Courageous Leadership in Challenging Times

Last April I visited high schools in the Tucson Unified School District (AZ). My visit was to learn about how they work with their staff to improve student learning and promote school improvement. It was a difficult day because Tucson principals were informing teachers and other staff about personnel reductions planned for the 2009-10 school year. The reductions were extensive (nearly 20%) but both principals met individually with affected employees to inform them of the loss of their jobs and to individually talk with them about next steps. I was impressed with the compassionate, respectful way the principals handled difficult conversations.

I met with Patricia Dienz, principal of Pueblo High School and our conversation focused on strategies the principals use to improve student learning. Despite the difficult budget picture in Tucson, Pat talked about the commitment of the staff to make a difference in the lives of their students.

Pueblo, like many large high schools struggles to improve student attendance. Teachers and administrators at Pueblo found that when students had a positive relationship with at least one adult they were more likely to attend school. In response, they redesigned the advisory period, converting it into an Academic Check In (ACI) period. ACI meets twice each week in the middle of the day. Teachers work with 20-25 of their own students and monitor student grades and attendance. The time is also used to schedule make-up work, tutoring or for re-taking a test at the school’s Testing Center. Since implementation of ACI there has been both a decline in suspensions and an increase in student attendance. Patricia Dienz, principal at Pueblo, contributes the faculty’s results oriented approach as critical to their success. “We don’t just gather the data. We use it to make decisions about how to improve ACI. It works because it is done in a non-accusatory way. We just focus on results.”

Seeking Consensus

I’m fortunate to be able to work with lots of teachers and principals who are working together to improve their schools. Often I’m asked to help them design a process that will provide for thoughtful discussion of the issues and help the group reach agreement on how to proceed. Here’s some advice I give groups that are just getting started.

• Spend time agreeing on norms for both your operation and decision-making. I’ve always liked the Norms of Collaboration developed by Garmston and Wellman. Information can be found at www.adaptiveschools.com.

• Be clear about the process you will use to reach agreement. Consensus is often preferred but can be quite elusive, particularly when there are strong feelings about an issue. A few years ago I was introduced to the Fist to Five, a way to measure the level of agreement on an issue. I like the process because it avoids voting and creating winners and losers. When using the Fist to Five, ask every participant to raise his or her hand and indicate their support, from a closed fist (no support) to all five fingers (a great idea). It’s an easy way to determine where a group stands on an issue and the need to continue discussion. Many groups I’ve worked with continue the process until everyone can hold up at least three fingers.

• Always be clear and the purpose and goals for every meeting. Provide an agenda that is clear about topics, action that may be requested, and the time for each item.

• Consider using a parking lot to gather information from members about the meeting. A “parking lot” is one way to anonymously provide feedback to other participants and to facilitators. One model I’ve used is a grid of four blocks---one indicating what went well, one indicating what needs improvement, one for questions, and one for ideas to improve the meeting.

• Structure time for the group to pause and reflect on the meeting. Identify a way for every member to comment on the meeting and the processes used during the meeting.

• Keep notes of the meeting and allow time at the end of the meeting for the group to be clear about next steps and any responsibilities that may have been assigned.

I’m always looking for good ideas about how to assure that meeting time is productive and that members feel the processes have helped the group move forward. I’d love to hear from you about ways you make your meetings productive.

Welcome to the Ethical Schools Blog

Welcome to my new blog! I believe in the power of principals, working closely with their teachers and school community, to positively impact students' education. I've learned that the most effective schools, and school leaders, are clear about their moral and ethical beliefs. Thus I plan to use this forum to discuss ways that we can make schools more just and caring places for everyone and to share examples of people and practices that make a real difference in schools, things that positively impact students. I'd like to hear from you about your experiences and things you've found that nurture and sustain ethical schools.