Charles W. Earle Elementary School Chicago, Illinois Institute for School Improvement and Education Options Conference

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Charles W. Earle Elementary SchoolChicago,
IllinoisInstitute for School Improvement and
Education Options Conference

• Adrian G. Willis
• Turnaround Principal, Chicago Public Schools
• agwillis_at_cps.k12.il.us
• September 2007
• Soaring to Success By Becoming the Best of the
  Best

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Demographics

• 500 Students (99.9 African American)
• 98 Free/reduced lunch
• 60 Faculty and staff
• 30 Classroom teachers
• 3 Special Ed. Self contained classrooms
• 90.5 Highly qualified teachers
• 92 Student attendance rate
• 94 Staff attendance rate
• 47 Mobility Rate

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2005-06 Illinois Standards Achievement Test
(ISAT) ResultsGrades 3-8 Meeting/Exceeding
Standards
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2006-07 Illinois Standards Achievement Test
(ISAT) ResultsGrades 3/5/8 Meeting/Exceeding
Standards
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Ms. Robinson 6th grade 3 years
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Identifying the Data Brutal Facts

• Lack of Leadership in presenting data
• No Communication/Chaos
• Absence of Horizontal/Vertical Planning
• No collaboration/Teacher Empowerment
• Poor Professional Development
• Data Driven discussions did not exist
• Monitoring classroom instruction was rare
• No usage of ISAT/Learning 1st Templates

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Preparing to use Data to Turn Around

• Identifying the leadership team
• Creating learning community teams
• Creating a sense of urgency
• Facing the scores without blame
• Rebuilding/Rescheduling
• Monitoring classroom instruction
• Introduce templates/present research

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Instructional Changes to Support Data

• Lengthening instructional time spent in reading
  and math
• Remediation based on Benchmark testing, Learning
  1st and DIBELS
• Re-teaching based on data (benchmark testing)
• Semi-departmentalization
• Teaming (clusters/grade levels)
• Breakfast Club PD to support instruction

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Mrs. Susberry 4th grade 1 year
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Earle Learning 1st Reading DataVocabulary,
Reading Strategies, Reading Comprehension,
Literature
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Earle Math Benchmark DataNumber Sense,
Measurement, Algebra, Geometry, Data Analysis
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Earle DIBELS Data KindergartenInitial Sound
Fluency (ISF) Nonsense Word Fluency (NW) Oral
Reading Fluency (ORF)
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Mr. Flambouras 8th grade 15 years
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Targeted Interventions for Students

• Saturday Enrichment Academy Club 66
• SES After School Tutoring
• Lindblom H.S. Kid Math Colloquim
• Lindblom H.S. Kid Writing Colloquim
• Ancillary Support during Reading Block
• Flexible Guided Reading Groups
• Full Departmentalization

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External Partner Support Programs

• Individualized Teacher Professional
  Development
• Angel Book Worms Program
• Management Planning Institute (Attendance)
• AVID Advancement Via Individual Development
• 21st Century Childrens Home Aid Society
• Marlons Way Character Education Development
• St. Bernard/Holy Cross Student Health
  Initiatives
• Mobile Care Van (Asthma)
• Earle Branch of the Chicago Childrens Choir
• Citibank Financial Services Partnership
• ETA Creative Arts Foundation Program

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Leader Actions

• Visit every classroom every day
• Provide constant feedback
• Communicate vision on a regular basis
• Become research based and data driven
• Participate in PD with teachers/staff
• Share data with teachers in a timely manner
• Hold all stakeholders accountable for results
• Paint classrooms, repair windows, display art

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Mrs. Goosby 2nd grade 23 years
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UVA/CPS Connection

• Goal Setting
• Communicating With Data
• Leadership and the Power of Communication
• The Balance Scorecard
• Difficult Conversations
• The Art of Influence
• Working With the Press
• Motivate and Sustain A Committed Team
• Building a School Support Team
• UVA Portal Assess and Usage
• Roadmap 2 Year Change

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Sustaining Turnaround ChangeA documented,
quick, dramatic and sustained change in the
performance of an organization.

• Data Wall (public transparent)
• 3rd-5th Intermediate Great Books Program
• C4MGP (Earle Middle School)
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
• Chicago Urban League Initiative
• Harper High School Articulation Program
• Bi-Weekly Leadership Team Meetings
• Quarterly Action Plans
• Teacher Led Professional Development
• Special Education Inclusion Model
• Enhance school Learning Climate
• Expanding Real Men Read Program

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Famous Last Words

• teach me, maybe Ill learn
• teach me with compassion, I will learn
• teach me with compassion and high expectations
  and Ill become a life long learner.
• a.g.willis