welcome to the network - Bitly

WELCOME TO THE NETWORK Dear [Name of Contact Person], Congratulations! We’re very proud to officially welcome [Name of School] as a [Member, Partner] school in the Schools That Can network. [[Name of Member School] has consistently achieved a high level of academic performance with strong leadership and a track record of success among students.] [[Name of Partner School] has shown tremendous commitment and capability to improve the quality of education for its students, and we believe [Name of Partner School] is on course to become a national exemplar of quality urban education.] With the help of our network of leaders from k-12 urban education, higher ed, innovative education organizations, and industry, we want to help sustain your school’s quality and guide you and your students to new levels of achievement. Thank you for completing the STC application process. We know your time is valuable, and we appreciate your dedication. Please take a few minutes to read this orientation covering what you can expect as a school that can. We look forward to your collaboration. Sincerely, Stephanie Whited Director of Communications   & Marketing 646.335.3987 [email protected]

Casey Lamb National Director of Growth;  Validation Committee Leader 617.512.6442 [email protected]

Uniting Leaders to Expand Quality Urban Education

A SCHOOL LEADER’S WELCOME Dear [Name of Contact Person], Congratulations and welcome to the Schools That Can (STC) network! You are joining the largest cross-sector network of urban schools in the nation – currently consisting of 147 charter, district, independent, and faith-based schools across 15 cities. The STC network is embedded within a supportive ecosystem that also includes education innovators, higher educators, and industry leaders – all who have a stake in our students’ success and are motivated to support schools in continuously improving. STC leaders are committed to working together across sectors, silos, and schools to improve education not only for their students, but also across their communities. I am the principal of VOICE Charter School in Queens, NY and have been a part of the STC network since 2012. Our relationship with STC has been deeply enriching one for our staff, students, and for me personally. I’ve been asked to share our approach at VOICE to help you think about how to effectively engage with and get the most out of your relationship with STC and their network. Three years ago, I attended the national conference in Boston, and I was struck by the thoughtfulness and authenticity of the presenters. When I returned home, I was thrilled to find out there was an NYC chapter. As many of you know, being a principal can often feel lonely, compared to being a teacher where there are so many colleagues in the building. Being able to develop with a group of school leaders with their out-of-the-box thinking from across typical divisions -- charter, district, independent, and faith-based schools -- was exactly what I needed. There are so many organizations out there wanting to help schools. At VOICE, we know that our time is precious and thus we have to be strategic about the partnerships we take on and the time commitments we make. We want and need support, not distraction. However, as I say to my staff members, “if you get 1 good thing that you can use, the time is worth it.” And STC is worth it, as they always provide us with strategies, tools, and skills that are relevant to our needs at every level of our community. The frequent visits to our school by


STC leadership have felt like real listening tours. What we say is not only remembered by STC staff, but they help us reflect and explore solutions. Focused STC school-based events at my school and those of my colleagues have allowed teachers and school leaders to learn about and share best practices at the source. I don't know what we would have done, for example, if we did not have the STC community's morale and technical support for the Common Core roll out. As a voluntary community of schools, STC’s strength comes from the collective responsibility and accountability of its members. To stay true to our commitment, our team takes time to review the STC program calendar and register key staff members for relevant offerings. Because we know last minute emergencies are not uncommon, we always have a back-up plan to make sure VOICE is represented. After the STC event, the participant reports back to the team so we can all benefit. Of course each school has its own culture, core values, and processes to drive change, and you will find an approach that works for your team. Finally and most importantly, STC has directly reached our children. The summer STEM programs in local schools, and our own, have provided amazing opportunities for children far beyond our current capabilities. I look forward to meeting and collaborating with you at an upcoming gathering. You may also email me if you’d like to know more about our work and our relationship with STC. Welcome to the family. Sincerely, Franklin Headley  Principal  VOICE Charter School  [email protected]

Rea d about VOICE in The New York Times:

School Finds Music Is the Foo d of Learning

By Elizabeth A. Harris  Dec. 19, 2014

tinyurl.com/kps7k8q


WHO WE ARE We connect leaders and share innova0ve prac0ces to advance school improvement and expand quality urban educa0on. Our Mission We unite leaders to expand quality urban education.

Our Ecosystem We create a safe space where teachers and school leaders from urban schools, education innovators, and industry leaders can work together to advance school improvement.

We're the nation's largest  cross-sector network of urban scho ols!

