Title
Light the Fire for School Change- Focusing on School Culture to Improve Student Achievement
Format
Poster Presentation
First Presenter's Institution
Harris Middle School
Second Presenter's Institution
Cindy Hayes
Third Presenter's Institution
NA
Fourth Presenter's Institution
NA
Fifth Presenter's Institution
NA
Location
Harborside East & West
Strand #1
Academic Achievement & School Leadership
Relevance
Many schools are in need of focused leadership, on the administrative and teacher-leader level, to inspire school culture that fosters student achievement. Building capacity by having courageous conversations that lead to a shared vision is essential to developing this culture. Leadership must pursue ideas, strategies, and best practices that empower faculty and staff to create an environment that has a measurable impact on student growth and achievement. Only when these pieces are in place can school change/growth occur.
Brief Program Description
Help your school reach its potential by focusing on the most important asset in your school, its PEOPLE. Engage in discussion, activities, and reflection that kindle achievement. Join us as we investigate leadership and shared organizational practices that can be immediately implemented by you and your colleagues to bring positive change to your school.
Summary
In this session, participants will use strategies founded in business principles and organizational culture to promote honest reflection, increase dialogue, and promote positive school culture to increase student achievement
Objectives/Outcomes:
- Investigate and practice with tools to improve school culture and climate.
- Understanding of LEADERSHIP potential/impact regardless of official title.
- Provide opportunities for reflective leadership practices
- Develop a 1 item action plan using positive school culture to increase student achievement.
Session Structure: (in sequential order)
- Welcome- What this Is/Is Not-
- Background of presenter and Harris Middle School
- Why people matter and Organizational culture
- Setting Tone- Honest reflection of your school (reflective activity)
- SWOT Analysis (hands-on activity for reflection)
- Circle of Control vs Circle of Influence (hands on activity for reflection and Gallery walk)
- Action Plan (Hands on activity for reflection and implementation in attendees's school)
Evidence
The presenters have successfully implemented the strategies at a large high poverty middle school and have experienced success moving from the bottom to near the top in the state of Tennessee in adding yearly growth to student achievement.
The organizational practices used at the presenter's school, and presented during the session, include proven organizational and strategic planning tools:
1. SWOT analysis adapted from Creating your Strategic Plan by Bryson (2011)
2. Stephen Covey's Circle of Influence and Circle of Concern adapted from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
3. Strategic Planning Action Plan adapted from Creating your Strategic Plan by Bryson (2011).
Biographical Sketch
Having spent his career in only middle school settings, Dr. James Sullivan is a passionate middle school educator. As a 6th grade Math/Science teacher, Dr. Sullivan utilized best practices within a school following AMLE's "This We Believe", to experience tremendous growth scores for his students and school. Next, Dr. Sullivan moved to administration and oversaw the turnaround of a historically low performing school. In three years, the school and its teachers have moved from potential state-takeover to now being recognized for academic excellence and achieving exceptionally high levels of student growth.
Additionally, Dr. Sullivan is an adjunct professor within the award winning College of Education at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Dr. Sullivan is a board member for the Tennessee Association of Middle Schools. He was selected as a 2016 Finalist for the Nashville Emerging Leader Award presented by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and was named the 2016 Middle Tennessee Administrator of the Year by the Tennessee Association of Middle Schools.
Keyword Descriptors
Leadership, Culture, Environment, Strategic planning, Academic achievement
Presentation Year
2017
Start Date
3-7-2017 4:00 PM
End Date
3-7-2017 5:30 PM
Recommended Citation
Sullivan, James J. IV and Hayes, Cindy, "Light the Fire for School Change- Focusing on School Culture to Improve Student Achievement" (2017). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 123.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2017/2017/123
Light the Fire for School Change- Focusing on School Culture to Improve Student Achievement
Harborside East & West
Help your school reach its potential by focusing on the most important asset in your school, its PEOPLE. Engage in discussion, activities, and reflection that kindle achievement. Join us as we investigate leadership and shared organizational practices that can be immediately implemented by you and your colleagues to bring positive change to your school.