We’ve Done so Much- But the Best is Yet to Be

1. We’ve Done so Much- But the Best is Yet to Be Dr. David Stegall Superintendent, Newton-Conover City Schools

2. Just your typical year… right? • I am Newton-Conover • 4 new BOE members • New Board attorney • Community Schools • Auditorium Authority • Powerschool • 5 new Directors • 4 Principal changes • 2 new APs • Highest graduation rate • Lowest dropout rate • Football coach change • All-time high scholarships • 2 More state champions • Leader in Me at SN • LRU partnership

3. There was more??? • PD360 • Who broke my iPad? • State testing changes • So long Common Core??? • Weather wonders • Who gets Concessions? • Classroom Walk throughs • North Newton- Home of the Bulldogs • Conover Test Scores • Safety upgrades everywhere • ACT • SNAT • Will SN construction ever be finished? 

4. The loss of Maggie

5. What Could be Next? • Budget woes • No more Tenure • Curriculum Changes coming? • Auxiliary Services Moving into ACT • SN coming home • Discovery’s new home • Community Schools changes • ROTC has a home • Innovative grants • New copiers • Energy savings money • A-F school ratings • No more dropouts • No more driver’s Ed • New Shuford roof • Plans for new HS bleachers • NCHS is getting a new cafeteria • North Newton roof • Conover gym, classrooms and cafeteria • Latin Honors • SUCCEED is still the focus

6. Serve Utilize Technology to improve instruction 4Cs-Communication, Collaboration, Creativity & Critical Thinking Celebrate accomplishments and each other Engagestudents Enrichthe lives of students Differentiate based upon individual needs SUCCEED

7. 10 questions to answer this year • Who is helping drive our agenda and how do we get public support? • Engagement? • Partnerships? • Social media? • In what ways do we need to serve that we currently aren’t? • What should graduates know and be able to do? • Are we teaching students to be critical consumers of information? • How are we purposefully teaching the 4Cs? • In particular, how do we teach Creativity? • How can PBL help? • Are we teaching students to experience and cope with losing and failing so that they can develop perseverance? • http://gettingsmart.com/2013/10/leading-powerful-learning/

8. What Should Graduates Know & Be Able to Do? *From Tom Vander Ark • Growth mindset: I can learn • Self-efficacy and confidence: I can do this • Goal setting: I can reach my goals • Persistence: I can overcome setbacks • Metacognition: I know myself, how I learn • Curiosity: I’m interested in learning • Creativity: I ask what if? Why not? • Purpose/relevance: this is important to me • Contribution: I can create value • Social belonging: I belong here • Understanding: I appreciate other views • Social capital: I can get the help I need Growth Mindset Maker Mindset Team Mindset

9. Technology can be a valuable tool for learning. How are we integrating it’s use? • Tech integration is akin to buying your first home • Rent vs Purchase • House vs Condo vs Apartment • Yard size and use? • Rural vs City • Development vs Alone • Not Green shutters vs blue shutters • Why should we care? (Abundance) • How do battle mediocrity and continue to improve? • LEP, African American, Math, EDS • Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment- Repeat • PLCs • Student supports- Every child has to have a plan

10. What is our Innovation agenda? • Personalization is a must • Adaptive- We must not be constrained by traditions that may not be best for our students • Individual pathways-Schools must move from bundled experiences to unbundled pathways including different sites, online, internships, specialized opportunities and differentiated experiences • All goals for your schools should start with powerful learning experiences. • Peer to peer teaching = 30=% higher retention. How might this impact how we structure instruction? • “Believe fervently and Act vigorously knowing that there is no clear pathway to success.” • We must embrace Choice at all levels-not just in the school a student attends • Empowerment • Leverage resources through collaboration

11. How do we maintain quality staff? • Celebrations • Leadership opportunities • Having clear support from all levels • We MUST all be on the same page and support each other publicly • We must emphasize the positives every chance we get with them • Support them/take away barriers • What kind of schools do our community want? • Choice • Safe • STEM • Arts • Strong teachers • Employable graduates • Improve quality of life • Competitive

12. What’s our story? • We must know our story and CELEBRATE our successes • If you don’t think we are under attack, look around • Charter school movement http://opportunityculture.org/ • Pay freezes • Common Core battles • Loss of tenure • TA cuts • Massive reductions in funding • De-emphasizing of local control • How will you Lead? • Recognize value in all members • Grow your replacement • Practice together • Embrace inquiry • Model, model, model • Expect excellence • Acknowledge expertise • Engage in dialogue

13. Where do we go from here? • Ideas that I’ve missed? • Suggestions? • Back to School meeting details • EAP • Strategic Planning Committees