SREB Training: Using Data to Lead Change

On January 19, 2005, from 4-8 pm, and January 20, 2005, all day, leadership teams from 4J elementary, middle, and high schools participated in the "Using Data to Lead Change" training workshop put on by the Southern Region Education Board. The purpose of this training is to develop knowledge, skills, and commitment among participating school leaders that will make it possible to create and sustain high-performance leaning cultures in our schools. After this portion of intensive training, participants were given follow-up action plans to do, which they will re-visit and refine in the next training session in April. Below is a pictoral overview of the January process.

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Wallace Grant Director, Kay Mehas, introduces the trainer for the Data to Lead Change session.	Participants begin by sharing "when I hear the term 'data' I feel ____ because ____." It clears the air!	Responses ranged from intimidated and unclear about interpreting data, to excited to view progress and problem solve..
Next, table teams from various school discussed what kinds of data they already collect.	The list of data currently available gets longer the more the group talks.	It's important to gather multiple measures rom four areas: demographics, perceptions, student learning, and school process.
So what does the data we have tell us? What success story would we like to tell about our school in two years?	School teams take time to collaborate, analyze data, plan implementation of effective teaching strategies - all techniques research shows as vital.	South Eugene High School team members examine their data and start forming their vision of success.
Roosevelt Middle School team pulls their initial plan together.	As the success story ideas unfold, they are recorded on poster paper to be shared with the group.	District level participants look at the larger picture, and plot out a district success story.
Randy Bernstein, principal at Spencer Butte Middle School, explains their desired success story.	Our Desired Success Story: [click below to see each one] Awbrey Park Elementary School Cal Young Middle School Chavez Elementary School Howard Elementary School North Eugene High School Roosevelt Middle School South Eugene High School Spencer Butte Middle School School District 4J	The team from the newly formed Chavez Elementary School got very excited about possiblities in their multi-cultural school.
The following day, participants were put into different teams to develop a lesson for others on the chapter they had read.	Chapter topics were about the various data categories: demographics, perceptions, student learning, and schoolpProcess.	The teams determined the important aspect of the chapter, and planned their presentation to the whole group.
Then school teams revisited their success story vision and confirmed it.	The looked at the data they already had (here SEHS folks laugh at the lapful of data the counselor has been asked to summarize).	Teams discussed what needed to happen, and what additional data they needed to show progress.
In the closing activity, school teams presented to other teams what their vision is.	The responded to questions from the other team designed to strengthen their plan.	Then they reversed roles, and had the listening team present their plans, all a preview for implementation back at the building.