Onward to
Excellence II
Philosophy
and Approach
Description
Impact and
Benefits
Costs
Schedule of
Services
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Description
To succeed in an improvement effort and induce
long-term systemic change, research shows it
takes a quick start, the involvement of a whole
community, and initial results within a year.
And it takes on-going support to sustain
improvements over time.
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Onward to Excellence (OTE) II involves everyone in the school system -- from students and school faculty, to the superintendent and board members, to parents and other community members. All come together to establish a common purpose related to student learning and to work toward it. The collaborative aspect of OTE II fosters a sense of community and sparks motivation.
Teams and key individuals provide a solid structure for the OTE II process:
School Leadership Team (SLT) -- Comprised of representative school staff, community members, and students in middle and high schools, this team learns how to manage the change process. It is responsible for working with the whole school community to make decisions and implement changes.
External Study Team (EST) -- This team is typically comprised of helpers from the community, central office, local university, and other schools. The EST assists the leadership team in collecting and analyzing data, acts as a "critical friend" to help the school reflect on progress, and provides the feedback loop in a continuous improvement cycle.
Site Facilitator -- From the staff, an OTE II site facilitator is selected to facilitate the work of teams and the entire process. A site facilitator needs to have sufficient time (.25 - .5 FTE) to devote to OTE II.
While teams are used to organize the work, all teachers participate in structured activities that lead to improved teaching practices across the school.
Teams, or in some cases the whole faculty, participate in a series of workshops over a two-year period. Assistance between workshops and resources to help teachers implement new practices are also part of the OTE II service.
Detailed Process Description
What to Expect when Getting Started
Schedule of Services
Costs
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