Leading a

1
Leading a Rocky Mountain High in Professional
Learning

• NSDC Affiliate Leaders Meeting
• Friday, July 13, 2007

2
Strategic Plan(2008-2012)

• Five-year plan that will guide NSDCs work
• Focus on improving teaching, learning, and
  leadership
• Focus on the results of the work done by adults
  who work in and with schools

3
NSDC Strategic Planning Process

• December 2005 outlined preferred future
• December 2006 drafted purpose, belief
  statements, indicators for strategic priorities
• March 2007 reached consensus on above
  components
• March July 2007 tweaked language and
  refined thought processes
• July 2007 Approved plan

4
Big Hairy Audacious Goals
.may be daunting and perhaps risky, but the
adventure, excitement, and challenge of it grabs
people in the gut, gets their juices flowing, and
creates immense forward momentum.
- James Collins Jerry Porras
5
Overview of Strategic Plan

• Purpose statement
• Beliefs
• Strategic Priorities

6
Why Purpose and Not Goal?

• A purpose is the essence of what we believe and
  what we are deeply committed to.
• Establishes the reason we exist as an
  organization and focuses on the essence of our
  work.

7
A Bold New Purpose

• Connects professional development and student
  learning
• Emphasizes that all educators have responsibility
  to learn in order to improve student learning
• Reflects the essence of what we believe and who
  we are as an organization
• Has an edge to it

8
NSDCs New Purpose Statement

• Every educator engages in effective
• professional learning every day so every
• student achieves.

9
Belief Statements

• Those ideas that the BOT and Staff believe must
  happen to achieve the goal
• Clearly formulated and expressed intentions and
  pride about what we want are powerful tools in
  creating the results we desire. Almost always,
  our desires are trusted guides for the future of
  our organizations.
• -
  Dennis Sparks

10
Examine Your Beliefs

• Not so important what BOT believes, but for
  members/affiliates to examine these beliefs and
  engage in dialogue around them.

11
Strategic Priorities

• Five priority areas and indicators for success
• Affecting policy context
• Documenting the evidence
• Developing school leaders
• Narrowing the gap
• Engaging thought leaders

12

• There are two kinds of organizations. One kind
  likes to be on the cutting edge..to embrace the
  new. The other kind fears that, and holds
  back.Organizations that are good at being edgy
  will always find a way to thrive..Recognize that
  change is coming, that the reality you operate in
  is dying out, and start practicing how to do the
  next big thing.
  - The Big Moo
  pp. 90-91