March 1999

March 1999

Accelerated Schools Project

Notes from the Director

INSIDE

Page 1: Notes from the Director, Training Update and descriptions, and Listserv

Page 2: Let us know, Spring Regional Meeting Information, Principal/Administrator Institute Update, Looking Ahead, Surfin' to America, Pearls of Wisdom

Page 3:Powerful Learning Grant Application

Page 4:Web addresses

Can it really be March already? It won't be long and it will be spring vacation and then the end of the year looms large before us! It was wonderful to see so many of you at the recent National Conference in New Orleans. We had 78 folks from Ohio in attendance -- the fourth largest delegation! It was fun to mingle with many of you at our Ohio Reception! We plan to keep the Reception as an annual tradition at the National Conference. See you in LA in Y2K (January 15-20)!

March is the time of year when our attention seems to be drawn even more acutely towards assessment and evaluation. It is essential that we keep record of our strengths and accomplishments as well as challenges. With this in mind, the Satellite Center is diligently working on establishing an easy method of gathering data from our schools. A database is nearly completed. I want to thank Ned Young, a Ph.D. candidate, for his great work in this area.

Briefly, our plan is to have easy access to a data collection format on our website (www.udayton.edu/edu/centers/OASN.OASN .html). Each accelerated school in our Ohio network will be listed on the website. All you need to do is click on your school's name and the format will appear. Someone from your school then needs to fill in the blanks with the information requested. When the form is completed, click on send and if all works well in cyberspace the information will be transported to our database. More information about this data collection will be shared at our spring regional meetings so it will be very important to have a coach from each of our schools at one of these meetings (see dates in this newsletter). We hope to generate status reports based on this information. We think the information will be helpful as you do inquiry, take stock, and address continuous improvement. Be on the lookout for a letter of affirmation and a questionnaire about continued affiliation with the Dayton Satellite Center and the National Accelerated Schools Project.

There are several important dates, stories, and reminders in this newsletter. Read it carefully and contact the Satellite Center if you have any questions or need additional information.

Happy Spring!

Dayton

Satellite Center

for Accelerated Schools

Dr. Julie K. Biddle

Director

University of Dayton

School of Education

The ASP Newsletter is published quarterly by the ASP Satellite Center at the University of Dayton

Peg Wuelfing

Technical Writer

Vickie Hodges

Communications Coordinator

Update on Training/NetworkOpportunities for 1999

April 29-30

Principals Institute

May 5-7

Powerful Learning & Inquiry Training (University of Dayton)

June 28-July 2

New Schools Coaches Training (University of Dayton)

September 13-14

Introduction to ASP Training

October 4-8

Existing Schools Coaches Training

Interested in Listserv?

The Dayton Satellite Center has established listserv. To subscribe, send via email: your name, address(es), phone(s), FAX number(s), and email address(es) to:

hodges@keiko.udayton.edu

We hope to provide the opportunity for many interesting discussions, suggestions, new items and research topics to the Ohio Accelerated School Network.

Powerful Learning & Inquiry Training

May 4-7, 1999

This three-day training is open to: any coach who needs a refresher training, any new coach who just completed coaches' training in October, or any faculty member who has been in the school from the beginning of the accelerated school process. It focuses on powerful learning and inquiry and how these are connected to the school's vision, continuous improvement planning, and assessment.

Coaches Training

This five-day training is for faculty, staff, and parents who are interested in becoming an accelerated school coach. The June training is reserved for new schools and the October training for existing schools.

Introduction to Accelerated Schools September 13-14, 1999

This two-day workshop is designed to introduce newly hired faculty and staff to the Accelerated School philosophy and process.

Let us know . . .

· One copy only of the "National Newsletter" is being sent to each school. If your school does not get its copy please let us know. We will forward one copy that can then be duplicated for distribution. There are three volumes published per year.

· If your school community has a celebration of achievement you would like to share please contact us.

· If you would like additional assistance or have questions, please feel free to contact us.

Dayton Satellite Center

University of Dayton

300 College Park Drive

Dayton, OH 45469-0513

Phone: 937-229-3870 (Vickie) -or- 937-229-4517 (Julie)

email: hodges@keiko.udayton.edu - or -jbiddle@keiko.udayton.edu

FAX: 937-229-3392

Spring Regional Meetings

For Coaches

EAST

Tuesday, April 13 from 1-4 p.m. at Lake Elementary in Hartville

(Register by calling Kathy Wolf at 330-877-4276)

WEST

Friday, April 16 from 1-4 p.m. at McKinley Elementary in Middletown

(Register by calling Karen Williams at 513-420-4552)

Principal/Administrator Institute Update

The Ohio Principal/Administrator Institute was the topic of a presentation at the recent National ASP Conference in New Orleans. Thanks to Margy Stevens, Carol-Anne Hossler, and Jay Keefer for co-presenting with Julie Biddle. The Institute will also be featured in the next National ASP Newsletter. Our third institute meeting was held on February 26. Our fourth meeting is scheduled for April 29 and 30.

