A Path to School Reform: The Red Lake Model

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(1)A Path to School Reform: The Red Lake Model.

(2) Wilma P. Mankiller, Cherokee “ The battle for Indian children will be won in the classroom, not on the streets or on horses. The students of today are our warriors of tomorrow.”.

(3) Red Lake Schools, Minnesota  Red Lake Elementary (PreK-8), Ponemah.    . Elemenary/Middle School, Red Lake Middle School, Red Lake High School, Red Lake Alternative Learning Center 1,400 + PreK-12 enrollment 165 licensed teachers, 9 administrators, 130 support staff School district serves the Red Lake Reservation—99% Ojibwe students 90% + Free and Reduced breakfast and lunch.

(4) Red Lake Schools, Minnesota  Red Lake Ojibwe Nation closed reservation—. Tribal Code and Federal Law apply—Not State  March 21, 2005 tragedy  Priority school status under NCLB—Forced to implement reforms and restructuring.

(5) Research Based Reforms: Quality Indicators  School Climate/Culture for Learning—Where we began!  Curriculum—Aligned with Common Core Standards,      . NWEA, Minnesota State Assessments Instruction—Building relationships, differentiation, cultural relevance in all subjects, supported by administration and peer coaches Assessment and use of data/results—formative/summative Targeted professional development—staff empowerment! Engaging families Leadership and governance—everyone on board! Planning and resources—all reforms related to Strategic Plan: Values, Vision, Mission, Goals and Strategies.

(6) Reform and Restructuring “ A Process NOT an EVENT!” • Long-term—3-5 year process • Sustainable • Reflect district values, vision, mission—Strategic Plan.

(7) Data Gathering: Stakeholders         . High School Students Parents and Families School Board Reservation Elected Officials Community Members Teachers and Support Staff District Administrators Tribal Agencies Internal data: Family and Children’s Services, Juvenile Court, District Code of Consequences data, Minn. Student Survey data.

(8) Data Gatherings: Findings  Red Lake Schools did NOT have a system. wide approach to become a high performing system! Not a surprise…  Piecemeal and fragmented  Need comprehensive plan that engages community subgroups  “Let us put our minds together…”.

(9) School Tribal Collaborative. “Together, we can accomplish great things!” • Tribal Council/Administration • Family and Children’s Services • Red Lake Juvenile Court • Red Lake Public Safety (Law Enforcement) • Indian Health Service/Tribal Health Service • School Board and Administration • State of Minn.-Dept of Ed., H&H Services, Public Safety.

(10) Red Lake Leadership Team  Purpose—to discuss district reform options, receive. input, gain understanding and support.  Representatives from each building and each subgroup—    . teachers, support staff, administration, parents Superintendent and central office leadership Board of Education Director of Special Education Data manager.  Begin with monthly meetings or as needed  Each responsible to keep their respective subgroup informed.

(11) Red Lake Reforms: Get Started!  School Climate/Culture for Learning  Safe Drug Free Environment       . Security and surveillance Responsive Classroom/Developmental Design K-12 Bully Proofing Program Mental Health and Cultural Counselors Native Children’s Trauma Center training Warrior Traditions (family engagement, counselling and mentoring program) Rethinking discipline philosophy.

(12) Mental Health  Historical trauma vs event trauma  March 2005  IHS mental health strategies  Tribal mental health strategies  Cultural counselors, school psych staff  Native Children’s Trauma Center strategies and professional develop  Establish emergency protocol.

(13) Rethinking Discipline  We believe, long-term behavior change does not occur. through punishment  Students need to own behavior, self correct  Teaching situational ethics…What may be acceptable outside of school, may not be acceptable in school  In-school/out-of-school suspension.  Lost instruction, lower achievement, lower attendance,. greater dropout potential  Redirection concept—”time out” “fix it plan” Return to class!.

(14) Rethinking Discipline Policy  No district wide discipline program  Elementary schools—Responsive. Classroom—Morning Circle—Cultural Relevance  Middle School-Developmental Design  High School-?? Pilot new program w/focus on building community and student ownership of behavior.

(15) “Fix-it” Concept  Identify unacceptable behavior and initial. intervention by responsible adult or peer  If behavior continues, students is referred to “fixit” room  When student is ready, teacher/counselor discuss behavior and better choices  If student is ready, “fix-it plan” written—identifies negative behavior and better choices  Presents plan to teacher/counselor for approval  Next--Return to class, stay in room, leave school.

