REACH School Leader Bench Program

REACH is prepared to create unique school and district review protocols and processes for other educational agencies. The review protocol includes a rubric to ground the common understanding and language aligned to expectations, processes to conduct a review, and the templates that reviewers use during the review process.

REACH founder, Dr. Monica George-Fields, is the chief creator and architect of the New York State Education Department (NYSED) Diagnostic Tool for School and District Effectiveness (DTSDE) and the Diagnostic Review for Optimal Conditions of Learning in Schools and Districts (DROCLSD) School and District Review processes.  These review processes are used in over 700 schools and 70 districts in New York State, Michigan, and Minnesota. In New York State, the tenets outlined in the DTSDE are required, by state legislature, to be used to determine eligibility for Receivership.

NEW YORK STATE SCHOOLS:

REACH consultants have experience conducting school and district reviews in over 700 schools and 70 districts in New York State, Michigan, and Minnesota. In New York State, REACH consultants provided the original training to all DTSDE reviewers when the review process was originally created.  REACH© reviewers have extensive knowledge around the deep conceptual meaning undergirding the DTSDE rubric and processes.   Because all the REACH reviewers receive training directly from the original DTSDE Chief Architect and Creator, Dr. Monica George-Fields, school leaders and communities often rave about how the reviews conducted by the team feel more like professional development sessions rather than evaluations.  During the review process, our reviewers will ascertain the school leader's vision, mission goals, and theory of action aligned to student achievement and school culture. Then the reviewer will use the review process to identify any gaps that may exist between the school goals and actions.  Throughout the review process, all REACH reviewers conduct on-going conversations with the school leaders so that there is a clear understanding of the ways in which the reviewer is assessing effectiveness aligned to the DTSDE rubric.  This fully transparent and collaborative approach to conducting the school review results in the entire school community understanding the outcomes of the process and assists with creating the buy-in necessary to address any areas of improvement.  Once the review is complete, the reviewers send the school a calibrated and edited report within two weeks of receiving all team members notes that the school community may use to create action plans to address the recommendations in the report.  Finally, REACH reviewers are available to conduct follow-up visits to either assist the school community with implementing the action plan or to provide feedback on the school's new strategies to address the recommendations.

LOOKING TO CREATE A SCHOOL REVIEW PROCESS:

REACH© review protocols include a rubric to develop common understandings and language aligned to effective practices and strategies in all schools and districts.  During the review process, a team of experienced reviewers conduct a qualitative review process using common templates to visit classrooms and interviewing several focus groups, such as families, teachers, students, student support staff, and the principal. 

District reviews are conducted by interviewing focus groups consisting of curriculum and instruction departments, student support teams, human resource teams, budgeting teams, and the superintendent’s cabinet.  Also, districts may request to have a unique school and district review rubric, protocols and processes created to address their needs.  During the creation process, REACH© Senior Academic Facilitators (SAF) meet with district and school personnel and community stakeholders, identified by the district, to determine the guiding principles that undergird the overarching goals and vision established at the district level. 

The SAFs work collaboratively with the district and school leadership to create a rubric that aligns the identified principles to optimal practices and strategies school and district communities should use to achieve the outlined goals.  Also, REACH SAFs will conduct focus group interviews, administer surveys, and assess the district’s vision, mission statements, and strategic plan.  Once the rubric is agreed upon, the protocols and templates to conduct the district’s unique process with fidelity are created.

BECOME A REIMAGINE SCHOOL

Reimagine Schools are flagship school communities that employ all of REACH in-school programs.  REACH works side-by-side and shoulder-to-shoulder with the school community to fully implement all aspects of our REACH principles.  The program begins with a REACH senior facilitators work with the school and district office to thoroughly assess the school’s current strengths and areas of need of improvement via a survey and school review process. A team of REACH facilitators, in collaboration with the school community and district, then creates a unique Reimagine University (RU) dedicated to address the needs of the Reimagine School community.  

The one of a kind RU addresses the school’s learning objectives and REACH standards and principles.  In addition to RU courses and workshops, Reimagine Schools have leader and teacher coaches and mentors and support for teacher teams, effective use of data, culture development, REACH school walks, strategic planning and monitoring, student learning, and family and community engagement.  Each of these concepts aligns to targeted professional development that creates a system for sustained improvement.  REACH staff members are in Reimagine Schools at least two days a week during the entire school year to assist the school with implementation of the programs and provide timely support and REACH assigns the school a personal REACH program coordinator.  

Reimagine Schools commit to a 3-year full service contract with REACH that yields the capacity necessary for the school to maintain its Reimagine designation with flexible supports for year 4 and 5.  After 5-years of successful Reimagine School designation, the REACH contract commitment reduces to an annual review and participation in the REACH annual professional development conference.  If after 5-years, REACH deems that the school is not ready for automated designation, REACH senior facilitators work collaboratively with the school to determine the next iteration of supports.  Reimagine Schools must fully commit to employing all REACH principles with fidelity and cannot hold the designation via an a la carte approach.  REACH realizes and fully understands that some schools may need to implement an on-boarding process that spans across the initial 3-years.  

The Reimagine Schools Program is an excellent option for districts looking for school turnaround solutions and approaches and limits the number of external vendors servicing one school community.  This approach to school turnaround fosters a synergistic environment of support that is laser-focused creating a school community of intellectual safety and robust communication.