High AIMS April Update

Dear High AIMS Leaders,

As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of education, it's imperative that we continue to seek inspiration and innovative approaches to enhance our schools and communities. This month, I'd like to draw your attention to the concept of Unreasonable Hospitality, a philosophy championed by restaurateur Will Guidara, which I believe holds profound implications for our work in K-12 education.

Unreasonable Hospitality, as articulated by Guidara, goes beyond the traditional notions of hospitality. It involves a commitment to exceeding expectations, anticipating needs before they arise, and creating transformative experiences for every individual served. This philosophy challenges us to think beyond mere satisfaction and instead strive for genuine connection and impact.

In our schools, Unreasonable Hospitality translates to more than just providing quality education; it means fostering environments where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their fullest potential. It requires us to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion as foundational principles, ensuring that every member of our community feels seen, heard, and respected.

As leaders, we play a pivotal role in cultivating a culture of Unreasonable Hospitality within our schools. It starts with leading by example, demonstrating empathy, authenticity, and a genuine commitment to serving others. It involves empowering our teachers and staff to go above and beyond for their students, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual respect throughout the entire school community.

Moreover, Unreasonable Hospitality challenges us to constantly innovate and adapt to the changing needs of our students and families. It prompts us to seek out new ideas, technologies, and strategies that can enhance the educational experience and address the unique challenges facing our communities.

Incorporating the principles of Unreasonable Hospitality into our schools may require us to step outside of our comfort zones and challenge conventional wisdom. However, the potential impact on student engagement, academic achievement, and overall well-being makes it a journey worth undertaking.

As we continue our collective pursuit of excellence in education, let us remember the words of Will Guidara: "Hospitality is not an industry, it's a practice. And the practice of hospitality is about creating transformative experiences for others." Let us embrace the challenge of Unreasonable Hospitality and strive to create transformative experiences for every member of our school community.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to the students we serve.

Warm regards,

Tom Burton
Executive Director
High AIMS Community

Following input from superintendents and curriculum leaders via an online survey, it has been decided that the High AIMS Innovative Practices Summit will not occur at the end of the school year. Instead, we have collectively decided to invest the remaining time of this school year to review comments from survey results and brainstorm with you about what you would like the Summit to look like. Our plans are to allocate resources throughout the 2024-2025 academic year to meticulously design a Summit that will effectively showcase the innovative practices and applications of programs occurring within your districts. Therefore, districts should look forward to participating in the 2024-2025 High AIMS Innovative Practices Summit. We want to ensure that the Innovative Practices Summit offers a comprehensive platform for exchanging innovative ideas and best practices, fostering meaningful dialogue, and promoting collaborative learning opportunities for educators and administrators alike. Planning is the key. We value your input and look forward to making this an extraordinary event at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year.

For many cohort groups, April is the last cohort meeting. You will receive a Google Survey in your upcoming meeting agenda (High AIMS Leadership Cohort Feedback Survey: Reflecting on the Past and Planning for the Future). The feedback questions help us gather insights into your experiences, the effectiveness of the cohort program, and the potential impact on your professional practice, providing valuable information for future program improvements and planning. The questions assess your overall experience, professional growth, collaboration and networking, program effectiveness, and impact on practice. We appreciate you taking the time to submit your responses. Thank you.

Tom Burton & Mari Phillips

Hey Team!

Can you believe it's already been a year since we started our journey together as a High AIMS Consortium with eight Cohort Leadership Groups? Time sure does fly when you're having fun! As we gear up to wrap up the school year, I'm excited to announce that we'll have a High AIMS celebration gathering to mark this milestone. We appreciate you partnering with us and investing your time collaborating and learning from each other. It's been an incredible ride filled with growth, laughter, and teamwork, and we can't think of a better way to celebrate the accomplishments that we all have made than by coming together for a fun-filled event. The event will be a great way to pat yourself on the back and say, “Well Done,” Mark your calendar for Wednesday, May 22, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Stay tuned for the location.

In today's ever-changing workplace, leaders have a big job—making sure everyone feels valued and included while enhancing their overall leadership effectiveness. A ton of books give great advice on how to do just that! Below are two books that offer valuable perspectives and practical strategies for leaders seeking to foster equity, diversity, and inclusion in their schools and districts while enhancing their overall leadership effectiveness. Leaders gain insights into the complexities of systemic inequalities, unconscious biases, and the importance of creating inclusive environments where all individuals can thrive. They also give practical tips on how to break down those barriers, bring in different voices, and foster a culture of belonging and respect. By diving into these books, leaders can learn how to create a workplace where everyone can do their best work and feel part of something special, fostering a sense of community and connection among school leaders.

