Chapter 5

Leading School-Administrator Academic Conferences

The real methodology for system change begins and ends with ongoing authentic conversations about important questions.

—Tony Wagner

Mary walked the halls of her school and wondered how the students were doing. Were they learning in the classrooms throughout the day? She chatted with her teachers in the cafeteria about student behavior; yet it seemed they never talked about the things she really wanted to talk about. Yes, she had one or two hours a year to evaluate the teachers in the classroom, yet it was such a quick snapshot of the real picture that it seemed to be a superficial review of instruction and learning. So much emotion was wrapped up in this formal evaluation that it seemed little was accomplished. How she wished she could sit down with her teachers and listen to how the students were doing overall. As she observed in the classroom, she saw several quick snapshots of how the students were doing; yet she also wanted to know how the teachers felt things were going. Some students appeared to be struggling whereas others seemed to be doing well. She decided she would sit down with each teacher to listen to current concerns and future plans for success in the classroom.

Pursuing a Common Vision

Our profession as educators in many ways is at a crossroads. As we strive to generate solutions to our collective challenges, we need to find ways to work together toward a shared vision. Aligning everyone around that shared vision takes both time and understanding. A clear pathway can only be developed as we work together as true professionals and develop a unity of purpose. As instructional leaders, we need to work together to strengthen the foundation of education as a professional field. Our school systems need to operate in ways that support learning and increase our ability to become instructional leaders. As school leaders, we need a plan and a consistent process for infusing a successful academic vision and coordinating the academic results throughout our entire school organization. For our schools to improve, we must have the opportunity to embrace a vision and give voice to the professional work behind our instructional plans, perspectives, and practices. Otherwise, whole groups of students will continue to struggle. We need to keep the primary purposes of school—student learning and quality instruction—at the forefront of our school efforts. The instructional initiatives, academic plans, and district vision statements all need to align with the everyday actions of everyone charged with improving learning outcomes. The key individuals who are responsible for school-wide success—principals and district administrators—need to address the ever-present issues of student learning and instruction.

Outlining a Shared Vision for Our Schools

Our schools and district organizations need a clear vision to guide the instructional efforts of everyone within the organization. The primary task of the district’s leadership team is to establish and communicate a clear vision for quality instruction and student learning. Every school district has the important responsibility of outlining for its members the vision and values of the organization. Whether it is called a “strategic vision,” “district vision,” or “school board vision for improvement,” this vision is a crucial part of directing the energies of everyone involved in the organization. Academic conferences provide the perfect venue for communicating and creating accountability for the organization’s academic vision. In our educational systems, the list of operational procedures seems to be never ending, yet the time to discuss instructional progress is short. As a result, the important educational vision of the district never seems to be implemented in a consistent and cohesive fashion. At the same time, school principals never seem to receive the support they often need to propel their school forward. Open and transparent discussions about instruction can mutually support the vision of the district, the insights of the principal, the values of the teachers, and the best interests of our students. Senge and colleagues (2000) observe, “In building shared vision, a group of people build a sense of commitment together. They develop images of ‘the future we want to create together,’ along with the values that will be important in getting there and the goals they hope to achieve along the way.” Developing a shared vision requires conferring and collaborating between district leaders and site administrators. School district leadership needs to consider carefully how this vision is communicated and aligned with the efforts of each individual school within the organization. The most important aspect of a school vision for success is that it becomes a shared vision. It takes a conscious effort on the part of district leaders to ensure that the vision is aligned with the important leaders of schools and classrooms. Mission and vision statements, however, are not just exercises in articulating desired outcomes. They should become active efforts for reflecting, analyzing data, designing plans, creating solutions, and making commitments. A school’s mission statement is given substance and value when it is systematically compared to current progress.

