May 2021
LEARNING COMMUNITY CONVENING
Wednesday, May 5 - Thursday, May 6
V I R T U A L
Wednesday, May 5 - Thursday, May 6
V I R T U A L
MEETING OBJECTIVES
Make meaningful connections with role-alike peers from other Wider Learning Ecosystem school teams
Participate in a virtual site visit to Manchester West High School (NH) highlighting continuous improvement efforts (Indicator of School Quality - #7E)
Construct, share, and analyze each school’s design story for continuous improvement in preparation for Year 3 implementation and aligned to a prioritized Indicator of School Quality
SCHOOL VISIT:
Manchester West High School (NH)
Manchester West v. 1 Pre-Work.docxPRE-WORK
Learn more about Manchester West and genuinely exciting moments (GEMs)
Learn more about Manchester West and genuinely exciting moments (GEMs)
Out of School Learners:
Afternoon Session
WLE OSL CoP 0505/21.pptx
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MATERIALS
Home base for each communities'
Spring 2021 convening documents
Home base for each communities'
Spring 2021 convening documents
AGENDA
Wednesday, May 5
8:00 a.m.
Optional: Coffee and Conversation
Connect with technology and one another informally
8:15 a.m.
START
Welcome, connections and overview
Share an overview of the learning activities for the day and establish initial relationships
8:30 - 9:45 a.m.
(1 hr, 15 min)
SESSION I: Continuous Improvement
Launch a four part series across the two days to define and practice telling our individual school design continuous improvement stories. Identify the GEMS (genuine exciting moments) or significant moments of impact that provide evidence of continuous improvement.
Whole group: Framing and GEMS from 1 student per school
School teams: Sharing of GEMS (Genuine Exciting Moments) from each team member; Alignment of GEMS to design priorities
9:45 - 10:00 a.m.
(15 min)
Spotlight: Manchester West HS Welcome
Context about Manchester West High School, including intentional redesign efforts and hopes for the convening
Facilitators: Eli Glass, Alexander Russell, and Diana Lebeaux
10:00 a.m.
Break
Choice Strands
Shifting Mindset
Connecting to the Wider Learning Ecosystem
10:15 - 10:45 a.m.
(30 min)
Changing the Way Adults Think through Anti-Racism Training
Describe staff-wide participation in 228 Accelerator’s Designing at the Margins professional learning series and its immediate impact on culture and learning
Facilitator: Liz Kirwan
Panel: Tracy Muehling, Sophia Sheehan, Richella Simard, Josh Wilson
Our Community at Work
Share efforts to expand student internships and work-based experiences beyond the school
Facilitator: Sarah Lambert and Lucy Weathers
10:50 - 11:20 a.m.
(30 min)
Strengthening the Way Adults Work
through Teaming
Share lessons learned and seek input on accelerating grade-level team collaboration and professional learning communities focused on competency-based learning
Facilitators: Paul Pinard, Alexander Russell
Panel: Mary Kate Hartwell, Kelly Priddy, Captain Arthur Stauff
Empowering English Learners across the Wider Learning Ecosystem
Highlight intentional projects completed by EL students to impact change beyond the school walls
Facilitator: Liz Kirwan
Student presenters
Choice Options
Innovation Sprints
Showcase school-based innovations to spur networking and sharing of emerging best practices across our community of practice.
11:30 - 11:45 a.m.
(15 min)
Nokomis
PBL and Outdoor Learning
Somerville
College Partnerships and Mentorships
Blackstone
Using Professional Learning Groups
Manchester
TLE pilot:
Dystopian Literature
11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
(15 min)
Common Ground
Expanding Structures for Student Voice and Agency
Winooski
Student Activism
Chelsea OA
Work for credit
12:05 - 12:30 p.m.
(25 min)
Debrief
Identify new learning that inspires action and reflection for Manchester West and each school’s continuous improvement story
Mixed small group breakouts
Whole group share
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
(1 hr)
Lunch Break
1:30 - 1:45 p.m.
(15 min)
Reconnections
Build relationships among the convening participants and set the purpose for the afternoon’s learning
1:45 - 2:45 p.m.
(1 hr)
SESSION II: Continuous Improvement
Revisit the intention, vision, and redesign milestones by examining artifacts from each school team's 2019 proposal to the Barr Foundation
School teams -Focus on revisiting and documenting:
What will successful implementation look like at the end of year one, at the end of the three-year grant, and at the end of year five?
What will a typical day in the life of a student look like in the year 2021-2022?
Progress towards stated outcomes and outputs
2:45 - 3:00 p.m.
(15 min)
Reflections and Closure
Stamp learning from the day and preview the agenda for Thursday
3:00 - 3:30 p.m.
(30 min)
OSL Meeting
Special meeting of the Out of School Learning Community of Practice to collaboratively solve a featured problem of practice
Thursday, May 6
8:00 a.m.
Optional: Coffee and Conversation
Connect with technology and one another informally
8:15 a.m.
START
Welcome, connections and overview
Share an overview of the learning activities for the day and continue to build relationships across the schools
8:30 - 9:45 a.m.
(1 hr, 15 min)
SESSION III: Continuous Improvement
Prioritize implementation strategies and decisions to make significant progress towards goals in year 3 of implementation
Whole group framing
School teams
9:45 - 10:00 a.m.
(15 min)
Spotlight: Manchester West Knight Time (Advisory)
Learn about Manchester West High School's implementation priorities
Facilitators: Sarah Lambert, Paul Pinard
10:00 - 10:30 a.m.
(30 min)
Choice Sessions
Lighthouse Team Insights
Hear from the advisor and a student leader who are influencing the development of the advisory system
Co-Facilitators: Sarah Lambert and Lottie Emery
Design Thinking and Project-Based Learning within Advisory
Learn about how PBL with staff is supporting PBL work integration with students in advisories this spring
Facilitators: Paul Pinard, Zack Jones
10:30 a.m.
Break
10:45 a.m.
Observation of Knight Time
Observe the promising practice of Manchester West's advisory / primary person model with students and selected staff in real-time
Advisory Ambassadors:
1 - Sarah Lambert
2 - Paul Pinard, 3 - Sophia Sheehan, 4 - Mary Kate Hartwell, 5 - Liz Kirwin & Kelly Priddy, 6 - Aaron Czysz , 7- Rachel Ford , 8 - Richella Simard
11:25 a.m - 12:00 p.m.
(35 min)
Debrief
Provide feedback to the Manchester West team to deepen and strengthen their Knight Time implementation efforts
Small groups mixed across schools
Whole group with Sarah Lambert and Paul Pinard
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
(1 hr)
Lunch Break
1:00 - 1:10 p.m.
(10 min)
Reconnections
Build relationships among the convening participants and set the purpose for the afternoon’s learning
1:10 - 2:10 p.m.
(1 hr)
SESSION IV: Continuous Improvement
Prepare for and engage in a feedforward protocol to share and strengthen each school’s continuous improvement story and initial year 3 implementation priorities
Whole group framing (5 min)
Preparation for protocol
School presentations applying feedforward protocol - each team will have 1-2 presenters and others will support partner schools (25 min)
School team planning (30 min)
2:10 - 2:30 p.m.
(20 min)
FINISH
Reflections and Commitments
Share and synthesize key learnings and insights from the two-day convening. Make public statements of commitment. Provide appreciation.
2:30 - 3:00 p.m.
(30 min)
Team Lead Meeting
Review Year 3 implementation planning expectations and timelines with representatives from The Barr Foundation and The Learning Agenda