november 20-21-22 · re-imagining public education 4 welcome from the chair, york region district...

Innovative and High-Performing Global Practice that Sustains Improvement

The Quest for Increased Student Achievement and Well-Being Re-Imagining Public Education

2013

NOVEMBER20-21-22

The Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel, Suites & Conference CentreRichmond Hill, Ontario, Canada

in association with its official media partner

The Quest continues…

The Quest for Increased Student Achievement and Well-Being Re-Imagining Public Education

KEY GUIDING QUESTIONS FOR QUEST 2013

1. Howwouldyoudefineeducationalsuccessforallstudents?

2.Whatexplainshighperformanceineducation?

3. What common principles of success can we derive from places as different as Finland, Singapore,EnglandandCanada?

4.Whatshouldbetheroleofteachersandteacherunionsasleadersofchange?

5. Howdowegetfromgoodtogreattoexcellent?

6. Howdoweachieveinnovationwithoutlosingmomentuminimprovement?

QUEST 2013 STUDENT PROJECT KEY GUIDING QUESTIONS

1. Howwouldyoudefineeducationalsuccessforallstudents?

2.Whatdoes're-imagining'publiceducationmeantoyou?

3.WhataresomeofthecommonprinciplesofsuccessidentifiedclassroomsbyclassesacrossYRDSB?

4.Whatshouldbetheroleof'studentvoice'andteachersasleadersofeducationalchange?

5. Howcanwegetfromgoodtogreattoexcellent?

6. How do we balance innovation without losing track of progress in our achievements as students?

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Connect NOWjoin the conversation...#YRDSBQuest

visit www.yrdsb.edu.on.caor contact the Quest team at [email protected] FOLLOW@YRDSB

For detailed information including full program, registration and updates

ThE QUEST FOR INCREaSED STUDENT aChIEvEmENT aND WELL-BEING:

RE-ImaGINING PUBLIC EDUCaTION Innovative and High-Performing Global Practice that Sustains Improvement

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JOURNaL

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•Downloadarticlesofinterest•Searchbykeywordsandthemes•Readandshareyourfavouritearticlesvia Twitter

GOES LIVE

Nov. 18

www.yrdsb.ca/questjournal

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Welcome from the Chair, York Region District School BoardThe Quest conference brings together educators, students, community members and experts from around the world who share a common purpose – improved student achievement and well-being. On behalf of the York Region District School Board Trustees, I am pleased to welcome you to the Quest conference and would like to thank you for being part of this important conversation.

This year, we have the opportunity to hear from internationally recognized education systems who will share their journeys with us. While the contexts and journeys may differ, we all have the success of our students at the heart of our work, and there is much that we can learn from one another.

Everyone in the education community has a role to play in supporting student success – staff, students, families and our community partners – and we welcome participants in a diversity of roles to the conference. You all have unique perspectives and valuable contributions to offer to the dialogue that will take place throughout the conference and beyond.

We hope that you will share and draw from the experience, knowledge and ideas that will be exchanged over the next three days, and that you will leave here inspired and prepared to improve the schools and systems that depend on your leadership and engagement.

Thank you for joining us and for helping to make the Quest conference a success.

Anna DeBartoloChairYork Region District School Board

Anna DeBartolo

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Welcome From the Director of Education, York Region District School BoardOn behalf of the staff of the York Region District School Board, I am very pleased to welcome you all to The Quest for Increased Student Achievement and Well-Being: Re-Imagining Public Education.

Quest has gained a reputation as a conference that challenges and inspires. This year promises to build on that tradition as we welcome some of the top performing school systems from around the world to share their stories, challenges and insights. This gives us an exciting opportunity to learn from their experiences and to engage with global leaders in education.

We are also honoured to be joined by renowned educational leaders and researchers to guide our thinking throughout the conference, including Michael Fullan, Andy Hargreaves, Annie Kidder, Eric Heins and Dennis Shirley.

The theme for this year’s conference emerged during Quest 2012, particularly as we talked about engaging students in learning and bringing innovation into our schools and classrooms. I look forward to the conversations that will take place over the next few days and to the conversations that will carry beyond the conference as we seek to broaden and implement the learning.

As educators and partners in education, we all have a role to play in supporting student achievement and well-being. I am confident that throughout this conference, you will find ideas, insights and inspiration to take back to your schools, workplaces and learning communities.

I wish you all the best for the conference.

Ken ThurstonDirector of EducationYork Region District School Board

Ken Thurston

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Welcome from the Chief Student achievement Officer, Ontario ministry of EducationPublic schools, in 2013, have to be pretty special places. They are places where students and educators are engaged life-long learners. In Ontario, we have developed one of the best education systems in the world in the past decade, and we have learned a great deal from research and practice around the world. Now we want to take this collective hard work and move it from great to excellent. So how do we sustain our improvements and continue to improve in innovationandpractice?

