JCISD LEARNING SERVICES UPDATE
Volume 1, Issue 9
THANK YOU JACKSON COUNTY EDUCATORS!
Principals Leading and Learning a Blueprint for Change
Back Story:
Grounded in Research, Experience & the Leadership Blueprint… Incredible expectations have been placed upon school leaders to “fix” the problems of today’s struggling schools. Also, there is increasing pressure at local, state, and national levels to improve achievement for all students. The combination of these two realities means that the principalship is a very different job than ever before. It is no longer acceptable that principals just administer schools; rather they are expected to be the driving force behind the redesign and innovation that cures the ills. This means school leaders need to be re-tooled, supported and guided in these critical roles. Principals can be the needed change-agents improving our educational system. This professional learning and leading series will provide principals with the necessary tools to increase their influence, develop and enhance their individualized leadership capacities, and be even more successful in the 21st-century principal role. We believe that the more intentional tools principals have, the better equipped they will be to lead others, change the system, and affect student achievement. John Maxwell said, “everything rises and falls on leadership”. The better leaders we are, the more we can reinvent rather than reform education. Leadership is influence, and there is nothing more important than expanding our influence to add value to others. This series of sessions will be highly interactive, with a specific focus on bringing relational strength and effective practices and processes to build high-performing teams and schools. Principals will leave each session with enhanced skills and meaningful tools to implement their learning in their context.
Guiding Questions:
How do we build high performing teams?
How do we multiply ourselves?
How do we lead intentionally?
How do we manage our time to “do the job”? How do we make the most important thing the most important thing? (Time Analysis)
What does the job of the principal look like today? How do I bring clarity to the role?
How am I personally growing as a leader?
This spring has been productive for the Jackson County Core Curriculum Collaborative (JC4). In every session, our participants prove themselves to be excellent representatives for their districts. Their passions and commitment to this work is evident, and we truly appreciate the expertise they bring to the JC4 initiative. In April, the ELA and Math groups looked deeper into performance tasks, instructional theory, and equity in our instruction, and we set the stage for the professional learning that will take place in June and August. By the time the professional learning is finished for the summer, teachers will head back to the classroom with Instructional Tasks, Performance Tasks, Explicit Teacher Moves (Strategies) and/or Assessment Systems to pilot and reflect on in the fall. Another goal for our summer work is that teachers will know at least one process for examining current units of study and/or components and tasks within the units. Our hope is that unit examination will let them celebrate successful practices that they can share, and give them the opportunity to recognize where current practices may need to be adjusted. Teachers will be encouraged to apply any adjustments their current curriculum in order pilot independent tasks, teacher moves, and assessment systems so that they can be shared with their JC4 grade level teams when them get back together in the fall. We are excited to see what our teachers develop and how their work impacts their students.
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND CERTIFICATE RENEWAL
Do you want great professional learning opportunities and/or do you need to earn credits or SCECHs to renew your teaching or administration certificate? Then, don't forget to talk to our ISD consultants to learn more about offerings or go to our website... JCISD Professional Learning Registration Link.
For additional opportunities see the State-Wide Catalog of Professional Learning Programs.
Also, to learn more about keeping your certification go to MOECS Login or call/email Ronda VanStempvoort, JCISD SCECH Coordinator, 517-787-5251, ronda.vanstempvoort@jcisd.org.
WHY TEACHERS ARE ESSENTIAL TO ELIMINATING THE STIGMA OF MENTAL HEALTH IN THE CLASSROOM
Triple Bottom Line
On May 19, volunteers from Learning Services connected with other community members interested in gardening and promoting gardening as a way to encourage Jackson children to learn how to grow their own food at the Annual Big Seed Contest, an annual garden giveaway providing portable or free gardens with seeds and plants to families.
HAPPY SUMMER BREAK FROM LEARNING SERVICES
We would like to wish you the very best this summer vacation and hope that you take advantage of the upcoming break to rest so that you’re ready for another school year.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
LEARNING SERVICES TEAM CONTACT INFORMATION
Director of Instruction and Learning Services
- Tovah Sheldon, tovah.sheldon@jcisd.org, (517) 990-3612
Data and Assessment
- Jennifer Fox, Jennifer.Fox@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5212
- Deb Spencer (Support), Deb.Spencer@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5175
Early Childhood (Birth to Grade 3) / Great Start Collaborative / GSRP Preschool
- Jean Allison, Jean.Allison@jcisd.org, (517) 990-6710
- Wendy Bell, Wendy.Bell@jcisd.org, (517) 990-8046
- Christina Blackwell, Christina.Blackwell@jcisd.org, (517) 990-8015
- Catherine Brubaker, Catherine.Brubaker@jcisd.org
- Kelly Friedland, Kelly.Friedland@jcisd.org, (517) 990-3625
- Kelly Sheppard, kelly.sheppard@jcisd.org (517) 768-5281
- Deb Spencer (Support), Deb.Spencer@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5175
Literacy
- Melissa Bulgrien, Melissa.Bulgrien@jcisd.org, (517) 990-8077
- Maeghan McCormick, Maeghan.McCormick@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5191
- Sandy White, sandra.white@jcisd.org, (517) 990-6718
- Tammy Minder (Support), Tammy.Minder@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5158
Mathematics / Science
- Heather Holshoe, heather.holshoe@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5151
- William Montgomery, william.montgomery@jcisd.org, (517) 990-6717
- Ronda VanStempvoort (Support, SCECHs), Ronda.VanStempvoort@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5251
School Improvement
- Jessica Bucklin, Jessica.Bucklin@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5759
- Jennifer Fox, Jennifer.Fox@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5212
- Dan Luciani, Dan.Luciani@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5238
- Deb Spencer (Support), Deb.Spencer@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5175
Whole Child / School Health / Project AWARE / Attendance and Homeless Programs
- Janelle Buchler, Janelle.Buchler@jcisd.org, (517) 787-5903
- Kara Klotz, Kara.Klotz@jcisd.org, (517) 990-3623
- Ravenn Moore, Ravenn.Moore@jcisd.org, (517) 936-2836
- Caitlin Williams, Caitlin.Williams@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5264
- Tammy Minder (Support), Tammy.Minder@jcisd.org, (517) 768-5158