GLISI Base Camp and Summit Framework™ - BROWSE INDEX MODE

Organizing for Improvement Modules

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PBM TitleDescription
Balanced Performance Improvement Series - Leading a District through SACS Accreditation Using the Balance ScorecardWhen preparing for SACS review, you can save a great deal of time and effort by leveraging your district’s current Balanced Scorecard. With a few modifications, your Scorecard can serve as evidence for meeting the SACS standards. This module will show you how to link your district’s strategic objectives, as documented in your Balanced Scorecard, to the seven SACS standards.

Topics:
• Reviewing SACS Standards
• Linking SACS Standards to the Balanced Scorecard

 

Communications Series, 2 of 4-Leading a Team to Develop a Communications PlanBe proactive rather than reactive in your communications.  Communication planning means sending the right messages to your staff, parents, and the community while building capacity within your school to communicate effectively the messages the community wants and needs to hear.

Topics:
•  Setting communication goals and objectives
•  Formulating key messages and implementation actions
•  Determining how to evaluate results
•  Identifying resources, developing a budget, and finalizing the plan

 

Communications Series, 3 of 4-Leading a Team to Promote Positive Community RelationsPromote positive community relations between your school and the community by providing staff support structures, establishing positive contact with the community, and improving the school's appearance.

Topics
•  Improving staff support structures
•  Establishing community contact standards
•  Improving the school’s appearance

 

Communications Series, 4 of 4-Teaming With Your CommunityThis module will help school teams plan and implement activities that engender trust and positive school improvement.

•  Understanding your community
•  Teaming for better communications
•  Teaming to provide greater student learning
•  Teaming to serve your community

 

Conducting Effective Meetings to Improve Student Achievement and Organizational EffectivenessIn this module you will learn to conduct effective meetings that will save time and resources by establishing team guidelines and meeting procedures, and conducting a meeting audit to ensure expectations were met and the purpose accomplished. This module represents a value-added leadership skill, which is important to your development as a leader across all roles.

Topics
•  Establishing effective meeting procedures
•  Documenting effective meeting notes
•  Conducting an effective meeting audit

 

Developing a Performer Path Plan-Mapping Exemplary PerformancesMapping the performance skills of an aspiring or developing leader in your school as supported by data using the 8 Roles of School Leaders™ Mastery Maps provides the documentation needed to build a Performer Path Plan that will result in meeting or exceeding performance criteria.

Topics:
• Mapping exemplary performance
• Building a Performer Path Plan

 

Leading a Team Through Group Decision-makingUse techniques such as brainstorming, multi-voting, and reaching consensus to guide the decision-making process.

Topics:
• Overview of the group decision-making process
• Brainstorming
• Multi-voting
• Consensus

 

Leading a Team to Analyze and Display Data Using Quality ToolsMake complex issues simple and easy to understand for stakeholders by using quality tools to analyze and display information. School leaders and their teams can use these three quality tools to inform team decision-making for school improvement.

Topics:
• The Process Flow Chart
• The Check Sheet
• The Pareto Chart

 

Leading a Team to Conduct a Communications AuditSend the right messages to parents and the community by utilizing effective communication planning. Conduct a communication audit when new leadership roles are filled, when there are negative reports in the media about your school, or the school is developing a communication plan to ensure audiences receive the right message in the right way at the appropriate time.

Topics:
• Getting started
• Collecting communications data
• Analyzing communications data
• Preparing a final report

 

Leading a Team to Conduct Action ResearchDescription:
Action research is a type of formalized problem solving in which practitioners collect and use data to assess student performance and investigate potential solutions to problems. Schools that regularly conduct effective action research demonstrate improved achievement over time.

Topics:
• Selecting an Action Research Topic
• Reviewing Related Literature
• Applying Action Research Methodology
• Analyzing the Research Results Data

 

Leading a Team to Develop Effective Verbal SkillsThis modules presents eight specific verbal skills, the characteristics of each, and how and when to apply them. In this module you will learn a process for listening to the student, diagnosing the situation from the student’s perspective, and applying the verbal skills needed to resolve the issue.