Investing in people nurtures our most precious resource. Education has changed dramatically and must continue to change at a rapid rate if we are to be relevant to the needs of our students. We continue to build an equitable system, where all students have access to a quality education that addresses academic success and student well-being and that opens doors to the best possible life choices. We choose the path of supporting every child and reaching every student, we believe this will lead to an increased standard of living, innovation, pride and progress for all. Imagine our future if all our children have the opportunity to develop to their absolute best!

Our students need to develop the disposition of global citizens and stewards of the earth. We now teach and learn without borders. This means we must further develop our critical thinking skills to become more innovative and entrepreneurial and we must match this with a sense of responsibility and cooperation that goes beyond the traditional understanding of our circle of influence. Imagine what might be if global collaboration becomes the norm!

To give our students access to their best possible future, we know that we need to develop, recruit and continue to nurture top-notch educators throughout their careers. Sustaining and building a dynamic inclusive learning community for students and educators requires everyone’s energy directed toward our common goals. We need the best thinking and practice of all our colleagues worldwide to make this a reality. Imagine the possibilities!

Excellence takes time and effort. We must hold onto our vision for excellence, continue to do the things that are working well and to learn to improve upon the things that are not. We celebrate this opportunity to work together in common cause. Together, we will re-imagine public education and deliver upon the promise of a better future for our students.

Mary Jean GallagherChief Student Achievement OfficerAssistant Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Education

Mary Jean Gallagher

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WEDNESDaY, NOvEmBER 20, 2013

CONFERENCE DaY 1

7:30 – 8:30 a.m. CONTINENTaL BREaKFaST / REGISTRaTION

8:25 – 8:50 a.m. QUEST PLENaRY & STUDENT ENTERTaINmENT Cornell Stomp, Cornell Village Public School

8:50 – 9:00 a.m. WELCOmE TO QUEST 2013 Ken Thurston, Director of Education, York Region District School Board mary Jean Gallagher, Chief Student Achievement Officer, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Education

9:00 – 9:15 a.m. CO-aNChOR SESSION 1 andy hargreaves, Professor, Thomas More Brennan Chair, Lynch School of Education, Boston College Dennis Shirley, Professor of Education, Lynch School of Education, Boston College

9:15 – 10:00 a.m. KEYNOTE PRESENTaTION: FINLaND Dr. Pasi Sahlberg, Director General, Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation, Finland Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland

10:00 – 10:25 a.m. REFREShmENT BREaK

10:30 – 12:00 p.m. JURISDICTION WORKShOPS: SESSION a

a01: CaLGaRY, aLBERTa - CaLGaRY BOaRD OF EDUCaTION Creating the Next Image of Public Education and Leadership: a Through-Line of Transformation

Over the past four years, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) has visibly engaged in a strategic transformation with the intention of enhancing student success and creating the next evolution of public education and leadership. This transformation has focused the entire organization on a coherent system-wide view of high quality teaching and learning, and on the values of public education in today’s world. This work has involved creating new understandings, practices, relationships and structures. This workshop will offer a multi-faceted view of the strategic work undertaken in the CBE, will highlight some of the key initiatives and how they have been placed at the nexus between best and next practice, and the learning that has occurred along the way. Together, the voices of students, educators and community members will illustrate a through-line of purpose, shared responsibility and impact that runs between policy and practice. This through-line connects the province, our Board of Trustees, organizational strategy, leaders and the experiences of teachers and students within classrooms in a reciprocity of influence and learning. After sharing an overview of our organization’s story, we hope to extend the learning in conversation with workshop participants based on their specific interests.

Naomi Johnson, Chief Superintendent of Schools Cathy Faber, Superintendent and Chief Information Officer Brant Parker, Director, Innovation and Learning Technology Ronna mosher, Director, Learning

Ken Thurston

Mary Jean Gallagher

AndyHargreaves

DennisShirley

Dr. PasiSahlberg

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a02: ENGLaND - LONDON BOROUGh OF TOWER hamLETS Success against the Odds: The Power of Collective Effort and Professional Trust

There is a strong and well-established link between poverty and education failure. Tower Hamlets’ position as the jurisdiction with the highest proportion of children eligible for free school meals in England means many would expect poor educational outcomes and low expectations. However, the reality is quite different and this is why its story is important. The Borough has seen a remarkable transformation from one of the lowest performing education authorities to consistently achieve results at the end of primary and secondary education that place it in the top quartile for the country. Progress has been the reward for sustained collective effort and professional trust. In this workshop head teachers and the Borough’s former Director of Children’s Services will share lessons from the last 15 years and set out how the approach can be adopted and applied in a range of education contexts.Kevan Collins, Chief Executive, Education Endowment FoundationSir alasdair macdonald, Former Headteacher of Morpeth Schoolmartin Tune, CBE, Headteacher of Bonner Primary School

a03: FINLaND - ESPOO SChOOL BOaRD Structures to Ensure Student Well-Being as a means to achieve high Learning Outcomes

