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July 2008 Issue
Superintendent of Public Instruction Candidate Tony Bennett to Meet with Charter Schools The Charter School Service Center is hosting a roundtable discussion with State Superintendent Candidate Tony Bennett. The meeting will be held at 9 am on July 28th at the Challenge Foundation Academy, in Indianapolis. This will be an excellent opportunity for charter school leaders to gain insight on the direction he will lead Indiana if elected. Please RSVP to Melanie by July 21st if you will attend. Charter School Service Center Establishing Advisory Board Board Development Update with Brian Carpenter A few years ago, I had the privilege of working for a man named Joe Overton, then senior vice president of a premiere state-based think tank. (Yes, it was fun, and no, we did not sit around in tweed blazers smoking cigars, just thinking—well, not during work hours anyway.) Joe was a remarkable leader, but tragically died young flying his ultra-light. He made such an enduring impression on me, however, that Although I never heard him call it as such, I realize in retrospect that Joe lived by the 80/20 principle—one of the so-called mathematically demonstrable Power Curve Laws—in which a mere 20 percent of inputs produce 80 percent of related outcomes (or some other heavily imbalanced ratio like 90/10 or 50/1). Joe knew that when you try to do everything, you become ineffective. For this reason, the dedication in the new book reads, “he urged those of us who reported to him to focus like a laser.” In truth, part of me used to chuckle whenever he would say that, because, well, it sounded like a cliché. In actuality, by focusing like a laser on the right 20 percent of inputs—I call them “20 percenters”—you can achieve remarkable results. Joe was spot on. Think about your charter school. Thousands of operational details, right? If we started listing inputs pertaining to Accounting, we could work our way alphabetically down to Zoo (as in, field trips) and come up with dozens of details for each letter. The problem is, very few of these details produce disproportionately beneficial outcomes. At best, most of them produce only a one-to-one trade-off But charter school leaders that consistently achieve phenomenal outcomes don’t squander their time on the myriad of trivial details that produce little or no benefits for the kids. Rather, they focus like a laser on the right vital few inputs. What are those inputs? At the risk of seeming immodest, let me quote from my new book: “picking the right teachers to teach the right things in the right way, a process that Yes, executives need to handle the money properly, and by all means, make sure you run a safe school. But beyond instruction and assessment, there are few inputs that require your time that can generate the kind of astounding results you are after. What about the rest of the details? Delegate, outsource, or just stop doing them. That’s the best counsel I can give you. In encouraging you to achieve great things, Joe would’ve urged the same thing. For questions, or information on engaging Brian to work with your board, call the National Charter Schools Institute at (989) 774-2999. This month, the Indiana Department of Education highlights some of the ways in which Indiana students are learning to conserve and lead a more sustainable lifestyle. The site offers many resources for lessons and projects to institute in the classroom. One excellent resource is Tread Lightly. Tread lightly is a non-profit organization committed to proactively protecting recreation access and opportunities in the outdoors through education and stewardship initiatives. The site offers a number of teaching tools, lessons, and activities for your students of various grade levels. Check it out! Teaching our Youth - Train the Trainer, August 13-14, Ann Arbor, Michigan Many of your may remember this group from the 2008 Indiana Charter School Conference. They are hosting a workshop in August for anyone interested. You will gain the insights on how to work together more effectively as an educational team and with the students and parents in reducing stress and increasing productivity and academic achievement. Each participant will leave the training with reference books, presentation guide, and power points ready to begin working with their team. (14 Credit Hours or 1.4 CEU's available). This is a great opportunity to put together a strategic plan for the 08-09 school year! Visit [HERE] to register. ZooMobile! - The Indianapolis Zoo Indianapolis Marion County Public Library Live Homework Help Campbell's Labels for Education Best Buy Teach Awards |
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