Turnaround Talk

October 2023

Food for Thought

Effective principals are critical to the school improvement process. As lead learners, they set the tone for a school through the behaviors they model and those they confront. Their leadership sets the tone for school safety, creating a collaborative environment for the staff, the level of engagement adults exhibit with their students, and the effectiveness of instruction. In short, leadership matters, as a school can't be successful without an effective leader.

Thank you to our fifteen Turnaround School Principals for all this and so much more. Each of you has a tremendous opportunity to improve the quality of education the students under your care receive. While the work is not easy, it is extremely important, and we salute you for accepting the responsibility of doing this work. Our OSI Turnaround Team stands ready to provide any support you need to achieve success.

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Important Dates

CSFO Meeting - October 10...1:00 pm
Turnaround Academy (Virtual) - October 25...9:00 am

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Turnaround Academy Kickoff

I hope you enjoyed the Turnaround Academy Kickoff on September 19th. It was great to see so many of you in attendance. The synergy in the room was evident as schools had the opportunity to learn more about the Turnaround Process, collaborate with their team, engage with our state partners, and develop relationships with other educators from around the state. It was especially moving to hear Governor Ivey's words of encouragement for those leading this work. Our next meeting is scheduled virtually for Wednesday, October 25th at 9:00 o'clock.

Several of you have requested the presentations from that day. I have included links below:

Alabama's A-F Report Card - Navigating the Path to Improvement

Let's Face It! - Our Mission Must Match Our Message

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Auxiliary Teacher Framework

Several of our Turnaround Schools have requested guidance regarding the role of the Auxiliary Teachers provided through the Governor's Turnaround School budget. The Alabama Department of Early Childhood has created the Auxiliary Teacher Framework to support schools in clarifying the expectations for these positions. I encourage you to review this document with both the classroom teacher and the auxiliary teacher. This guidance can also be useful in creating appropriate questions and criteria when hiring these positions.

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OSI Literacy Specialist

One of the most exciting supports provided to our Turnaround Schools is our OSI Literacy Specialists. Sometimes, when we think of these positions we envision them working only with our ELA teachers. While that is certainly something they enjoy doing, they are ready, willing, and able to serve all content areas with the implementation of high-quality literacy strategies. Doing so helps teachers enhance the engagement of their lessons while also improving student achievement in all subject.

Below are our OSI Literacy Specialists, the Turnaround Schools they serve, and their contact information:

From L-R

Charissa Lambert - Huntsville & Birmingham Turnaround Schools...charissa.lambert@alsde.edu
Monique Gordon - Dozier, Chisholm, and ABC Elementary Schools...monique.gordon@alsde.edu
Ardrinnia Strum - Highland Gardens, Barbour Intermediate and Faine Elementary Schools...adrinnia.strum@alsde.edu
Colleen Edwards - Chastang-Fournier K-8, J. E. Hobbs Elementary, and J.F. Shields...colleen.edwards@alsde.edu

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October Focus

Below are a few areas to focus on for October:

Turnaround Leadership

Now that your ACIP has been submitted plan a time to ensure it is communicated well with your staff and require them to develop a team SMART goal (by grade level or content area) that aligns with the overall school goal. Set monthly meetings with this team to discuss progress toward their goal.

Talent Development

What have you determined to be your staff's most critical professional learning needs? Is this based on observation or data? Provide class coverage for short periods (15-20 minutes) to allow teachers to visit one of their peer's classrooms, especially those you know are effective.

Instructional Transformation

Conduct data meetings with grade level or content area teachers to discuss strategies and practices that are being successful and the next steps for students who need additional support.

Culture Shift

Have a celebration to recognize things that are going well for students and staff. This is also a good time to touch base with your staff members individually to take inventory of what is going well, what needs to be tweaked, and what things need to be stopped.

The Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement

Domain 1 - Turnaround Leadership

This link provides information and resources to support turnaround leadership.

Domain 2 - Talent Development

This link provides information and resources to support turnaround leadership.

Domain 3 - Instructional Transformation

This link provides information and resources to support instructional transformation.

Domain 4 - Culture Shift

This link provides information and resources to support a successful culture shift.

Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement

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PREP (Preparing Relief Educators Program)

The PREP Program is up and running to support our newly hired emergency-certified teachers. Well over 200 teachers meet each Wednesday to discuss the essential topics for those new to the profession. HERE is the list of topics covered in the PREP Program with links to videos, resources, and slides.