This workshop will focus on how the Espoo School Board has achieved significant learning outcomes compared to other boards in Finland. This has happened in the context of a combination of the strategic goal setting by Espoo City Council and the Finnish National level education goals. Underlying factors that have been important include a highly educated teaching staff, effective student well-being programs and support staff, along with a robust in-service training program. An additional factor is a dynamic school architecture designed to enhance learning by bearing in mind the quality of the learning environment. In sum, this is a ‘values first’ approach. Kaisu Toivonen, Director of Education, will discuss board-level strategies, policies, resourcing and the values structure underpinning Espoo Education. Superintendent of Education, Ilpo Salonen, will examine the development of a tri-level support structure for learners focusing on the student well-being work done in Espoo. Principal of Vanttila School, Olli Poutiainen, will provide a practical example of how a structure has been created in Vanttila school to support student well-being and value all students in a safe environment. Short presentations will allow for discussion and questions in an interactive manner for those taking part in this workshop.Ilpo Salonen, Superintendent of EducationKaisu Toivonen, Director of EducationOlli Poutiainen, Principal

a04: ONTaRIO - haLTON CaThOLIC DISTRICT SChOOL BOaRD, OTTaWa CaThOLIC DISTRICT SChOOL BOaRD Ontario's Story

Ontario’s publicly funded education system is one of the best in the world. By building partnerships within and across the education community and drawing from successful practices across the world, Ontario has been able to introduce multi-faceted reforms to the public system, making it the system of choice for 95per cent of Ontario’s students and their families. The Ontario strategy follows a theory of action that is anchored in three interrelated key areas of organizational improvement: 1) improved levels of student achievement 2) reduced gaps in student achievement and 3) increased public confidence in publicly funded education. Although the reform is comprehensive with many diverse approaches, eight core areas of focus and implementation run across the entire strategy: 1. A small number of ambitious goals

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2. A guiding coalition at the top 3. High standards and expectations 4. Investment in leadership and capacity building related to instruction 5. Mobilizing data and effective practices as a strategy for improvement 6. Intervention in a non-punitive manner 7. Being vigilant about distracters 8. Being transparent, relentless and increasingly challengingThe Ontario story will feature the journeys of four diverse district school boards. Join us to reflect upon successes, challenges and plans for the future!halton Catholic District School Board, Ottawa Catholic School Board

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. LUNCh

1:00 – 1:45 p.m. KEYNOTE PRESENTaTION: SINGaPORE Dr. Pak Tee Ng, Head and Associate Dean, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University The Paradoxes of Change in the Singapore Education System

1:45 – 2:00 p.m. CO-aNChOR SESSION 2 andy hargreaves, Professor, Thomas More Brennan Chair, Lynch School of Education, Boston College annie Kidder, Executive Director, People for Education

2:00 – 2:10 p.m. TRavEL BREaK

2:10 – 3:40 p.m. JURISDICTION WORKShOPS: SESSION B

B01: CaLGaRY, aLBERTa - CaLGaRY BOaRD OF EDUCaTION Creating the Next Image of Public Education and Leadership: a Through-Line of Transformation

Over the past four years, the Calgary Board of Education has visibly engaged in a strategic transformation with the intention of enhancing student success and creating the next evolution of public education and leadership. This transformation has focused the entire organization on a coherent system-wide view of high quality teaching and learning, and on the values of public education in today’s world. This work has involved creating new understandings, practices, relationships and structures. This workshop will offer a multi-faceted view of the strategic work undertaken in the CBE, will highlight some of the key initiatives and how they have been placed at the nexus between best and next practice, and the learning that has occurred along the way. Together, the voices of students, educators and community members will illustrate a through-line of purpose, shared responsibility and impact that runs between policy and practice. This through-line connects the province, our Board of Trustees, organizational strategy, leaders and the experiences of teachers and students within classrooms in a reciprocity of influence and learning. After sharing an overview of our organization’s story, we hope to extend the learning in conversation with workshop participants based on their specific interests.


