Eagle Rock Continues Partnership With The Robert R. McCormick Foundation’s Democracy Schools

The Professional Development Center at Eagle Rock will continue education renewal work in Illinois in collaboration with the Robert R. McCormick Foundation’s Democracy Schools.  On November 15th, Eagle Rock will facilitate Instructional Rounds with Democracy Schools at Belvidere High School in Belvidere, IL

Instructional rounds are a disciplined way for educators to work together to improve practice.  This combines three common elements of improvement: observations, an improvement strategy, and a network of educators.  Many educators currently use one of more of these elements, often with some success. It’s the combination of elements that’s most powerful.  It’s hard to dislodge familiar habits and behaviors that serve different purposes, the most ingrained of which are supervision and evaluation.

Instructional rounds contrast with supervision and evaluation on a number of dimensions, the first of which is learning.  Rounds are an inquiry process. People doing round should expect to learn something themselves. In supervision and evaluation, only the person being observed is expected to learn.  Participants in rounds emphasize the learning they do as observers. Rounds are NOT about “fixing” individual teachers. Rounds are about understanding what’s happening in schools, how we as a system produce those effects, and how we can move closer to producing the learning we want to see.

Rounds are fundamentally descriptive and analysis, not evaluative.  At no point in rounds do we declare what we see to be “good” or “bad” or something we “like” or “don’t like.”  Observers don’t tell the observed what to do next to improve. However, observers do think about the “next level of work” or what the school could do to make progress toward solving their problem of practice.

Eagle Rock begins Partnership with the Robert R. McCormick Foundation’s Democracy Schools

The Professional Development Center at Eagle Rock will continue education renewal work in Illinois in collaboration with the the Robert R. McCormick Foundation’s Democracy Schools.  On April 19th, Eagle Rock will facilitate Instructional Rounds with Democracy Schools at Belleville Township High School Dist 201- West.

Instructional rounds are a disciplined way for educators to work together to improve practice.  This combines three common elements of improvement: observations, an improvement strategy, and a network of educators.  Many educators currently use one of more of these elements, often with some success. It’s the combination of elements that’s most powerful.  It’s hard to dislodge familiar habits and behaviors that serve different purposes, the most ingrained of which are supervision and evaluation.  

Instructional rounds contrast with supervision and evaluation on a number of dimensions, the first of which is learning.  Rounds are an inquiry process. People doing round should expect to learn something themselves. In supervision and evaluation, only the person being observed is expected to learn.  Participants in rounds emphasize the learning they do as observers. Rounds are NOT about “fixing” individual teachers. Rounds are about understanding what’s happening in schools, how we as a system produce those effects, and how we can move closer to producing the learning we want to see.

Rounds are fundamentally descriptive and analysis, not evaluative.  At no point in rounds do we declare what we see to be “good” or “bad” or something we “like” or “don’t like.”  Observers don’t tell the observed what to do next to improve. However, observers do think about the “next level of work” or what the school could do to make progress toward solving their problem of practice.

Estes Park Teacher Honored for Untraditional Teaching Style, Impact on Students

Jon Anderson chosen as February Honoree; profiled by Outside Senior Editor, Matt Skenazy                                                                                      

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 1, 2018) – For Jon Anderson, trust is the foundation of learning. Now in his 16th year as a teacher at Eagle Rock, a nationally recognized tuition-free residential high school in Estes Park, Colorado for students nationwide who commit to reengaging in their education, Jon’s ability to connect with his students through the nontraditional nature of their curriculum has allowed him to make a substantial impact far beyond the classroom.

This month, Jon’s dedication to building meaningful relationships with his students and his unique teaching style are being celebrated by Honored, a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping great teachers in the classroom and inspiring a new generation of talent to pursue teaching.

Through his recognition, Jon will receive a $5,000 grant in addition to a $1,000 DonorsChoose gift card, allowing him to pay it forward to another teacher.

Jon also had his story immortalized in a profile article by Outside Senior Editor, Matt Skenazy. In the profile featured on Honored’s website, Skenazy tells of the immeasurable impact that Jon made on the life of one former student, Vidal Carrillo:

“If I hadn’t gone to Eagle Rock and met Jon, I probably would have dropped out of high school,” said Vidal, who now studies biology at Colorado State University and works as an Alpine hotshot during the summer. “I would be a completely different person.”

Vidal’s story started in Los Angeles, where his father abandoned their family and his brother had been in and out of jail. In search for new beginnings, Vidal’s mother found Eagle Rock School as an option for which he applied and enrolled, and where Vidal met a teacher who would soon change his life.

Though intimidated at first, Vidal could tell that Jon was a man of character, someone he could look up to. The two developed a bond that helped Vidal grow intellectually and personally.

“Not only did he help me in class, but he would be there for me outside of class if I was struggling with something in my personal life,” Vidal said. “He was interested in my future.”

Jon credits Eagle Rock with the opportunity to connect with his students in a unique way. Incoming students begin their personal development journey with a 24-day backpacking adventure through the Rocky Mountains. This nontraditional learning atmosphere is what Jon had long been searching for.

