Van Meter THINK LEAD and SERVE

Iowa Education Summit: The Beginning of the Beginning

2011-07-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

For the past two days, serious dialogue has occurred in IOWA focused on transforming education. Lead by Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds and facilitated by State Director of Education Jason Glass and the Governor’s Special Assistant for Education Linda Fandel, Iowa’s Pre-K-12 through higher education was discussed, dissected, and diagnosed. The findings were not positive. The general consensus: our current education system is outdated, ineffective, and does not meet the needs of students.

The two big take always: the growing urgency for change and that in Iowa there ARE “pockets” of innovation and academic excellence.

THINK, LEAD, and SERVE
Van Meter Director of Teaching and Learning Jen Sigrist, 5th grade teacher Janelle Thompson and I attended the Summit. We listened, participated and interacted with local, state, national and international representatives from business and education as well as policy and law makers.

The emerging theme from these interactions is that to “fix education” THINKING and LEARNING must change. Presenters identified crucial design elements of a new system of learning to include: high expectations for students and teachers, rigorous and relevant curriculum, meaningful instruction, flexible use of time, innovation, accountability and meaningful assessments.

Jen, Janelle and I became both excited and restless as the conference unfolded. Collectively we realized that there were a lot of folks doing a lot of talking, but that at Van Meter we were doing a lot of doing. As a panelist for two sessions at the Education Summit, I shared the Van Meter story thus far and our mission to become a 21st century school district by the fall of 2013.

Because of our transparency and digital connections, many attendees knew our story already and the distance we have covered in two years time. It was both humbling and an affirmation that numerous times Van Meter was specifically lifted up and cited by several in attendance as one of the “pockets of innovation”.

Those who know our story
Fred Bramante, member of the New Hampshire State Board of Education has been following Van Meter for about a year. He is a nationally recognized leader and advocate for creating an educational system that focuses on the student, giving them a voice and empowering them to take ownership in their learning. Prior to the summit, I had given him a Van Meter Bulldog lapel pin. Fred proudly wore the pin throughout the summit!

Iowa State Board of Education President Rosie Hussey also is a supporter of the work we are doing at Van Meter. She too wore her Van Meter lapel pin at the Governor’s Education Summit.

Governor Branstad specifically cited Van Meter in remarks at the press conference for signing of the Governor’s creation of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Council. Governor Branstad shared that the innovations and thinking at Van Meter needed to be studied and replicated. University of Northern Iowa President Ben Allan also echoed Van Meter.

Support from Governor Branstad and Lt Governor Reynolds
Prior to the Education Summit, Secondary Principal Deron Durflinger and I attended the Education Town Hall meeting in Boone on July 21, 2011. At the meeting, Governor Branstad and Lt Governor Reynolds solicited input and responded to questions centered on the condition of Iowa’s education system. When talk turned to innovation, use of technology and a new model of education, they both cited the Van Meter Community School District. Lt Governor Reynolds shared with the audience her observations and impressions from seeing it firsthand.

So what does this mean?
This fall Van Meter moves into the “second half” of our quest of becoming a 21st century school/learning system by the fall of 2013. Our goal remains the same; to find student’s passions, empowering them to THINK, LEAD and SERVE. As we go forward, it is important we connect with other learners (wherever they may be) who are innovating and thinking differently so we can share, create and learn from and with them. This is crucial. By no means does Van Meter have all the answer or have everything figured out. “We are not the smartest people in the room.” Only by innovating, sharing, creating and learning with and from others will we all reach our full potential. This too is an important lesson our students will learn.

Fred Bramante, member of the New Hampshire State Board of Education, has been following Van Meter for about a year.

Rosie Hussey, President of the Iowa State Board of Education, showing her Bulldog pride and her lapel pin.

Technology is Cool, But Only Part of the Equation for Change in Learning.

2011-07-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

The world is changing and technology is driving the change. Van Meter realized this, embraced it and set course to become a 21st century K-12 school district. In the last two years, every student grades 6-12 has been issued a laptop computer. Mobile labs and I-pad cart have been placed in the elementary. Rockwell-Collins facilitated providing Van Meter with two virtual reality systems. We stepped through the “looking glass”. Getting the technology was easy; figuring out how to use the tools to think differently, create and learn has been the challenge.

