How do you effectively prioritize decisions to ensure maximum student success?
There are 10 “rocks”, necessary for the success of schools, identified by Marshall (2008). These rocks are activities that drive student achievement. They are mission; climate; alignment; resources; instruction; hiring; interim assessments; collaboration; results; parents.
The mission of a school is integral to its success. The mission must not only be established but clearly communicated to and understood by all stakeholders so that everyone has a clear sense of direction.
The climate must be one that fosters collaboration and a spirit of success. Everyone must understand that hard work, centered around student success, in paramount and all individuals working at the school must know and understand that they are valued and appreciated.
Clear alignment of curriculum to state standards must be established, with a focus on the rigor of our new state standards: The Florida Standards (http://www.fldoe.org/academics/standards/).
There must be an effective allocation of resources and measures in place to attain resources in a time when finances are tight. For teachers to truly be effective, they need the proper tools. You would not want to go into a doctor’s office for a medical procedure that requires a certain medical instrument and be told that it was too expensive and as a result, an alternative is being used.
Nothing replaces strong and effective teaching. Good instruction in EVERY classroom is a rock that will set the tone for strong student achievement. Hiring is also a key element in the successful function of any school. Every classroom should be filled with the best teacher.
Interim assessments are crucial for continual improvement of schools. Interim assessments involve constant and continual data monitoring. This must be followed by revisions in established plans to ensure attainment of the best possible outcomes, as they pertain to student achievement.
Collaboration is also an important ingredient in school success. A school leader must foster communication and idea sharing as well as the sharing of resources. Every school has a multitude of resources, knowledge, skills and experience, yet the sharing of those things is minimal in most schools and almost non-existent between schools. Countless resources are spent each year by each school and the District as a whole, to bring in outside trainers, field experts to train teachers, administrators and other school staff, when the same knowledge and skills are possessed by current staff. Think about effectively tapping into the resources that already exist within all of our schools and will cost nothing to utilize.
It is crucial to keep school staff focused on outcomes or results. The phrase “Think with the end in Mind” is something all of us need to actively put into practice.
The last resource that school leaders need to tap fully into is the resource at home. New ways to involve and educate parents need to be at the forefront of what school leaders do. Home needs to be an extension of school and parents and extension of the teacher. Positive home-school relationships will go a long way in assisting with continual increased student achievement.