School-Administrator Academic Conferences

Academic conferences do a tremendous amount to add value and bring together the various aspects of the school district organization. The school-administrator academic conference is the vehicle for creating instructional leadership at the district level and school level that will drive student learning to higher levels of achievement. Academic conferences allow the organization to shift from first gear, to second gear, into third gear, into fourth gear, and eventually into fifth gear as they identify the ever-pressing academic needs and then step up to meet them. Establishing clear priorities that are regularly reviewed and discussed will increase results for the entire organization. Dufour and Marzano (2011) state: “Central office leaders must not only clarify those priorities but should be vigilant in monitoring the degree to which the priorities are understood and acted on throughout the district.” Many schools travel the highway of learning stuck in a low academic gear. They want to shift into a higher gear, yet they need support to kick into overdrive. At the same time, academic conferences for school administrators held at the district level set the tone for the entire organization and give greater purpose to everyone’s efforts. School-wide academic conferences align classroom practices and purposes with the school’s instructional leadership purposes; district-wide academic conferences align school practices and purposes with the district’s instructional leadership purposes.

Figure 5.1. Here is another look at important processes in Academic Conferences.

School and District Needs

Academic conferences are structured to support learning conversations and, at the same time, create a high-quality learning organization. Will there be a day when district administrators, site administrators, and teachers work together as true colleagues? The language of academic conferences is important because regenerative language helps create an environment where things can grow and flourish. In order to achieve these four purposes of district-wide academic conferences, the chief facilitators must create a culture and environment that feels psychologically safe. The facilitator wants to create a positive emotional state where the chief contributor feels pulled toward a positive state. This has also been called a toward-state of feeling or a reward sense. The following statements demonstrate the power of an academic conference practiced correctly.

In the academic conferences we got a lot of things done. We established goals, developed plans, focused on students, and made commitments to continue our progress.

—seventh-grade teacher

We talked about students in what felt like a one-to-one conversation about the kids in each teacher’s classroom.

—elementary principal

It helped create a sense of urgency and it helped us to organize our instructional priorities.

—middle school assistant principal

We were able to see a lot of growth in the teachers and in ourselves as leaders when we looked at the data for our students and reflected on the instructional practices and interventions that produced results.

—elementary instructional coach

The academic conferences were extremely beneficial because they followed a clear yet open format that focused on the particular needs of my classroom and my students.

—high school principal

School and District Leadership

The mission statement, strategic initiatives, and focus question frame the dialogue and discussion of academic conferences. Together they impact reflection, planning, commitments, and solutions in powerful, yet subtle, ways. The facilitator may refocus the conversation by referring to the mission statements or strategic initiatives. Academic conferences expand the individual principal’s perspectives to connect with the broader goals of the school and connect with the specific goals of the individual student. The dual objectives of our profession are considered contributing to the profession of comprehensive education and the profession of personalized education.

Oftentimes, district administrators are caught up in filing reports and administrivia, and they lose focus of the primary purpose of school—learning. School-administrator academic conferences provide a clear focus for district leaders and site leaders to meet and discuss the academic progress of schools and students. Aligning the vision, interests, and actions of everyone in the school organization allows it to move forward effectively and efficiently.

Vertical Alignment within School Organizations

School-administrator academic conferences connect the vision and leadership of the district with the leadership and implementation of school administrators. School-administrator academic conferences are needed to align the actions of schools with the objectives of the district, and this type of conference helps keep the focus on student learning and quality instruction. They also align the actions and efforts of schools with the organizational values and initiatives of the school district. Many district leadership teams seem to spend substantial effort and time crafting a quality vision, only to see this vision struggle to be implemented at the school level and at the classroom level for students.

Figure 5.2. The primary roles in a School-Administrator Academic Conference are Chief Contributor, Facilitator, and Supporters.

