Pupil Instruction Related Day

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

There will be NO SCHOOL on Friday, January 30 2015 as it will be utilized as a Pupil Instruction Related (PIR) day.  This day is sometimes referred to as a Professional Development day. According to Montana Annotated Code: 20-1-304. Pupil-instruction-related day. A pupil-instruction-related day is a day of teacher activities devoted to improving the quality of instruction. The activities may include but are not limited to inservice training, attending state meetings of teacher organizations, and conducting parent conferences. A maximum of 7 pupil-instruction-related days may be conducted during a school year, with a minimum of 3 of the days for instructional and professional development meetings or other appropriate inservice training, if the days are planned in accordance with the policy adopted by the board of public education. The days may not be included as a part of the required minimum aggregate hours of pupil instruction.
     History: En. 75-7405 by Sec. 369, Ch. 5, L. 1971; R.C.M. 1947, 75-7405; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 638, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 430, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 138, L. 2005.


All PIR days observed by the district are approved in the annual School Calendar by the Board. The January 30, 2015 and March 20, 2015 PIR days will focus on two instructional aspects: 1) student engagement with the simple use of classroom friendly data tools and 2) preparation for the "Smarter Balance" assessment that will be given this spring to students.

Dr. Mark Stock

The former aspect of our PIR will be delivered by Dr. Mark Stock. Dr. Stock has been a teacher, professor, superintendent and author.  In his words, the PIR that will be presented to the faculty is based on the fact that "It seems like it is getting more and more difficult to engage our students and get them to participate in their own education.  In this practical and teacher friendly workshop, staff will identify a current classroom difficulty that makes teaching difficult. They will then learn a small handful of practical data tools that they might use to apply to their situation. These same tools can be used by all grade levels and all professional staff including administration, counselors, nurses or anyone working in the schools.  There is no magic answer for getting people to own their own behavior.  But one thing is for certain.  If they don’t know where they are at, they certainly can’t figure out where to go next! Participants will leave with a few practical tools they can add to their tool box in the never ending effort to get students to try to engage and take ownership for their work." 

We are excited to have Dr. Stock work with the faculty and look forward to the outcomes produced in the classroom by students.

Professional Development Committee Meeting

This is an invitation to all stakeholders that would like to know more about the district's professional development plan and needs for 2014-2015 to join us in the Multipurpose Room on the Stage on Monday, May 12 2014 at 3:45 PM.

See you there,

Bob.

Leadership Learning: Discovering Best Practices at the National Level

 by Superintendent Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

This trip to Nashville, Tennessee started with cold weather, a head cold and a late arrival.  I am now sitting in a "Thought Session" with Alan Blankstien (author of Failure Isn't An Option) along with my wife and daughter. Learning and leadership have become a family thing. Almost all of our conversations at the table, in the car and around the house surround school and its many functions. I guess it only makes sense that my family saved their money to attend with this national venue with me. At least we will have more common ground for future family discussion.

So far, what I have found is a lot of  affirmation, with a few leadership twists and approaches to create capacity,  for the Five Essential Elements of Learning:

THE FIVE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS of LEARNING
1. Focus on Learning
2. Collaborative Culture
3. Clearly Define What Every Student Needs To Learn
4. Consistently Measure Our Effectiveness
5. Systematically Respond When Students Don't/Do Learn

During my learning experience here in Nashville, I will do my best to share the experiences

BUILDING FOUNDATIONS OF LEARNING

 by Superintendent Robert "Bob" Lewandowski 

At the January 31, 2014 *PIR Day, Ken Williams from Solution Tree brought in a moral imperative and echoed the district's need to adopt, implement, and practice the Five Essential Elements of Learning (FEEL). FEEL, as we call it,  is the framework he presented for assuring student success. His presentation stems from professional development that the administrative team received in Seattle, WA last August 2013. It also aligns with Learning by Doing (a handbook for professional learning communities at work) by DuFour, DuFour, Eaker and Many that was purchased and distributed to each faculty member at the first faculty inservice in August. Ken provided an essential follow up to the professional development and direction set by the district at the beginning of the school year.

