^{View this message online}

Quality Quick Takes - November 2021

“Buildership” is a term highlighted in the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development’s (ASCD’s) 2021 release, Stop Leading and Start Building. In this publication, Robyn R. Jackson provides a four-phase “Buildership Model” that offers strategies to support continuous school improvement. The four phases include clarifying purpose, growing your people, charting your pathway, and executing the plan. 

For decades, many educational programs adopted the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle created by W. Edwards Deming which focused on ways leaders articulate improvement changes, execute the change, study the results, and decide how to proceed (e.g., adopt the change, adapt the change, or abandon the change). In short, whichever model or variation of continuous improvement that your school or division embraces, there are some universal tenets. In order to build capacity, a starting point with vision and values is essential. 

This month’s technical assistance, Building Teacher Capacity Through Coaching, offers strategies that address a continuum of coaching based on a teacher’s will and skill. 

As our own office has undergone transformation from a compliance-based approach to a coaching approach, this team has begun building a framework that emphasizes the ‘and’. The ‘and’ is what can be created with a focus on scaling up what works and inviting teams to invest in the process of building, not simply buying into a temporary initiative or product. 

In building capacity, the results will be improved outcomes for students in areas where there wasn’t success before; and when a team is focused on building capacity, measurable progress will surely follow.

Aurelia Ortiz, Director

Office of School Quality

Promotion of Quality Leadership Leaders across the Commonwealth work diligently to promote quality in their schools.  Please take some time to recognize those leaders. The Office of School Quality (OSQ) is happy to announce the names of school leaders who were recognized for their role in providing Quality Feedback. You can view the list of individuals on this document.  Based upon this month's theme of Building Teacher Capacity through Coaching, please nominate a principal who has embodied this work as designated in the criteria below. Complete the nomination form by November 26, 2021, for consideration. The principal builds teacher capacity by: Building strong alliances based on mutual trust and respect Collaborating with teachers to identify clear goals Differentiating coaching strategies based on teachers needs Using data and teacher input to determine staff development activities that strengthen teachers' instructional skills

Support for High-Quality Educational Environments

Instructional leaders who are focused on dramatically improving student achievement outcomes must foster growth in their faculty through effective coaching.  Coaching that will produce long-term benefits to the teacher; and consequently their students, relies heavily on the cornerstone of a trusting relationship.  Once a trusting relationship is developed between the instructional leader and the teacher, meaningful coaching may occur.

This brief from Hanover Research reviews available secondary literature, policy guidance, and best practices around building teacher capacity through coaching. School leaders, who have built relationships of trust with their staff, will find this resource useful to create a growth coaching model that will enable the instructional leader to utilize coaching strategies to bring out the best in their teachers and students.

Q-Tip

Coaching is a collaborative approach to building teacher capacity by improving teacher performance in one or more target areas via reflection and goal setting, professional practice and learning, and ongoing feedback and review.  School leaders should commit to a clear process for coaching interactions with teachers and leverage their coaching interactions with teachers to drive targeted improvements centered on student outcomes.  

We have provided you with a one-pager entitled Building Teacher Capacity Through Coaching.  Take a Quick-look to reflect on the current practices of instructional leaders regarding coaching teachers to increase instructional capacity.  

A technical assistance session will be held on Thursday, December 2, 2021, to discuss strategies for building capacity through coaching.  If you are interested in learning more, complete this registration form, TA - Building Teacher Capacity Through Coaching, by November 26, 2021.  These trainings are interactive with the intention to engage in thought-provoking reflection and discussion.

Collaboration Corner

SPOTLIGHT:  Addressing Unfinished Learning

Onward and Upward” Grants Supporting Mathematics and Literacy Instruction: The Superintendent of Public Instruction, James Lane, is inviting Virginia’s school divisions to apply for $107 million in Federal pandemic-relief funds to move the Commonwealth’s students onward and upward in their journey out of the pandemic by providing targeted mathematics and literacy support to students, in addition to addressing their other academic and mental health needs. 

• These “Onward and Upward VA” grants are funded from the American Rescue Plan Act and include support for programs during the school year, before- and after-school programs, and summer learning. 
• The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has created a website for its Federal pandemic recovery efforts, Onward and Upward VA, which will show what funds have been allocated directly to school divisions and where they will be focused to support students and teachers.  More information will be added to this site as it is developed (Funding for schools, students and teachers).

Relevant Research and Best Practice Highlights

Best Practice Highlights: Shared below are a couple links to research reports designed to provide school leaders information to support our school leaders in building teacher capacity via tools and best practices. 

Incorporating Self-Efficacy and Agency into Professional Learning

Principal-Staff Check-Ins Discussion Guide

Did you know? 

There is Online Training available to plan Recess!

Get guidance and tips for building an active recess program as part of your Active School transformation.  Learn more about providing a comprehensive school physical activity program.

Attention Career and Technical Education (CTE) directors and Work-Based Learning coordinators! The Virginia Work-Based Learning Collaboration Network and Virginia Ed Strategies invites all Work-Based Learning coordinators, CTE directors and business leaders to attend their upcoming session on November 15, 2021. Presenter, Dr. Julie Brown, Director of Advanced Learning at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research, will share information about the ExperienceWorks framework.  If you are interested in attending, register for the session to receive the Zoom link.  Email danielle.meyer@lcps.org for more information about connecting with this network.

Reminders

School Improvement Grant (SIG) Awards:   School Improvement Grant Continuation Applications are being reviewed with feedback on the status of the application provided to the school division’s School Improvement Grant (SIG) contact. Once the division’s SIG application(s) is approved by OSQ, the corresponding Grant Award Notification (GAN) will be processed and sent to the division. Just a quick reminder, while a division may receive notification that the SIG application(s) has been approved, requests for reimbursement cannot be submitted into OMEGA until the division receives the official GAN.   Upcoming Quick Takes Topics: December 2021 - Coaching Conversations January 2022 - Developing Shared Leadership February 2022 - Facilitating Conversations for Consensus March 2022 - Long Range Data Planning April 2022 - Building a Culture Through Change May 2022 - Data Informed Decisions June 2022 - Introduction to Actionable Plans   Opportunity to Provide Feedback to OSQ: Please consider completing the following survey to assist the Office of School Quality in its goal to enhance each local education agency’s capacity by providing resources and professional development to maximize the impact of robust teaching and learning experiences.  The survey will need to be completed by November 12, 2021.  As our partner, we would like your feedback which would be captured in this anonymous survey (link). The survey, which can be completed in approximately 20 minutes or less, will be conducted three times a year to assist OSQ with refining our services. Please note:  The survey will ask permission for personal information to be collected.  This is collected by Hanover Research, not the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), nor is it shared with the VDOE.  The Virginia Department of Education will ONLY receive the results of the survey.   Quality Time:   The OSQ is here to help you with all school improvement needs. Every third Thursday of the month from 8:30 - 10:00 a.m., OSQ staff will be available for appointments to answer questions and provide support. The next session of the OSQ Quality Time is scheduled for December 16, from 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. Fifteen (15) minute appointments can be made using this link:  Quality Time Appointment Link. State your division, name and title, and discussion topic. Once the appointment is confirmed, you will receive a Zoom link for the meeting. The OSQ staff is looking forward to providing personalized support through the OSQ Quality Time.

Any feedback about this communication is greatly appreciated.  If you have a topic you would like to see in a future monthly edition of Quality Quick Takes, contact OSQ at OSQ@doe.virginia.gov.

This monthly communication is intended for school and division leadership throughout the Commonwealth.

Don't ever miss a Quick Takes, sign up to join our mailing list.