The System-In-Place in the Anywhere Schools System (ASS)

Initial Contact

From:Former Student
Sent: Sunday, August 21, 2011 1:55 PM
To: Mickey Dunaway
Cc:Principal
Subject: Re: PLC Consulting

Hi Dr Dunaway,

My principal, Jamie Oakford, and I are very interested in meeting and talking with you about our school's goals this year with PLCs. Can you give some possible dates and/or times you are available.

Former Student, API

Anywhere Elementary School

After Planning Meeting

From: Former Student
Sent: Friday, September 02, 2011 8:39 AM
To:
Cc: Jamie Oakford
Subject: PLC training

Dr. Dunaway,

Thanks so much for your help and insights with our PLC training. We would like to schedule some times with our staff and would like your input with our thoughts.
October 4th -- staff meeting - 1 1/2 hours
October 21st -- 3 hours staff development -- 12:00 - 3:00
Our question is can you begin by using these times to introduce the staff to the Why? of PLC and move into the ideas of What it looks like? Sounds like? and perhaps begin working within the grade levels and their essential standards, common formative assessments, etc.
We also have opportunities in November for either whole group staff sessions or specific grade level planning days to further the training which could be two whole days in the school to cover all grade levels.Next question --- How much training will you provide with these thoughts in mind in the range of $1500 - $2000

Mr. Former R. Student, API

Anywhere Elementary School

704-888-5811

From: Mickey Dunaway [
Sent: Friday, September 02, 2011 9:29 AM
To:FormerStudent
Subject: RE: PLC training

Dear Former,

Sure enjoyed seeing you this week and meeting Jamie. Her style and commitment is right up my alley! All of the dates you have noted work for me. Why don’t we go in this direction with the contract: For the $2000 I will provide you with a training all or any of the dates you need as noted below during this academic year. It would also include any trips for planning such as we did this week, and the mileage would be included in the $2000. The plan is shown below

Secrets of Successful PLCs Training and Team Consultation

Anywhere Elementary School

Date / Time / Hours / Purpose / Rate
Oct 4 / 2:30 - 4:00 / 1.5 / Staff Meeting – You Matter! / $150
Oct 21 / 12:00 – 3:00 / 3.0 / PD – Why PLCs? / $300
Nov 10 / 8:30 – 2:15 / 5.25 / 3-4-5 Grade level meetings – Secrets of Successful PLCs – Nuts and Bolts / $525
Nov 15 / 8:30 – 2:15 / 5.25 / K-1-2 Grade level meetings – Secrets of Successful PLCs – Nuts and Bolts / $525
Second Semester / TBA / 5 / PLC Team Consultation / $500

Principal Talks with County PLC Officials

From: Jamie Oakford
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 9:56 AM
To: Mickey Dunaway
Cc: Former Student
Subject: RE: Training and Consultation Plan

Thanks Dr. Dunaway. It was great meeting you and talking with you. I look forward to how you can help Anywhere’s staff truly develop into a true PLC.

I talked with Kathy Driller at the county office in regards to the timeline and dates. She said that the committee felt strongly that everyone had to stay on course of what was required. She did say that I could present her a plan with how my school would proceed and how different we would be from the timeline to see if the committee would agree to my plan.

The requirements and dates for the county are as follows:

  • Due Sept. 30 -Norms, Smart Goal, 4-5 Essential Standards per subject (Reading, Math, 5th grade Science)
  • Due Oct. 28 – 2 CFA’s, CFA results and analysis, intervention/enrichment plan
  • Due Jan. 6 – Copy of 4 CFA’s, CFA results and analysis, intervention/enrichment plan
  • Due Mar. 30 – 8-10 Essential standards per subject, 6 CFA’s, CFA results and analysis, intervention/enrichment plan
  • Due May 18 – 8 CFA’s, CFA results and analysis, intervention/enrichment plan

What kind of plan do you feel would be appropriate for us to follow?

Thanks for your help.

MD’s Response to CO Intransigence

From: Mickey Dunaway
Sent: Tuesday, September 06, 2011 11:41 AM
To: Jamie Oakford
Subject: RE: Training and Consultation Plan

Jamie,

Before I think through this, let’s see if I have some definitions correct!

