Turnaround Year 0 Board of Education Presentation June 4, 2015 1 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Turnaround Year 0

Board of Education Presentation

June 4, 2015

1

2015-16 Turnaround Year 0 Recommendations

Recommended schools for Turnaround through the Tiered Supports Framework process:

• Valverde
• Harrington
• Schmitt
• Goldrick
• Community Engagement began this spring to build the

vision of the school with families and staff.

• Staff recommends the Board approve

Redesign status on June 18, 2015.

Community Engagement in Year 0 Turnaround Schools

• Educate school communities about the turnaround and design

process and key district decision-points

• Engage community members and key stakeholders about key

school design components and elements and solicit their feedback around what the want

• Empower school community members to be active and strong

partners to design and turnaround process

Community Engagement: Turnaround Year 0 Timeline

April May June July August September October November Small group and community meetings Community Design Committee meetings School Vision Development

Relationship Building Capacity Building

Our goal is to build a purposeful process that fosters transformative relationships between the school community and the new turnaround leadership to develop a collective vision that is both ambitious and feasible.

Jessica Ridgway – Year 0 Principal Dan Villescas – Interim Principal

Background of the Year 0 Principal

Jessica Ridgway (Year 0)

• DPS Alum and Denver

native

• Began teaching in Arizona
• Founding AP – STRIVE

Prep - Sunnyside

• Principal Intern – Oakland

Elementary

Community Choice Partnership

Trust

Background of the Interim Principal

Dan Villescas (Interim)

• Proud father of 3 DPS students
• Experienced principal
• Committed to community
• Over 20 years in education

Emerging Vision

Parent + Community Rigorous Academics Cultural + Enrichment Activities Engaged, Challenged, Supported Students

Next steps and planning

Initial Thinking for SY 15-16

• Build strong school culture focused on achievement
• Build capacity around planning from and implementation of grade

level standards

• Strengthen family and school partnerships
• Student and school safety

Initial Thinking for 5-Year Turnaround Plan

• Rigorous academics that integrate technology and project based

learning

• Robust community partnerships that support students and families
• School culture and values that prepare students for success as a

global citizen

• Leadership that spans all levels of the school

Community Engagement

Karin Johnson – Year 0 Principal Charmaine Keeton – Interim Principal

Background of the Year 0 Principal

Karin Johnson (Year 0)

• Principal; Polaris @ Ebert Elementary, Denver Public Schools 2008 – 2015 recipient

John Irwin Schools of Excellence Awards

• Teacher for 9 years in Oregon, Los Angeles and Denver schools.
• Actor/Teacher Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland Oregon
• Proud mother of 2 DPS students

Background of the Interim Principal

Charmaine Keeton (Interim)

• BS from Norfolk State University
• MA from Nova Southeastern University
• Type D From Denver University
• Worked in DPS since Jan 1981.
• A Sped teacher 10 years
• Title One teacher 5 years
• Math Coach 8 years & Area Math Specialist 2 years
• Principal 8 years:
• 7 years at Hallett Fundamental Academy
• Retired June 12th

Here is the emerging vision for the future of our school

• Listen We are committed to collaboratively and thoughtfully creating

a program that fosters intellectual curiosity and creativity.

• Respond by fostering collaboration of students, parents and teachers

to assure innovative, culturally rich learning environment where students, parents and faculty are supported and celebrated.

• Build stakeholders’ vision in tandem with academic excellence, we

are committed to designing a distinguished school that offers rigorous curricula that nurtures curiosity, skill development, knowledge, the joy of life-long learning and knowledge necessary for college or career.