B02: ENGLaND - LONDON BOROUGh OF TOWER hamLETS Success against the Odds: The Power of Collective Effort and Professional Trust

There is a strong and well-established link between poverty and education failure. Tower Hamlets’ position as the jurisdiction with the highest proportion of children eligible for free school meals in England means many would expect

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poor educational outcomes and low expectations. However, the reality is quite different and this is why its story is important. The Borough has seen a remarkable transformation from one of the lowest performing education authorities to consistently achieve results at the end of primary and secondary education that place it in the top quartile for the country. Progress has been the reward for sustained collective effort and professional trust. In this workshop head teachers and the Borough’s former Director of Children’s Services will share lessons from the last 15 years and set out how the approach can be adopted and applied in a range of education contexts.Kevan Collins, Chief Executive, Education Endowment FoundationSir alasdair macdonald, Former Headteacher of Morpeth Schoolmartin Tune, CBE, Headteacher of Bonner Primary School

B03: SINGaPORE Reforming Curriculum, Teaching and Learning in Singapore Schools In the McKinsey report, Singapore is described as a system that is currently moving from great to excellent. This workshop explains how Singapore attempts to reform curriculum, teaching and learning in its schools, to transform learning from quantity to quality. The ‘quality’ breakthrough requires teachers to review the fundamentals of education (the ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ of teaching) and students to become engaged learners. From the points of view of an academic/school teacher, a school principal/teacher trainer and a member of parliament/parent, the presenting team examines the key success factors and challenges of the reform efforts. Other than the system level factors described in the McKinsey report (such as government investment, teacher quality and support mechanisms for professionals), the presenting team shares the realities at the ground level not easily evident when examined from a system perspective. In particular, the team will share a few examples that hopefully will illuminate the contribution as well as dilemmas of students, teachers, school leaders, government officials and community to the story of the Singapore education system. Dr. Pak Tee Ng, Head and Associate Dean, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Benjamin Wong, Associate Professor, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Dr. Zoe Boon Suan Loy, Senior Teaching Fellow, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

B04: YORK REGION DISTRICT SChOOL BOaRD The Journey to Increased Student achievement and Well-Being: achieving Sustainable and Equitable Excellence

A top performing board in a province recognized for educational excellence, York Region District School Board continues on its journey progressing from good to great to becoming a system focused on sustainable and equitable excellence. Learn how the Board has built on high-yield strategies to implement sustainable, system-wide change inspired by The Fourth Way. This journey includes a renewed focus on teacher practice; leadership development; positive relationships with employee groups; and student, family and community engagement. Structural and adaptive reforms help create a more seamless continuum of learning system-wide from Kindergarten to Grade 12, planning processes are aligned and coherent, and system goals clearly articulate a shared sense of purpose. Located in one of Canada’s most diverse regions, YRDSB is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive education system. The Board has rooted the interconnectivity between well-being and achievement and established a strong emphasis on inclusive, caring and engaging learning and teaching environments. Presenters will also discuss next steps including the mission, vision and values review, refined delivery models for teacher and leader learning, and focused capacity building.Ken Thurston, Director of Education, York Region District School BoardDr. Denese Belchetz, Associate Director of Education, York Region District School Board

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3:40 – 4:15 p.m. OPTIONaL DEBRIEFING TImE This is an opportunity to spend reflective time with colleagues and fellow Quest participants in a completely unstructured environment. Consolidate fresh learning and consider follow-up planning that will impact on student achievement and well-being when you return home…wherever that may be.

ThURSDaY, NOvEmBER 21, 2013

CONFERENCE DaY 2


8:25 – 8:50 a.m. QUEST PLENaRY & STUDENT ENTERTaINmENT The markham memory Keepers, Markham District High School Christina Flores-Chan, Sam Chapman Public School

8:50 – 9:15 a.m. CO-aNChOR SESSION 3 andy hargreaves, Professor, Thomas More Brennan Chair, Lynch School of Education, Boston College

Eric heins, Vice President, California Teachers' Association

9:15 – 10:00 a.m. KEYNOTE PRESENTaTION The honourable Kathleen Wynne, Premier, Province of Ontario 10:00 – 10:25 a.m. REFREShmENT BREaK

10:30 – 12:00 p.m. JURISDICTION WORKShOPS: SESSION C

C01: CaLIFORNIa - GaRDEN GROvE UNIFIED SChOOL DISTRICT District-Wide alignment for Student Success: Supporting Teachers and administrators for Continuous Improvement

Garden Grove Unified School District, a 2004 winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education, is located in Southern California and serves an ethnically and linguistically diverse community. District and school site administrators will present details on GGUSD’s system-wide approach to hiring, retaining and supporting quality teachers and administrators. GGUSD administrators engage in purposeful cross-department collaboration to ensure that all teachers and administrators are engaged in a well-articulated process of instructional supervision that includes clear expectations, high quality professional development and regular feedback for continuous improvement. As a result of this system-wide coherence, student learning outcomes, inclusive of post-secondary measures, have been positively affected.Dr. Gabriela mafi, SuperintendentSara Wescott, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary EducationJoli armitage, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel

