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Thursday, November 15, 2007
Ideas In Action
For the next few months at SchoolsMovingUp, we are highlighting “Ideas in Action.” Ideas in Action are
tips, examples, and stories to gain insights, learn from others' efforts, and build your knowledge base
about school and district reform. We have organized our resources that feature real school and district
improvement stories. We are also hosting three new Online Events presented by practitioners who will
describe their successful school improvement efforts.
Go There
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Ideas in Action: Baldwin
Academy
December 5, 2007 - Free Online Event
Baldwin Academy is a an elementary school in La Puente, California with a high poverty, high minority
student population that performs well above its peers and has maintained a "similar schools ranking" of 10
(on a 10-point scale) on the California Academic Performance Index (API) for over four years. Baldwin is
beating the odds and demonstrating success with its students. How have they accomplished this? In this
interactive presentation, California school and district leaders interested in honing their instructional
programs will learn from principal Bonnie Wilson about successful strategies at Baldwin. Topics will
include Baldwin's staff focus on participating in shared decision-making and collaboration, providing
professional learning opportunities, conducting ongoing analysis of data, and creating a culture of high
expectations and extensive family involvement. This webinar is presented by the American Institutes for
Research and WestEd as partners in the California Comprehensive Center to highlight high performing
schools making a difference in student achievement.
Ideas in Action: Central Union High
School
January 16, 2008 - Free Online Event
Central Union High School serves a high minority, high poverty student population and has earned a
“similar schools ranking” of 10 (on a 10-point scale) on the California Academic Performance Index (API)
and recognition as a 2007 California Distinguished School. Central Union is beating the odds and
demonstrating success with its students. In this interactive presentation, school and district leaders
interested in learning about innovative uses of data to direct instruction and meet students’ needs will
learn from principal Emma Jones. Jones will share how Central Union has improved instructional practice
through a system and culture that incorporate routine formal and informal classroom observations, analysis
of instructional techniques, and feedback on teacher practices. Topics will include Central Union’s focus
on collaboration — both between the district and school and among school staff and administrators — to
support instructional practices that boost student achievement. This webinar is presented by the American
Institutes for Research and WestEd as partners in the California Comprehensive Center to highlight
high-performing schools making a difference in student achievement.
Data Use and Teacher Collaboration: One School’s Success Story
January 30, 2008 - Free Online Event
In this webinar, Michael Gulden, former principal of Barbara Comstock Morse Elementary School from 2001 to
2007, will present on Morse’s successful and innovative data use and teacher collaboration practices.
Morse, recognized as a Title I California Achieving School in 2004 and 2005, received a “similar schools
ranking” of 10 (on a 10-point scale) on the California Academic Performance Index (API). This interactive
discussion will explore the strategies and practices the school pursued to improve instructional practices
and student achievement through collaborative data use. Gulden will also share practices to cultivate a
positive teacher attitude toward collaboration and how to build effective teacher collaboration practices
around data.

Professional Collaboration and
Data Analysis: One High School's Journey
November 13, 2007 - Online Event
Monache High School in California's Porterville Unified School District made a 105-point gain on the
California Academic Performance Index (API) over the last three years, moving from a decile 4 state
ranking to a decile 7 and improving
its "similar schools ranking" from 3 to 10 on a 10-point scale. Monache’s Teacher Coaches, Priscilla
Girard (English Department Chair) and Larry Williams (Math Department Chair), along with Shirley Houser
(1997-2007 principal) who now works with
Comprehensive School Assistance Program, will outline and discuss the
process used to develop the effective professional collaboration that led to this improvement in student
academic success.
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SchoolsMovingUp |
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SchoolsMovingUp
uses the Web to deliver high-quality resources, proven services, and innovative, useful tools that
education professionals can use in their work with low-performing schools nationwide. SchoolsMovingUp
offers knowledge and expertise that can help you make informed decisions and take effective action in your
school reform efforts.
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