A distinguished school

Next steps and planning

Initial Thinking for SY 15-16

• Increase family and community engagement
• Increase safety and well-being of students
• Increase rigorous curricula and effective instructional delivery
• Cultivate culture that prioritizes teaching, learning and putting

students’ academic and social-emotional needs first

Initial Thinking for 5-Year Turnaround Plan

• Significantly improve technology access and curricula
• Significantly increase grant funds and community supports
• Provide professional development to support teachers and team in
• rder to impact student achievement and school satisfaction

Community Engagement

Jesse Tang – Year 0 Principal Cindy Miller – Interim Principal

Background of the Year 0 Principal

Jesse Tang (Year Zero)

• Began teaching in 2004 in Chicago’s Southside
• Assistant Principal at two ECE-8th Grade Elementary Schools
• Founding Principal of Central Queens Academy
• Attended a School Leadership program at Harvard Graduate School of

Education

• Passion for serving urban communities, immigrant families, and future first

generation college graduates

Background of the Interim Principal

Cindy Miller (Interim)

• Began teaching in 1995 with DPS
• Served as Asst. Principal for 11 years
• Served as Principal for 4 years
• Excited about coming to Schmitt to make a difference with Schmitt students,

staff, and families

Here is the emerging vision for the future of our school

• Re-engage families and cultivate strong

relationships across staff, students, families, and community

• Dramatically increase student

achievement through strong ELA instruction, teacher support, and innovative programming/curricula

Next steps and planning

Initial Thinking for SY 15-16

• Strengthen teaching coaching and support
• Establish a strong school culture and family engagement approach
• Identify and research innovative programs nationwide to

determine best fit for Schmitt

Initial Thinking for 5-Year Turnaround Plan

• Build and develop a strong distributive leadership structure within

Instructional Leadership Team and Teacher-Leader roles

• Intensive focus on bilingual literacy for ELA students through

improved instruction, resources, assessment systems

Community Engagement

Events

• Meet and Greets
• Advocacy Group Meetings
• Community Meetings

Key Themes:

• Desire for consistent communication
• Re-engage families
• Strengthen school culture and

hallmark events

Drew Schutz – Principal

Background of the Principal

DPS Alum

• 2nd and 5th Grade ELA-S/ELA-E teacher at McMeen Elementary
• Assistant Principal and Principal Resident at Sabin World School
• Experience with TNLI programming, effective intervention

systems, transdisciplinary learning, blended/personalized learning.

• I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be at Valverde because it

is a school with a strong history and a passionate community. Valverde has been through many years of declining

• performance. I am excited by the chance to be a part of a new

chapter for the school, and bring its students the strong learning environment they deserve.

Here is the emerging vision for the future of our school

• Engaging/Personalized Instruction
• Culture of Pride and High Expectations
• Strong Community Partnerships
• Effective Social-Emotional and Academic

Supports

Next steps and planning

Initial Thinking for SY 15-16

• Focus on a positive culture and climate for students and adults.

Environmental upgrades to support culture and engagement.

• Focus on raising the instructional bar via a strong coaching/feedback

cycle, ANet partnership, and a deeper understanding of CCSS.

• Continue community outreach efforts.
• Recruitment and retention of high quality staff

(School Development Team)

Initial Thinking for 5-Year Turnaround Plan

• Continued focus on culture (Pride and High Expectations)
• Personalized learning systems
• Exploration of new program focus- STEM?
• Strong community partnerships

(PTLT, Arrow, Parallon, DSISD)

Community Engagement

Events

• Community “Meet and Greets”
• Vision meeting with Community
• Parent-Teacher Leadership Team

Appendix

Turnaround Year 0 Engagement Events: April-May

Denver Public Schools Confidential – For Deliberative Purpose

School Date Topic Attendance

Goldrick

4/16 Community Turnaround Presentation

AM – 15 PM - 20

5/6 Community Design Committee Meeting

10

5/21 Whole School Five Factors Visioning

12

5/27 Community Design Committee Meeting

7

Harrington

5/18 Meet and Greet

20

5/22 Student Voice Visioning

TBD

Schmitt

4/6 Meet and Greets

7

5/4 Meet and Greets

11

5/5 Community Design Committee Meeting

25

5/21 Whole School Five Factors Visioning

21

5/28 Community Design Committee Meeting

4

Valverde

4/13 Parent Teacher Leadership Team

15

4/15 Parent Teacher Leadership Team

15

4/20 Principal Visioning

10

5/1 Turnaround Community Update

50