C02: ENGLaND - LONDON BOROUGh OF TOWER hamLETS Success against the Odds: The Power of Collective Effort and Professional Trust

There is a strong and well-established link between poverty and education failure. Tower Hamlets’ position as the jurisdiction with the highest proportion of children eligible for free school meals in England means many would expect poor educational outcomes and low expectations. However, the reality is quite different and this is why its story is important. The Borough has seen a remarkable transformation from one of the lowest performing education authorities to consistently achieve results at the end of primary and secondary education that place it in the top quartile for the country. Progress has been the reward for

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sustained collective effort and professional trust. In this workshop head teachers and the Borough’s former Director of Children’s Services will share lessons from the last 15 years and set out how the approach can be adopted and applied in a range of education contexts.Kevan Collins, Chief Executive, Education Endowment FoundationSir alasdair macdonald, Former Headteacher of Morpeth Schoolmartin Tune, CBE, Headteacher of Bonner Primary School

C03: SINGaPORE Reforming Curriculum, Teaching and Learning in Singapore Schools

In the McKinsey report, Singapore is described as a system that is currently moving from great to excellent. This workshop explains how Singapore attempts to reform curriculum, teaching and learning in its schools, to transform learning from quantity to quality. The ‘quality’ breakthrough requires teachers to review the fundamentals of education (the ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ of teaching) and students to become engaged learners. From the points of view of an academic/school teacher, a school principal/teacher trainer and a member of parliament/parent, the presenting team examines the key success factors and challenges of the reform efforts. Other than the system level factors described in the McKinsey report (such as government investment, teacher quality and support mechanisms for professionals), the presenting team shares the realities at the ground level not easily evident when examined from a system perspective. In particular, the team will share a few examples that hopefully will illuminate the contribution as well as dilemmas of students, teachers, school leaders, government officials and community to the story of the Singapore education system.

Dr. Pak Tee Ng, Head and Associate Dean, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Benjamin Wong, Associate Professor, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Dr. Zoe Boon Suan Loy, Senior Teaching Fellow, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

C04: YORK REGION DISTRICT SChOOL BOaRD The Journey to Increased Student achievement and Well-Being: achieving Sustainable and Equitable Excellence

A top performing board in a province recognized for educational excellence, the York Region District School Board continues on its journey progressing from good to great to becoming a system focused on sustainable and equitable excellence. Learn how the Board has built on high-yield strategies to implement sustainable, system-wide change inspired by The Fourth Way. This journey includes a renewed focus on teacher practice; leadership development; positive relationships with employee groups; and student, family and community engagement. Structural and adaptive reforms help create a more seamless continuum of learning system-wide from Kindergarten to Grade 12, planning processes are aligned and coherent, and system goals clearly articulate a shared sense of purpose. Located in one of Canada’s most diverse regions, YRDSB is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive education system. The Board has rooted the interconnectivity between well-being and achievement and established a strong emphasis on inclusive, caring and engaging learning and teaching environments. Presenters will also discuss next steps including the mission, vision and values review, refined delivery models for teacher and leader learning, and focused capacity building.Ken Thurston, Director of Education, York Region District School BoardDr. Denese Belchetz, Associate Director of Education, York Region District School Board

12:00 – 1:00 p.m. LUNCh

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1:00 – 1:45 p.m. KEYNOTE PRESENTaTION: Kevan Collins, Chief Executive, England Education Endowment Foundation Success against the Odds: Building Professional Trust Within,

Between and Beyond Schools

1:45 – 2:00 p.m. CO-aNChOR SESSION 4 andy hargreaves, Professor, Thomas More Brennan Chair, Lynch School of Education, Boston College

michael Fullan, OC, Professor Emeritus, Former Dean of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto


2:10 – 3:40 p.m. JURISDICTION WORKShOPS: SESSION D D01: CaLGaRY, aLBERTa - CaLGaRY BOaRD OF EDUCaTION Creating the Next Image of Public Education and Leadership:

a Through-Line of TransformationOver the past four years, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) has visibly engaged in a strategic transformation with the intention of enhancing student success and creating the next evolution of public education and leadership. This transformation has focused the entire organization on a coherent system-wide view of high quality teaching and learning, and on the values of public education in today’s world. This work has involved creating new understandings, practices, relationships and structures. This workshop will offer a multi-faceted view of the strategic work undertaken in the CBE, will highlight some of the key initiatives and how they have been placed at the nexus between best and next practice, and the learning that has occurred along the way. Together, the voices of students, educators and community members will illustrate a through-line of purpose, shared responsibility and impact that runs between policy and practice. This through-line connects the province, our Board of Trustees, organizational strategy, leaders and the experiences of teachers and students within classrooms in a reciprocity of influence and learning. After sharing an overview of our organization’s story, we hope to extend the learning in conversation with workshop participants based on their specific interests.


