SIT+Summer+Retreat

Day 1 Agenda:
This is a great opportunity to use our positive energy to brainstorm and create. Our time together will not be focused on what hasn't happened, or what we didn't do in 2009-2010; rather, we focus on what we CAN do to improve. We will not hold ourselves back from creating the best school district in the state of Iowa... is that a lofty enough goal? This is a lot of work; it may seem draining. We will help support each other by laughing, having fun, brainstorming, thinking of possibilities instead of barriers. Together, we can make a difference for ALL of our kids. Divide into the following small groups and use the media assigned to your group to discuss what we believe Van Meter Schools should provide each student: Look at our vision statement on the google doc. Be thinking about what talking points we all need to be able to articulate to make our vision statement clear to all stakeholders.
 * 1. Welcome and Setting our Minds for our Purpose (15 minutes)**
 * 2. Vision discussion (45 minutes)**
 * Group 1 || Group 2 || Group 3 ||
 * Staci Braun || Lisa Ihnen || Ann Volk ||
 * Kelly Nelsen || Amber Schenck || Rebecca Comer ||
 * Stacey Wigant || Jared Lange || Janelle Thompson ||
 * Maribeth Arentsen || Deron Durflinger || John Carver ||
 * Jen Sigrist ||  || Tinna Walberg ||
 * @http://prezi.com/search/?q=universal+constructs || @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eGHAuV5yLo || @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga2CYYCrtNE ||
 * @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHiby3m_RyM&feature=channel || @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykq6XSO0c0M&feature=related || @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l72UFXqa8ZU&feature=related ||

HEART overview - What data can teachers access? HEART login Revisit the data discussion from our last SIT meeting. One question generated from last SIT meeting: Are the scores more a reflection of motivation rather than learning? To address the question, I asked the student leadership to talk with me about the results and testing. Preview of SLT discussion
 * 3. Digging deeper into district data (60 minutes)**
 * Summary of SLT responses for the following questions:**
 * **//What can we do to make the testing environment better?//** || **//What incentives would make a difference for a kid taking ITBS/ITED?//** ||
 * Everyone in one large area is preparation for the ACT || extra credit or something that will help my grade ||
 * Smaller group setting provides less distractions || I'd like to be recognized for improving my scores (even if my score is not as high as someone else's). ||
 * Weeks leading up to the test, teachers could make note of things that will be on the test || After we take the test, nothing happens. We get a piece of paper back that tells us some numbers, but nothing comes of it ||
 * Anything teachers can do to help us prepare for the environment (sitting, staying focused) would be helpful || I don't know what I am supposed to be aiming for. ||
 * Provide us options in testing environments || I'd like choices for incentives. Food may work for some, and others may want grades or a field trip. ||
 * Don't pull us from classes to take the tests. I'm worried about what I am missing in class. || The test scores should mean something. Like if we know how to do something, we shouldn't have to take it again in class. ||
 * Tell us what the district does with the scores - what happens to $ if we don't perform? ||  ||

We'll continue our data discussions to help inform our district instructional plan for next year.
 * 4. Review the annual goals for 2010-2011 (15 minutes)**

There are many different implementation and action plans required of our district. One district instructional plan will allow everyone to know what big items are in the works and how they will continue/impact things over time. ** This plan is a living document that will change to reflect our work and learning. A few posters of the district plan will be placed throughout the district in key planning areas. These posters will be laminated to write on and edit, and they'll be updated at least annually. See a draft of the plan below. Along with the District Instructional Plan, individual teachers will have a copy of annual action steps that our district is undertaking to meet district goals and vision. The action steps will shared electronically to reflect changes more easily. This tool will help us all see how the vision is being carried out month by month. It will also help us with communication and allow us to hold one another accountable for our part in accomplishing our goals. See the first draft of the Annual Action Steps. Creating the District Instructional Plan will take time to discuss and brainstorm. This work is often most effective in small groups so ideas can flow freely. Divide into the following small, K-12 groups to complete the next two tasks. **
 * 5. Overview of the District Instructional Plan (20 minutes)
 * 6. Creating the District Instructional Plan (2 hours)
 * Group 1 || Group 2 || Group 3 || Group 4 ||
 * Deron Durflinger || John Carver || Maribeth Arentsen || Jen Sigrist ||
 * Ann Volk || Staci Braun || Lisa Ihnen || Amber Schenck ||
 * Kelly Nelsen || Stacey Wigant || Rebecca Comer || Jared Lange ||
 * Tinna Walberg ||  ||   || Janelle Thompson ||

Complete Iowa Core Outcomes 1, 3, 4, and 5 Each group will review the self-study data for their assigned outcome and use that information to create action steps that will help our district implement the Iowa Core. Discuss priorities in your small group for all the action steps that you have listed. These priorities will be shared with the whole team to help us decide, as a whole, which actions need to be addressed next year and which action steps are for future years. Use the following google doc to recommend action steps to help us meet the Iowa Core. Recommended Actions Iowa Core Handbook scroll down to day 2 ICC training materials. Revisit the CSIP: The Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) is written every five years in line with the district's site visit and updated annually. Our CSIP was rewritten in 2009 and we will only need to review and update the plan. CSIP 2010 Draft

Go back to the vision statement google doc in item 2 from today's agenda. From today's work, what 3-5 talking points do we all need to have in our 30 second "elevator speech" when talking to community members and stakeholders about what Van Meter's vision for education looks like?
 * 7. Talking points for our vision (30 minutes)**

Handout for tomorrow's learning - Many of you have probably heard the term "professional learning community"; it has become so commonplace that it's used to describe virtually any loose group of individuals who share a common interest in education. Tomorrow we will be learning about PLC's together. You have some reading to do to prepare for tomorrow's work. Take the last 30 minutes of today's session to read chapter 1 of the book, //On Common Ground: The Power of Professional Learning Communities//. This book will be purchased for all staff members for next year to serve as common resource for our professional development. Also, complete the short reading, "What is a Professional Learning Community" and reaction log to start tomorrow's conversation.

=Day 2 Agenda= The purpose of this session is to introduce you to the PLC concept and show cultural shifts that must occur when a school decides to take action by becoming a PLC. Consider this: //"Schools have traditionally operated from the premise that educators have a responsibility to provide students with the opportunity to learn. Whether or not students actually learn depends on factors educators cannot influence, such as innate ability, student motivation, a home environment that supports and encourages learning, student work habits, and so on."// SIT's Notes on PLC's
 * 1. Welcome and Overview of the days work (10 minutes)**
 * 2. What is a Professional Learning Community? (3 hours)** //copyrighted material not displayed on this wiki//

Consider the balances between district goals, building goals, and the Iowa Core as we look at ways to use the professional development calendar to its fullest potential for learning. Draft of PLC dates for next year:
 * 3. Structure for PD 2010-2011**

What updates do we need to make to the district instructional plan based on our work from today?

What should we include in the preservice for all teachers? What do they need to make their professional development time most meaningful and productive? **
 * 4. What do we need to duplicate for our staff during pre-service?
 * 5. Commitment for next year - subcommittees

A//fter Day 1, we will decide if we need to meet for day 3. If the agendas are accurate, there may be no need to meet.// **