High Performing Schools - a New Blog from Ann Yehle

[Lisa Pugh]

High Performing School Districts - Check out this new Blog from MMSD's Director of Educational Services, Ann Yehle. She encourages all Madison Partners to join in the conversation and create truly high performing inclusive schools in our district!

[Ann Yehle]

Lisa, thanks for sending out a message to the partners re: my new blog. I am trying to include another post but am having a few difficulties with the technology today. Life is busy, busy here in Madison but life and work are good. I wish you a productive week. Ann

[Beth Swedeen]

Hi Ann,

I appreciate you sharing your blog with Partners and soliciting ideas from a variety of people on how to create inclusive schools that benefit all students. I agree with Lisa that principal leadership is key, as is the comments about on-going opportunities for "hands-on" professional development involving technical assistance and coaching, rather than one-day, one-way trainings. Staff need support to try new things, evaluate what works, get ongoing input from experts who can coach them, etc.

I also feel strongly about the need for more curricula that is flexible and universally designed so teachers don't have to do all the mods on their own. Publishers of curricula seem very slow in offering truly flexible materials that can be used in multiple ways (differing reading levels, bigger fonts, etc) for multiple learning styles/levels.

[Ann Yehle]

Beth, Thanks for your thoughts. To help support the concepts of universal design and differentiation, MMSD has contracted with Drs. Udvari-Solner and Kluth. They will be hosting a one day workshop (8:30 AM start time) on Saturday March 21st here in Madison at the Pyle Center. They will be assisting workshop participants in learning how to apply concepts highlighted in their new Joyful Learning book. As an outgrowth of this workshop, we will be offering follow-up networking/sharing of practice sessions as well as classroom action research opportunities during the fall of 2009. Our MMSD principals will receive flyers to distribute re: this opportunity at their principal's meeting tomorrow. We are very excited about being able to support this professional development opportunity. Ann