Seeking Volunteers to Fix Up Schools

Almost every school faces the need to reduce expenditures and deal with shrinking resources. In order to maintain a strong instructional program fewer resources may be available to maintain the building and school grounds.

Howard Johnston recently prepared a Research Brief for an Oregon GEAR UP principal about how to seek volunteers to help fix up his school. Here's a summary of the brief.

"There isn't much research on how to secure volunteers to participate in school clean-ups and fix-ups, but some key ideas can be found in anecdotal examples from many communities around the nation. The first recommendation is that securing volunteers is easier when the school has a solid, active community relations program in place. If people are familiar with the school and its mission, they are more likely to volunteer when the call goes out for help. Secondly, people are more likely to volunteer if asked to do something specific. Finally, communicating with key groups is likely to build support within the group (e.g., alumni, churches, local businesses, service clubs) to help out. That makes the school an integral part of their public service agenda, and usually puts their volunteer efforts at the school's disposal."

You can read the entire Research Brief here. We'd be interested in hearing from you about ways you work with your community to maintain your school campus.

Using Instructional Rounds to Improve Instruction

Instructional Rounds is a process based on the work of Dr. Richard Elmore. Rounds is adapted from the medical rounds process used in the medical schools to diagnose and identify treatment and is based on a belief that by working together educators can solve common instructional practices.

Rounds is a multi-step process. First is identification of a "problem of practice," or an area of inquiry. Then a team "makes the rounds" by visiting classrooms throughout the school. The observers then debrief their observation and the data is used to identify appropriate next steps.

The South Lane School District in Cottage Grove, OR, an Oregon GEAR UP district, implemented an Instructional Rounds model. In South Lane each school selects a "problem of practice" or an area of inquiry that is their focus for the year. Visits by teams of district administrators makes the "rounds," visiting classrooms to gather information. Following the "rounds" the team meets, debriefs and provides the school's principal with advice about next steps.

The emphasis is on identifying factual patterns from the observations, not personal opinion or personal judgment. The debriefing does not identify specific teachers or classrooms but rather looks for trends across the school's classrooms.

A brief PowerPoint from the Oregon Leadership Network describes the South Lane Instructional Rounds model.

Tools and Resources for Principals

Sixteen new schools have joined the Oregon GEAR UP network. With the generous support of the Ford Family Foundation these schools have begun to enjoy the benefits of the Oregon GEAR UP Program.

The Principals Leadership Program, a component of Oregon GEAR UP, provides support for principals in their work with teachers and community to create college readiness and access. It includes on-site visits from a mentor, regional meetings and seminars, networking with other GEAR UP principals, and professional tools and resources.

Over 200 Research Briefs are available to principals. They cover virtually all of the major topics of interest for secondary school principals and each was developed at the request of a principal. There are also several other tools that will help principals work with their staff to implement a comprehensive college readiness program. A new addition is a set of podcasts,Principal's Perspectives, each prepared by a Oregon GEAR UP principal about an initiative in their school. The podcasts are also available at Apple's iTunes store.

I think you will find these tools and resources helpful in your work to improve college readiness. I'd enjoy hearing from you about their usefulness.