Van Meter is not alone
Van Meter is not the only school moving this direction. The number of Iowa 1 to 1 schools has increased exponentially over the last two years. From 15 school districts to 30 to a projected 100+ school districts in the fall of 2011, hundreds of learners (both teachers and students) are being equipped with 21st century technology: laptop computers, internet access and virtual reality systems. As a result, students, teachers, classrooms and schools via social networking and web 2.0 tools are connecting, creating and learning together, not only across Iowa, but nationally and globally! This growing number is disrupting the current system and creating a “tipping point”. Education is being turned “upside down".

Technology is cool, but the focus must be on learning
Technology in the classroom is cool, but only part of the equation. Knowing when and how to use the technology appropriately as a tool for learning is crucial. This is the piece that requires professional development and courage for teachers to grow and think differently.

Van Meter Secondary Principal Deron Durflinger’s blog post “It’s Not About the Technology” puts forth the fact that technology is NOT the “silver bullet” and that “providing students a laptop will not magically improve the quality of instruction provided to students”. Student academic achievement is dependent upon the efficacy of the teacher in the classroom and the student’s desire to learn, not that they have a laptop.

From another Iowa 1 to 1 school, Lisbon 6-12 Principal Ian Dye in his presentation at Ignite Education lifted up similar thinking: “Getting a MacBook into the hands of each student in 6th through 12th grades is only a small step toward inevitable educational reform - education MUST evaluate and update the methods we use to deliver instruction and assess learning for our students.”

So what is the next step?
Across Iowa there are pocket of innovation. These “dots” need to be connected! Putting technology into classrooms is not enough. Conversations must happen to evaluate and define how and when to use technology. Teachers as well as students must have a voice and be part of the dialogue. Nobody has it figured out!

Looking back at the last two years
Looking back it is amazing how much we at Van Meter have learned and experienced. As the District begins its third year as a 1 to 1 school, we know that technology is a powerful tool with great potential to enhance learning, but it is just a tool. Empowering learners (teachers and students) on how to optimize these tools is up next.

Technology may be powering education transformation; but the system redesign must be piloted by the learners.

Family, Faith and Love

2010-02-13T07:42:00.000-08:00

The rate of change at Van Meter is accelerating exponentially with our focus being to empower students to THINK, LEAD, and SERVE. Last Friday we had probably the most important lesson taught year to date. This lesson focused on FAITH, FAMILY, and LOVE

Separation and Service
We have a family whose father serves in the military and is currently deployed to Afghanistan. It has been eight months since the family has seen their dad. Mom works for the school as a certified teacher’s aid and the children, senior son, 8th grade son, and 5th grade daughter are all Van Meter “Bulldogs.” It is hard to imagine the emotions a family would have knowing that their father is so far away and in “harm’s way.”

Faith, Family and Love
Senior son Kaden, working with Van Meter staff, arranged for a special Valentine’s gift for his mother and father. Over the noon hour last Friday, the Van Meter Secondary office conference room was transformed into a “chic” candle light restaurant complete with white table cloth. Kaden enlisted the assistance of Secondary Principal Deron Durflinger. Mr. Durflinger made an overhead call for Kaden to come to the office. This overhead call raised Mom’s concern for she feared that her son had made a bad choice. Mr. Durflinger then made the overhead call for Mom to come to the office. She now was convinced that Kaden had really made a bad choice. Kaden, greeting his Mom in the office, took her into the “chic” restaurant conference room and there via his school issued Mac computer mom was able to SKYPE and have a surprise Valentine lunch with her husband. Following some private time, Kaden and his siblings joined mom and dad in the conference room.

THINK, LEAD, and SERVE
I cannot put into words all the emotions I had witnessing this chain of events. I get “teary” eyed just thinking about this day. I guess the important “take-away” from all this is that at the core of all learning communities is a relationship built on care and love for one another.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Out of respect for the family and for security reasons, names have not been used.

Educational Transformation: The Beginning of the Beginning

2010-02-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

Last week the first steps were taken to begin the process of transforming teaching and learning in Iowa. This new direction has the potential to impact not only Iowa, but the entire world. New thinking and relationships are emerging. All very COOL!

