Welcome Back August 30, 2010

1. Radnor Township School District Welcome BackAugust 30, 2010

2. Children First… “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller

3. 2008 –Shared Responsibility2009 – Collaboration2010- Decisions and Implementation FOCUS LEADERSHIP CAPACITY REFLECTION COLLABORATION

4. Change “To improve is to change. To be perfect is to change often.” – Winston Churchill “It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.” – Alan Cohen *Changing Minds.org

5. Change • The Change Imperative: No organization can ignore it • The Psychology of Change: Starts from the very beginning • The Kübler-Ross Grief Cycle: The emotional cycle on being given bad news • Lewin’s Freeze Phases: Unfreeze, transition, refreeze • Resistance to Change: People push back against change *Changing Minds.org

6. Positive Change Cycle *Changing Minds.org

7. Positive Change Cycle

8. Six Commitments: R.A.D.N.O.R. A framework for decision-making and change Recognize Assess Define Network Organize Rejoice

9. Six Commitments: R.A.D.N.O.R. A framework for decision-making and change Recognize& Rejoice • Education is our primary business • In the beginning and at the end, we bookend our daily business with recognition and celebration • Decisions are based on putting students first. We will celebrate our successes

10. Six Commitments: R.A.D.N.O.R. A framework for decision-making and change Assess & Organize • Having honest assessment of our practices • Using authentic data to drive plans • Organizing our current resources to implement • Setting up benchmarking systems to evaluate our progress

11. Gathering Data • Internal and external factors will lead to the need for change. • Culture will help shape our approach to change. • Function follows form. • Find the systemic and root causes. • Complexity of target drives complexity of method. *Changing Minds.org

12. Six Commitments: R.A.D.N.O.R. A framework for decision-making and change Determine (technology) & Network • Evaluate how technology can facilitate both instructional and operational processes • Frequent and clear communication processes for collaboration, support and honest feedback

13. Change • Boiling the frog: Incremental changes may well not be noticed. • Burning bridges: Ensure there is no way back. • Burning platform: Expose or create a crisis to get things going. • Challenge: Inspire them to achieve remarkable things. • Command: Tell them what to do. • Destabilizing: Shake people of their comfort zone. • Evidence for change: Cold, hard data to show need for change. • Evidence stream: Show them time and again that the change is happening. • Education: Teach them to change. • First steps: Make it easy to get going. • Institutionalization:Build change into the formal systems and structures. *Changing Minds.org

14. Change • Involvement: Give them an important role. • Management by Objectives: Tell people what to do, but not how. • Management Causality Mapping: Help a team see its own role. • Open Space: People talking about what interests them. • Re-education: Train the people you have in new knowledge/skills. • Reward alignment: Align rewards with desired behaviors. • Setting Goals: Give them a formal objective. • Socializing: Build it into the social fabric. • Visioning: Create a motivating view of the future. • Whole-system Planning: Everyone planning together. *Changing Minds.org

15. Strategic Plan • Review of progress and accomplishments for past three years • Compilation of emerging needs • Review of recommendations • Revisions, additions and deletions • Presentation to Core Team • Board Approval • Submission to PDE by September 1, 2010

16. Curriculum & Instruction Curriculum • Cycle and process reviewed • Curriculum Connector (store and share high-quality curriculum) in place • PDE Standards Aligned Curriculum completed Instruction • Teacher access to Performance Tracker data warehouse • Reviewed and revision of common benchmark assessments • Differentiated instruction, literacy, technology staff development • Instruction to meet needs of all students Assessment • Data-driven assessment system to inform instruction • Analysis of data at building and district level • Assessment Builder to frame benchmark assessments • Data Wise System for data team systems

17. Professional Development Curriculum • Curriculum Connector: standards, essential questions, enduring understandings, knowledge, skills, resources Instruction • Teacher job-embedded support in differentiated instruction, literacy, instructional technology, co-teaching and collaborative consultation (REI) • Instruction to meet needs of all students including ELL and gifted • Six hours of flex in-service based upon district initiatives and building needs Assessment • Performance Tracker: data-driven assessment system to inform instruction

18. PSSAs …Investing in Excellence

19. Applying the R.A.D.N.O.R. Framework • Recognize – all schools made AYP • Assess – data informs us: what is happening in subgroups, provides PVASS information, and facilitates our curricular alignment to standards and benchmarking strategies • Determine technology – how we can use technology to enhance and support instruction, to improve student scores, and to provide options for professional development

20. Applying the R.A.D.N.O.R. Framework • Network with colleagues in schools (professional learning communities), among schools and across districts to cultivate best practices and effective strategies • Organize supports and resources within the school and apply them to meet student needs at all levels • Rejoice, review, revise as necessary and celebrate appropriately using an effective benchmarking system to determine our progress