Roles and Relationships in School-Administrator Conferences

The roles established in academic conferences are designed to enlist the best thinking of everyone at the table. As we work together, we have the ability to create solutions to the challenges that face our students. The interactions in academic conferences are made safe by encouraging open dialogue and frank discussion of student data results and their specific needs. The three main roles at the academic conference are:

  1. Facilitator (assistant superintendent or other district administrator)
  2. Chief Contributors (school principal and site leadership team)
  3. Supporters (district directors)

The most important aspect of the academic conference is to strengthen the relationships of those who have responsibility for school learning: district administrators, school principals, and support personnel. All of these roles overlap in their responsibilities, and we have a collective ownership to work as interdependent leaders on behalf of our students. We live in a day when isolated efforts will most often fall short of meeting the learning demands of our students. Developing working relationships by conferencing takes a different approach than traditional annual evaluations. Yet, this unique way of working together as instructional leaders can transform our schools. Let’s look at each of the three roles outlined in school administrator academic conferences. We will take a more in-depth look at the specific responsibilities of these roles as we talk about them in the upcoming chapters.

Facilitator’s Role—School-Administrator Conferences

The facilitator sets the stage for the success of the academic conference. The district superintendent or assistant superintendent of instruction typically fills the role of facilitator at school-administrator academic conferences. Facilitators should help guide the conferral conversations forward. As they interact effectively with the chief contributors (principal and school leadership team), they can help bring innovative thinking and creative solutions to the surface.

The facilitator creates an atmosphere of trust where ideas can be shared, instructional plans can be made, student data can be analyzed, solutions can be developed, and commitments are made. Schein (2004) notes that leaders of successful schools model and exemplify the skills that create a culture of inquiry:

The important lesson here is that teams almost always work better when the higher status person in the group exhibits some humility by active listening; this acknowledges that the others are crucial to good outcomes and creates psychological space for them to develop identities and roles in the group that feel equitable and fair.

Facilitators bring a lot of expertise to the table when conferring, in particular five process skills that are essential to facilitating effective academic conferences:

  1. Asking focus questions
  2. Analyzing school data
  3. Encouraging school plans
  4. Suggesting solutions
  5. Confirming commitments

Typically, the principal assumes the facilitator role at the classroom-teacher academic conference, yet anyone who is trained in the key processes of facilitating can fulfill this role.

Chief Contributor’s Role—School-Administrator Conferences

In school-administrator conferences, the chief contributor is the school principal, the primary individual of the school leadership team who influences the academic conference. As we consider the challenges that face our schools, we know that the principal is the individual most important to the success of the school (Marzano et al., 2001). The ultimate success of the academic conference hinges on the chief contributor gathering the understanding gained, solutions created, and commitments made, then taking the actions to improve academic progress.

The chief contributor is the most important individual at the academic conference, because she knows the most about what is going on in her school. The school administrator is the key cog in the conferencing dialogue. As the principal reflects on instruction, analyzes school data, makes plans, create solutions, and makes commitments, she will develop a greater sense of purpose as she works toward the academic outcomes for her school. Her key skills are:

The school principal is the chief contributor in the school-administrator conference. The chief contributor engages in dialogue and discussion with the facilitator in order to develop plans, solutions, and ideas for improving instruction and student learning. The chief contributor provides the primary direction, issues, and actions to be discussed at the conference.

Supporters’ Role—School-Administrator Conferences

The most important role the supporters play in the school-administrator academic conference is to listen to the chief contributor (school principal), so that they can better understand additional ways to support her. Supporters may take notes as needed to record the plans, solutions, and commitments made during the conference sessions.

Supporters play a quiet, yet important, role in the academic conference, but their lasting impact typically occurs through the actions they take to support their colleagues after the conference session. Supporters will learn a lot by being present at academic conferences. Their key skills are:

In the school-administrating academic conferences, the key supporters are usually directors of instruction, special education, English language learners, and so on. The supporters’ role in the conference is to listen and learn how they can better support individual teachers in the classroom and individual schools in the areas where they need it most. Supporters really provide their support by the actions they take after the conference session is over. They should take the information they glean and use it to provide targeted support in areas that support teacher instruction and student learning. Let’s review the five key processes that direct the flow of the conference. They are:

  1. Reflecting on school instruction
  2. Analyzing school data
  3. Planning and setting goals
  4. Creating solutions
  5. Making commitments

We will explore in greater detail in the next chapter how each of these processes plays a vital role in developing effective conferencing sessions that bring the ideas of site principals and their leadership teams together with the support of district administrators.

District Planning

It is important that every school district have a clear instructional plan that is discussed with school leadership teams and, in turn, with classroom teachers. Successful districts, schools, and classrooms take the time to plan thoughtfully for instructional efforts. The district creates the climate that shapes the context for common instructional purposes; the principal helps select the specific areas that the school and district will pursue together. Academic conferences provide a forum for everyone to focus on instruction in a systematic, yet flexible, way. Conferencing becomes a cocreative process that allows innovation and interest to flourish. The academic conference at the district level provides a forum for the district to meet, plan, review, and celebrate the academic progress of the schools. It keeps the focus squarely on students and their classroom successes.

Who Are the Major Players in the District-wide Academic Conferences?

The academic conference pulls together the major players of the school district and puts them in one room with the responsibility of talking specifically about student learning. Conferences help showcase school successes and zero in on areas for instructional improvement.

Figure 5.4. Comparing key roles to the key processes of school-administrator conferences

District Superintendent—The superintendent should champion the academic vision of the district. Academic conferences are an excellent way for the superintendent to stay connected to the academic results of each school and ensure that each school is making progress. Superintendents attend academic conferences and ask questions, yet the facilitator role is typically left to the assistant superintendent of instruction.

Assistant Superintendent of Instruction—The assistant superintendent most often facilitates the meeting and is primarily responsible for keeping the dialogue and discussion focused on student needs and their learning progress. When serving as the facilitator, he is able to focus on the issues that can most directly move student learning forward.

Directors of Curriculum, Professional Development, Special Education Assessment, and so forth—Directors who are responsible for academics attend academic conferences and serve as supporters of the school administrator academic conferences. They take the information they glean from these meetings to help guide their academic support after the conferral sessions.

School Principal—The principal, with the help of the school leadership team, serves as the chief contributor to the school administrator academic conference. The principal and the school leadership team prepare presentations, anticipate questions, provide a PowerPoint, bring examples of student work, and review the school’s initiatives in coordination with the district’s initiatives.

Assistant Principal—If a school has an assistant principal, he should also play an active role in the academic conference. He can prepare data, run the LCD projector or document camera, and showcase student data and work.

Academic Coaches—They can offer suggestions and reinforce ideas; take notes and record the needs of the teacher and individual students. The instructional coach can use this information to support the teacher in ways the teacher finds to be most helpful.

Students—Students are the primary focal point of academic conferences. Although they are not physically present at the conference, they are represented by data, classroom work, and vital information showcasing their academic performance.

The school-administrator academic conference places the principal, assistant principals, and other site leaders squarely in an instructional leadership role. Conferences position these folks as leaders of the academic conversations that will make a difference for students. Now that we have briefly outlined the major players of these conferences, let’s consider some other important components in designing effective conferral sessions.

What Topics Should Be Covered in the School-Administrator Academic Conference?

School-administrator academic conferences emphasize the vision and values of the school district. The key initiatives of the district should be reviewed and discussed. Major subgroup student populations should be considered, such as English language learners, Title I students, special education students, and so forth. School-administrator conferences are a time of academic discovery where the instructional vision becomes a shared vision for the entire organization. This is a time to emphasize and dig deep into what the district values, then take the time to align these values with the values of each school. The questions the assistant superintendent asks will guide the direction of the conversation.

School Data—Take the time to look at school data in a variety of areas. State assessments, benchmark assessments, demographic data, school surveys, and other information can be analyzed and used to provide feedback to organizational progress.

