Battelle for Kids’ Post

As school district contexts continue to evolve and become increasingly complex, the importance of strategic planning has never been greater. As we approach the new school year, now is the ideal time to engage your communities and collaboratively envision a promising future. In our recent article, "Navigating the Complexities of Strategic Planning in 2024's Turbulent Education Landscape", we address the issues, obstacles, strategies, and solutions that will help your schools run smoothly during turbulent times. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dK3G-WqK We collaborate differently, as we value community. As such, we work to engage the community in district improvement efforts. We believe in collective responsibility that embraces and empowers all stakeholders in the spirit of mutual support and respect. The CEC team will rely on a strong history of facilitating strategic planning processes where stakeholders not only participate in reflecting on the district’s past but more importantly, are active participants in setting the course for the future, including students. To learn more about our Strategic Planning program, visit https://lnkd.in/d7nwzzpM #StakeHolders #SchoolDistrict #SchoolDistricts #StrategicPlanning #CatalystForEducationalChange #CEC

Yesterday, we held the final convening of the East Side Alliance Transformation Network, a four-year partnership of nine schools in San Jose, CA. The network focused on improvement in middle grades math for the first two years and whole-school transformation for the final two years. Partners is very proud to have supported collective action to improve on-track outcomes for students on the East Side. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll share highlights from the convening including opening remarks from Glenn VanderZee, superintendent of the East Side Union High School District; our honoring of Oak Grove School District Superintendent Jose L. Manzo, who is retiring at the end of the school year; and recognition of five individuals who’ve been awarded scholarships to support them as they earn their administrative services credential and become even stronger results-oriented change agents (ROCAs). In addition, we’ll share the reflections of the school teams that were the heroes of this four-year journey. Because Partners believes in the power of story-telling as a way for schools to capture their continuous-improvement work and spread successful practices, we invited each team to encapsulate their growth in five-minute Ignite presentations. For example, pictured below is the team from Davis Intermediate – Ginelyn Kudsi, Jose Acosta, and Rachel Pike – who reflected on several improvement efforts over the past four years, including a refinement of professional learning communities that has resulted in greater teacher engagement and agency, increased collaboration among teachers of different grades, and improved student-teacher relationships. The Davis team’s story is just one example; stay tuned for more! #education #equity #EducationEquity #K12Education #EducationalLeadership #EducationForAll #ProfessionalDevelopment #StorytellingForChange

Positive developmental relationships are a key feature of high school redesign. This graphic shows the evidence-based practices that can create the strong relationships essential to learning. 📍 Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, CA, prioritizes developmental relationships through small learning communities, teaching teams, and advisories, which have led to gains in student achievement and graduation rates. Learn more in Feature 1 of this report: https://lnkd.in/ginAzY2B #HighSchoolRedesign #RelationshipCenteredSchools

📚 Charles Armstrong School is transforming education for students with learning differences. “I remember three things that were great about my first day. I said learning was fun, I wasn’t confused all day, and everyone needed as much help as I did,” shared a student, reflecting on the school’s impact. When traditional schools fall short, specialized schools like Charles Armstrong provide the individualized support students need to thrive. Discover how this school is changing lives: https://lnkd.in/gXTy7ccv #CharlesArmstrongSchool #DyslexiaSupport #LearningDifferences

Exciting News: 2025 U.S. News Rankings for K-8 I am thrilled to share some exciting news about Paragon Science Academy’s performance in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings for Elementary and Middle Schools, which were just announced. This year, our school has reached remarkable milestones: Elementary School: Ranked #8 among Arizona Charter Elementary Schools and #26 among all public elementary schools statewide. Middle School: Ranked #50 among Arizona Charter Middle Schools and #150 among all public middle schools statewide. According to U.S. News, both our elementary and middle schools are badge-eligible for recognition. This is an extraordinary accomplishment, especially considering there are 1,031 elementary schools and 653 middle schools ranked across Arizona.

Turning Around Troubled Schools: A New Chapter Begins Transforming a school's reputation and culture can truly be a monumental task. The journey of Leigh Academy Minster on the Isle of Sheppey is a testament to the power of leadership, community engagement, and unwavering commitment. After a damning Ofsted report and staff walkouts, the school has made substantial progress under new leadership and policies. Strict rules on behaviour and lateness, along with a no make-up policy and the establishment of a long-awaited library, have started to turn the tide. The investment from the Department for Education and the involvement of the Leigh Academies Trust (LAT) have played crucial roles. Staff report a significant improvement in student conduct and overall school environment, proving that clear expectations and consistent boundaries can make a world of difference. Parents like Gemma Dawson and Lloyd Page, who were initially sceptical, are now re-evaluating their stance, impressed by the school's renewed commitment and cleaner environment. Teachers such as Tracy Bradd emphasise that while no system is perfect, the structured approach is making a positive impact. It's clear that rebuilding relationships with the community and setting high standards for students are pivotal to this transformation. What are your thoughts on the importance of school leadership and community trust? https://lnkd.in/e2nGRuCx #Education #SchoolImprovement #CommunityEngagement

5 Insights from top school administrators in 2024. Congratulations to Superintendent Glenn Robbins on being included in this article!

It is not uncommon to observe two options in schools, general education or special education. It was not that long ago that special education programming was completely exclusive of the general education setting. So while research has proven the promise of inclusion, as well as structured intervention prior to a special education referral. Practice in our schools, as well as teacher prep programs, have not caught up. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Frances Shefter Shefter Law, P.A. to discuss the importance of building a middle ground between the two and how systems development is an integral part in making this something doeable and sustainable for schools. Take a listen and share you biggest take away below ⬇️ #systemsapproach #mtss #continuousimprovement #changeispossible

Turning Around Troubled Schools: A New Chapter Begins Transforming a school's reputation and culture can truly be a monumental task. The journey of Leigh Academy Minster on the Isle of Sheppey is a testament to the power of leadership, community engagement, and unwavering commitment. After a damning Ofsted report and staff walkouts, the school has made substantial progress under new leadership and policies. Strict rules on behaviour and lateness, along with a no make-up policy and the establishment of a long-awaited library, have started to turn the tide. The investment from the Department for Education and the involvement of the Leigh Academies Trust (LAT) have played crucial roles. Staff report a significant improvement in student conduct and overall school environment, proving that clear expectations and consistent boundaries can make a world of difference. Parents like Gemma Dawson and Lloyd Page, who were initially sceptical, are now re-evaluating their stance, impressed by the school's renewed commitment and cleaner environment. Teachers such as Tracy Bradd emphasise that while no system is perfect, the structured approach is making a positive impact. It's clear that rebuilding relationships with the community and setting high standards for students are pivotal to this transformation. What are your thoughts on the importance of school leadership and community trust? https://lnkd.in/eaZDX8UA #Education #SchoolImprovement #CommunityEngagement

#ICYMI: Since the start of the pandemic, Los Angeles Unified School Districthas experienced less learning loss during school closures than other major districts. Learn more about how Los Angeles students are doing four years later in our new report, which includes steps to accelerate learning going forward https://lnkd.in/gAVS_xn3