Lead.Model.Empower: Create Your Perfect School!

Format

Individual Presentation

Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

Richmond County Schools

First Presenter’s Email Address

spruish@boe.richmond.k12.ga.us

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Dr. Shawnda Spruill is a school administrator in Richmond County Schools and worked in education for over a decade, honing her craft on aiding underserved schools. Over the past few years, she has completed research on how to improve failing schools. In 2015, Shawnda began to design and present workshops and classes for educators on how to improve instruction and lead failing schools. She published Lead.Model.Empower.: A Framework for School Turnaround in 2023 to guide school leaders in improving failing schools.

Submitter

I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)

Location

Verelst

Strand #1

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Strand #2

Head: Academic Achievement & Leadership

Relevance

Information presented during the session will impact schools and districts far beyond their individual student growth. Firstly, it enhances leadership skills needed to improve failing schools, equips participants with knowledge and tools to lead effectively and inspire positive change within staff and students. This, in turn, leads to improved teacher morale and retention, and higher student achievement and well-being. Furthermore, school and district leaders will leave the session better positioned to foster a culture of continuous improvement within their schools, resulting in enhanced school performance and increased parent and community engagement. Ultimately, the session's outcome has a cascading effect, positively impacting the entire educational landscape and helping create thriving, innovative, and successful learning environments.

Brief Program Description

School leaders can effectively MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE by articulating ambitious goals to inspire staff and students. Through continuous improvement, leaders can ELIMINATE EXCUSES for encouraging experimentation and learning from both successes and adaptability when in the face of challenges. Administrators can lead by example using UNCONDITIONAL BELIEFS demonstrated in their values and behaviors to reinforce a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue pushing towards the impossible.

Summary

School improvement is possible. While no two leaders are alike, the processes required for school improvement are similar and will yield successful results for student achievement. Principals who want to improve failing schools can use their leadership basis as a foundation for tackling school improvement. They can conduct a school analysis to identify problems within the school and create a plan for how to address them. Developing a school-wide vision assists principals with creating a plan for improving the climate and culture. The school improvement plan provides actionable steps for increasing student achievement that can be delegated for monitoring the implementation of all initiatives. You must inspect what you expect! I have often heard veteran principals give this advice to beginning principals. This phrase refers to principals establishing expectations and following up with staff members to ensure student learning is occurring at high levels.

Evidence

The purpose of this session is to provide principals with strategies for leading school improvement. The Modified Educational Change Process for Effective Principals, known as LEAD.MODEL.EMPOWER.,- developed in the qualitative dissertation process- depicts strategies for improving student achievement. Examples of effective principals are included in the session to highlight how they: used their leadership experiences, identified student and staff needs, developed shared leadership, and improved collaborative school culture. Each participant will have an opportunity to reflect, in the Practical Application section, on how to implement strategies for school improvement.

Research includes the following references- Kouzes & Posner, Wallace Foundation, Kotter, National Association of Elementary Principals, Bambrick-Santoyo, DuFour & Mattos, Muhammad & Cruz, Kafele, Waters, Marzano, & McNulty

Learning Objective 1

Participants will learn how to LEAD for managing instruction and operations.

Learning Objective 2

Participants will learn how to MODEL methods for school improvement planning.

Learning Objective 3

Participants will learn how to EMPOWER for building collaborative teams.

Keyword Descriptors

leadership, improvement, strategic planning, school climate, school discipline, instruction, teacher efficacy

Presentation Year

2025

Start Date

3-5-2025 11:15 AM

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Mar 5th, 11:15 AM

Lead.Model.Empower: Create Your Perfect School!

Verelst

School leaders can effectively MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE by articulating ambitious goals to inspire staff and students. Through continuous improvement, leaders can ELIMINATE EXCUSES for encouraging experimentation and learning from both successes and adaptability when in the face of challenges. Administrators can lead by example using UNCONDITIONAL BELIEFS demonstrated in their values and behaviors to reinforce a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue pushing towards the impossible.