Starting from Scratch

1. Starting from Scratch Building culture, systems and traditions for the new school in Penhold

2. What we need to accomplish today… • Get to know one another a bit better • Have a look at the big rocks and many of the challenges that face us this year • Work on goals for this year and begin a plan to complete them • Establish the foundations of what the new school is all about

3. Introductions • At your table: • Introduce yourself and • Share one thing that you are excited about with coming to the new school • Share one thing you are curious about in regards to the new school

4. Getting a Look at What Lies Ahead • Having a clear vision of what we are embarking on is critical to our success. • Optifog lenses Video - The Dog – YouTube

5. The Big RocksFoundational Beliefs • What you told us you wanted the school to be based on: • Relationships, a strong sense of community / family • High academic standards, rigorous programming • Collaboration, shared responsibility & decision making • Respect, trust, support and accountability • Success for all students • Character building • Consistent, high expectations • Communication • Involved students • Safe and caring • Innovation • Pride in the school and community, partner with parents

6. The Big RocksFoundational Beliefs • What the QLE and research says: • Connected and engaged students • Success for all students • Focus on academics and results by improving instruction • Collaborative, reflective practitioners • Focus on student inquiry • Challenging, encouraging and believing in students • Data driven

7. The First Challenge • Using the chart paper, identify your top five priorities for our shared foundational beliefs. • Be prepared to speak to these as we share with the other groups.

8. The Big RocksSystems and Structures • To open a school in September 2014 we need: • - furnishings, supplies and equipment that suit specific programming • - learning resources • - a timetable and plan for course offerings that fit what our students need our class sizes and flexibility time • - inclusion programming, student supports and counseling • - technology • - student assessment and evaluation practices • - staff and student expectations and handbooks • - programming that gets the most from the joint facility • - programming for the learning commons and collaboration room • - active and supportive school council • - student leadership • - communication and meeting structures • - identifying students in need of support

9. The Flexibility Project • This project will be a major building block for us to create opportunities for our students to become full partners in their learning. • The project allows for fewer minutes of actual classroom instruction to facilitate greater student contact with teachers outside of the classroom to access one on one or small group instruction.

10. The Second Challenge • Knowing that the Flexibility Project will influence many of our systems, review the literature at your table on Flexibility. • Using the chart paper, identify the top five priorities and identify those systems and structures that will be impacted by the Flexibility Project. • Be prepared to speak to these as we share with the other groups.

11. The Big RocksTraditions, Celebrations and Branding • To create school traditions that are meaningful and sustainable: • - a working partnership with the larger facility • - a full extra-curricular program • - student recognition and celebrations • - staff traditions and celebrations • - traditions to welcome students into the school culture • - graduation • - field trips and foreign trips • - fund raising projects • - school name, logo, mascot, motto • - creating a sense of community and working with other community schools on common traditions • - school wear, team wear, school signage • - school spirit and special event days

12. The Third Challenge • Using the chart paper, identify five current practices in your school that you feel really speak to school spirit, collegiality or identity that you would like to see carried over to the new school. • Be prepared to speak to these as we share with the other groups.

13. What are the mosaic pieces? • Knowing that the big picture is made up of smaller items with finer detail, what do you want us as a group to not lose sight of as we move forward together? List your ideas on chart paper.

14. To Do List • Take a few minutes to review what we have covered today. What are you passionate about? Where do you want to have some influence and ownership? • Use the sticky notes to attach your name to endeavors of special importance to you.

15. Next steps • Any data collected today will be shared out to you. • Jim and Mark will put together a plan for the year using the data and will put that out to you for your input. • As a group, we will be visiting Olds High School to learn more about the Flexibility Project.

16. Common Understandings • When a parent or student asks you what this new school is all about, what will you say? As a table group what are your common understandings about the new school? • Create an elevator speech about the new school.