Visible Learning Visit/Study - April 1 - 2

I did want to provide further information on the scheduled April 1-2 Visit Corwin has contracted from an outside evaluation source who will be visiting Kaimiloa.  The reason why I don't have definite agendas/schedules is the evaluator Dr. Amanda March and I were able to converse via phone conference for the first time yesterday.  

There are still some things we are trying to work out between Corwin and our State regarding the way the Interview Release forms, as they are currently written.  As most of you know, the biggest issue not only with companies we work with who provide professional development but also businesses we work with here on Island when trying to secure the facilities for camping, field trips or banquets is the "indemnity clause".  I have offered the replacement language to Corwin that would meet our State policy and hopefully I get word soon whether it is acceptable or not.  

Meanwhile, because there will only be a week to get ready for the visit after Spring Intersession, I wanted to update you on what the two days might look like.

Amanda March has said she will be visiting Kaimiloa as well as two other VL schools on the mainland.  As an outside evaluator, she has to be unbiased so she knows very little about Visible Learning and what it's about so when she visits a school, she will be looking at:

• General school climate and perspectives about teaching/learning
• Artifacts and photos of classrooms that speak to Visible Learning
• Classroom Visitations
• Interviews with teachers, instructional coaches, students focus groups

Some of the items she will want to review with our LT input are:

• Climate Surveys
• School Capability Reports
• Guiding Coalition Plan
• Visible Learning Plan (or what's been embedded in our Academic Plan)

As I spoke with her, it seems that the visit will be way less intense than our WASC Visitation and because she won't be walking through all classrooms but spending more time in a smaller number of rooms observing the teaching and learning occurring, it also is not the same as when we have School Capability Analysis Visit from Corwin.

Whatever the two visit look likes, I would like to request that all teachers clean their classrooms and be sure student work posted is current.  Amanda did say she would be looking at artifacts in the physical space of the classrooms to determine the degree Visible Learning is a part of our school as well as teacher/student interactions within the lesson.

I am going to be tapping in on interested groups of individuals to take on the redoing some of the bulletin boards in the common areas.  Please let me know if you are interested in helping me out.

Will keep you updated as I get more information.

Have a great Spring Intersession everyone.  Today's Hoike was the perfect way to end Quarter 3 - a big Mahalo to all grade levels who put together on their own this extravaganza that was simple and yet so very connected to what our students have been practicing all year long whether it was VL Dispositions, Choose Love, Student Voice and let's not forget - the ARTS!  

Deb Hatada, Principal
Kaimiloa Elementary School
Office (808) 689-1280   FAX (808) 689-1284