The Dialogue Begins
On Tuesday (1/26/10), Van Meter participated in a roundtable video discussion with two other central Iowa Superintendents of School. One superintendent serves an affluent suburb and the other, represents Iowa’s largest school district. In this hour long exchange of thought, facilitated by the Des Moines Register Editorial writer, Linda Fandel, it is easy to see the perspective of the three districts. The affluent suburb spoke of business partnerships, relationships with CEO’s, and focus on college preparation, announcing a new relationship with the University of Northern Iowa on air. Iowa’s largest school district superintendent spoke of the challenges of student’s ethnicity and poverty, sharing the district belief not only to educate but to provide child supervision from ”6:00am to 6:00pm.” Van Meter spoke of finding children’s passions and empowering students in a relevant modality to THINK, LEAD, and SERVE. The “take away” from all this…what is the mission of education in Iowa? Prepare for college? Provide social services? Empower kids to “THINK, LEAD, and SERVE?

#vanmeter goes to Capitol Hill
Thursday (1/28/10) Van Meter students showed the Iowa House/Senate Committee on Education Appropriations and a "standing room only" crowd that the world had changed. Van Meter Secondary Principal Deron Durflinger and I watched as “typical” Van Meter students took center stage and demonstrated to lawmakers what 21st century leaning and relationships look like. All were left speechless. Many of you were there, watching through the live streaming and participating on Twitter. I observed legislators following with their eyes, the LCD projection of the Twitter backchannel of “shout outs” all around the World! Afterwards, many legislators commented to me that they were truly amazed.

The "tipping point?"
Sandra Dop, from the Iowa Department of Education, stated that she had “witnessed history today”. In her blog, Next Generation Schools, she shared, “I sat there thinking that one day we may be able to point back to January 28, 2010, and say it was the turning point—the day a couple seventh graders and a fifth grader swayed the Iowa legislature and forever changed education as we know it. I know, the high schoolers were impressive too, but those representatives and senators nearly fell off their chairs when their superintendent John Carver said “fifth grader.” When the legislators asked, “So what can we do to get out of your way and let you go?” I nearly cried.”

Stay Tuned!
Through #vanmeter , online and onsite, we all are connecting and learning. Size of school district, economic condition, “labels” and location in the World, old barriers to learning, are quickly fading away. “Welcome to the future ”

Together we are making this happen. Your participation and continued support is creating energy and a force that is reshaping and transforming current education into a system that empowers students to THINK, LEAD, and SERVE.

You can watch the "Transforming Education" clips of the January 28, 2010 presentation at the capital on Deron Durflinger's Justin.TV channel.

Be Part of the Education Transformation Proclamation

2010-01-24T14:37:00.000-08:00

With the “roll out” of our 1:1 laptop program last August, and bringing our Virtual Reality system “on line”, the rate of change for teaching and learning at Van Meter is accelerating exponentially. Our thinking has forever been changed. We are now connecting and networking in the classroom, with the other 11 Iowa 1:1 schools, nationally and globally. We have had over 130 visitors “come to see” and more are on the way. This is an exciting time!

#vanmeter goes to the State Capital
Iowa State Senator Brian Schoenjahn, co-chair of the joint House/Senate Education Appropriation Committee, has invited Van Meter and Superintendent Allen Nelson from Clayton Ridge Community Schools (IA), to give testimony before the entire committee. The focus will be on “educational transformation.” Iowa Legislators truly care about Iowa youth however many are “digital immigrants.” Our mission is to show them the connectedness of learning and give them a glimpse of what could be (or perhaps of what is).

Be a part of the presentation
We are scheduled for THURSDAY, January 28 with testimony beginning at 10:00 am Iowa time. (That is 11:00 am New Jersey time and 8:00 am California time) Our plan is that the presentation be interactive, with Twitter “shout outs” being displayed, video streaming and a “back channel.” Van Meter Secondary Principal Deron Durflinger and District Teacher Librarian Shannon Miller are working on the “back channel.” We want to include as many people as possible and are hoping for 500+ tweets! The ThinkLeadServe Wiki has been created and we invite you to post ideas and artifacts. The intent is that the ThinkLeadServe Wiki will give committee members and their staff a starting point for carrying the conversation forward into action!

What is our core message: We need to transform education
We have before us an opportunity to rethink and redesign teaching and learning. Leadership and dialogue need be established so as to build consensus and direction for education in Iowa. Our current educational structure has served us well for 100 years, but the World has changed. It is crucial to our State, and to our Nation, that a new educational system emerge so as to empower our youth to THINK, LEAD, and SERVE.

Please join us on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 10:00 am (CST).
Send your "tweets" to #vanmeter. Keep them coming from 10:00am to 11:00am