School Leadership Teams

Following the back to school gathering on September 1, 2005, school administrative teams met with Dr. Barr (the back to school keynote speaker) for a more indepth look at research on high poverty/high performing schools. Despite the odds, these high poverty schools have been able to achieve high performance, and their means of success give us insights into strategies that we can apply in order to reach high achievement for all out students, too.

Catching Up the Kids Left Behind • Ensure effective district & school leadership • Understand poverty / hold high expectations for all students • Target low-performing students/schools... start with reading • Align / manage / monitor the curriculum • Create a culture of data and assessment literacy • Institute instructional improvements / capacity • Reorganize time and space • Engage parents, community and schools • Support effective teaching	Dr. Barr talks the leadership teams through the pertinent learniings gleaned from research.	Leadership • Great expectations for student achievement - vision of high achievement for all • Establish measurable goals / monitor progress - data driven accountability • Understand & support effective professional development • Reallocate resourcs • Develop and support teacher leaders and teacher teams
Teacher Behavior that Erodes Classroom Climate • Sarcasm • Negative tone of voice / body language • Inconsistency / favoritism • Put-downs / outburts • Public reprimands • Unfairness / inflexibility • Apathy / lack of humor		Ineffective / Destructive School / Classroom Characteristics and Practice • Cultural alienation • Inexperienced / inadequately prepared teachers • Low standards / expectations • Weak curriculum • Poor quality assignments / instructional materials • Ineffective classroom strategies
Nine Strategies that Have a Strong Effect on Student Learning • Identifying simiilarities and differences • Summarizing and note taking • Reinforcing effort and providing recognition • Homework and practice • Nonlinguistic representations • Cooperative learning • Setting objectives and providing feedback • Generating and testing hypotheses • Questions, cues, and advance organizers		Secrets of Success High Poverty / High Performing Reading • Start early • Intense focus on reading • Extra instructional time • Redesign Grades K-3 • Loop teachers • Use effective programs • Retrain teachers • Teach, assess, and flexibly group
The greatest impact on student achievement comes from family participation in well-designed at-home activities - and this is true "regardless of the family, racial, or cultural background of the parents' formal education." - Joyce Epstein		Secrets of Success with Parents and Community • Continuing two way communication • Meetings in community with food • Parent education: how to help students learn • Service learning • Parents as partners • Adopt a school • Use Community Assets Survey and National Youth Surveillance data