ILC_Updates

Email sent May 26, 2010: =Please note: The information and documents here are works in progress and are __//not//__ intended for distribution in their current form.=

Thank you immensely for your dedication and sacrifices in lending the power of your collaborative minds to aligning our SAS school improvement plans. I hope you don't grow weary in doing well, knowing our future world will reap the benefits of our commitment to students, if we don't faint before the finish line. I have been wonderfully absorbed in full-day teacher retreats Admin planning meetings for 2010-11. As a result, there has been a good deal of "backstage" activity of which I wanted to keep you apprised:

D. Facilitators' Support Team
 * A. Assessment Task Force Recommendations**
 * B. Instructional Leadership Task Force Recommendations**
 * C. Professional Development Committee Recommendations

The Admin team is in retreat June 2nd and 3rd, along with our new superintendent, Dr. Kerry Jacobson and new elementary principal, Debbie Lane. This is our "strategic planning meeting" and our time to more fully review and incorporate team recommendations into this planning. **

Please know that after this email, I will post updates on THIS WIKI: I would like to stay out of your inbox. IF you would like to stay in the informational loop, please join and subscribe to **THIS WIKI** and click on the "Notify Me" tab above.

A. Assessment Task Force Recommendations
The Assessment Task Force (ATF), convened in the summer of 2007, held it's last meeting May 6th, proposing recommendations for the Admin planning retreat, held May 13th, 2010.
 * @http://sas-assessment-tf.wikispaces.com**

B. Instructional Leadership Task Force Recommendation
May 15th, 8 Instructional Task Force members met (yes, SATURDAY!) and lent their collaborative brain power to make recommendations for essential conditions for lasting school improvement and enduring change.
 * @http://sas-instructionalleadership.wikispaces.com

Those recommendations around dispositions, communication, and remain available on the Google Doc: **@http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ATLSovmANWnpZGZjNWc5Z2dfMTQxZmN0djZ4Z3A&hl=en

Tress, Alicia, and Wade are brainstorming a list of **SAS-specific acronyms** for new hires - join the fun: @http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ATLSovmANWnpZGZjNWc5Z2dfMTQ2Z2J6ZjJqaHA&hl=en

C. Professional Development Committee Recommendations

 * @http://saspd.wikispaces.com

Five Professional Development Committee members met to review their charter, the U.S. National Standards of Professional Development (NSDC), and to propose recommendations regarding the schoolwide gathering, or "Big Tent Day" in August during the pre-service week.

** As many are hearing, we are "launching" our schoolwide progress toward a balanced assessment system. We've all been assessing since we began our teaching careers; this is through a school-wide lens, following the WASC (self-study) recommendations that we "set in place a consistent, comprehensive school-wide assessment program that provides a balanced picture of student learning". Our goal is to have this in place in 2012; the August school wide day allows us a chance to talk about what it is we do. Regretfully, we totally confused one teacher leader who thought we were actually erecting a tent on the Puxi campus for Dr. Jacobson's welcome address, professional conversations, and the BBQ. Normally, he's pretty smart.

D. The Facilitators' Support Team
//Contact Jason Robinson for wiki url and access.//

This team of highly-trained facilitators met in retreat Monday, May 24th to review their charter, propose recommendations, to discuss the status of professional learning communities and use of Critical Friends group in planning for 2010-11, and to transition primary administrative leadership from Alicia Lewis, to Vice-Principal Jason Robinson (Elementary School, Pudong Campus)

**
 * This team will be key in lending support to facilitators for the August "Big Tent" celebration during orientation week.

E. The Digital Leaders or Technology Resource Facilitators
//Contact your divisional Digital Leader/TRF for wiki url and access. Out in Shanghai days are posted on the Ed Programs calendar along with other professional development opportunities:// **@http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=gi2vef1i646jedliqm0gn0h638%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=Asia/Shanghai&pvttk=5df0a0d6fe489ad7ade47cbfe61ac3ef**

[[image:obi-wan-kenobi-01-large.jpg width="99" height="71" align="left"]]

 * We deeply value your work as leaders in our organization. In strengthening our communication loops, we may, from time to time, bring you in on the ground floor of various documents and processes. Please understand the trust with which we do this: we hold your dispositions regarding our school processes to a very high standard. Your attitude in conveying information deeply influences the tone for the culture of your division. Use your power for good.**