations tonight make it clear that the SIP should be one of our top priorities as future leaders. Obviously there isn't just one way to attack it and make it relevant to our schools, but utilizing just one or two pieces of advice from all of the different models presented tonight will help us all develp a very strong and proactive plan.
Vince, you are right on with your Coug Cohort challenge! We have to take care of ourselves and families too! I am being totally hypocritical though, because it is 12:25 am and my family has long since gone to bed without me! I also agree with your comment about how SIPs should be a leader's top priority and yet, as we discovered, it's not currently that way on a consistent basis. Strong and proactive plans...you're absolutely right!
Vince, challenge completed! We do indeed need to keep our families in the forefront of all that we do. With out them none of us would be the same people we are.
Love the challenge Vince, I didn't read this until tonight...but I think we were thinking the same thing! My husband sent me flowers last week, and took me out to dinner last night... Family first! :)
What a great night of presentations! I love that we all have different experiences and levels of knowledge in our buildings. Elissa, thank you for your eye-opening presentation of Kelley's process and the great things taking place in that building! I really liked the analogy of the Backward Design by Wiggins and McTighe, which is looking at the end result and working backward to the instruction. It creates that laser focus you need to have when looking at all of the external components that affect a building's success. I am seeing it's more than just the mission and vision. It's more than focused instruction, and much more than RtI and pretty graphs (which by the way, I do love). We really have to look critically at all the aspects of the business and ask the question "does this support the mission". Are we creating the environment to promote succes? I think about the physical layout discussion we had in Carrie's class, and I'm seeing how important it is to know every aspect of your buiding, your resources, and the space available. It's vital to know this. Ok, I'm rambling now. I've been up since class last night!
I have to say that until this year, I have disliked all things data. Three years ago when I was hired in Clover Park was the first time I worked on a data team or discussed data. My first years it was box my team and I checked...the data had no meaning and honestly was just one more things I had to try to get done. Last year in the upper elementary environment I taught with several teachers who like "teaching in isolation," and data was used as a "I'm a better teacher than you." I believe in a grade level as whole no mine and yours so the competive use of data made me dislike it even more. Through my new position, this class, and all of you, I am actually really excited about collecting and analzying data and be part of a SIP team.
Krista, I could see how you would be turned-off by the idea of competing with data against other teachers. That would be the opposite of the Objective. What if you were hired to lead that building? That might be a pretty big ship to turn around with lots of time and communication involved. I think that the learning we are involved in is preparing us to captain some of these ships. As we learn the priorities and systems for using data I think we will be reputable leaders in the work of creating a healthy culture in our future buildings. Let's do this.
Krista, our last few years data was said to be important in our district, but I don't think that our administrators really put the time or effort into making it the priority they said it was. This led me down that same road you were on. I am very hopeful based on what I have seen this year that we will have that focus and desire to use data to make us more effective teachers and leaders in our own buildings now as well as in the future.
Vern I have seen similar behaviors as well. Even when our district makes data and RtI a priority, is our adminiatrator really setting us up for best practices? I think we are coming around to being more data saavy but I feel we have a long way to go before our building will be proficient at the process.
I appreciated the conversation that was inspired by the variety of perspectives and experiences that were shared concerning the SIP process. Talk about frameworks...what insight into the spectrum of comfort level, application, and priority that our administrators have concerning SIP. Like a science project, if you were to have asked me to make a hypothesis about the fidelity of application of the SIP process from our principals, I would have guessed they ALL have it down pat. And as we observed last night, well. . .So, it is encouraging to know that we can be well prepared leaders in the SIP process and be intentional to USE it for it's intended purpose to guide communication and goals around student improvement.
I thought the same thing Paul, that principals would know the whole SIP process like the back of their hand. That was surprising to me as well, but also gives me the feeling that we will all have something huge to offer as we learn this part of being a leader and will know how to go into a school and lead this process confidently.
Yes, I feel we are progressing to building our "bag of tricks" ...using frameworks, building relationships, collaborating with data, etc... Thanks Lauralee
I always look forward to our Thursday night class...both classes, but Thursday especially. The energy and discussion feeds my soul! The presentations were different in so many ways, but similar too. Data, templates, and leadership teams were a common theme of the SIP process; unknown mission/vision, goals, and direction as well. I found it interesting how far some schools and districts are in regards to collecting and analyzing the data on a regular basis and how it coincides with the SIP goals. I thought all schools had data meetings every 4-6 weeks looking at student progress toward SMART goals and the SIP action plans. I feel confident that at the end of these two years, we will be knowledgeable, data-driven principals with a clear vision/mission to lead our staff in the right direction.