Topics:
•  Using positive tone and phrasing
•  Asking effective questions
•  Using effective phrases and statements

 

Leading a Team to Develop SMART GoalsDevelop SMART goals using performance measures related to identified school improvement initiatives. (Revised 7/08)

Topics:
• Developing SMART Goals
• Checking SMART Goal alignment
• Engaging a team in developing SMART Goals

 

Leading Better-seeking Teams - Orienting and FocusingAfter recruiting and selecting team members to be part of the Better Seeking Team (BST), the next critical step is to get the team oriented and focused on the task at hand. This module shows you how to empower your BST to achieve higher levels of performance on improvement initiatives. (Revised 05/10)

Topics:
•  Orienting the BST
•  Focusing the BST on Team Roles
•  Focusing the BST on Professional Learning
•  Focusing the BST on Team Assignments

 

Leading Better-seeking Teams - Recruiting and SelectingDescription:
Select and recruit individuals who collaborate successfully as a Better-seeking Team on improvement initiatives to help the school and students achieve their goals.  (Revised 05/10)


Topics:
• Defining personal characteristics of the BST
• Identifying team roles and responsibilities of the BST
• Recruiting and selecting a BST

 

Leading Tactical MeetingsMaster the three critical elements of a Weekly Tactical Meeting: Lightning Round - team members summarize primary weekly activities and provide others opportunity for clarification questions; Progress Review -  reporting  key metrics toward the organizational goals; Real-Time Agenda -  based on how the school/system is performing against its goal.

Topics:
• Getting Started with Tactical Meetings
• Leading a Tactical Meeting


 

Leading Team DiscussionsInvolve all team participants in a natural flow of conversation that leads to a common understanding of the issues for effective discussions.  The discussion process includes effective questioning and active listening skills.

Topics:
• Asking Questions
• Active Listening
• Dealing With Counter-productive Behavior
• Leading a Discussion

 

Negotiating for Improved School EffectivenessWhen parties can't agree on a solution to a problem or conflict, effective communication becomes critical in order to reach an acceptable agreement. This module presents a negotiation process that you can use to identify strategies that will result in successful interventions.

Topics:
●  Know Yourself and Your Opposition (Analyze)
●  Prepare to Negotiate (Design)
●  Work Toward a Solution (Develop)
●  Close the Negotiation (Implement)

 

Planning for Difficult SituationsAs a result of many kinds of unexpected and difficult situations, students and/or staff can experience physical problems or threats at school. When these situations occur, the leader must be able to respond quickly in a manner that provides the safest environment possible to all individuals.

Topics:
•  Updating your school safety plan
•  Preparing school staff and community for emergencies
•  Conducting a simulated drill

 

Scheduling Basics for Elementary SchoolsThis module defines the data required to undertake the school scheduling process. Participants learn who to involve, when and how to solicit input and support, and how to use scheduling tools. This module has been written so each part can be done manually. This is a Zip folder containing 5 files which must be extracted prior to use.

Topics:
•  Projecting resource requirements
•  Defining the model
•  Creating the master schedule
•  Completing the school schedule

 

Standards-based Classroom Series, 2 of 2-Conducting Standards-based Classroom ObservationsThis module applies observation techniques and focuses them on the Standards-based Classroom (SBC). SBC criteria are used to provide formative evaluation to help a school implement a SBC. The leader/observer will look for indicators to document the components present, how well components are being implemented, and indicate opportunities for improvement.

Topics:
•  Conducting an Awareness Walk
•  Developing Assessment Tools and Rubrics
•  Conducting In-depth Observations
•  Providing Feedback

 

Using Leader Stories to Build Shared Vision and CommitmentSuccessfully influence various audiences in their organizations by developing a series of leadership stories. In this module, you will learn how to develop and tell leadership stories such as:  Who I Am, Who We Are, and The Future Story. Leadership Stories drive school improvement initiatives.

Topics:
• Creating Your Who I Am Story
• Creating Your Who We Are Story
• Creating Your Future Story
• Sharing Your Leader Stories

 

Writing With Impact for Effective CommunicationEffective communication skills form the foundation for successful school management. These skills are so basic that often we overlook their significance. This module focuses on ways to help you fine-tune and master this essential craft. You will learn how to analyze, draft, and finalize effective memos and business letters used for school communications.

Topics:
•  Writing Memos that Matter
•  Writing Letters that Mean Business