collaborative School Reviews

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 "It is heartening to read about a practical, specific and supportive school review process that begins with true collaboration! Bev Freedman and Raf Di Cecco offer a complete package for educators who crave how to collaboratively guide school improvement from the inside out." 

—Lyn Sharratt, Author, Putting FACES on the Data 

Say goodbye to top-down evaluations and hello to collaboration and change! 

How can you leverage the objectivity of outside evaluators and the knowledge of local educators who understand your school’s particular situation to help you drive school improvement? The answer: collaborative schools reviews. Beverly Freedman and Raf DiCecco show how to design and implement a rigorous and effective school evaluation process, conducted by personnel from within your district in collaboration with your school leadership team. Here you’ll find userfriendly guidance for planning and managing every step of the review process, including

 •A research-based case for how collaborative school reviews transform teaching and learning

 •Guidance on ensuring that the review process aligns with the district's mission and goals as well as with the Common Core State Standards

 •Best practices and protocols for creating review teams and conducting onsite classroom   observations 

•How-to's for effectively using data to gain a balanced view of school performance

•A composite case study that brings the collaborative school review process to life 

This breakthrough book shows how to bring school and district teams together to shape sustainable, positive change and strengthen student achievement. 

 About the Authors

 Introduction

                    Improving Schools Matter 

                     Why a Resource on School Reviews? 

                     What Makes This Approach Different?

                     Our Lens is the School

                    This is a How-to-Resource 

                    1. Setting the Stage 

                    Collaborative Schools Reviews: A Path for Improvement 

 Collaborative Schools Reviews: A Path for Improvement 

What is a School Review? 

What Distinguishes Collaborative School Reviews from Other Reviews? 

Achieving Excellence-A Strategic Lens to Contextualize 

Collaborative School Reviews Collaborative School Reivews as Opportunities for Transformational Change 

Our Case Study: The Lone Birch School District

 In Summary 

2. Designing Collaborative School Reviews 

Step One: Design Effectively 

Link Collaborative School Reviews to District Vision, Mission and Transformational Agenda Collaborative School Review Policy 

Collaborative School Review Design/Process 

Governance 

Procedures and Protocols 

Structure and Flow for the Review 

Protocols for Classroom Observations 

Expectations and Protocols for the Onsite Classroom Observations 

Possible Questions for Members of the Review Team to Ask Students 

Capacity Building 

Stakeholder Engagement 

Alignment with other Requirements/Processes 

Conceptualizing the Collaborative School Review Process: Lone Birch 

In Summary 

3. Planning Commences at the District Level 

Setting the Stage 

System Level Planning Process and Detailed Work Plan 

Capacity Building 

Teams Matter 

Leadership, Coordination, Planning at a System Level to Prepare for the Reviews 

Composition of the External Review Teams 

Developing a Self-Assessment Tool

Data Plan 

Capacity Building Plan 

Data Management-Creating a Data Tapestry

Lone Birch's Data Management Plan 

Communication and Engagement 

Communication Plan 

Other Planning Considerations for Lone Birch In Summary 

4. Planning Continues at the School Level 

Layering the School-based Priorities on the District Priorities 

Pleasant Valley 

Organizing for the Review 

Areas for Focus and Feedback 

Supporting Data

Logistics Meadows 

Middle School 

Organizing for the Review 

Areas for Focus and Feedback 

Supporting Data 

Logistics 

Harper High School 

Organizing for the Review 

Areas for Focus and Feedback 

Supporting Data 

Logistics 

In Summary 

5. The Day of the Review Arrives 

Harper High

Introduction and Setting the Stage 

Conducting the School Review 

Debriefing and Sharing Findings and Feedback 

Meadows Middle School 

Introduction and Setting the Stage 

Conducting the School Review 

Debriefing and Sharing Findings and Feedback 

Pleasant Valley Public School 

Introduction and Setting the Stage 

Conducting the School Review 

Debriefing and Sharing Findings and Feedback 

In Summary 

6. Unpacking the Results: Ensuring Improvement Happens 

Accountability Structure 

Roles and Responsibilities 

Verbal Feedback and Formal Report 

Analysis: Unpacking the Reviews 

Work Plan to Implement Suggested Changes 

Unpacking the Reviews at the Schools 

Pulling Out District Level Trends and Patterns 

A Follow-Up Plan 

Monitoring and Evaluation of Collaborative School Review Process 

In Summary 

7. Creating Excellence and Innovation from the Inside Out 

 FEATURES/NEW TO THIS EDITION

  The content of this proposed resource blends research and practice. The aim is a practical how-to resource. Beyond the research, the content is drawn from practical experiences with school reviews in Ontario and other jurisdictions. The chapters are sequential and designed to walk though system-level and school-based staffs through the review process. There are questions strategically placed to encourage self-reflection and analysis. The chapter on classroom observations includes specific look-fors and protocols. The appendices will include templates, web sites, and other ready to use resourc 

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