• MEGA Conference - July 17-21
• Tentative date for the Turnaround Academy kickoff - September 19
• Deadline for schools to submit their 2023-2024 Goal/Action Plans - September 22

Walt Disney had a vision for what he wanted Disneyland to become. He could see it before it was created. This is a crucial reminder for leaders who seek to change their school's culture. To inspire people to change, one must create a vivid picture of what you want the school to look like once change has occurred. In addition, those for whom change is expected must be convinced the expected change is both important and doable.

Substantive change requires many people working together. The information in the link below details specific structures and activities schools can use to build a community of committed stakeholders.

The MEGA Conference is July 17 - 21 in Mobile, Al. On Tuesday, July 18th, there is an invitation-only meeting for Turnaround School administrators and teachers from 2:00-3:30. This time will allow school and district personnel to meet with OSI staff and our state partners to discuss needs and how those can be met. If you have not registered yet for MEGA 2023, you can do so HERE.

In addition to the session mentioned above, I encourage you to click the link below and consider attending the sessions by our Office of School Improvement staff. We look forward to seeing you in Mobile the week of July 17th!

As a new principal (and even a veteran one), I always worried that I would forget a crucial task in preparing for the start of a new school year. With so much on your plate, it would be easy to do. To help myself stay on track throughout the summer, I created this checklist of tasks I needed to complete before teachers and students returned from their summer break.

The checklist is in the link below. When you click the link, it will prompt you to make a copy. Every district is different, so it is not intended to be an all-encompassing document but a guideline to edit and make your own. If you see items that need to be added, please share so the document can continue to be improved for others to use.

Beginning of the Year Checklist

On June 21st, Ginger Henderson and Cody Rowell conducted a professional learning session titled "Connecting Assessment to Instruction: I Have My ACAP Data...Now What?" The session's primary focus was to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of ACAP scores for 2nd and 3rd-grade students and to leverage the obtained data to ascertain the subsequent steps necessary for achieving success. Attendees were guided through accessing the Interactive Reading Roster within the DRC portal, which aids in formulating tailored instructional plans for 2nd and 3rd-grade learners in the state of Alabama.

The PDF linked below includes a session recording, slide copies, significant notes, ACAP resource folders, and links to the ARI Quick Links and Padlet.

PARCA Analysis of Early Grades ACAP Reading results. "About one-quarter of Alabama third graders were not reading on grade level by the end of third grade, leaving them vulnerable to academic struggles as they progress in school." The analysis also shows a fairly strong correlation between a high rate of students in poverty and the rate of non-proficient students at the school.

Alabama reading scores dipped slightly. See how your school performed.

Alabama reading scores drop in latest state test results. How many students can read?

Email: tim.solley@alsde.edu
Website: https://sway.office.com/x6GMkvnr5n1z2O6F
Phone: (256) 684-5778
Twitter: @Tim_Solley