At a theme-based magnet school, the schools vision and mission should be used to align and unify all aspects of the school. Magnet themes should significantly shape classroom instruction in core classes as well as electives or specials, extracurricular activities, the School Improvement Plan, Professional Development Plans, teacher walk-through feedback, positive behavior frameworks, character education, classroom rules, etc.

• Strategic Leadership: Creates processes to ensure the school’s theme-based vision, mission, values, beliefs and goals actually drive decisions and inform the culture of the school;

• Instructional Leadership: Focuses his or her own and others’ attention persistently and publicly on learning and teaching by initiating and guiding conversations about instruction and student learning that are oriented towards high expectations, concrete goals that integrate the magnet theme. Ensures that the school has adequate instructional and curriculum support specific to the magnet theme.;

• Cultural Leadership: Systematically develops and uses shared values, beliefs and a shared vision to establish a school identity aligned with its magnet theme that emphasizes a sense of community and cooperation to guide the disciplined thought and action of all staff and students;

• Human Resources Leadership: Provides for results-oriented professional development that is aligned with the schools magnet theme and identified curricular, instructional, and assessment needs; is connected to school improvement goals; and is differentiated based on staff needs;

• Managerial Leadership: Monitors the school budget and the inclusion of all teachers in the budget decisions so as to meet the needs of every classroom and adequately support the magnet theme (Use of magnet funds must be aligned with the magnet theme); and

• External Leadership Development: Garners fiscal, intellectual and human resources from the community that support the school and district's learning agenda in addition to the magnet theme of the school;

Start of the School Year

• Designation of magnet coordinator position and other magnet related duties

• Theme related professional development for new teachers as well as theme related differentiated PD for returning teachers

• Embed magnet theme into the work of PLCs and teacher evaluation processes

First Quarter

• Plan for November Showcase of Schools and school tour dates and other events

• Draft any recruiting materials to be sent to translation

• Start on MSA award application

Second Quarter

• Showcase of Schools early November

• Tours and other recruiting events throughout November, December, and January

• MSA award applications due mid-November

January/February

• Lottery window closes at the end of January

• Prepare for the registration of new families in early March, update forms, informational statements, and parent emails and send to translation

• Plan welcome events for new families in March

• Make arrangements if attending the MSA spring conference

• Start gathering intent information from current students

March

• Complete the first round of lottery seating and gather data on the number of unfilled seats

• Continuing gathering intent information from current students

Spring/Summer

• Utilize planned waitlist draws to fill remaining open seats

• Plan magnet budget for next year

• Plan student orientation events for next year

Throughout the School Year

• Reinforce the focus on the magnet theme through instructional coaching and teacher walk-throughs as well as professional development and the work of PLCs

• Highlight school successes and maintain positive publicity for the school