D02: FINLaND - ESPOO SChOOL BOaRD Structures to Ensure Student Well-Being as a means to

achieve high Learning OutcomesThis workshop will focus on how the Espoo School Board has achieved significant learning outcomes compared to other boards in Finland. This has happened in the context of a combination of the strategic goal setting by Espoo City Council and the Finnish National level education goals. Underlying factors that have been important include a highly educated teaching staff, effective student well-being programs and support staff, along with a robust in-service training program. An additional factor is a dynamic school architecture designed to enhance learning by bearing in mind the quality of the learning environment. In sum, this is a ‘values first’ approach. Kaisu Toivonen, Director of Education, will discuss board-level strategies, policies, resourcing and the values structure underpinning Espoo Education. Superintendent of Education, Ilpo Salonen, will examine the development of a tri-level support structure for learners focusing on the student well-being work done in Espoo. Principal of Vanttila School, Olli Poutiainen, will provide a practical example of how a structure has been created in Vanttila school to support student well-being and value all students in a safe environment. Short presentations will allow for discussion and questions in an interactive manner for those taking part in

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this workshop.Ilpo Salonen, Superintendent of EducationKaisu Toivonen, Director of EducationOlli Poutiainen, Principal

D03 ONTaRIO - BRUCE-GREY CaThOLIC DISTRICT SChOOL BOaRD, haLTON DISTRICT SChOOL BOaRD

Ontario's StoryOntario’s publicly funded education system is one of the best in the world. By building partnerships within and across the education community and drawing from successful practices across the world, Ontario has been able to introduce multi-faceted reforms to the public system, making it the system of choice for 95% of Ontario’s students and their families. The Ontario strategy follows a theory of action that is anchored in three interrelated key areas of organizational improvement: 1) improved levels of student achievement 2) reduced gaps in student achievement and 3) increased public confidence in publicly funded education. Although the reform is comprehensive with many diverse approaches, eight core areas of focus and implementation run across the entire strategy: 1. A small number of ambitious goals 2. A guiding coalition at the top 3. High standards and expectations 4. Investment in leadership and capacity building related to instruction 5. Mobilizing data and effective practices as a strategy for improvement 6. Intervention in a non-punitive manner 7. Being vigilant about distracters 8. Being transparent, relentless and increasingly challengingThe Ontario story will feature the journeys of four diverse district school boards. Join us to reflect upon successes, challenges and plans for the future!Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board, halton District School Board

D04: SINGaPORE Reforming Curriculum, Teaching and Learning in Singapore Schools

In the McKinsey report, Singapore is described as a system that is currently moving from great to excellent. This workshop explains how Singapore attempts to reform curriculum, teaching and learning in its schools, to transform learning from quantity to quality. The ‘quality’ breakthrough requires teachers to review the fundamentals of education (the ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ of teaching) and students to become engaged learners. From the points of view of an academic/school teacher, a school principal/teacher trainer and a member of parliament/parent, the presenting team examines the key success factors and challenges of the reform efforts. Other than the system level factors described in the McKinsey report (such as government investment, teacher quality and support mechanisms for professionals), the presenting team shares the realities at the ground level not easily evident when examined from a system perspective. In particular, the team will share a few examples that hopefully will illuminate the contribution as well as dilemmas of students, teachers, school leaders, government officials and community to the story of the Singapore education system.

Dr. Pak Tee Ng, Head and Associate Dean, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Benjamin Wong, Associate Professor, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Dr. Zoe Boon Suan Loy, Senior Teaching Fellow, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

3:40 – 4:15 p.m. OPTIONaL DEBRIEFING TImE This is an opportunity to spend reflective time with colleagues and fellow Quest

participants in a completely unstructured environment. Consolidate fresh learning and consider follow-up planning that will impact on student achievement and well-being when you return home…wherever that may be.

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4:30 – 5:15 p.m. QUEST RECEPTION & STUDENT ENTERTaINmENT arts Unionville Strings, Unionville High School

5:15 – 7:30 p.m. QUEST DINNER aGENDa WELCOmE: Sutina Chou, York Region District School Board Student Trustee Pai Liu, York Region District School Board Student Trustee Parmida Kakavand, President, York Region Presidents' Council

STUDENT ENTERTaINmENT Rezonance, Emily Carr High School

QUEST SPECIaL aPPRECIaTION Dr. avis E. Glaze, International Educator and Quest Visionary

DINNER SPEaKERRick hansen, Canada's Man in Motion

FRIDaY, NOvEmBER 22, 2013

CONFERENCE DaY 3


8:25 – 8:50 a.m. QUEST PLENaRY & STUDENT ENTERTaINmENT Undivided Company, Woodbridge Public School

