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The Virginia School Consortium for Learning: Leading and Learning Together

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Category Archives: Student Leadership

#VAis4Learners Innovation Network Learning from the Field June 2019

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Posted on June 25, 2019 by pamelamoran

 

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Monthly Cohort Update

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Thank you to the Advanced Learning Partnerships coaching team for sharing the experiences and project work of the Virginia is for Learners Innovation Network!

Summertime is Not Down Time for the Innovation Network

At this time of year, many of us want to think of relaxing with friends and family, but many of the Innovation Network members are keeping busy this summer. Some divisions ended the year with a call to team members to consider innovative initiatives for the Fall. Others celebrated good work already completed. And still others are planning or participating in professional learning to start the 2019-20 school year off right. We hope these stories from the Network inspire you and keep you motivated throughout the summer, and we look forward to sharing your story in an upcoming issue.

Congratulations to all of the recent graduates of every grade and good luck to the Class of ’19!

I Belong Here...

Moving From Pockets to Culture of Deeper Learning

A Visible Path Forward

I Belong Here…

Educators from five #VALIN districts got to hear from Lily first hand about how authentic learning impacted her high school experience. A follow up conversation revealed even more of the backstory and you can read it here.

Moving From Pockets to Culture of Deeper Learning

Manassas Park City Schools embraces innovation and strategic risk taking. Read about how they have accepted the challenge to implement the Profile of a Virginia Graduate in an authentic, shared and transparent way.

A Visible Path Forward

These cards, in the hands of Suffolk City Public Schools leaders during a #VaLIN cohort meeting, lead to a design session that resulted in a description of the current state of the innovation team’s work. Learn more about the broad reach of this work.

Follow us on Twitter #VaLIN #VAis4Learners

Hopewell Innovation Coaches Exploring the Power of Video to Drive Change

Suffolk City Innovation Team Turning Insights Into Action

Learning About What a Medical Academy Could Look Like at SVHEC

Hopewell Innovation Coaches Exploring the Power of Video to Drive Change

Suffolk City Innovation Team Turning Insights Into Action

Learning About What a Medical Academy Could Look Like at SVHEC

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What Schools Could Be

Ted Dintersmith is graciously donating copies of his latest book, What School Could Be, to participating members of the Virginia is for Learners Innovation Network. Initial team members received hard cover copies at the March Institute. Paperback copies are now available. If you would like paperback copies of What School Could Be for additional staff, students, or parents, please contact Becky Eliis at rge4bc@gmail.com and she will arrange to get them to you at Martinsville at our next meeting. To have your copies available by July 25, please contact Becky by July 11.

How do you PBL?

Don’t be shy! Share your story on how you implement PBL in your school or division, just like Jennifer Miller, Supervisor of Community Connections from Loudoun County. Jennifer shares a response to the question “Who creates PBL Topics?” from teachers in her division, sharing how teachers and students collaborate on topics and closing with a great example of working with community partners on implementing PBL units together! Check out her fantastic response and share your stories on the PBL FLIPGRID for the Network. Feel free to share with some PBL experts in your school or division so they can provide their stories, too. Thanks!

Powhatan County emPOWer Conference

Our #VAis4Learners teammates in Powhatan invite members of the cohort to join their upcoming educational conference, emPOWer. The conference will be held on August 8, 2019, at Powhatan Middle School from 9am – 3pm. The theme for this year’s conference is “Learning from Each Other” Click here to register on or before May 30, 2019.

Save the Date! July 25 #VaLIN Meeting

WHEN

Thursday, July 25th, 8am-4pm

WHERE

191 Fayette Street

Martinsville, VA

MORE INFORMATION

Our next meeting of the Virginia is for Learners Innovation Network will be on Thursday, July 25, beginning with breakfast at 8 am, prior to our scheduled time together from 8:30 am – 4 pm. We will meet in Martinsville at the New College Institute. By the week of July 8, you will be sent an email with more specific information about the schedule for the next VaLIN Institute on July 25, 2019.

Get Directions

The Virginia is for Learners Innovation Network ….

 is an initiative of the Virginia Department of Education, the Virginia School Consortium for Learning (VaSCL), Jobs for the Future and James Madison University with support from Ted Dintersmith. Coaching is provided by Advanced Learning Partnerships and Dr. Scott McLeod , @mcleod, from the University of Colorado at Denver.

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                                                                                                                          About Advanced Learning Partnerships

About Advanced Learning Partnerships

ALP is a partner, designer, and agent of change. We move beyond the expert mindset and one-size-fits-all, quick fix solutions.

