Embedded Files
A cross-functional leadership team sets a clear vision for the school, its culture, and what teaching
and learning look like before putting technology in classrooms.
All guiding questions are aligned to the element criteria located in the Portfolio Guide.
SCHOOL GOALS + PROGRESS (PLP)
SCHOOL GOALS + PROGRESS (PLP)
Guiding Questions:
Explain how the artifacts align with accomplishing the action steps described in the Professional Learning Plan.
1: Increase student achievement via our LEAP scores. Everything we do is rooted in the belief that all students can achieve, and our artifacts are part of that greater goal. Interim data Element 2.
2: Increase student confidence with Everybody Writes strategies. Our priority to keep devices in working order, allowing equitable access, and continuing to offer teachers robust resources all lend themselves to teachers being able to incorporate writing across every subject – through digital projects, digital collaboration, and more.
3: Ensure academic equity for all students by leveraging technology to close performance gap between scholars with IEPs and those without. Many of our elements point to this goal specifically because the work we do with VILS to strive for the 8 VILS outcomes means we are on the right path.
4/STEM: Teachers use Amplify Science with fidelity and begin incorporating Discovery Education resources while introducing VILS digital collaboration techniques. This starts with our TLC, which includes two science teachers who were not only part of our Discovery Education application, and are also very invested in our application for the Immersive Media Lab. These two teachers are leaders on their teams who provide opportunity for us to try new methods, and to have a place for teachers who are new to look for ideas and resources, as well as modeling success with these new concepts.
What could you have done differently to meet those goals?
I think we are on the right path to reach these goals. As we move forward through the year, despite many obstacles from COVID and from Hurricane Ida, we have stayed the course. My coaching helps connect teachers to grab-and-go resources and timely feedback so they can continue focusing on their content in a way that allows tech to enhance our practices and not always feel like something additional or cumbersome.
How are school/district leaders part of the learning process?
Our principal is a participant in all VILS Learning Experiences. As a former teacher who was a founding member in our school, she is always invested in staying informed on what teachers are learning and what resources can be deployed to impact teaching and learning in our school.
In order to support teachers in implementing Discovery Education into their practice, we needed families to sign letters of approval for student login. We ran a fun campaign with a raffle where students could win book fair gift cards or Discovery swag, and we gave away special passes for incentives.
Mrs. Santoro leads a Nearpod lesson for a hybrid SPED class. Her lessons leverage technology to give students different ways to build their learning, multiple ways to respond to questions, and provides high levels of engagement for our scholars who need the most focused support.
TLC member and grade-level chair, Ms. Coleman, introduces a digital collaboration project in 8th grade science that includes an Amplify Science sim, as well as a collaboration rubric. Ms. Coleman is a consistent model for others in incorporating new tech and teaching methods with tech in her classroom. She has been invaluable to our team as we have grown with VILS.
In our first and second years with VILS, we have leveraged ST Math to build engagement and increase achievement for students. We have used ST Math for intervention classes for every student, and have also held class competitions for minutes spent learning with Jiji! We plan to have a visit from Jiji in the spring semester.
SCHOOL + DISTRICT LEADERSHIP
SCHOOL + DISTRICT LEADERSHIP
Guiding Questions:
How does the campus leadership team model and collaborate with each other to support campus goals?
The campus leadership is in constant communication with each other in regards to our campus goals. Weekly meetings are held with the Directors Team and one on one meetings are held weekly with the Principal to discuss campus and individual goals. The Director’s of Curriculum and Instruction for grades PK-8 collaborate on different initiatives, which ensures that our school community is aligned and a consistent message is being communicated to our staff and students. VILS coach and principal meet monthly to discuss VILS progression and needs. VILS coach observes teachers and provides feedback to teachers in order to support all teachers with the integration of technology in the classroom and during instruction.
How does the district leadership team innovate and collaborate to ensure long-term sustainable practices?
District leadership communicates with the Principal about any trends and new initiatives, which allows for increased student innovation on campus. Weekly meetings are held with the district leader to discuss new initiatives and campus goals. Our district ensures that VILS coaches across our campuses are in constant contact and are aware of each other’s needs to ensure all campuses are supported.
Have you created documentation of policies for teacher and student device usage?
Yes, students and their parents co-sign a handbook at the beginning of the year in order to receive their devices. They participate in lessons around caring for their device and basic troubleshooting. Teachers participated in their own VILS rollout presentation that also introduced new staff to Google Classroom in the same session. They joined a staff Google Classroom where they used their device as a student to learn how to use the stylus, tablet mode, and on-screen functions.
Have you implemented best practices gained from leadership calls, national calls, and IT calls? Can you point to ways in which you've modified your PL and IT practices as a result of reflection and learning from others?
There is a constant collaboration across our network on all things VILS. We have aligned most tech management practices, and we frequently troubleshoot together. We also look outward and gather tips from VILS calls as far as creative documents or management tools.
Gift sticker for '21-22 TLC.
Photo credit: Etsy listing in the link.
TEACHER LEADER CORPS
TEACHER LEADER CORPS
Guiding Questions:
Were TLC members given the opportunity to lead trainings at your campus?
We haven't had many whole group trainings this year, but our TLC members have been a crucial part of several initiatives for the past two years, including modeling workshop/LX learning via TIM-C, piloting new apps and programs, participating in helping us to apply for new partnerships by doing interviews, giving testimonies or speaking to outside partners about the work we do at our school.
How has the group impacted school improvement or student learning?
Our TLC members model what successful use of tech in the classroom looks like. They share resources and ideas, and even make connections across schools. Coaches work together to help connect coaches by content. Our TLC members are so committed, they've even met after hours to talk about leveraging tech in the math classroom!
In an effort to collaborate across schools and help teachers grow their professional networks, we facilitated an after-school happy hour with two math teachers who are part of TLC at their respective schools.
We aimed to Zoom during the day, but when planning periods didn't align, we got creative!
Ms. Caldwell, 8th grade math teacher at Habans, and Mrs. Blackwell, 5th grade math teacher at Tubman met with their coaches after hours to chat about math collaboration, new apps, and fun templates.
Text message exchange between VILS coaches and TLC members at Habans and Tubman.
TLC member Dara Coleman has taken on the role of Lab Mentor for our new Immersive Media Lab coming next school year! That's not all, though – all year long, Dara has been using what she learns through coaching and other VILS opportunities to build engaging science lessons for her scholars, share ideas, and has constant excitement about the possibilities with student tech! She attended a science conference in April with another TLC member, Brittany James, and during a Discovery Ed session, because they were the only ones familiar with the program, received DE lab coats and brought one back for their VILS coach!
All VILS coaches at Crescent City Schools, plus the new Lab Mentor for the Immersive Media Lab and the Operations Manager at Habans have joined ISTE and will attend the conference in June!
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