Participants:  Brian, Robert and Al from RGI, Kathy and Kelly from ASDN, Susan from UAA, Carol and Gary from AACP, Cherie Lyons from McREL, Deb Farrington and Michael Ehringhaus from Measured Progress, Cyndi Curran from EED

  

•    Robert Ozuna shared:

(1) the RGI graphic depicting the three interrelated components of the RAPPs project,

(2) RGI’s RAPPs Database Templates for Entry Screen, Principal Certification, Coaching, and Professional Development, and

(3) a RGI graphic illustrating project timelines corresponding to each of the three project components.

He discussed each and requested comments and questions. General feedback was very positive. No major concerns were mentioned.

 

•    Comment was made that the VAL-Ed instrument may not be measuring what is covered in orientations and trainings underway or planned for the Coaching and Staff Development components. For example, the RAPPs Summer 2009 Institute likely will only address 2 of the 5 content areas the VAL Ed instrument is designed to assess. We may have some substantial curriculum alignment challenges along these lines with our projectable use of the Val Ed assessment tool. Robert will investigate this further.

 

•    Deb mentioned that she thinks she recalls that it is allowable to use some components of the Val Ed tool to the exclusion of others. Do we have this flexibility? We need to find out. Robert said he’d look into this and get back to everyone.

 

•    Regarding the database templates, Robert indicated RGI sorted all input from earlier teleconferences, individual phone visits and earlier face-to-face meetings with RAPPs management team members and his team referenced these suggestions and requests in developing the template.

 

•    Cherie raised the question of who will be authorized to enter data addressing each component. Robert said Susan will be entering data for the Principal Certification component, and Robert anticipates either Gary or Carol will be responsible for entering data on the coaching templates. We need to identify who will have this responsibility with the Professional Development component as well.

 

•    Robert concluded his report mentioning that once RGI has lists of participants for each of the three components, RGI will begin getting codes out and entering data.

 

•    Comment was made that we have insufficient time to conduct any kind of pre/post assessments in any of our RAPPs components between now and when our first APR is due on June 30. Perhaps a project focus in Year Two should include establishing solid baseline measures with participants in all three components followed by post assessments toward the end of Year Two.

 

•    Robert mentioned that he and Susan will be attending the USDOE Ed Leadership Directors meeting in DC later in February; and that they will be meeting with Beatriz, our USDOE Program Officer. They will share our progress and some of our concerns with her and invite her input.

 

•    Susan mentioned that UAA is in the process of preparing for an NCATE review for continuing accreditation; and consequently, they are reviewing their entire Ed Leadership curriculum and revising course syllabi and curricula. They are now examining all previous evaluations to help them determine specifically what needs changing, enhancing and/or to be eliminated.

 

•    Michael suggests it would be helpful for Management Team members to have some access to these data for purposes of formative review. Our representatives from McREL and Measured Progress concur.

 

•    Kelly said his druthers are to open access to all members of the RAPPs Management Team. Perhaps we’re looking at making access “Read Only”

 

•    Gary shared that after each webinar, they distribute an evaluation instrument to participants and are able to share participant feedback with their instructors before the next webinar these instructors will be presenting. This allows instructors time to formatively adjust webinar presentations in lieu of participant feedback.

 

•    The six common strands found with most Ed Leadership assessment tools are:

1.    Curriculum Responsiveness and Community Engagement

2.    Assessment

3.    Systemic Thinking

4.    Collaborative Teaching

5.    Technology Applications

6.    Special Education Issues/Challenges

 

•    Susan shared that UAA is planning to revise its Ed Leadership 637 course first partly because it will be the first course made available to the new Rural Ed Leadership cohort.

 

•    Susan is also planning to talk to the RAPPs superintendents later in February and will be compiling their recommendations and requests as related to Ed Leadership preparation needs specific to Alaska’s rural isolated villages and communities.

 

•    Micah shared that he’s been attending some of the coaching meetings, that he’s very enthusiastic about the RAPPs project, and that he’d welcome getting more involved.

 

•    Cherie inquired if there is any possible contribution that McREL could make in collaboration with UAA course reviews.

 

•    Susan said UAA already is referencing some McREL curriculum materials re: Balanced Leadership, and welcomes McREL’s input and assistance with UAA’s course reviews and related updating Cherie said she doesn’t believe McREL has anything of specific relevance to rural Alaska.

 

•    Cherie said she can envision modifying some of McREL’s existing curricula and resource materials to make them more relevant to rural isolated communities and villages.

 

•    Susan appreciates the contributions both McREL and Measured Progress are prepared to make and assured everybody that UAA welcomes their active involvement with UAA’s current course reviews and modifications.

 

•    Cherie noted a new Ed Leadership focus is on English Language Learners and that she is prepared to assist with the webinars, and the Summer 2009 Institute while providing ad hoc consultation on request.

 

•    Gary said he has a team of three coaches that would like to teleconference and brainstorm details later with Cherie on what McREL resources we need to consider integrating into all three RAPPs components. Carol will facilitate the teleconference and Carol and Cherie will follow up together on this soon.

 

•    Webinar offerings do better in Spring than in Fall, so let’s be thinking of Spring 2010 for the deadline to have a McREL oriented webinar ready for delivery.

 

•    Cyndy reported “no news” on the Summer 2009 RAPPs Institute. Kelly said it will be important for Les et al. to settle on a feasible estimate of the number of Institute participants we are projecting because if its over 75, we will need to consult with the facilities people on getting a bigger room. Kelly will follow up on this with Les.

 

•    Measured Progress webinars are scheduled to begin soon and the latest enrollment count is 30. Kelly notes that ASDN frequently hits enrollment expectations a day or two before a webinar begins. He is attempting to give RAPPS’s districts preference with enrollment.

 

•    Susan said she has teleconferences scheduled for February 16 & 18 with all RAPPS Superintendents, and will be asking them to submit specific suggestions for integrating a quality “rural focus” into UAA's Ed Leadership program. Some of this information is available to UAA through an earlier survey of Superintendents. Susan emphasized that these upcoming teleconferences with Superintendents will involve UAA faculty doing “concentrated listening and note taking,” and that UAA intends to incorporate as many of their suggestions with current course revisions as is feasible. All RAPPs Management Team members are invited to listen in.