Turnaround Talk
September 2025
Important Dates
2025 -2026 School Appreciation Dates
September
- Sept. 1...Labor Day
- Sept. 9...Turnaround Principals Academy
September 3-18...Beyond Grade 3 On-site Support (Specific school dates will follow.)
September 11...Lunch and Learn - Leading With Impact...11:00-12:00 (see below for more info)
September 29-October 10...Beyond Grade 3 On-site Support (Specific school dates will follow.)
September 23 & 24...Beyond Grade 3 Peer Coaching In-Person BOY Data Dive (Location TBD)
Underdog Wilcox County Scores Near the Top in Reading
Wilcox County third graders were among the state’s top performers on this spring’s reading test, with 96% of students clearing the benchmark for grade-level promotion.
ABC Elementary principal Cherylrettia Bennett said, “We instill high expectations in our kids, and that spreads into the homes of our parents, and into the communities in which we serve. We are not the bottom of the barrel. We are the cream of the crop.”
To read the full article, click HERE
Principal Turnaround Academy Launches September 9
We are excited to kick off this year’s Principal Turnaround Academy with our first session on September 9th at R.C. Hemphill Elementary in Birmingham. The day will run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with a focused look at strengthening Tier 1 practices.
To ground our learning, principals will begin the morning with classroom walkthroughs, examining Tier 1 instruction in action. We will then conduct targeted professional learning to help leaders better support English Learners (EL) and students with Special Education (SPED) needs within Tier 1.
Highlights of the day include:
Dr. Stephanie Reynolds: Best practices for supporting EL students in Tier 1 and structures principals should consider.
Tracey Wray: Understanding and calculating a SPED Report Card to determine if your school may be at risk (TSI or ATSI), along with strategies for using Unified Insights to monitor attendance throughout the school year.
This session promises to be both practical and impactful, equipping principals with tools and strategies to immediately apply in their schools.
Lunch & Learn: Leading With Impact - Turnaround Leadership Strategies for School Transformation
Join us on Thursday, September 11, 2025, for our next Lunch & Learn session led by Tim Solley. This interactive session will dive into the core principles of Turnaround Leadership and how they can be applied to drive rapid and sustainable school improvement. Grounded in the Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement, the learning will highlight ways to build leadership capacity, prioritize improvement efforts, and foster collaboration across school communities. Participants will leave with practical strategies and tools to set clear goals, monitor progress, address challenges proactively, and inspire meaningful change in their schools.
Click HERE to Join the Lunch & Learn (you may have to click 'Continue in this Browser')
PREP (Preparing Relief Educators Program)
The PREP Program is designed to provide high-quality resources to emergency-certificate teachers, long-term substitutes, and early service teachers, empowering them to excel in their roles and make a positive, long-lasting difference in the lives of their students.
If you have any teachers that fall in one of these categories I encourage you to make this resource available to them. A list of topics and supporting resources can be found HERE.
Power Planning Session - Recordings Now Available 📹
In the spring, our Turnaround Specialists hosted seven virtual Power Planning Sessions tailored to the specific needs identified through recent audit results. These sessions focused on key areas for growth that are common across all Turnaround Schools, offering practical strategies and targeted support.
To ensure all leaders have access to this valuable information, we've recorded each session. Whether you’d like to revisit a session or share it with colleagues who were unable to attend, the full set of recordings is now available at the link below.
We encourage you to explore these resources as you continue to lead transformational change in your schools.
OSI - Leadership Coach
Email: tim.solley@alsde.edu
Website: ALSDE Office of Student Learning
Twitter: @Tim_Solley