I gleaned a few things from the presentations and discussion from Thursday night’s class. Elissa mentioned the book “Leverage in Leadership” this is the second time she has spoken highly of this resource. It is always nice when others recommend a book. You know when you decide to read it you will be reading a quality informative text. Another golden nugget of information I am tucking away for future use it the crab cake and tuna story… thanks Brittane! I also was excited to learn, from Elissa’s interview with Kelley Boynton, about the systems he has in place within his school. My mind already thinks this way and I am always trying to work “SMARTER not HARDER”. I am hopefully I will be able to establish useable systems school wide to streamline the work and data teachers and administration will be processing through together. Thank you for sharing your ideas which then inspire me to think and learn beyond what I already know.
It was great to hear all the presentations Thursday night. I liked the crab cake story, and I really don't want to be a tuna cake! :) I hope that through all this reading and getting to have my first experience on a CSIP team this year I can get a whole lot more comfortable with the CSIP process. I too am intrigued by the principal Ellissa interviewed and how his system works. I hope to be a principal that can get the whole staff on board w/ the school mission as well as the CSIP. Thanks everyone for sharing!
Lauralee, I agree completely. I want to be an effective administrator one worth of being an example to all. I believe the reading, discussions, and story sharing will help us get there. I am so excited to be a part of this process.
"The pile is LARGE" (Dr. Malone)
ReplyDelete"Leadership Matters! Principals are key to the success of the educational system" (Dr. Malone)
"The role of principal is critical" (Dr. Malone)
Love it. Totally post it note desk worthy wisdom.
DeleteWow! I really appreciated hearing all the different perspectives regarding improving our schools and the development of CSIP. In my own personal journey the consistent element continues to be relationships. Taking the time to develop trusting, authentic, relationships. From our interviews, collaboration is vital. Everyone should take part and be made aware of where our schools are heading and how we are getting there. So many wonderful metaphors today, the house on fire, construction zone, driving blind, and a winding journey. Whatever metaphor you choose to make sense of the process, what is important is it is going to be difficult, but the foundation of change. This is a challenge that we can concur with a systematic and purposeful process. How exciting that we, as future leaders, can motivate our buildings to really breathe life into our mission and prepare the plan to foster achievement. Plus, data is amazing and now we have a ton of neat tools to make data pretty. And accessible, but also...lots of colors... and graphs. Yay!
ReplyDeleteI'm all about the color and graphs!! Performance Plus and colored printer....here we come!
DeleteKelsey,
DeleteVery well said! I appreciate how comprehensive your reflection is on the evening. I rather enjoyed the metaphors as well. It helps me to compartmentalize things a bit in a useful "format".
Tonight was an eye opening experience for how varied schools are in their SIP development and process. Within each presentation tonight, though, there was definitely a "take away" for me as I look ahead to an administrative role. I get the sense that each principal's view of the SIP process is based on a lot of different factors - factors like years of experience in administration, demographics, culture of their building and district direction.
ReplyDeleteTotally. Very different lenses
DeleteWow I am really shocked that we all don't have a SIP! Having had a SIP in some for many multiple year I guess I just thought it was what all schools did. That said I liked how short Nate's Plan for ER was. I wonder how measurable some of the goals were, as that was a key for the plan that Indistar uses.
ReplyDeleteI think that this process of learning more about SIP's will be a great experience and great information for us to be extremely knowledgeable about.
Some are more easy than others! I am excited about being part of next CSIP step.
DeleteI had never heard of a SIP until I came to Clover Park and it wasn't until my second year when I was on the committee that I understood what it actually was. It wasn't until last night that I actually understood the importance of it.
DeleteI truly enjoyed learning from everyone's presentations tonight---I have to say, we are a talented group of leaders. I found it fascinating that all of our reports were fairly similar and aligned in what the SIP process is (or the thought/idea of). I feel like our leaders hearts are all in the right place but that the politics and systems are not. I do feel although SIP plans have been around for some time, that the process has not been clearly defined especially as it applies to the AWSP and the high stakes that our school systems are under. Looking forward to next week---hope everyone has a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteI agree Jenna! It seems like the SIP process from school to school and district to district varies greatly. My experience with the process at FP is that all of our schools (K-12) have the same goals but numbers/percents and action plans are different, so there is some continuity there. I'm looking forward to talking with my principal about the process since I will be viewing it through a different lens.