21. Student Services & Special Education • Successful state audit of special education & state report card compliance • Collaboration between regular and special education teachers for curriculum development • Supports and services in the regular education setting for all students • Elementary student assistance teams • Intervention/extension schedule • Redefined role of special education teachers • Research-based remedial materials, programs, assessments • PSSA/AYP data shows ongoing progress • Data-based assessment of student progress to inform instruction • Mental health supports • Medical access program

22. Instructional Technology Software Applications • Internet and network acceptable use guidelines introduced for elementary • 24 teachers participated in ACTS (Aligning Curriculum and Technology to Standards) • Increased use of Web 2.0 tools • High School – Edu20 for student and teacher collaboration • Middle School – Audacity for recording interviews and poetry • Elementary – Voice Thread for integrating geometry and art • E-minders go Web-based Hardware Applications • Installed more than 80 electronic whiteboards (60 through grants, PTOs, REF) • Upgraded 3rd grade classrooms • Upgraded elementary computer labs • Added 244 student laptops • Introduced mini-netbooks

23. Information Technology • Software Applications • Migration of core software applications to hosted environment over Internet • Configuration and support for all student information systems • eSchoolPlus, IEP Plus, Teacher Access Center, Home Access Center, medical package • Support for financial applications • eFinancePlus, Employee Access Center, food service hardware & software • Migration to new Internet service provider, increasing bandwidth to 30MB dedicated connection • In-house management of firewall and content filtering Hardware Applications • Installed scalable storage area network for increased electronic storage needs • Expanded file server virtualization for greater efficiencies for server use and applications support. • Installed new Fortinet Firewall appliance for network security and content filtering • Building unified district-wide wireless network with guest access • Replaced infrastructure of core network equipment

24. Business Office • Successful financial audit 2008-2009 • Electronic W2s for all employees • Legal and auditing resources for PTOs and club volunteers • Cash flow optimization program for investment income • Centralized, integrated accounts receivable program completing first year • Electronic fixed assets program continuously updated

25. E-Team • IEP Plus application • E-Schoolhouse food service software • Online student lunch payments • Electronic requisition system with budget approval process • Electronic payroll document storage • E-Bidding with DCIU • Parent access to electronic report cards (RHS/RMS) • Electronic payroll processing • E-Filing system with imaging and storage • Electronic district-wide calendar sharing • Electronic student health screening • Online school pictures purchasing (RHS/RMS) • Copier/printer upgrade

26. Food Service • 227,019 complete, nutritious lunches served • 16,596 complete, nutritious breakfasts served • Health inspectors cited extremely clean kitchens • RTSD serves food below fat requirement (27.37% fat vs. 30% required, per state audit)

27. Human Resources • 99.9% teaching staff rated “highly qualified” • Substitute fill rate increased from 87.1% in 2008-09 to 96.9% in 2009-10 • Advertising budget reduced by more than $10,000 by redesigning advertising for vacancies • Application process for professional employees now completely electronic, saving time and money • More than 33 administrative regulations developed in alignment with board policy • Additional in-house professional development for administration implemented • Exit interview protocol implemented

28. Communications • H1N1 state reporting program completed • ComCom • Community relations • Online Community Bulletin Board • District Web site content updated; district Web re-design • Grant group; development/fundraising work • Media relations • Teacher professional development in communications • District and school-based events • Various PR/communications initiatives • Budget, district green/paperless initiative, Abitibi, etc. • Electronic district/school calendars • Master calendar, including facilities rentals, planned • Liaison work with PTOs, REF, RHSSF, Radnor Alumni Council • Board member of PenSPRA

29. Operations • Implemented new visitor management system, scanning 17,000 visitors • Installed new wireless infrastructure at elementary schools • Participated in DELCO emergency POD planning/H1N1 distribution • Applied for $26,000 in snow removal reimbursement • Received $5,600 in PECO incentives • Completed more than $1 million in capital improvements • Installed 30 LCD projectors and 14 Smart Boards • Installed 114 additional computer drops • Qualified for $1.5 million for renovation of WES (QSCB) • Ongoing funding of capital improvement plan • Researching large-scale solar power projects

30. Transportation • 54 drivers, 60 school buses as of 2009-2010 • 10 years without a maintenance failure on the road • Transportation Department provides transportation for 902 extracurricular events • Driver training programs offered; generate revenue for district • Random drug and alcohol testing of employees each year • Transportation Department transports to 90 public and private schools • Anti-idling initiative saved 4,000 gallons of diesel for 2009-2010 • Biodiesel fuel grant • Collaborative relationships with other districts for cost savings

31. Transportation 2010-2011 Modifications • Consolidated bus runs • Consolidated bus stops • Redesigned drop-off traffic flow at RHS • Adjusted elementary and middle school bus runs (and school start and end times) by 5 minutes • Cost savings: $185,000

32. We must learn to view change as a natural phenomenon – to anticipate it and to plan for it. The future is ours to channel in the direction we want to go... we must continually ask ourselves, “What will happen if ... ?” or better still, “How can we make it happen?” -Lisa Taylor