edleader21 panel at cais southern regional meeting | 030314

Leading Schools into the Future: Strategies for 21st Century School Leaders

Valerie Greenhill, CLO, EdLeader21

Josh Brody, Director, Sequoyah School (Pasadena)Jim Gibson, Superintendent, Castaic Union School District (Valencia)Elizabeth McGregor, Head of School, Westridge School (Pasadena)Chris Thinnes, Head of Upper Elementary School & Academic Dean, Curtis School (Los Angeles)

.Math

Science

English

Social Studies

.Content Mastery

Critical thinker

Effective communicator

Effective collaborator

Creative and innovative

Student A Student B

Which student would you choose?

EdLeader21 is a professional learning community of

superintendents and district leaders committed to 21st

century education.

© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

www.EdLeader21.com

EdLeader21 has over 130 members from 32 states and Singapore, representing over 2 million students.


Chris Thinnes

Head of Upper Elementary School & Academic Dean

Leading examples

Upper ArlingtonCity School District

(Upper Arlington, Ohio)

www.uaschools.org

Elizabeth McGregor

Head of School

Westridge School

The Essential Question

“What are the skills and values the 21st century will demand

and reward?”

(Patrick F. Basset, November 2011)

The Five Cs + One

1) Critical Thinking

2) Communication

3) Collaboration

4) Creativity

5) Character

6) Cosmopolitanism (Cultural Competence)

Community Consensus

1) School Leadership Team

2) Board of Trustees

3) Department Chairs

4) Faculty and Staff

5) Westridge Parent Association

6) Student Leaders

7) Alumnae Board

The Right Kind of ExcellenceEducating for Growth and Goodness

The Right Kind

of

Excellence

Academic

Excellence

Leadership

and

Service

Physical

and

Emotional Wellness

Professional

Development

Community

and

Partnerships

James Gibson

Superintendent, Castaic Union School District

7 Steps to implement…



1. Adopt a vision based on 21st century student outcomes.

• What are the defining characteristics of the change we want to be leading?

• Is our District intentional or purposeful enough about the outcomes we believe are important?

• How will we incorporate the vision?

• New Strategic Goals?

• Action Plans within the existing Strategic Goals?



1. Adopt a vision based on 21st century student outcomes – Castaic USD.


• Influence of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21)

• Influence of the Middle School Movement on 21st Century Learning

• Adjustment of District Goals to Transition to 21st Century Learning/Skills

• Preparing Teachers with Regular Meetings on 21st Century Skills/4 C’s

• Development of the District Core Vision – 21st Century Learning

(Common Core State Standards as a Subset of 21st Century Skills)

• 2014 Strategic Plan - Focus on 21st Century Values and Learning


2. Create a community consensus:

• Get community consensus

• Work with the Board to make the new framework official policy

• Collect best practices in your schools/district

• Have your teachers create the definitionsand rubrics


7 Steps to implement…2. Create a community consensus – Castaic USD:


• Introduce Senior Management to 21st Century Learning and Skills

• Early Involvement with EdLeader21

• Introduce the Board of Trustees to 21st Century Skills Early – Reinforce

• Introduce Teacher Leaders to “An Educator’s Guide to the Four C’s”

• Send a Large Diverse Team to Attend the 2nd Annual EL21 Conference

• Ken Kay leads off the District-wide Introduction to 21st Century Skills

• A Specifically Chosen District Team Attends the 3rd Annual EL21 Conference and Works Toward the 2014 District Strategic Plan

• District Invests in the Kay/Greenhill Book, “The Leaders guide to 21st

Century Education” and Distributes to Board, Leadership and Staff

• Share 21st Century Skills with All School PTA’s

• Provide a Major Review of 21st Century Learning to the 2014 Strategic Planning Team (62 members)


3. Align your system:

• Integrate the whole system

• Drive Professional Development, curriculum andinstruction and assessment toward your student outcomes

• All parts of the system focus on 21st century educational outcomes



3. Align your system – Castaic USD:


• Teachers Realign Curriculum to meet 21st Century and Common Core Instruction – Begin Curriculum Mapping