(16) High School Climate “change”  Community building Initiative  Situational ethics—”Not In School” concept  Start each week with morning ceremony—students and staff  End of week ceremony—review the week and set the stage of the next— students and staff.

(17) Suspension data Base year—550 out of school. suspensions End of first year of “fix-it”prog.-410 out of school suspensions End of second year “fix-it” program—153 out of school suspension—Zero expulsions!.

(18) Child literacy and Teen Parents  Majority not attending school  Documented over 90 pregnant or teen. parents (baseline year)  Childcare unavailable or unaffordable  High school graduation? Dropout?.

(19) Child literacy and Teen Parents  Small start up grant to create program  Culturally relevant literacy rich setting  Kindergarten readiness focus  Child development credit toward. graduation  End of first year—ten (10!) graduates including the valedictorian and salutatorian!!!.

(20) Dropout Prevention Initiative  80% of Initiative—Safe Learning. Environment—Responsive Classroom/Developmental Design  Bully Proofing.  Professional Development  Cultural relevance in everything we do  Curriculum Alignment/integration.

(21) Dropout Prevention Initiative  15% of Initiative  Alternative programming  Professional development  After-school leadership and. community service (21st Century Grant).

(22) Dropout Prevention Initiative  5% of initiative  Alternative programming at Middle school and High School-ALC Alternative Learning Center and credit recovery  Teen Parenting and Cultural/literacy rich child care with focus on Kindergarten readiness.

(23) Warrior Transition  Highest rate of open enroll out  Advisor Program for grades 9-12  Staff assigned 8-10 advisees  Selection process  Credit/graduation monitoring  Relationship building/counseling  Parent/family connection.

(24) State and National Standards.  Adoption of “Common Core Standards (at the. time, reference state and national standards) 21st Century Skills—college and career ready  Reading/language arts! . All other disciplines.  Mathematics!  Curriculum MUST have adopted standards. embedded—K-12 scope and sequence  Attention given to sequence of standards Need to establish floor NOT ceiling!.

(25) Dr. Haim Ginott Quote “ …I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess the tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration…”.

(26) Teacher Quality. “…teacher quality has a six (6) times greater impact on student success than all other factors combined!...” Beacons of hope! Relationship builders! • Recruit and retain quality teachers • • • •. Strong content knowledge Strong support system—not in this alone Ongoing targeted professional develop Cultural relevance, differentiated, method • One shot workshops have little or no positive effect!.

(27) Teacher Quality-Support  Teacher mentoring  Peer coaching  Performance evaluation  Summative—Per district/state policy  Formative—growth focus Walk-through “snap-shot”  Immediate feedback .

(28) Professional Learning Teams “To ensure students are not just simply taught, THEY LEARN!” • Regular and long-term • Late start, early release, extend lunch. • Collective/collaborative solutions • Evidence/data use • Shared responsibility for learning.

(29) Food and Nutrition  Research review  “…after 6 hours, blood sugar level insufficient to support healthy activity…”  “…sugar laden foods impair short-term memory..”  “…high levels of saturated fats results in poor reading achievement…”.

(30) Food and Nutrition  Community Statistics  High rates of childhood diabetes  Obesity  Hypertension, stress and trauma factors  Breakfast participation low in middle and high school . Prefer social interaction to nutrition!.

(31) Food and Nutrition  The solution—Change time and style. of serving breakfast.  Change time and serving style. Between 1st and 2nd period breakfast  “Grab and Go”—fruit, yogurt, bagel, juice, milk, cereal  “Breakfast in the classroom”  Participation up 3-400% .

(32) Food and Nutrition  Cultural link—”Three Sisters”  Corn—The oldest sister stands tall in the center.  Squash—She grows over the mound protecting her sisters.  Beans—The third sister climbs through the squash and corn to bind together and she reaches for the sun.

(33) Monitor and Adjust  Ongoing review use of data to drive instruction  Constant drive to improve…to become. a high performing school district.  Sustainability critical!.

(34) Finally…. Celebrate Success!.

(35) “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead.

(36) Brent Gish, School Administrator (Ret) P.O. Box 30 Naytahwaush, Minnesota 56566 [email protected].

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