“Systems thinking is a discipline for seeing wholes. It is a framework for seeing interrelationships rather than things, for seeing ‘patterns of change’ rather than static ‘snapshots’”.
~ Peter Senge
How might Leadership, Instructional Infrastructure, and Student Support interconnect? As you continue to deepen your understanding of the Blueprint Framework, the more you’ll discover the interconnectedness amongst the various Blueprint components. When reading through the outcomes of each of the tracks, challenge yourself to make those connections; for example, what connections might you make between student support, high-quality instruction, and teacher collaboration? How might leadership impact the outer ring and the communications driver system?
Below is a summary of the outcomes for each of the Institute tracks . . .
Leadership – The Leadership track at the VBPI focused on:
- Culture and Communication ~ exploring the relationship between communication, culture, and performance in the continuous improvement process
- Leading Sustainable Change ~ exploring the purposeful practices to build collective efficacy through high-impact structures and actions to sustain change
- Performance Management – Developing a Data-Driven Decision-Making Culture ~ examining what performance management looks and sounds like and exploring structures and processes that allow teams to identify barriers, problem-solve around challenges, and determine decisions based on data to improve teaching and learning
Superintendent of Eastpointe Community Schools, Ryan McLeod, participated in a panel discussion within the Leadership track. He shared this feedback, “I so appreciated being a small part of the important work you are continuing to do in Michigan. I have received emails and feedback from some of the attendees at the session I was part of. The positive notes really feel good. They are much needed during this unique time and have really given me a lift. Also, the general theme of the whole conference was uplifting and encouraging. Exactly what our educators need this year!” Superintendent McLeod’s message is important for all of you to hear. You do need to be lifted up and encouraged as you forge into a new school year.
Instructional Infrastructure – The Instructional Infrastructure track focused on:
- Instructional Infrastructure: What’s Essential ~ developing an understanding of how a guaranteed and viable curriculum, through the identification of essential standards, learning targets, proficiency scales, common assessments, and pacing, effectively creates the foundation for high-quality instruction to occur
- Instructional Infrastructure: How Do I Deliver a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum? ~ exploring instructional models and monitoring tools that align to content-specific teacher and student actions
- Teacher Collective Efficacy and a Culture of Collaboration ~ exploring the purposeful practices that teacher teams engage in to create collective teacher efficacy to best support improved learning outcomes for students as well as the structures that make these practices happen on a daily basis
Student Support – The Student Support track focused on:
- Intense Student Support Vision . . . Now What? ~ exploring how the vision drives what data might be collected to support putting structures in place
- Using the Blueprint Framework to Support the Whole Child ~ using the WSCC Model framework to identify the district and building structures that are needed to support the social, emotional, and academic growth of students
- Implementing District and Schoolwide Social Emotional Learning ~ understanding the importance of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for staff and students while exploring CASEL’s resources for high-quality systemic implementation of SEL as well as finding practical ways to make our state-adopted SEL competencies an integral part of every student’s education
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