CFA – Common formative Assessment

Norms – Don’t have a clue what ASS is looking for here

Essential Standards – Same as essential content (if I can’t teach it all, what should I teach that is most needed, most powerful, and is a prerequisite for future learning)

Smart Goals – I know the what SMART stands for, but not sure how it applies to PLCs. The only smart goal that I see that is needed is MASTERY (100%) of essential content

What I don’t see accomplishing with my schedule is the stuff that is due in Sept and Oct. We should be able to reach the March and May dates with no trouble which would incorporate the goals from Sept and October.The problem with their timeline is the simple ignoring of what you know to be true, that your faculty needs to take a few steps backwards before going forward.

Some questions to answer in deciding if you need to go back before going forward.

  1. Do your teachers understand what the State of NC guarantees to every child? And that this guarantee is measured as a Proficient (3) on EOGs/EOCs?
  2. Do they believe that every child can reach this level? Do they believe they can make it happen? Do they understand that it will not happen using our old time worn methods of one teacher for one class of students?
  3. Have your teachers defined for themselves what is Essential Content for every grade-level not just EOG grades?
  4. My definition of essential content is (a) what is being tested on EOGs or Benchmark assessments (b) Power Content that is needed as a prerequisite for future learning
  5. The second aspect of Essential Content is that all teachers at each grade level have the same knowledge and comprehension of what is expected of students. No ifs ands or buts accepted here. It must be exact.
  6. Do they understand the process of mastery learning?
  7. Do your teachers have a common understanding of the purpose of the CFA assessment process and where and why it fits into the PLC vision?
  8. Have your teachers analyzed their classes scores when compared and contrasted to the scores of other teachers at the same grade level on the Essential Content while sitting in the same room?
  9. This is the hardest thing to do. Neither the CO, or you, or I can wave our magic wand and make this happen because this new expectation is so antithetical to the culture of most schools. Yet without this process, no PLC is true to the vision of PLCs.
  10. It takes time and gentle prodding, pushing, cajoling, and some coddling to get to this point. This is why I don’t get here until the third meeting with a staff.

PLCs are like religion. When we are first introduced to it, we say hallelujah! But, pretty soon, we hit a big ethical decision in our lives, and we find that that that initial jolt of energy doesn’t really tell me why I should or should not do something. And if we never understand why religion (or PLCs) are important on more than a superficial level, we will always be stuck wearing those WWJD wrist bands instead of knowing at profound level why we should do something and acting from a deeper inherent place. WWCCSD (What Would Anywhere County Schools Do!) is no better than the WWJD. The CO is satisfied that if schools turn in the materials, that good things will happen. Well, better things may happen than before, but for the school that really believes in mastery for every child, they never get beyond the superficial by jumping through hoops.

PLCs work when their members (1) Know the initial 4 parts of the PLC vision (2) comprehend, analyze, and apply the underlying principles of PLCs (3) collaboratively create common expectations and assessments for staff and students, (4) evaluate our efforts and create new methods of dealing with previously unsolvable problems, and (5) repeat the process.

Jamie, I will work with you in any way you think best, but at the same time, I do not want to waste your precious dollars by doing something that ultimately does not work in your best interest. That being said, the central office in this case is requiring a universally imposed process and believing that it will produce results for every school. Two things wrong with that. (1) We never permit the same thing to happen in a classroom. Schools (and I expect the CO, too) are consistently talking about differentiation for students with different needs. By the way, combine this with the concept of PILOT, and you may still win the day. (2) The accountability for learning is at your school, not at the CO. All the same the CO is imposing processes on you, instead of providing you with the resources you need to meet your goals. This is a typical but terrible case of top-down management – made especially bad when those at the top are not accountable like you and your teachers.

Mickey

PS I would gladly go with you to the CO to talk with them, if you think appropriate.

Principal’ s Response to CO Intransigence

From:JamieOakford
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2011 8:53 AM
To: Mickey Dunaway
Subject: RE: Training and Consultation Plan

Thank you for your response.

Let me first say, I want your services. Secondly, I want to do this right. In order to do that, I have to go back before going forward with my staff. I have emailed Dr. Eweman and Kathy Driller regarding Piloting this, what our schedule with you is so far, and with a request for both of us to meet with them. I will let you know if I get any different response.

Your definitions are correct.

Norms – collective agreements made by all team members. Each grade has turned in what they have agreed upon. I believe these will change as they truly start analyzing data.

Smart Goals – My understanding of this purpose is based on DuFours definition of a team –“a group of people working interdependently to achieve a common goal for which members are held mutually accountable”,each team should create a common goal that relates to the school goals. Each team should look at their grade level data and create a goal they feel is attainable based off last year’s data.

Thanks again.