Our Reach 147 STC high-performing and high-potential schools serve over 60,000 students.

! Pre-k – 12th ! District ! Charter ! Independent ! Faith-Based

URBAN EDUCATORS

! Colleges

! STEM & STEAM Leaders

! National Industries

! Universities

! Makers ! Service Providers

! Local Businesses

! Specialized Schools

HIGHER ED LEADERS

! Entrepreneurs

! Researchers

ED INNOVATORS

INDUSTRY LEADERS


8%

46%  

WHAT WE DO Schools That Can (STC) unites leaders to expand quality urban educa0on.

of low-income students graduate from college

of low-income   high school grads are NOT   college-rea dy

A Pervasive Problem Despite facing common challenges, schools serving high-needs students work in isolation, and success is isolated too. Students aren’t prepared for college and career, and many people question if urban schools can thrive.

 

53%

of recent college

Our Solu0on

grads are unemploye d or underemployed

We break through silos to connect leaders, share practices, and build solutions so every urban school can thrive and students are college and career ready. By engaging industry leaders, ed innovators, and higher ed leaders with urban educators, we advance the skills and practices necessary for urban schools and students to thrive.

CONNECT

SHARE

BUILD

We connect leaders through programs like Roundtables, Study Tours, Forums, and Professional Learning Groups.

We share effective and innovative practices to strengthen the Keys to Quality at the school level.

We build solutions to collective challenges and advance student learning and school improvement, together.


OUR CURATED PROGRAMS Roundtables Highlight innovative practices from network schools aligned to the Keys to Quality. Include the host school’s presentation with tangible artifacts, a discussion amongst participants, and activities to apply new strategies, skills, or tools.

Study Tour Series

“Scho ols That Can is instrumental in bring ing innovative programs to schools and follow ing up with support.”

Investigate a cross-section of approaches to a similar challenge. Participants may visit classes to see students and teachers in action and discuss application to their own contexts.

Panel Discussions Explore strategies and practices of 3-5 educators and/or other network leaders on curated topics. Include moderation and Q&A.

Professional Learning Groups (PLGs) Connect and convene a group of educators to share successes and challenges around a core topic within one of the Keys to Quality at least 6 times throughout the year, culminating in a presentation of their learnings at our National Conference. Akin to a cross-school professional learning community, group parameters are determined by the members. Members may earn a stipend.

Teacher Fellowships Developed in partnership with education innovators within our network, Fellowships support teachers in applying a new approach to teaching and learning in their classrooms. Following a comprehensive training, Fellows collaborate with one another to support ongoing improvement and inform future trainings. Fellowships culminate in a showcase of learnings and work from Fellows’ schools.

Open Classes Modeled after a nationwide teacher development initiative in South Korea, Open Classes enable educators to see students and teachers in action in a new setting. The Korean version provides a highlevel overview of school-wide practices on a specific topic or theme, but Open Classes give teachers the chance to dig in deeper to specific “teacher moves” by spending a longer period of time in their peers’ classes. Participants observe 1-2 morning classes and then construct takeaways.

Cross-‐Sector Co-‐Ops (CSCO) Connect a triad of cross-sector schools committed to support each other’s improvement through collaborative mentorship. Geography, student body (demographics, grade levels), and strengths and needs inform formation.


Student STEAM Programs In partnership with innovative education organizations in our network like i2 Camp and MakerState, our STEAM programs help build student STEAMmastery to overcome the skills and opportunity gaps.

Na0onal Forum The STC Forum is a public, interactive conference with workshops, panels, and presentations led and attended by top urban educators from STC schools, innovative ed organizations, thought leaders, industry, and guests to expand quality education across the US.

Register for STC’s

10th Annual National Foru m  

May 18-19 at LMU SOE in Los Angeles:   bit.ly/STC_Forum

RFK Urban Educa0on Awards In partnership with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, Schools That Can (STC) annually presents Robert F. Kennedy Urban Education Awards to a school leader, teacher, and student from STC schools. Honor grit and courage by submitting a nomination: bit.ly/STC_RFK


KEYS TO QUALITY EDUCATION High-‐Quality Instruc2onal Prac2ces Schools strongly emphasize good teaching, have a common language to talk about teaching, and leaders prioritize supporting teacher improvement through feedback and professional development.

Data-‐Driven Culture Schools gather and analyze various sources of data to drive their school-wide practices, including: quantitative and qualitative data; data from students, families, and teachers; and formative and summative data.

