March

• Washington K-8 ...Audit...March 4-5
• Highland Gardens...Audit...March 4-5
• Chisholm Elementary...Audit...March 7-8
• Chastang-Fournier K-8...Audit...March 7-8
• West End Academy...Audit...March 11-12
• Huntsville City Spring Break...March 11-15
• Brown Elementary...Audit...March 13-14
• Barbour County Intermediate...Audit...March 14-15
• Birmingham City...Intersession...March 18-22
• Wilcox County...Spring Break...March 18-22
• Barbour, Birmingham, Dothan, Montgomery, & Monroe...Spring Break...March 25-29

April

• CSFO/District Quarterly Check-In - Scheduled for April 1 - 12
• Turnaround Academy - April 17th (virtual)

Summer Conferences

• AETC...June 19-21...Mobile
• MEGA...July 8-12...Mobile

Read Across America Week is March 2 - 8. To help support the celebration in our Turnaround Schools, Governor Ivey has created a video of her reading "Green Eggs and Ham". We encourage teachers to share this video with their students. It is our hope that Governor Ivey’s reading will continue to encourage a love for reading among students across the state.

We would love to see and celebrate students’ participation in this literary initiative. Teachers are invited to share photos of their classes joining Governor Ivey in reading with our Turnaround Administrator, Courtney Wilburn at courtney.wilburn@alsde.edu. Please tag Governor Ivey, @governorKayIvey, on any photos shared on Twitter or Instagram.

It was great to see representatives from each of our Turnaround Schools at our February Turnaround Academy at Alabama State University. Liz Huntley inspired the room as she shared how the power of a teacher helped change her life (see the video below for more on her story). Liz also encouraged our TA schools to consider applying for the Hope Institute as a way to learn how to systematically change the culture of their schools.

Dr. Greg DeJarnett challenged educators to serve others, while reminding them to take care of themselves. The afternoon provided time for educators from the different TA schools and districts to share best practices and brainstorm solutions to the various issues facing our schools. It was definitely a day that touched the heart and mind of all in the room.

HERE are the slides from the meeting.

Students from ABC Elementary in Wilcox County represented their school district at Governor Ivey's State of the State Address. Wilcox County was recognized for having the highest percent of growth on the 2023 ACAP Reading test. As part of their visit to the state capital, students were able to visit with State Superintendent, Dr. Eric Mackey, and tour the Capital Building prior to being honored guests at the State of the State Address.

The research is clear: Teaching is the most important school-related factor that determines student success. More than a decade of research confirms that National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) positively impact student learning. National Board Certification was designed to develop, retain and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. It’s the highest certification a teacher may obtain in addition to being the most respected one.

The cost of obtaining this certification can be offset through acquisition of this grant. Please share this information with your staff. HERE is an information sheet for you to share.

Alabama NBCT Rank

• 11th in the nation with a total of 3,634 National Board Certified teachers.
• 5th highest total of new NBCTs (199) in December of 2023.
• 7th in maintaining NBCT with 261 educators successfully completing their Maintenance of Certification.
• 7th in the nation regarding the percentage of its teaching force holding NBCT status with 9.36% earning NBCT status.

For more information, click HERE.

Below are a few areas to focus on for March:

Turnaround Leadership

• Summer will be here soon so it is not too early to make plans for any retreats or summer professional learning you have planned for you and your staff.

Talent Development

• School districts will be finalizing staff allocations for local schools over the next few weeks. How will your 20-Day enrollment numbers impact the number of teachers on your staff? Will you be adding staff this year or did your enrollment decrease causing a loss in staff? How will you allocate the staff you receive and what areas will you need to supplement with your Turnaround funds?

Instructional Transformation

• It is never too late to improve. Based on evidence from your various student assessments and ATOT observations, where does your school need to focus the most to improve. Reach out to your OSI Specialist to discuss the needs of your faculty and determine what supports can be put in place to support their needs.

Culture Shift

• The very best strategies will not succeed in a school with a toxic culture. Do you know what a healthy school culture looks like? Do you know key indicators of a toxic culture? If you are not sure about the answer to either of these questions, I encourage you to take a look at the Hope Institute that Liz Huntley discussed at our February Turnaround Academy. The Hope Institute is successfully helping schools across our state build healthy school cultures.

July 2023

August 2023

September 2023

October 2023

November 2023

January 2024

February 2024

Email: tim.solley@alsde.edu
Website: https://sway.office.com/x6GMkvnr5n1z2O6F
Twitter: @Tim_Solley