8:50 – 9:15 a.m. CO-aNChOR SESSION 5 andy hargreaves, Professor, Thomas More Brennan Chair, Lynch School of Education, Boston College Dr. Pasi Sahlberg, Director General, Centre for International Mobility and

Cooperation, Finland

9:15 – 9:30 a.m. REFREShmENT BREaK

9:30 – 10:45 a.m. JURISDICTIONaL DIaLOGUE moderator: Dr. Kathy Witherow, Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services, York Region District School Board Panel members: Brant Parker, Director, Innovation and Learning Technology, Calgary Board of Education Dr. Gabriela mafi, Superindenant, California - Garden Grove Unified School District mary Jean Gallagher, Chief Student Achievement Officer, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ontario Ministry of Education Ken Thurston, Director of Education, York Region District School Board


11:00 – 12:30 p.m. JURISDICTION WORKShOPS: SESSION E

E01: CaLGaRY, aLBERTa - CaLGaRY BOaRD OF EDUCaTION Creating the Next Image of Public Education and Leadership: a Through-Line of Transformation

Over the past four years, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) has visibly engaged in a strategic transformation with the intention of enhancing student success and creating the next evolution of public education and leadership. This transformation

AndyHargreaves

Dr. PasiSahlberg

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has focused the entire organization on a coherent system-wide view of high quality teaching and learning, and on the values of public education in today’s world. This work has involved creating new understandings, practices, relationships and structures. This workshop will offer a multi-faceted view of the strategic work undertaken in the CBE, will highlight some of the key initiatives and how they have been placed at the nexus between best and next practice, and the learning that has occurred along the way. Together, the voices of students, educators and community members will illustrate a through-line of purpose, shared responsibility and impact that runs between policy and practice. This through-line connects the province, our Board of Trustees, organizational strategy, leaders and the experiences of teachers and students within classrooms in a reciprocity of influence and learning. After sharing an overview of our organization’s story, we hope to extend the learning in conversation with workshop participants based on their specific interests.

Naomi Johnson, Chief Superintendent of Schools Cathy Faber, Superintendent and Chief Information Officer Brant Parker, Director, Innovation & Learning Technology Ronna mosher, Director, Learning

E02: CaLIFORNIa - GaRDEN GROvE UNIFIED SChOOL DISTRICT District-Wide alignment for Student Success: Supporting Teachers and administrators for Continuous Improvement

Garden Grove Unified School District, a 2004 winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education, is located in Southern California and serves an ethnically and linguistically diverse community. District and school site administrators will present details on GGUSD’s system-wide approach to hiring, retaining and supporting quality teachers and administrators. GGUSD administrators engage in purposeful cross-department collaboration to ensure that all teachers and administrators are engaged in a well-articulated process of instructional supervision that includes clear expectations, high quality professional development and regular feedback for continuous improvement. As a result of this system-wide coherence, student learning outcomes, inclusive of post-secondary measures, have been positively affected.Dr. Gabriela mafi, SuperintendentSara Wescott, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary EducationJoli armitage, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel

E03: FINLaND - ESPOO SChOOL BOaRD Structures to Ensure Student Well-Being as a means to achieve high Learning Outcomes This workshop will focus on how the Espoo School Board has achieved significant learning outcomes compared to other boards in Finland. This has happened in the context of a combination of the strategic goal setting by Espoo City Council and the Finnish National level education goals. Underlying factors that have been important include a highly educated teaching staff, effective student well-being programs and support staff, along with a robust in-service training program. An additional factor is a dynamic school architecture designed to enhance learning by bearing in mind the quality of the learning environment. In sum, this is a ‘values first’ approach. Kaisu Toivonen, Director of Education, will discuss board-level strategies, policies, resourcing and the values structure underpinning Espoo Education. Superintendent of Education, Ilpo Salonen, will examine the development of a tri-level support structure for learners focusing on the student well-being work done in Espoo. Principal of Vanttila School, Olli Poutiainen, will provide a practical example of how a structure has been created in Vanttila school to support student well-being and value all students in a safe environment. Short presentations will allow for discussion and questions in an interactive manner for those taking part in this workshop.

