The Power of Collaboration

1. The Power of Collaboration Presented By Russell Lechtenberg Supt. West Boyd School, & Chm NTS Carol Jessen Staff Developer ESU#8 JaLena Slack MSP Math Project Coordinator, ESU#8 Russ Masco NDE Data, Research, Evaluation & IT

2. Collaboration • District Level (12 to 10 schools) • (Butte, Spencer-Naper, West Boyd, Clearwater, Orchard, Orchard-Clearwater, Chambers, Elgin, Ewing, Lynch, Niobrara, Stuart, Verdigre, Wheeler Central) • Northern Tier Schools • ESU 8 and ESU 1 • NDE

3. Presentation • History of the Northern Tier • ESU’s PD role and support • NDE data support team • Data Analysis

4. Northern Tier Schools 2003-2012

5. Northern Tier Schools • Reasons to form the NTS? • Improve Learning for Children with Disabilities (ILCD) • Common School Improvement Process • Internal/External Accountability • Improve Learning Opportunities for ALL Children • Improve Educational Efficiencies by Sharing Resources

6. Northern Tier Schools Timeline • Summer 2003 • Superintendents worked with Dr. Christensen to develop the concept of the Northern Tier • August 2003 • District Boards voted to join the Northern Tier • Implementation of the Northern Tier • 2003-2008 • Interlocal agreement governing the Northern Tier was set for 5 years

7. NTS Lynch Spencer/Naper Butte Niobrara Stuart Verdigre Chambers Orchard Ewing Elgin Clearwater Wheeler Central

8. Northern Tier Schools Development of Common Structure • Calendar • Start and End dates, Late Starts, Early outs, In-service days • Bell schedule • Length of day, Eight periods, 50-53 minutes • Market of classes • Shared between school no cost, College Credit and Academies • Professional Development • Late Start, Early Outs, Subject In-service days, Shared speakers

9. Similarities of NTS Districts TotalsAverageRange Enrollment (K-12) 176413693-260 Free & Reduced 50%32-81% Special Education 16%10-32% Instructional Staff 3002215-35 Facilities- 1900s with additions District valuations $235M$87-500M Levy $0.87$0.72-1.11

10. Northern Tier Schools ILCD School Improvement Process

11. Weaving ILCD and SIP together • Gleason & Associates, Inc. worked with all schools to review the data and create a process for the inclusion of ILCD and SIP together. • The schools met and conducted a file review assisted by ESU personnel • Surveys were distributed to Parents and Staff, collected and tabulated • The group identify strengths and weaknesses from the data. • ILCD Action Plans were created for the NTS.

12. ILCD The ILCD piece of the School Improvement Process is ongoing with activities being conducted annually. • File Review • Sp Ed 101 • Informational Surveys * Independently our Special Education data is insignificant, but together our data is more valid and reliable.

13. School Improvement What would be our next steps?

14. NTS Mission Statement The Northern Tier Schools, in partnership with families and communities, provides all students with safe positive learning environments in which they are challenged to reach their maximum potential in a global society. We empower students to become productive citizens and life long learners.

15. Collect & Analyze Data Initial data retreat • Determined grades 4, 8, & 11 would be tested (Terra Nova & Iowa Basic Skills) • Identified Reading Comprehension as a priority

16. The Process Develop and Implementation of Action Plans • NTS, District and Classroom level Professional Development • Robert Marzano - Classroom Instruction that Works • Sue Presler - Reading in the Content Area • Reading Fixes No Chevys Curriculum adoption • Reading Mastery • Training, Coaching and follow-up Assessment adoption • MAP (fall and spring)

17. NTS Administration School Superintendents/Principals Monthly meetings School Counselors Quarterly Meetings MAP and NeSA Assessment planning MAP and NeSA Data review Distance Learning Scheduling Career Education Literacy Council (assisted by ESU#8) Quarterly meetings Monitor Reading Mastery progress DIBELS testing Reading Mastery Coaching

18. School Improvement as NTSWHY? • Data in small schools is easily skewed • It is difficult to get suitable student numbers to conduct a longitudinal study • Northern Tier data is more reliable and valid • 100+ / class as compared to 8 - 20/class

19. NTS Action Collaboration with ESUs and NDE • Annual Data Retreat • SPED Training and ILCD reports • Reading Mastery Training and Progress Monitoring • MAP assessments • Pre-school studies and establishment

20. NTS Action in collaboration with ESUs and NDE • K-6th Grade Level In-service day • Language Arts and Science In-service day • Math and Social Studies In-Service day • Middle School Enrichment day • North & South Pod Meeting • Individual School Data training

21. Northern Tier Thoughts Think Outside of the Box! Don’t bring your problems to us! This is one road you do not want to travel alone! In education we need to be open to change!

22. Future of Northern Tier Schools • Expand Distance Learning opportunities and schedules • Sharing of teachers to meet curriculum needs • Openness to Activity Cooperatives • Development of Learning Pods/Community • Futuristic Financial Planning • Develop Upper level Enrichment Classes

23. Future of Northern Tier Schools • Share Staff In-service • Reduction of Expenditures • Influence Educational Legislation and NDE Regulations • Develop a Northern Tier Website (both short and long term goals) • Provide positive public relations (both short and long term goals) • Continue to work together

24. What have we gained? • We have become a Professional Learning Community • Northern Tier Schools are stronger because of ties to each other • We have added capacity to each of our schools • Workload has been shared among the schools

25. Additional Benefits • Each school’s staff can collaborate and use others as a sounding board • Teaching in a small school becomes less “lonely” when one can work with like-minded professionals • Seasoned staff members mentor beginning colleagues

26. NTS Appreciation goes to: • The Nebraska Department of Education for their support and assistance • ESU 8 for their cooperation in this endeavor • Faculty and staff from each school who continue to work for better educational opportunities for our students • Former NTS Administrators for their foresight and futuristic planning

27. Professional Development • Assessment • MAP (NWEA) • NeSA • Focus on LtoJ • Data Retreats • radar charts • School Improvement • Reading • Literacy Council • RtI for some districts • Curriculum and Instruction • Perception surveys for PD needs • Curriculum days • Networking and sharing • Wikis

28. NDE Work • with Northern Tier and ESU 8 • Common points of focus • Allows targeted work in terms of data • Allows a look at larger numbers to reveal some common trends • In one data retreat • Met with over 35 district staff and administrators • Allowed a detailed treatment of data for 12 districts

29. Follow Up Meetings • More technical tasks needed smaller groups • Met in 4 locations to give more individual instruction, but did not require visiting 12 sites • 4 sites ½ day each site • Total of 2 days • 12 schools started training • Districts are cross-trained in the same data tool so they can offer support to one another

30. Example Data sets created on Day 2 at regional sites

31. Future Work • Continue to expand data sets combining data sources • MAP (Other NRT) • NeSA over multiple years • DIBELS • Attendance • Grades • Etc. • Creation of one large data set for all Northern Tier Schools

32. Future evaluation Potential • Larger number of students for evaluation studies • Not as important if looking at practical significance • Imperative if running experimental design and wanting to draw conclusions based on probability and statistical significance

33. Focused Professional Development • Looking at common trends in the data allows • Common needs to emerge • Targeted Professional Development

34. The Power of Collaboration Presented By Russell Lechtenberg Supt. West Boyd School, & Chm NTS Carol Jessen Staff Developer ESU#8 JaLena Slack MSP Math Project Coordinator, ESU#8 Russ Masco NDE Data, Research, Evaluation & IT