Setting the Stage for School Transformation:

Modern Missions, New Roles, and Design Teams

Date:  September 27, 2017 – Wednesday

Time: 8:30 AM t0 3:00 PM

Essential Question: How can we prepare our learners for the future? 

• How do we claim a pedagogical  model to support the learner?
• What are bold moves? How do we develop courage and vision to improve the quality of learning in our setting?
• How do we rethink the “job description” of the contemporary teacher to engage our professionals in transformation?
• How can we cultivate a culture willing to engage in meaningful transformation?
• How can we craft a modern mission that will genuinely motivate and propel our school community to shape a pathway to meaningful transformation?
• How can we create an innovative design team to develop and sustain our efforts? Who should participate? What are their roles?

Who should attend: Administrators, key teacher leaders, community members involved in long term strategic planning, possibly students, and school board members.

Focus:   Whether you are setting the stage or your stage is set, engaging community stakeholders, faculty, students, and parents in a meaningful transformation process will be key.   Central to our opening session will be an animated dive into new pedagogy and roles for both student and teachers.  The Habits of Mind necessary to support a positive culture disposed to growth and risk-taking will be examined.  We will consider how  to craft a meaningful mission statement, draft transfer goals for the modern learner and shift the culture of professionals and learners to support contemporary learning   Heidi will share examples from successful programs from across the country and overseas,  and will encourage you to share best practice from your own setting that you feel will assist others.   Critical to the success of the work will be developing strategies to create and sustain an innovation design team which will lead research and development.   The team will open up possibilities for all members of the community.     We will look at on-site and virtual strategies for engaging your community in the transformation process which will include documentary screenings, small and large group forum sessions, and site-visits.  We will launch  a Tri-State Consortium Clearinghouse of resources that Heidi will be helping us develop throughout our sessions.  Some of our specific areas of focus will be:

• How to shift our culture to design thinking and engaging in innovation when there are competing pressures for compliance.
• Strategies to learn from each other by listening and sharing concerns and ideas from our colleagues in our schools and our consortium members.
• Approaches for  developing an Innovation Design Team to carry out R & D to determine possibilities and draft action plans.
• Considerations for who should be on an Innovation Design Team.
• Strategies to meaningfully engage and motivate students and community.
• The modern mission statements with empowering transfer goals.
• The necessary Habits of Mind needing clarity and cultivation to support this work specific to your school setting.
• Lessons to be learned from school leaders in the U.S. and internationally who have launched effective upgrading and transformation.
• Possible action plan drafts to begin to move to transformation or move along efforts currently in play.

Deliverables: 

Updated drafts of possible revisions to you school mission statement.

Professional development plans focused on Habits of Mind necessary to support transformation.

Working draft of possible members for an Innovation Design Team with roles and responsibilities.

Working draft of action plan to move school or district into an R and D model to commence the work.