Ilpo Salonen, Superintendent of EducationKaisu Toivonen, Director of Education

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Olli Poutiainen, Principal

E04: SINGaPORE Reforming Curriculum, Teaching and Learning in Singapore Schools

In the McKinsey report, Singapore is described as a system that is currently moving from great to excellent. This workshop explains how Singapore attempts to reform curriculum, teaching and learning in its schools, to transform learning from quantity to quality. The ‘quality’ breakthrough requires teachers to review the fundamentals of education (the ‘why’, ‘what’ and ‘how’ of teaching) and students to become engaged learners. From the points of view of an academic/school teacher, a school principal/teacher trainer and a member of parliament/parent, the presenting team examines the key success factors and challenges of the reform efforts. Other than the system level factors described in the McKinsey report (such as government investment, teacher quality and support mechanisms for professionals), the presenting team shares the realities at the ground level not easily evident when examined from a system perspective. In particular, the team will share a few examples that hopefully will illuminate the contribution as well as dilemmas of students, teachers, school leaders, government officials and community to the story of the Singapore education system.Dr. Pak Tee Ng, Head and Associate Dean, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

Benjamin Wong, Associate Professor, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Dr. Zoe Boon Suan Loy, Senior Teaching Fellow, Leadership Learning, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

12:30 - 1:15 p.m. LUNCh

1:15 - 2:15 p.m. QUEST 2013 CONSOLIDaTION SESSION andy hargreaves, Professor, Thomas More Brennan Chair, Lynch School of Education, Boston College michael Fullan, OC, Professor Emeritus, Former Dean of the Ontario Institute

for Studies in Education, University of Toronto Eric heins, Vice President, California Teachers' Association annie Kidder, Executive Director, People for Education Dennis Shirley, Professor of Education, Lynch School of Education, Boston College

2:15 – 2:30 p.m. QUEST 2013 CLOSING COmmENTSKen Thurston, Director of Education, York Region District School Board

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QUEST 2013 WORKShOPS/ROOm aLLOCaTIONWEDNESDaY, NOvEmBER 20, 2013

Workshop Room LocationSession a01 - a04 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.(Lunch 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.)

A01: Alberta - Calgary Board of EducationA02: England - London Borough of Tower HamletsA03: Finland - Espoo School BoardA04: Ontario - Halton Catholic District School Board, Ottawa Catholic District School Board

Grand Richmond A/B - Main LevelGrand Richmond C/D - Main LevelGrand York Ballroom - Main LevelVaughan East/West - Lower Level

Workshop Room LocationSession B01 - B04 2:10 p.m. - 3:40 p.m.

B01: Alberta - Calgary Board of EducationB02: England - London Borough of Tower HamletsB03: Singapore - National Institute of EducationB04: Ontario - York Region District School Board

Grand Richmond A/B - Main LevelGrand Richmond C/D - Main LevelGrand York Ballroom - Main LevelVaughan East/West - Lower Level

ThURSDaY, NOvEmBER 21, 2013

Workshop Room LocationSession C01 - C04 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.(Lunch 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.)

C01:California-GardenGroveUnifiedSchoolDistrictC02: England - London Borough of Tower HamletsC03: Singapore - National Institute of EducationC04: Ontario - York Region District School Board

Grand York Ballroom - Main LevelGrand Richmond C/D - Main LevelGrand Richmond A/B - Main LevelVaughan East/West - Lower Level

Workshop Room LocationSession D01 - D04 2:10 p.m. - 3:40 p.m.

D01: Alberta - Calgary Board of EducationD02: Finland - Espoo School BoardD03: Ontario - Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board, Halton District School BoardD04: Singapore - National Institute of Education

Grand Richmond A/B - Main LevelVaughan East/West - Lower Level

Grand Richmond C/D - Main LevelThornhill Room - Main Level

Prayer Room - Whitchurch Room


FRIDaY, NOvEmBER 22, 2013

Workshop Room LocationSession E01 - E04 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.(Lunch 12:30 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.)

E01: Alberta - Calgary Board of EducationE02:California-GardenGroveUnifiedSchoolDistrictE03: Finland - Espoo School BoardE04: Singapore - National Institute of Education

Grand York Ballroom - Main LevelVaughan East/West - Lower Level

Grand Richmond C/D - Main LevelGrand Richmond A/B - Main Level


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NOTES

JOIN US aT QUEST 2014 FOR...

a continued dialogue on innovative and high performing global best practice.

Each year, the Quest conference brings together educators and experts from around the world for the common purpose of improving student achievement and well-being.

At Quest 2014, you can expect another expertly planned program that will continue our exploration of top-performing, internationally recognized education systems.

We will once again welcome leading educational jurisdictions from around the world to share their journeys to excellence. We will hear about their stories, challenges and insights. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to probe, question and discuss each

jurisdiction's vision, practice and results.

Save the date – next year’s Quest 2014 will take place on Wednesday, November 19, Thursday, November 20

and Friday, November 21, 2014.

Registration will open during June 2014.

CONTINUES...

The Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel, Suites & Conference CentreRichmond Hill, Ontario

november 20-21-22 · re-imagining public education 4 welcome from the chair, york region district...

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