Ken William (MISSION POSSIBLE)

THE FIVE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS of LEARNING
1. Focus on Learning
2. Collaborative Culture
3. Clearly Define What Every Student Needs To Learn
4. Constantly Measure Our Effectiveness
5. Systematically Respond When Students Don't/Do Learn

These FIVE essential elements of learning will become a staple in our educational delivery here at Mission. It is the administrative team's goal to make these five elements a common understanding with all stakeholders (teachers, parents, students, staff and community). We will learn them, we will develop them and we will practice them.

At the PIR, our staff focused on our current reality (where we are now) and began to identify their desired reality (where we want to be) in relationship to the FIVE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF LEARNING.

For example, our staff examined five different types of schools:

• "A" School - Where learning is based upon student ability.
• "B" School - Where learning takes place only if the student takes advantage of the opportunities to learn within the school.
• "C" School - Where all students can learn something, and we will create a warm pleasant environment to learn.
• "D" School - Where all students can learn and we will do whatever it takes to help students learn and achieve the agreed upon curriculum/standards.

After examining these 4 types of schools, each staff member was asked to anonymously identify schools in the following scenarios:

1. Most of the instructional staff said they attended schools like "A" and "B."

2. The staff identified our current reality (the school we have now) as a school that is most like "B", "C", and "D" (There was an equal distribution of votes between these three schools).

3. The staff said the they most wanted to work in a "D" type of school (where we want to be).

4. Most importantly, our staff said that they would most want their own children to attend a "D" type of school (where we should be).

This staff development opportunity confirmed district direction and provided additional stability in our foundations of learning.   

NOTES: *A pupil instruction-related day (PIR) is a day of teacher activities devoted to improving the quality of instruction. Districts may receive funding for up to a total of 7 PIR days or a maximum of 42 hours. A minimum of 3 days of professional development (6 hours of contact time per day in no less than 2-hour increments for a total of 18 hours)must be scheduled for all professional staff. PIR time must NOT include any time also counted as pupil instruction time. Professional development is defined in the Mo ntana School Accreditation Standards (ARM 10.55.714 and ARM10.65.101).

MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

 by Superintendent Robert "Bob" Lewandowski 

 It was a privilege to honor District Clerk, Neil Easter at the Homecoming Assembly last Friday afternoon. He is definitely a "rock." The entire school district, K-12, gave Neil a standing ovation for his loyal dedication and unwavering commitment to Saint Ignatius Public Schools!

We thanked Mr. Easter for his outstanding contributions toward our school over the past 29 years and for making it stand above the rest.  

Once again, thank you NEIL EASTER, for MAKING THE DIFFERENCE!

Quantum Learning - Accelerating Learning & Maximizing Student Retention

John Le Tellier providing instruction.

by Superintendent Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY: On Friday, January 13, the Mission teachers and staff had the opportunity to welcome John Le Tellier from Quantum Learning. I have worked with John a number of times with different faculties. His high energy workshop provides the best professional development I have ever experienced. Every time he presents, I learn something new.

Quantum Learning helps better equip our teachers with new effective teaching techniques, skills and rational to improve instruction in every classroom. It utilizes best practice and brain-based strategies that can easily be implemented into the classroom.

Quantum Learning suggests "That when we apply the WHY to artfully ORCHESTRATE LEARNING and LIFE skills, and effective TEACHING STRATEGIES, there is a SHIFT in teachers that creates a SHIFT in student learning.

Shift and change probably best describe education in this day and age as formal education systems attempt to prepare students for jobs that won't even exist for another five years. To make this type of shift or any change, Quantum Learning suggest we do the following:

"Use your brain to change your mind, to change your brain to change your life." 

Those that attended the workshop understand this quote and how the plasticity of the brain effects the mindful choices we make that effect our lives. The idea is that we can change ourselves: how we think, choose and act. In addition, we can help others make the needed shifts and changes in their lives to be more successful.

This session only marked the first of five levels presented by in the Quantum Learning system. Level One is the basic educational methodology that increases teacher effectiveness and improves student performance. We explored how to orchestrate appropriate student risk-taking, encouraged high levels of effort and accountability, and modeled a strong classroom culture that builds student character and facilitates behavior management. All of this in order to accelerate learning and help students maximize retention.

The teachers are acting as NEURONS! Getting reading to fire and make connections with other NEURONS!

Teachers learning how to juggle using a chunking "teacher move."

NEURONS connecting to reinforce long term data relationships.

Learning can be fun with the right partner/samurai!

Samurai partner!