DeleteSo interesting to hear multiple perspectives about SIP plans. We will all be important resources for each other in our first year as principals. For me, I am still unclear about how specific SIP plans should be. When I was in Kent, our goals were specific and measurable. We looked at the data in every way possible, identified our cells of concern, talked about kids by name, created a plan and a process for assessment, did it and then came back, looked at our results and started over. We talked about the SIP all the time.
ReplyDeleteThe school that I am in now, has a very different feel. The SIP is not a part of the daily functions of the school. We are not setting specific, measurable goals. As I enter into an internship in this school, I feel like this is where the work needs to be. This is a little scary and overwhelming and I'm not sure where to start but what a wonderful and usable experience!
Thank you for the great conversations and support.
Alyssa
Alyssa I agree, it will be very useful to have this wide array of knowledge our cohort represents when it comes to writing our own building's SIP's. I too am unclear, just like my current principal but that's to be expected with so many changes in our district and state. With the roll out of TPEP and the Principal Eval, and our Danielson Frameworks, I foresee a lot of unknowns in our future. It's exciting to be a part of this change.
DeleteWe will have to connect as we continue this process, it seems as if the work that needs to take place in my builidng is parallel to yours. I'm looking forward to rolling my sleeves up and getting some work done.
Brittane-Thank-you for you crab cake and tuna cake analogy. I am sure not to forget that anytime soon. This ties in with what really resonated with me over our presentations tonight. A quality crab cake recipe will produce quality crab cakes, thus a quality SIP process will produce quality plans! It was interesting to see and hear what a range that entails. Bottom line...for me it comes to systems that are teacher driven, needs based, and evaluated constantly. When school leaders implement systems that allow for teacher clarification of expectations and accountability, SIP plans can be kept alive and woven into the very fabric of the school culture.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your bottom line!
DeleteCoug Cohort Challenge:
ReplyDelete*Guys -- buy your wife some flowers this weekend
*Ladies -- plan a quick date night or get a Redbox movie just for you and your husband
(We've all had long, late nights and our spouses miss us. Take a little break from homework and get recharged)
It's amazing to me how I've been able to teach for so long and I've never had a mission/vison statement or anything remotely close to a SIP presented or mentioned to our staff. That's a lot of years, schools, and principals! This class and listening to the presentations tonight make it clear that the SIP should be one of our top priorities as future leaders. Obviously there isn't just one way to attack it and make it relevant to our schools, but utilizing just one or two pieces of advice from all of the different models presented tonight will help us all develp a very strong and proactive plan.
Vince, you are right on with your Coug Cohort challenge! We have to take care of ourselves and families too! I am being totally hypocritical though, because it is 12:25 am and my family has long since gone to bed without me! I also agree with your comment about how SIPs should be a leader's top priority and yet, as we discovered, it's not currently that way on a consistent basis. Strong and proactive plans...you're absolutely right!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteVince, challenge completed! We do indeed need to keep our families in the forefront of all that we do. With out them none of us would be the same people we are.
DeleteLove the challenge Vince, I didn't read this until tonight...but I think we were thinking the same thing! My husband sent me flowers last week, and took me out to dinner last night... Family first! :)
DeleteWhat a great night of presentations! I love that we all have different experiences and levels of knowledge in our buildings. Elissa, thank you for your eye-opening presentation of Kelley's process and the great things taking place in that building! I really liked the analogy of the Backward Design by Wiggins and McTighe, which is looking at the end result and working backward to the instruction. It creates that laser focus you need to have when looking at all of the external components that affect a building's success. I am seeing it's more than just the mission and vision. It's more than focused instruction, and much more than RtI and pretty graphs (which by the way, I do love). We really have to look critically at all the aspects of the business and ask the question "does this support the mission". Are we creating the environment to promote succes? I think about the physical layout discussion we had in Carrie's class, and I'm seeing how important it is to know every aspect of your buiding, your resources, and the space available. It's vital to know this. Ok, I'm rambling now. I've been up since class last night!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that until this year, I have disliked all things data. Three years ago when I was hired in Clover Park was the first time I worked on a data team or discussed data. My first years it was box my team and I checked...the data had no meaning and honestly was just one more things I had to try to get done. Last year in the upper elementary environment I taught with several teachers who like "teaching in isolation," and data was used as a "I'm a better teacher than you." I believe in a grade level as whole no mine and yours so the competive use of data made me dislike it even more. Through my new position, this class, and all of you, I am actually really excited about collecting and analzying data and be part of a SIP team.