ALP@advancedpartnerships.com   @alplearn 

Posted in child-centered learning, Educational Leadership, Organizational Engagement, Professional Development, Project Based Learning, School Culture, Student Leadership, Uncategorized, VaSCL, Virginia Standards of Learning | Tagged Deeper Learning, Design Thinking, Education Innovation, Equity, James Madison University, Jobs for the Future, learner engagement, PBL, Performance assessment, Personalized Learning, Profile of a Virginia Graduate, Ted Dintersmith, Vais4 Learners Innovation Network, Virginia Department of Education, Virginia School Consortium for Learning

Connecting the Dots: Virginia School Consortium for Learning

Featured

Posted on August 6, 2018 by pamelamoran

When educators get together to accomplish project work and grow expertise, magic happens. I was fortunate recently to spend time with educators who were doing just that in my new role working to support member divisions in the Virginia School Consortium for Learning as its new Executive Director.

Over two days of workshops focused on assessments, (DAY I a small group preparing to join a larger group on Day II), I spent time listening to about 200 teachers designing, buildiIMG_5541ng, and assessing  performance tasks using Virginia’s Quality Performance Review Tool as a rubric.  When teachers engage together in a professional learning network they  share resources, ask questions, discuss successes and failures in their work, and solve problems. And, as a result of their work in teams to apply, analyze, and create, they are more likely to go back to their schools and use what they learned especially, when they know they will reunite to work together throughout the year. They hone their own expertise, share what they’ve learned with peers in their schools, and see the results of their efforts in the progress that learners make in their classrooms. Magic does happen- especially when you have wonderful workshop facilitators who know the challenges of teaching and learning. For more info on the assessment work of VaSCL, you can start here.

IMG_5658On the last day of VaSCL workshops this past week, it was a delight to watch Principal Scott Habeeb of Salem High School (@scotthabeeb) work with teams of building level leaders to explore strategies that support principals to be difference makers in their schools. Scott is a storyteller who walks and talks his beliefs about the power of principals to shape school culture and support up all members of the school community. Everyone is always creating a story in life, Scott says. His question to the administrators that caught their attention? Do you want the story you create as a leader to be a great story or a waste of a story? The rest of the workshop day was spent engaging in discussions and strategy work focused on the leader’s role as a champion of the culture that every child deserves in school. Scott will be working this year with principals through a virtual coaching model to help participants reflect on their work in their schools – from “how to” questions to deeper focus on strategic initiative implementation. The work groups also will meet face to face again later this year.

IMG_5679Professional development staff know that transfer into practice is critical – and that doesn’t happen by chance. Attendance at one-shot events seldom result in transfer by participants. That’s why VaSCL is committed to embedding follow up development, coaching options, and an expectation that our face-to-face sessions actively engage participants in applying the work not just in “sit and get” sessions.

PBL coaching is live for member divisions!

If you have committed in your division to implementing Project Based Learning,  you may want to utilize our virtual PBL coaching services by trained PBL coaching facilitators Annie Evans Evansa1@charlottesvilleschools.org and Kelley Aitken kmaitken@gmail.com. For more information about utilizing our coaches, you can also contact Administrative Coordinator, Liza Scallet lscallet@vascl.org.

Upcoming VASCL-sponsored Development Opportunities

October 11, 2018 Developing Thematic, Interdisciplinary Units that Support Project-Based Learning and Literacy in Science and Social Studies Grades K-6

October 16, 2018 Enhancing Student Learning through Mathematical Modeling Grades 3-8

October 24, 2018 Student-Centered Assessment: Goal Setting in Literacy & Math Grades Pre K-5

October 30, 2018 and … Allison Zmuda on Personalized Learning Grades K-12 

November 15 The Annual Student Leadership Conference – this year will focus a theme tied to Rachel’s Challenge

Ongoing Assesssment Workshops for the Test and Task Bank team members

You can find more info about the full range of offerings through January here:

 Professional Development Fall and Winter full conference workshop schedule

As our principals shared at the Principal as Difference Maker workshop, building relationships are foundational to leading for the culture we want for the learners we serve. VaSCL staff and members work to support a culture of learning for all – adults and young people alike.  That always begins with our beliefs about what communities can be when we grow better together.

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Posted in Educational Leadership, Organizational Engagement, Professional Development, Professional Learning, Project Based Learning, School Culture, Student Leadership, Test and Task Bank, VaSCL, VaSCL Coaching, Virginia Standards of Learning | Tagged Allison Zmuda, Equity, Scott Habeeb, Student Leadership Conference, Virginia Quality Performance Review Tool, Virginia School Consortium for Learning

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