Common Core State Standards—What do the grade-level standards look like in each core content area? How effective is the school’s implementation of the new standards?

Curriculum—Is the core curriculum being used as designed? Is it meeting the needs of students? What adjustments may need to occur to make a difference for students?

Instructional Practices—What instructional methods and strategies are being used at the school to create results? How are students responding to various instructional practices?

Academic Interventions—What interventions are in place at the school for English language learners, struggling readers, and students with special needs?

Ultimately, the district vision along with the implementation efforts of each school is the major goal of academic conferences for the district.

Where Should School-Administrator Academic Conferences Be Held?

The academic conference should be held in a location where it will not be interrupted and the district staff and school leadership team can interact comfortably. Usually it is in the district’s boardroom. Sitting at a round or rectangular table where everyone (district staff and school leadership team) can be seated is important. The conference space should allow for a projector where up-to-date student data can be displayed for everyone to review.

The school-administrator academic conference should provide the space and time for instructional leaders (principal, assistant principals, instructional coaches, etc.) to look at the data and discuss students’ needs at each individual school.

When Should the District-wide Academic Conference Be Held?

These district-wide academic conferences are typically held four to five times a year to support school leaders, but they can be held as frequently as needed. The first academic conference should be at the beginning of each school year. Academic conferences should be scheduled into the district’s calendar several times throughout the school year. Many districts hold their academic conferences after schools take grade-level benchmark assessments. This way district staff and school leadership team members can review and process up-to-date student data in order to track progress and identify areas of success.

Calendar for School-administrator Academic Conferences (held at district office)

Let’s review several of the things to consider when scheduling classroom-teacher academic conferences:

Meeting several times throughout the school year provides an opportunity to focus on student learning. Looking at student data contributes to the quality of their learning conversations regarding student progress for each school.

Why Is the School-Administrator Academic Conference So Powerful?

As professional educators, we need to have pointed conversations about our students so we can meet the academic needs. Many of these conversations happen in the school parking lot, over the lunch table, or in the teachers’ lounge, yet they rarely happen in a supportive setting with relevant data. Classroom-teacher academic conferences help develop the leadership capacities of both the teacher leaders and school leaders. Consider the following organizational capacities that are developed through effective academic conferences:

Each of these four organizational capacities will improve the overall performance of the school district. Interdependent leadership develops as key administrators talk openly about how instruction at each school site is going. Trust and confidence are built as everyone involved recognizes that instruction and students are the key focus of administrators throughout the district. In upcoming chapters, we will talk more about the benefits of school-administrator conferences and why we should use them to support instructional improvement in our districts.

Summary

The outcomes that academic conferences generate help us align our learning goals, apply the instructional vision, account for academic results, and take action in constructive ways. Academic conferences allow the organization to address both the internal and external challenges that confront our schools and students. Our school districts and their leadership teams have the primary responsibility for designing and disseminating a clear academic vision for principals, teachers, students, and community members. The vision should be clearly focused on student learning and quality instruction. Most school districts have taken the time and effort to develop some type of vision statement; some have even taken the time to develop a strategic vision. The documents outlining the district’s strategic vision are often posted prominently on the district’s Web page. The academic conference provides the time and process to establish a shared vision, to align the organizational values, and to encourage the personal voice of each professional within the organization. The superintendent and other district administrators are often keen communicators of the vision, yet they often have limited opportunities to communicate this vision to those who implement the vision: principals and teachers. Effectively conducted academic conferences make sure that the purposes, practices, and plans of the district are effectively implemented in the classroom. The academic conference gives district leaders the time and forum for making sure that the district vision is well articulated and aligned with the understanding of site leaders, and academic conferences give site leaders the opportunity to see that the vision is aligned with the understanding of classroom leaders.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  1. How does your school ensure that the vision of the district leadership is embraced and becomes a shared vision within the organization?
  2. How do innovative ideas and successful practices get communicated consistently within the organization?