This book is a leader's guide to people, practices, and processes, and is one of the anchor texts that will guide the District SAIL teams and their work in our four core areas;
Literacy, Math, Waukesha for Learning and Waukesha One.
Peter Drucker says, "people determine the capacity of an organization." That is why it is so important for all of us to look at ourselves as lead learners. As leaders, all of us are keepers of the vision. We must be steadfast in our constant and effective communication of the School District of Waukesha's overall purpose to increase student growth and achievement.
How many times have we heard and the research has shown, the number one factor, the single most influential component of an effective school, is the individual teachers within that school. Teachers, do you believe this?
Success in any organization starts with a focus on self. Change will not occur unless people see the need to change. Does our student achievement data scream a sense of urgency to you? Are you serious about success more than you are comfortable with a lack of it? Do you take personal responsibility for student achievement? Engaged employees want their organization to succeed because they feel connected emotionally and socially to the mission, vision and purpose. Are you connected?
The tradition of our learning organizations are as deeply entrenched as you will find. Elmore says, "the existing institutional structure of public education does one thing very well: it creates a normative environment that values idiosyncratic, isolated, and individualistic learning at the expense of collective learning. The existing system does not value continuous learning as a collective good and does not make this learning the individual and social responsibility of every member of the system. Privacy of practices produces isolation; isolation is the enemy of improvement."
I have seen us rise above this individual isolation in the last few years. This week, I was involved in a disciplinary literacy learning day at West High School that involved a cross-section of teachers from all of our high schools. The growth mindset and leadership that was displayed among all of these teachers was simply amazing to be a part of. Lets build upon this positive momentum in our last few weeks of school and use each other, collectively, fight the enemy!
Leading toward deeper learning means sharing and distributing leadership roles and responsibilities across our system. It means moving beyond positional authority as the leader to creating a system of leadership that acknowledges leadership at the classroom, grade, and school level.