• Teachers Align Lessons, Units and Collaborate About Best Practices

• Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent Educational Services participate in the EdLeader21 4-C Rubric Design Team

• District 6-8 ELA Teachers “Test Drive” Rubrics and Recommend Adjustments


4. Build professional capacity:

• Prioritize the skills;

• Identify your P.D. resources;

• Create/utilize Professional Learning Communities;

• Utilize peer coaches



4. Build professional capacity – Castaic USD:


• 2013-14 Staff Development Program Centered on the Common Core, Smart Technology and 21st Century Learning

• Participation in the 4 C Rubric Design Team

• Development of an Understanding of 4-C Rubrics with Teachers and Staff – Teachers Use Rubrics to Mold Instruction, Revise as Needed

• All Collaborative Teacher Conversations Embed with 21st Century Learning and Skills

• Infusion of SMART technology has Assisted 21st Century Learning


5. Embed the 4 C’s in Curriculum & Assessment

• Evaluate the level of the 4 C’s integration in current curriculum and make necessary design changes

• Ensure measuring and tracking the 4 C’s in student performance and District assessments

• Collect and share Best Practices

• Align curriculum and assessment practices with authentic professional development



5. Embed the 4 C’s in Curriculum & Assessment –

Castaic USD


• Teachers Realign Curriculum to meet 21st Century and Common Core Instruction – Begin Curriculum Mapping

• Teachers are Realigning Teaching Practices

• Selection of a New Math Series that is Interactive, Cross Communicates and Embeds “Real World” Situations and Careers

• Students Focusing on “What it means to be a 21st Century Learner”


6. Support the teacher in the classroom:

• Effective use of Professional Learning

Communities (PLCs)

• Effective time for planning and collaboration

• Constructive feedback

• Strong leadership

• Effective education practices are acknowledged,

supported and shared



6. Support the teacher in the classroom –Castaic USD:


• Staff Development Program for Smart Technology and Common Core Instruction

• Common Core State Funding for Materials that Embrace 21st

Century Skills

• Specific and Continuous Enrollment in Workshops and Conferences that Focus on 21st Century Learning Skills


7. Continuously improve and innovate:

• Create a continuous improvement culture

• Create accountability for things that reallymatter (21st century accountability)

• Model innovation.



7. Continuously improve and innovate –Castaic USD:


• Strategic Planning – Realigning Values, Vision and Mission to reflect 21st Century Learning

• Considering Redesign of our District Logo to Incorporate 21st

Century Vision and Thinking

• Place Tools that Support 21st Century Skills in the Hands of Our Students


Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP)

Smarter Balanced Assessments

Common Core Standards

21st Century

Learning & Skills

School Facilities Plan (2012)

Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)

Measure QS

GO Bond

Renewal of 2009 Strategic Plan

2014 Strategic Plan and

Local Control Accountability Plan

UNIQUE CONVERGENCE

Josh Brody

Director, Sequoyah School

+NON-COGNITIVE SKILLS

Cultural CompetenceEmpathyResilience, Grit, Growth MindsetSelf-Awareness/RegulationWorks diligently and independently, with attention to detail

21st CENTURY SKILLS

Critical Thinking

Creativity

Interdisciplinary study

Place-based

Community engagement/ Service Learning

How does water use affect the people and landof California?

ASSESSMENT

NEXT STEPS

● Fully integrate EdLeader21 rubric and non-cognitive skills language into our Habits of Mind

● Develop a Habits of Mind Continuum that shows developmental stages for each Habit, helping students and teachers understand goals

● Identify project-specific performance tasks that help students demonstrate mastery at each level

● Collaborate with EdLeader21 network to share best practices, including use of performance tasks

@Val_Green

www.edleader21.com

Valerie Greenhill, [email protected]

Contact Us

www.sequoyahschool.org

Josh Brody, Sequoyah [email protected]

www.castaicusd.com

Jim Gibson, Castaic Union [email protected]

www.westridge.org

Liz McGregor, Westridge [email protected]

@CurtisCFEE

www.curtisschool.org

Chris Thinnes, Curtis [email protected]