The Principal/Administrator Institute is a professional development opportunity specifically targeted for individuals who are in their first or second year as a principal of an accelerated school. The present model attempts to bring "novice" principals together with "experienced" accelerated school principals for the purpose of sharing information, strategies, and joint trouble-shooting. We hope to continue to bring together the principals and district office personnel from our Ohio Accelerated School Network on a regular basis to promote collegial relationships and informed conversations.

If your school anticipates change in leadership for the 1999-2000 school year contact the Satellite Center so that application materials can be mailed to the appropriate persons. Our next cohort group will begin meeting early in August.

Surfin' to America?

Welcome to our Swedish friend, Anna Drugge!

One year ago, a Luleå University of Technology education student searched the 'Net for information on improved teaching and learning, and hit upon Accelerated Schools. Anna planned to visit a friend at OSU, and contacted the Ohio Department of Education for the closest ASP school. Emails zipped across the Atlantic from the Dayton Center to Luleå, Sweden, and Anna visited with the Center and Kinder School staffs in February 1998.

Anna has kept in touch, and interested her teacher-mentor, Monika Tornsen, in ASP. In March 1999 Anna traveled to Miamisburg to begin a three-month teaching internship in fourth grade at Kinder school.

Skol (good luck), Anna! Best wishes bringing the vision of Accelerated Schools to Sweden!

Pearls of Wisdom from the Field

Responding to the question: What pearls of wisdom did you gather at the National Conference, and what did you do with them when you got home?

· Amy Allen, Dorr School (Toledo): "The value of networking! I would love to have done more with the Ohio ASP folks, and hope we can organize more opportunities next time in LA."

· Ethel Bell, Roosevelt (Lakewood): "Presenting was good for us. The folks from Rodondo Beach really affirmed how important integrating the fine arts and music are to our curriculum. We'll be doing lots more than cutting and pasting as art."

· Judy Artz, Central Office (Middletown): "We learned about a plan for rotating substitutes so our teachers could observe one another, peer coach and plan. We came home and reprioritized funds to create a Summer Institute II, for ASP and non-ASP teachers and administrators. We'll have a monthly release for teams in both elementary and secondary schools. Now that's collaboration!

Looking Ahead: From N'Awlins to L.A.:

The Third Accelerated Schools National Conference will be held from JANUARY 15-20^th IN LOS ANGELES, CA. While arrangements are still in the works, it is time to bold those dates, as we plan our school calendars for 1999-2000. Also, the CALL FOR PAPERS will be issued over the summer so NOW is the time for Ohio schools to prepare their proposals for presentation at the Conference. As always, the staff of the Dayton Satellite Center is available to help with the process, but do PLAN TO PRESENT your best practices in LA!

Dayton Satellite Center for Accelerated Schools

Powerful Learning Grant Application

(Only one application/school)

Applicant(s) Name_____________________________________________________________________________

Home Address________________________________________________Phone___________________________

School Name_________________________________________________________________________________

School Address_______________________________________________________________________________

School Phone_________________________________________________FAX____________________________

Email address_________________________________________________________________________________

Grade Level Presently Teaching__________________________________________________________________

Number of years you have been an Accelerated Schools Coach_________________________________________

(Attach additional pages if more than one individual is applying)

Principal’s Signature___________________________________________________________________________

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In 2-3 pages please

· Describe completely how $500.00 will be used to enhance powerful learning opportunities for all students (include objectives of plan, implementation strategies, and timeline for implementation).

· Explain how your project fits with your prescribed course of study.

· Explain how the five components of powerful learning are woven into the proposed project.

Awardees must agree to

· Submit a well-produced videotape documenting the powerful learning project described above (tape becomes property of Satellite Center).

· Agree to participate in a follow-up interview with Satellite Center personnel.

· Agree to complete an evaluation of project.

Award winners may be invited to participate in local, state, and/or national presentations as well as powerful learning training.

COMPLETE APPLICATION AND MAIL TO: Dayton Satellite Center for Accelerated Schools, University of Dayton, 300 College Park Drive, Dayton, OH 45469-0510.

TIMELINE

· Application deadline is April 30, 1999.

· Notification of winners will be Summer 1999.

· Implementation of grant is for school year, 1999-2000.

· Videotape due at the Satellite Center by June 30, 2000.

· Interview and evaluation in June/July 2000.

QUESTIONS?

Contact Julie K. Biddle at 937-229-4517 or email biddlej@keiko.udayton.edu.

ASP WEBSITES:

National Center for Accelerated Schools -- Stanford:

www.stanford.edu/group/ASP/

Dayton Satellite Center for Accelerated Schools: