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Quality Quick Takes - April 2022

“School culture is what you see, not what you hope for.”  - Paul Bambrick-Santoy

The 2021-2022 school year was a test of survival for school leaders. Bouncing back from the pandemic was no easy task.  Re-teaching how to “do school” again after a year of lockdowns, virtual school, and addressing the social and emotional needs of teachers and students was the charge. Now that the school year is coming to an end, school leaders have an incredible challenge and opportunity to set the stage for building positive school cultures.

According to the January 25, 2018, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) article, steps-to-creating-a-positive-school-culture, there are four key norms that are essential for creating a genuine school culture in which all adults and students thrive. 

• Invest in People, Build Relationships

Relationships are perhaps the most important part of establishing a school culture that is perceived as and breeds caring. When people feel valued, staff and students alike are likely to work harder, stay the course, and enjoy their work. When students feel liked and respected by their teachers, they find more success in school, academically and behaviorally (Lewis, Schaps & Watson, 1996). It should be the goal of all staff in a school to foster and forward positive relationships with students and among peers. 

• Have a Shared Vision

Another component of creating or sustaining a positive school culture is having a consistent, shared vision for your school. School staff and students need to feel that they are being treated in the same manner as everyone else, regardless of their differences. Generating school and classroom rules, expectations, and having leadership that will follow through consistently with discipline and consequences can create a sense of trust and support; for staff to feel as though they are supported to do their jobs well, and trust among all school constituents that the rules are followed and enforced consistently.

• Be a Role Model, Set the Tone

As is best practice in instruction, modeling is key to understanding anything in school buildings. Therefore, it is important to model these behaviors. School leadership and staff alike should lead by example. Students notice and can learn from our behaviors and the way we handle ourselves in daily situations. Be a role model! Show students how to be kind, caring and that you value them. The return on that investment can be a group of students who are respectful of all; their teachers, school staff, and, most importantly, each other.

• Praise and Celebrate

What do leaders do when these things are happening? How do we sustain this or build on it? We need to praise appropriately and celebrate victories, large and small. Recognition is one way in which people feel valued. As a school leader or teacher, there are a variety of ways to do this. Hand-written notes, creating a certificate, a bulletin board, a phone call home, or a school or class newsletter are all avenues that can recognize students and/or staff and make them feel appreciated. Supplying students with positive feedback and showing them that you care speaks to the first portion of this process, building relationships and investment in people.

Leadership is a process, and like anything worth doing, it takes time and consistency.  One day, not sure when, but the impact of the work will begin to show. Be that genuine and authentic change agent! 

Widad Abed

School Quality Coordinator

Support for High-Quality Educational Environments

An organization's culture consists of shared beliefs and values that shape employee perceptions of the organization. In education, the school community—teachers, students, parents, and staff— collectively build the school culture. While organizational culture can facilitate the achievement of the organization’s objectives, in some cases, culture constitutes a barrier to the organization’s goals. Therefore, often organizations’ leaders need to engage in deliberate cultural transformations to implement and manage change.

This brief from Hanover Research presents research and best practices on how instructional leaders and their teams build a positive culture through change. Additionally, Hanover Research provides resources that expand on change initiatives and how school culture can develop to embrace change and improve through change. Additionally, this supplement is provided to assist in the process of working through change initiatives and building a change-oriented organization. 

Q-Tip

Change is inevitable. How can school leaders build a positive culture while implementing new initiatives?  We have provided you with a summary entitled Building a Culture Through Change. Take a quick look to reflect on how your leadership practices are building a culture through change.

On Thursday, May 5, 2022, a technical assistance session will be held to discuss strategies for building a culture through change. If you are interested in learning more, complete this registration form, TA-Building a Culture Through Change, by May 4, 2022. This training will include opportunities to reflect on your current practices, methods to enhance your planning process, and the use of data to support your school improvement efforts.  

As you consider your school improvement efforts, the Office of School Quality would like to invite all instructional leaders to our Module I: Understanding the Continuous Improvement Process virtual webinar training session.  This virtual webinar will take place on April 20, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., and the session will repeat later that day at 6:00 p.m. This training introduces learners to the Virginia Continuous School Improvement Process (VaCSIP), emphasizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle and three fundamental questions that drive improvement. Please click this link to register for the 10:00 a.m. session and this link for the 6:00 p.m. session. Each training webinar lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Please review the OSQ Spring and Summer Catalog to learn more about all future upcoming webinars and training offered by the Office of School Quality.

Data Connections

Continuous improvement involves a cycle of continuous reflection on the practices and processes in schools. Much of this work is personal in nature, and when leaders examine data looking for improvement opportunities, the work can have the opposite effect on a positive school environment. However, when leaders commit to the regular usage of data to make informed decisions, this helps build transparency and trust, essential elements for sustainable change. Leaders can alter the negative perception of data by building an understanding of the school’s data culture. In the Regional Educational Laboratory Blog, McCurcy and Lemiuex (2018) explain commonly used data sets and provide resources to build a culture of data usage in schools and divisions.  

Collaboration Corner 

SPOTLIGHT:  Early Childhood and Special Education

Leadership in Effective and Developmentally-appropriate Services in Virginia ECSE (LEADS) is offering a TechKnowledgy Webinar on May 4, 2022, 3:00-4:00 p.m. - Augmentative and Alternative Communication Instruction for Highly-Impacted Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: High- and Low-Tech Strategies to Increase Communication. 

• In this virtual session, presenters will discuss and model evidence-based practices to embed Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device use across the school day, review ways to ensure families participate in the implementation of AAC and explore creative ways to increase access to AAC devices across the Commonwealth. Use the following link to register: Technology Webinar

Special Education Add-On Endorsement - Longwood University would like you to join their online professional development and acquire the expertise necessary to support students with diverse learning needs. Take courses for recertification and for professional development in order to add an endorsement to your license. The endorsement is 15 credits and can be completed in three semesters. It offers an elementary or secondary track for licensed K-12 teachers looking for a pathway into special education. Learn more today!

Special Education Endorsement - Old Dominion University offers grant funding/discounts for qualified Virginia school division personnel seeking endorsement in special education: general curriculum K-12. Teachers with valid provisional special education, and general curriculum licenses, are eligible, and other school personnel with bachelor’s degrees may be eligible. Coursework is delivered using online and televised formats. Find out more information or email with questions.

Relevant Research and Best Practice Highlights

Best Practice Highlights - Shared below are a couple of links to research reports designed to provide school leaders information to support principal coaching models and the role of resilience in student learning recovery. 

• Benchmarking Principal Coaching Models
• Brain Research Resiliency and Learning Recovery

Did you know? 

Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) - Spring VKRP and Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) assessment terms are approaching: Spring VKRP Assessment Term opens April 11, 2022, for publicly-funded PreK programs that are required [Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) and Virginia Early Childhood Foundation (VECF) Mixed Delivery Classrooms] or opted to participate this school year (2021-2022). Read the Spring VKRP Refresh.

Spring PALS-PreK Assessment Term opens April 25. Also, find helpful tips to prepare for the spring PALS assessment  on the VKRP Blog Spot(sign-up). 

SURN Summer Professional Learning - SURN at William & Mary’s School of Education is offering teachers a variety of 5-week, online, asynchronous courses. Register for one or more summer events:

• Deeper Learning: Unpacking the 5 Cs (July 5 - August 5)
• For the Joy of Learning: Cultivating Student Engagement  (July 5 - August 5)
• Engaging Students In Meaningful Formative Assessment (July 5 - August 5) 
• Mentoring and Coaching Teachers 1:  Defining the Rules (May 30 - July 1; can be standalone or taken with Mentoring and Coaching Teachers 2)
• Mentoring and Coaching Teachers 2:  (July 5 - August 5; requires Mentoring and Coaching Teachers 1)

NEWS FLASH! 

Opportunity to experience a Network Improvement Community (NIC): The Office of School Quality is inviting you to participate in a NIC designed for Virginia school and division leaders to work together in solving common problems of practice. Introductory sessions will be held on May 24, 2022 and May 26, 2022 to provide interested learners with details regarding this collaborative opportunity. We look forward to learning and growing with you! 

To find out more, please contact Dr. April Kiser-Edwards at april.kiser-edwards@doe.virginia.gov. Registration details are below:

• May 24, 2022  9:00-9:30 am. Registration NIC AM Session- 5/24
• May 26, 2022  6:00-6:30 p.m. Registration NIC PM Session- 5/26

Reminders

Growing Continuous School Improvement Series    Upcoming Virtual Training Webinars from the Office of School Quality on the Continuous Improvement Process:  OSQ Spring and Summer Catalog April 20, 2022 - Module I - Overview of the VaCSIP Webinar Session 1:  10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Session 2:  6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Module I:  Understand the Continuous Improvement Process. This training introduces learners to the Virginia Continuous Improvement Process with an emphasis on the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle and three fundamental questions that drive improvement. Sessions are optional. May 18, 2022 - Module II - CNA Webinar Session 1:  10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Session 2:  6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Module II:  Comprehensive Needs Assessment Process. Participants will learn about the process to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment. Learners will develop an understanding of the connection between the Continuous Improvement Process (CIP), the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), and the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP). The training will provide research strategies, templates, and tools to develop a CNA that includes stakeholder feedback. Sessions are optional. May 25, 2022 - Module III - CSIP Webinar Session 1:  10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Session 2:  6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Module III:  Comprehensive School Improvement Plan. Participants will learn the key components of the School Improvement Plan, understanding its connection to their Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA). The training will include templates, resources, strategies, and opportunities to practice developing SMART goals, Essential Actions, and Action Steps to support continuous improvement. Sessions are optional. Upcoming Quick Takes Topics: May 2022 - Data-Informed Decisions June 2022 - Introduction to Actionable Plans School Improvement Grant (SIG) Applications Divisions are reminded that SIG reimbursements must be submitted to OMEGA at least once a month as this allows the Office of School Quality (OSQ) and the division to monitor the spend-down of the SIG funds.

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.

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