“Eagle Rock’s structure allows me to focus on my students as individuals and get to know them on a deeper level,” says Jon. “All of this means I get to build trust, and when we trust each other, all kinds of learning can happen.”

Read Jon’s full story at honored.org/honoree/Jon-Anderson.

Has a teacher changed your life? Honored wants to share your story and give your teacher some well-deserved recognition! To nominate a teacher, visit honored.org/nominate.

About Honored

Honored is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to keeping great teachers in the classroom and inspiring a new generation of talent to pursue teaching. Each month, Honored shines a spotlight on a teacher who has changed the life of a single student. The honoree receives a $5,000 cash award, and Honored recruits a world-class writer to tell their story. Honorees are selected from K-12 teachers of all subjects at public, private and charter schools across the country. Honored’s National Advisory Board includes luminaries such as the internationally best-selling author Michael Lewis, DonorsChoose.org founder Charles Best, Teach For America founder Wendy Kopp and FEED cofounder Lauren Bush Lauren.

For more information about Honored, visit honored.org. To nominate a teacher, visit honored.org/nominate. For regular updates on Honored and our monthly honorees, follow and like us on facebook.com/Honored.org, twitter.com/honored and instagram.com/honored.

Honored Press Contact

Chelsea O’Neal

chelsea_oneal@richards.com

214-891-7731

Eagle Rock Architect Gives New Meaning to “Back to School”

  • Architect Jeff Winston returns to Eagle Rock School after nearly three decades
  • Winston to serve as co-instructor of new Eagle Rock class

Estes Park, Colo., March 6, 2017 — Architect Jeff Winston of MIG is returning to Eagle Rock School & Professional Development Center to co-instruct an architecture class for Eagle Rock students. Winston was part of the original team of architects who designed Eagle Rock in the early 1990s.

“We’re thrilled to have Jeff Winston back on campus,” said Jeff Liddle, head of Eagle Rock School. “His connection to Eagle Rock combined with his knowledge of architecture will provide a unique learning experience for our students.”

Winston will co-instruct a five week long class focused on how creativity, algebraic thinking, and intentional design allow people to create spaces that enhance their lives. The course will challenge students to critically reflect on their experience of the form and function of spaces. Students will critique design ideas and develop new approaches to problems. They will be encouraged to use algebraic reasoning to meet budget and design parameters for a realistic architectural proposal. The curriculum is designed for students to work productively as individuals and collaboratively in groups.

Eagle Rock implements effective and engaging practices that foster each student’s unique potential and help young people use their minds. For more information, visit www.eaglerockschool.org.

Eagle Rock Continues Support of Rowland Foundation Fellows

The Professional Development Center at Eagle Rock will continue education renewal work in collaboration with The Rowland Foundation in Burlington, Vermont on September 29, 2016 as they support the 2016 Rowland Fellows and their steering committees in strategies toward implementation of their innovative school proposals.

The Foundation believes that systemic change, the kind that can alter a school’s culture and enhance its climate for learning, is derived from visionary leadership within the school. It cannot be mandated by top down attempts at school reform from Montpelier or through federal legislation. Visionary change is predicated on key partnerships that develop between a school leader and the faculty, often inspired by an individual teacher who is given the encouragement and resources to affect change.

To this end the Foundation annually offers up to ten fellowships to Vermont secondary educators. The Foundation seeks proposals in which a teacher/counselor and the principal/head of school form a clear partnership to improve an element of the school which will profoundly impact students by enhancing the institution’s culture and climate. The Rowland Fellow will assume the key leadership role in the project’s development and its implementation with financial support from the Rowland Foundation and the guidance of its Executive Director.

The Rowland Foundation provides Vermont secondary school educators with a unique professional development and leadership opportunity and the resources to positively affect student achievement and the culture and climate of their respective schools.

Schools which have received grants from The Rowland Foundation:

    • Black River Middle and High School
    • Blue Mountain Union School
    • Burlington High School
    • Burr and Burton Academy
    • Cabot School
    • Champlain Valley Union High School
    • Danville School
    • Enosburg Falls High School*
    • Essex High School
    • Fair Haven Union High School
    • Green Mountain Union High School
    • Harwood Union High School**
    • Lamoille Union Middle/High School
    • Lyndon Institute
    • Montpelier High School*
    • Mt. Abraham Union Middle/High School*
    • Mt. Mansfield Union High School
    • Otter Valley Union High School
    • Peoples Academy
    • Randolph Union High School
    • Rivendell Academy
    • Rutland High School***
    • St. Johnsbury Academy
    • South Burlington High School*
    • Thetford Academy
    • Twinfield Union School
    • U-32 Middle and High School
    • Vergennes Union High School**
    • Vermont Adult Learning

    *denotes additional grants

Eagle Rock Facilitates Roundtable After Screening of Most Likely To Succeed

 

CADIZ-On September 15, 2016, Harrison Central Jr./Sr. High School will take part in Most Likely to Succeed’s worldwide campaign to re-imagine education.