ReplyDeleteAnd I want to be a crab cake not a tuna cake!
Krista, I could see how you would be turned-off by the idea of competing with data against other teachers. That would be the opposite of the Objective. What if you were hired to lead that building? That might be a pretty big ship to turn around with lots of time and communication involved. I think that the learning we are involved in is preparing us to captain some of these ships. As we learn the priorities and systems for using data I think we will be reputable leaders in the work of creating a healthy culture in our future buildings. Let's do this.
DeleteKrista, our last few years data was said to be important in our district, but I don't think that our administrators really put the time or effort into making it the priority they said it was. This led me down that same road you were on. I am very hopeful based on what I have seen this year that we will have that focus and desire to use data to make us more effective teachers and leaders in our own buildings now as well as in the future.
DeleteVern I have seen similar behaviors as well. Even when our district makes data and RtI a priority, is our adminiatrator really setting us up for best practices? I think we are coming around to being more data saavy but I feel we have a long way to go before our building will be proficient at the process.
DeleteI appreciated the conversation that was inspired by the variety of perspectives and experiences that were shared concerning the SIP process. Talk about frameworks...what insight into the spectrum of comfort level, application, and priority that our administrators have concerning SIP. Like a science project, if you were to have asked me to make a hypothesis about the fidelity of application of the SIP process from our principals, I would have guessed they ALL have it down pat. And as we observed last night, well. . .So, it is encouraging to know that we can be well prepared leaders in the SIP process and be intentional to USE it for it's intended purpose to guide communication and goals around student improvement.
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing Paul, that principals would know the whole SIP process like the back of their hand. That was surprising to me as well, but also gives me the feeling that we will all have something huge to offer as we learn this part of being a leader and will know how to go into a school and lead this process confidently.
DeleteYes, I feel we are progressing to building our "bag of tricks" ...using frameworks, building relationships, collaborating with data, etc... Thanks Lauralee
DeleteI always look forward to our Thursday night class...both classes, but Thursday especially. The energy and discussion feeds my soul! The presentations were different in so many ways, but similar too. Data, templates, and leadership teams were a common theme of the SIP process; unknown mission/vision, goals, and direction as well. I found it interesting how far some schools and districts are in regards to collecting and analyzing the data on a regular basis and how it coincides with the SIP goals. I thought all schools had data meetings every 4-6 weeks looking at student progress toward SMART goals and the SIP action plans. I feel confident that at the end of these two years, we will be knowledgeable, data-driven principals with a clear vision/mission to lead our staff in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteI gleaned a few things from the presentations and discussion from Thursday night’s class. Elissa mentioned the book “Leverage in Leadership” this is the second time she has spoken highly of this resource. It is always nice when others recommend a book. You know when you decide to read it you will be reading a quality informative text. Another golden nugget of information I am tucking away for future use it the crab cake and tuna story… thanks Brittane! I also was excited to learn, from Elissa’s interview with Kelley Boynton, about the systems he has in place within his school. My mind already thinks this way and I am always trying to work “SMARTER not HARDER”. I am hopefully I will be able to establish useable systems school wide to streamline the work and data teachers and administration will be processing through together.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your ideas which then inspire me to think and learn beyond what I already know.
It was great to hear all the presentations Thursday night. I liked the crab cake story, and I really don't want to be a tuna cake! :) I hope that through all this reading and getting to have my first experience on a CSIP team this year I can get a whole lot more comfortable with the CSIP process. I too am intrigued by the principal Ellissa interviewed and how his system works. I hope to be a principal that can get the whole staff on board w/ the school mission as well as the CSIP. Thanks everyone for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLauralee, I agree completely. I want to be an effective administrator one worth of being an example to all. I believe the reading, discussions, and story sharing will help us get there. I am so excited to be a part of this process.
ReplyDelete