Skills and Structures for Effective Communication

Institute participants focus on the necessary skills and structures for effective communication to accomplish meaningful reform. In this session, participants:

• Complete a personal profile to discover and reflect on their own communication strengths
• Learn to appreciate and value the communication style of others
• Practice using the skills they acquire to become more flexible communicators
• Examine and refine communication structures within their school/district/local community
• Apply communication skills to foster effective, productive teamwork

Team Building: Getting the Job Done

Institute participants develop skills for conducting productive meetings. In this session, participants:

• Practice effective agenda building
• Use meeting roles to ensure effectiveness and efficiency
• Streamline meetings by using appropriate tools for analysis and decision making
• Apply these strategies to establish a balance between attention to task and respect for relationships

Data Analysis for Comprehensive Educational Planning

Institute participants learn about the relationship of data collection and analysis to the planning process. In this session, participants:

• Examine key components of comprehensive planning
• Use strategies and techniques to develop an effective school improvement plan
• Analyze data and interpret findings to make informed decisions
• Reflect on current local planning processes while considering options for reform

Professional Development to Support Student Achievement

Institute participants discuss research-based practices in professional development that produce results that promote student achievement. In this session, participants:

• Identify and examine attributes of effective professional development
• Assess current professional development practices in their school and district
• Design professional development practices and structures that support student achievement

Action Planning

Throughout the Institute, teams reflect and engage in action planning together. Each day ends with team time. The Institute provides teams with a structure for this process, asking focused questions for assessment and planning in the areas of:

• Curriculum and instruction
• Student support services
• Community and family involvement
• Professional development
• School culture and climate