DEC 2024 ? NEWS & IDEAS FOR OUR VALUED PARTNERS
FINDING JOY AND RENEWAL FOR 2025
As we approach the winter holiday season, you may be feeling the weight of this year's challenges. The stress of maintaining momentum through busy schedules, rising workloads,?and team burnout can leave little room for reflection. But the holiday season offers an opportunity to reset—not only for yourself but for your entire team.
A recent article in the?Harvard Business Review highlights four key strategies to help leaders reignite joy and resilience in the workplace:?
By connecting with what truly drives you, approaching challenges with curiosity, and taking time to celebrate the small wins, you can create a more energized and positive environment. The act of expressing gratitude, especially as the year winds down, can also strengthen bonds and lift team spirits.
Now is the perfect time to foster a culture of joy and optimism that will carry you into the new year. By leading with a mindset that prioritizes well-being and connection, you’ll set your team up for success in 2025—and beyond. This season, let's focus on what brings us joy, both personally and professionally, to recharge and keep our communities thriving.
"Joy does not simply happen to us.We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”-Henri Nouwen
THE IMPORTANCE OF NORMING IN CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS:
ENSURING CONSISTENCY AND FAIRNESS
by Paige Gonzalez, SchoolWorks Project Manager
Classroom observations are an integral part of educator evaluations, often influencing important decisions like promotions, merit pay, or continued employment. For these evaluations to be fair and effective, it’s crucial that different raters—whether administrators, peers, or other evaluators—agree on what constitutes good teaching. This is where?norming?plays a vital role.
What is Norming and Why Does It Matter?
Norming is the process by which evaluators align their understanding of the criteria in an observation tool. It ensures that all raters, regardless of their individual experiences or biases, assess a classroom using the same standards. The goal is to achieve?rater reliability,?meaning that different observers should arrive at similar conclusions when evaluating the same lesson. This is essential because classroom observation results are often tied to high-stakes decisions, such as a teacher’s promotion or job security.
Without norming, there’s a risk that each evaluator might interpret the criteria differently, leading to inconsistent ratings. For example, one rater might focus on student engagement...
NEW ONLINE COURSE!
Rater Reliability Training
As a leading education consulting company, we have?extensive experience in developing effective evaluation practices through training and norming. Our new, on-demand course is designed for evaluators at all levels, offering detailed guidance on best practices for evidence gathering, bias management, and collaborative rating techniques. You'll also gain hands-on experience through practice exercises, ensuring you can apply what you've learned effectively.
To receive 10% off, use the discount code SCHOOL10 at check-out.?
SCHOOLWORKS CHANGEMAKERS GRANT - FALL AWARD
Congratulations to Atlas Public Schools, the most recent recipient of the SchoolWorks Changemakers Grant! ?? The funding provided by SchoolWorks will help Atlas Public Schools support its mission to ensure every student has the essentials they need to succeed, such as uniforms, socks, and other daily basics.?By addressing these fundamental needs, Atlas is not only helping boost attendance but also creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.
领英推荐
Atlas's innovative approach to supporting students exemplifies what it means to be a changemaker in St. Louis, Missouri. We look forward to seeing how these resources empower Atlas students to reach new heights! Keep up the inspiring work!
INTRODUCING: COACH ACCOUNTABLE
We are excited to introduce Coach Accountable, our?new platform of choice for SchoolWorks' Leadership Coaching supports.
Coach Accountable's?online system?provides?the main hub for communication between SchoolWorks coaches and school leaders. The?platform efficiently organizes?documents and archives important information in one secure location. It ensures confidentiality between the coach and coachee while providing transparency on hours logged, overall progress toward goals, and key metrics. We are excited?to?leverage?this tool to enhance our collaboration and continue supporting your growth!
SCHOOLWORKS CASE STUDY?
Enhancing the Charter School Renewal Process at GVSU?
The Charter Schools Office (CSO) at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) oversees 79 charter schools serving over 35,000 students across Michigan. In 2020, GVSU partnered with SchoolWorks to enhance and streamline their charter school renewal process. SchoolWorks' work focused on refining site visit protocols, providing professional development for K-12 educators, and supporting the overall renewal process.
By developing standardized evidence-collection tools and conducting annual training sessions, SchoolWorks helped GVSU foster a more consistent and evidence-driven renewal process. This partnership led to more informed decision-making and a stronger alignment between site visit teams, ensuring better outcomes for schools and students.
As Leah Breen, Associate Vice President of GVSU's Charter Schools Office, states, "SchoolWorks is an instrumental partner in our charter school renewals. Their team facilitates the process effectively and efficiently, allowing us to focus on the important work of schools and students."
SCHOOLWORKS CHANGEMAKERS GRANT
SchoolWorks offers multiple $5,000 grant awards each year to teams of educators seeking to advance student learning and well-being through an impact-focused initiative. The current application cycle ends on December 30, 2024.??
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SEE HOW WE MEASURE UP
At SchoolWorks, we care deeply about the quality of our service and deliverables. To gain insight into what our clients are saying, view our continually updated partnership evaluation data here: SEE HOW CLIENTS RATE US
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LET'S ZOOM!
We love to hear from fellow educators. If you are considering consulting support, have questions about any of our services, or need to think through some of your new initiatives, let's connect via Zoom!
ASSESS | PLAN | ACHIEVE