Educators know that getting students engaged is a real challenge. Engagement is down across America, with less than half of high school students feeling engaged. So what is the key to fixing this? The answer is student voice.
Strategic plans. Student engagement initiatives. Academic success goals. Whatever a plan is called, it usually starts full of hope and promise. But, despite all of the time and resources spent creating them, plans often fail. During the edLeader Panel “Beyond the Plan: Measuring, Adjusting, and Realigning Strategies for Success,” experts from The Center for Model Schools discussed the keys to successful plan implementation.
Presented by Mike Boraz, Chief of Network 15, Chicago Public Schools (IL); Tim Schell, Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction, Waunakee Community School District (WI); and Quinesha Tillman, Partnership Manager, PERTS
Presented by Dr. Jillian Whatley, Director of Professional Learning, Center for Model Schools; Dr. Marc J. Cohen, Instructional Leadership Coach, Center for Model Schools; and Dr. Joshua P. Starr, Former Superintendent, and Managing Partner, Center for Model Schools
Presented by Karen L. Mapp, Ed.D., Professor of Practice, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Anne T. Henderson, Founder and Senior Consultant, National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE); and Jenni Brasington, National Director, FACE, Scholastic
With the myriad of challenges facing current and future educators, schools cannot overlook the importance of having a workforce strategy in place. How that plan is developed and what it includes was discussed during the edLeader Panel, “Building Leader Capability and Capacity in Workforce Strategy: Addressing Attraction, Retention, and Educator Wellbeing.”
Presented by Dr. Baron R. Davis, Superintendent in Residence, PeopleBench; Dr. Tanya Wilson-Thevanesan, Deputy Superintendent, Fairport Central School District (NY); Chace Ramey, Deputy Superintendent, Iowa City Community School District (IA); and Fleur Johnston, CEO and Founder, PeopleBench
If students play an important role in fostering a positive school culture, then student voices should be at the forefront of conversations about school climate. That was the main message from the edLeader panel, “Amplifying Student Voice to Improve School Culture and Climate.” More important, the panelists shared how they integrate the students and their needs during every step of the process to make sure their voices aren’t lost.
Presented by Thomas Anderson, Superintendent of New Bedford Public Schools (MA); Jacqueline Greer, Chief Program Officer, Urban Teachers; Dr. Charlene Evans-Smith, Managing Director of Early Literacy, Instruction Partners; and Kerri Larkin, Senior Education Advisor, Education Partnerships
Moderated by Cassandra Wheeler, Senior Manager of LETRS State Success, Lexia Learning