Daniel Coyle's "The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups" can greatly benefit school leaders by providing actionable insights into creating a positive and thriving organizational culture within their schools. By delving into the dynamics of successful groups, Coyle offers school leaders a roadmap for cultivating an environment where students, teachers, and staff can excel academically and personally.

One key benefit for school leaders is Coyle's exploration of psychological safety, vulnerability, and belonging within successful cultures. Understanding these components can help leaders foster an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to take risks without fear of judgment. This is crucial in a school setting, where students and educators must feel safe expressing themselves, sharing ideas, and collaborating effectively.

Furthermore, Coyle's practical strategies for cultivating a positive culture can empower school leaders to create an atmosphere of collaboration, innovation, and high performance, foster open communication, promote teamwork, and encourage constructive feedback.

In summary, "The Culture Code" equips school leaders with the tools and knowledge to build a positive and thriving organizational culture within their schools. This ultimately leads to improved student outcomes and a more fulfilling educational experience for everyone involved. You can use this book to engage in a book study for your leadership team, inspiring and motivating them to implement the strategies and make a real difference in the lives of their students.

"Leaders Eat Last" by Simon Sinek would benefit school leaders because it offers a profound understanding of leadership dynamics and how they directly impact the well-being of individuals within organizations. By exploring leadership's biological and anthropological roots, Sinek gives school leaders a fresh perspective on fostering a positive and nurturing environment for students, teachers, and staff. The emphasis on prioritizing the well-being of team members aligns perfectly with the responsibilities of school leaders tasked with creating safe and supportive learning environments. Additionally, Sinek's practical strategies for cultivating a "Circle of Safety" can help school leaders foster a culture of trust, cooperation, and inclusivity within their schools. By incorporating empathy, effective communication, and ethical leadership practices, school leaders can use the insights from this book to create environments where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive academically and personally.

To support the commitment to professional learning, each participant attending a cohort meeting will receive a certificate of professional development to use as hours for your IPDP. For previous meetings, your certificate will be emailed to you from Mary Slaughter, High AIMS Administrative Assistant (maryslaughter.highaims@gmail.com).

Curriculum Leaders - April 25, 2024 - HCESC- 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

High School Principals - April 23, 2024 - Location: TBD - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.

Middle School Principals - April 10, 2024 - West Clermont Middle School - 8:00 a.m. - 10.00 a.m.

Elementary School Principals - April 23, 2024 - TBD - 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Instructional Coaches - April 25, 2024 - Forest Hills School District - 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Secondary Counselors - April 23, 2024 - Reading Junior/Senior High School - 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Elementary Counselors - April 23, 2024 - Reading Junior/Senior High School - 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Model Schools Conference 2024 - June 23-26/ Orlando World Centered Marriott

AASA is partnering with the Center for Model Schools this year to expand our network options for districts across the country. As a result of this partnership, we are able to offer you a 25% discount on the registration fee for the Model Schools Conference. Teams are encouraged to participate. Please take a look at the attached flyer, which includes the discount code and link to the website. We will hold a Learning 2025 Initiative meeting on Sunday, June 23rd, to kick off the event and will have a dedicated meeting space during the conference for debriefing. Relevant sessions will be identified that best meet the needs of our consortia. Please reach out with any questions to linda.lucey@hmhco.com at 518-860-8313 or to anyone on the AASA Learning 2025 leadership team.

Webinar: April 17, 2024 - Superintendent Research Briefing: The Real Reason Must Districts Struggle with the Science of Reading. Click here to access the Webinar.

Join us to understand better why districts have struggled to make progress (hint: PD itself is not enough) and come away with new frameworks and strategies to start accelerating early literacy in your school.

Blog Post: It’s Time We Talk About FAFSA

Due to the delayed rollout of the “Better FAFSA,” the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) FAFSA Tracker shows the 2024 Class is behind on submissions by about 33% compared to the 2023 Class. Click the link to read the blog post from David Schuler, Executive Director, AASA.

Watching the eclipse on April 8th, I was blown away! It was like a magical moment where everyone felt connected to the universe, just in awe of the amazing sight above. It was a reminder of how incredible nature can be!