Rigorous & Relevant Curriculum Schools hold students to high academic expectations across content areas including math, literacy, science, the humanities, and beyond. Teachers are involved in the development of curricular scopes and the selection of instructional materials across the school, based on high standards (i.e., Common Core State Standards). Learning is enhanced by culturally relevant instruction and technology.

Mee2ng All Learners’ Needs Schools serve a diverse array of students, including at-risk students, students with disabilities, and English Language Learners. Infrastructure supports specialized instruction to meet these diverse needs, and teachers are supported in differentiating their instruction to all learners in the classroom.

Safe & Suppor2ve School Culture Schools build strong cultures across staff and the student body that is driven by a mission, and emphasizes core values or beliefs. Schools may integrate character education or social-emotional learning, as well as means to emphasize voice and choice. Teachers are valued and respected, and the staff acts as a high-functioning team.

Real World Learning for the 21st Century Schools recognize that academic standard mastery is not enough for today’s students to pursue prosperous pathways beyond K-12. Students need opportunities to practice real-world skills like collaboration, critical thinking, and effective idea communication utilizing experiences and learning outside of the classroom. Schools may integrate internships or apprenticeships, incorporate technology or project- based learning, and/or work closely with industries, employers, and higher educators to create exposure and access to different opportunities.

Management & Organiza2onal Capacity Schools develop strong operational practices and processes that enable teachers to focus on teaching and build structures to support sustainable growth using sound financial practices, fundraising, teacher recruitment and retention, marketing, and informational technology. 


OUR OFFERINGS ONLINE The media may focus on what’s not working and disparage school diﬀerences, but we believe urban schools can thrive #BecauseStudentsCan. By sharing our methods and stories, we can change prevailing aUtudes; we can refocus the mainstream dialogue from disparity to prosperity.

Already on social media? Want to sign up team members to receive updates? Take this quick survey to connect with us online:

http://bit.ly/STC_Online

Engage and Celebrate To promote public awareness of your school and strengthen STC's national community, we boost your school's web presence and provide opportunities to digitally connect with STC leaders.

Your School’s Page on Our Website Every school has its own page on our website with a photo, mission statement, and spotlights on effective practices and recent accomplishments. Steph will be in touch to publish your page.

Contact Stephanie Whited for help with social media & communications:

swhite [email protected]

A Network-‐Wide Conversa0on The public should know about your stories and practices, and the insight would benefit other educators, too. Want to share a piece about your school? Email Steph, and we’ll publish your piece on the web and share with our followers.


To keep up with STC na0onally and engage with schools from other ci0es, encourage colleagues to sign up for our newsleXer and connect our social media accounts. If your school is on social media, it’s easier to for us to help publicly promote each other. Connec0ons: STC's NewsleXer  bit.ly/Get_Connec0ons We understand educators often have little time to use social media (or even just browse online), so we send the latest education resources and network updates to your inbox. Encourage team members to sign up and connect to a peer network of the nation's finest schools serving low-income communities.

Facebook  facebook.com/SchoolsThatCan Create a page for your school, like our page, and we’ll like you back. In addition to helping us stay informed about each other’s work, we also help promote each other to wider audiences by liking and sharing each other’s posts (Facebook’s algorithms reward engaged pages with higher news feed placement).

YouTube  youtube.com/user/SchoolsThatCan We’ll help promote you here, too. You can also access videos from STC events. 


TwiXer @SchoolsThatCan  twiXer.com/SchoolsThatCan We have over 3,000 followers waiting for your updates — including other STC schools, journalists, education thought leaders, and potential supporters. Instantly follow STC schools on twitter by subscribing to our list:   twitter.com/SchoolsThatCan/lists/stc-schools Instantly follow a diverse group of STC leaders (educators, partners, and STC staff) from across the network by subscribing to this list:   twitter.com/SchoolsThatCan/lists/stc-leaders Popular network hashtags: #BecauseStudentsCan #CrossSectorLove #edchat #STCForum #STCe2e


MEET OUR NATIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM Michael Druckman Executive Chair [email protected]

Kate Del Priore  STC NYC Executive Director [email protected]

Jennifer Husbands  STC Chicago Executive Director  [email protected]

Casey Lamb National Director of Growth  Validation Committee Leader  [email protected]

Terri Milsap STC Newark Executive Director [email protected]

Stephanie Whited Director of Communications & Marketing [email protected]