A screening of the acclaimed film will be held at 6 p.m. and it offers an inspiring look at what students and teachers are capable of—if we have the vision and courage to transform our schools. Directed by acclaimed documentarian Greg Whiteley, the film has been an official selection of two dozen of the world’s top film festivals, including Sundance, Tribeca, and AFI DOCS. It has been featured at leading conferences on education, including ASU/GSV, SxSWedu, Harvard/GoldmanSachs, and NewSchools Venture Fund. Audience members call it the most compelling film ever done on the topic of school. In the past year, more than 1,500 communities have booked a screening of the film.

The purpose of this event is to foster meaningful discussion among educators, administrators, parents, and students.  After the documentary, Eagle Rock’s Professional Development Team will lead a roundtable discussion to process the film and discuss next steps to support re-imagining education in our community.   Born out of these conversations is a community-wide commitment to moving forward; transformational initiatives will be undertaken and real change will ignite.  This event is open to the public.

Last year, the Harrison Hills community passed a levy to build a new school building and voted that project-based learning (“PBL”) would become a core teaching practice.  Rather than waiting for the new building, the district faculty began working towards implementing PBL with the support of Weirton native Staci Galloway.  Galloway, who works for the non-profit Eagle Rock School & Professional Development Center, has been coaching Harrison Central for the past year and plans to continue in that role for the foreseeable future. Eagle Rock’s coaching model centers around long-term implementation of projects building off of the strengths and passions of their partners.

Located in Estes Park, Colo., Eagle Rock is an initiative of American Honda Motor Company.   The Professional Development Center works with educators from around the country who wish to study how to re-engage, retain and graduate students. They provide consulting services at school sites around the United States and host educators at their beautiful mountainside campus in Estes Park who wish to study and learn from our practices. Last year, Eagle Rock began collaborating with the Jefferson County Educational Service Center, Harrison Hills City School District, and Toronto City School District to re-imagine what education looks like in the Ohio Valley.   

Please visit mltsfilm.org for more information about the film and movement.

 

Eagle Rock Continues Collaboration In New Mexico

The Professional Development Center at Eagle Rock will continue an innovative collaboration with The Leadership High School Network in New Mexico during the week of August 1, 2016

The Leadership High School Network (LHSN) is a network of cutting-edge, industry-focused schools that are rooted in deep intellectual rigor and relevancy. The LHSN functions to unify individual schools to propel innovation and ensure best practice. LHSN schools focus on promoting deep thinking and problem solving skills, and developing nuanced understandings through project-based learning. All LHSN schools are based on robust and active industries in New Mexico. The schools seek to provide students with the necessary skills to become successful professionals and meet the needs of our future workforce.

Eagle Rock Continues Support Of Bronx High School

The Professional Development Center at Eagle Rock continues to support Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School in the Bronx, NY.  On Friday, June 10th Eagle Rock will be facilitating reflection of an annual focus on peer observation within context of Newman’s authentic intellectual framework. Participants will be creating plans of action for the next school year to improve the peer observation process.

Eagle Rock Continues New Metrics Work In New Mexico

ALBUQUERUQUE, New Mexico – Can a standardized test summarize a student’s preparedness for life after school? The response is often a resounding “No.” A collaborative, multi-year effort is underway in Albuquerque, NM to develop new methods of evaluation that lay the groundwork for innovation and improvement in our education system.

From May 25 – 27, 2016, the New Metrics Initiative, led by the New Mexico Center for School Leadership, the Eagle Rock Professional Development Center and the McCune Charitable Foundation, who have developed metrics and a tool that can document and measure the current and future effectiveness of public schools will be collecting exemplars of performance based assessments among five New Metrics schools to serve as resources for the New Metrics tool.

The New Metrics Initiative emerged from a challenge faced by many schools working in troubled districts: funding. While funders might readily recognize schools that inspire dramatic transformations in districts that struggle with high attrition rates, low test scores and other challenges, that progress is often not captured by standardized tests.

“A simple analysis of the number of students who are ‘competent’ at Math or Reading does not tell the story of a school.” Says Tony Monfiletto, Director of the Center for School Leadership, “The ability to solve problems, work on a team, and communicate ideas are fundamental to a young person’s future, but those can’t be measured within our current evaluation system. The New Metrics Initiative seeks to identify metrics that reflect and incentivize the development of these real-world skills.”

The Eagle Rock Professional Development Center is helping the school leaders to “raise their gaze and look at the contours and landscape of the innovative work they are doing” says Michael Soguero, Director of Professional Development at Eagle Rock, a non-profit that works with educators from around the country. Over a series of strategy sessions led by Eagle Rock Professional Development Center that began in February, 2014, school leaders have shaped their vision for an “Educational Sweet Spot,” a place where students successfully deploy what they have learned through real life projects that engage both inter-personal and academic skill sets to creatively solve real-world problems. “Eagle Rock is especially skilled at facilitating this kind of work,” comments Soguero, “we work with innovative schools and educators around the country so their day-to-day work can inform and benefit more schools locally and nationally.”

Henry Rael of the McCune Charitable Foundation comments, “Our goal with this Initiative is to support the development of approaches that measure school success in terms that align with our values as a foundation. We also want to learn about possible impediments to the kind of innovation that re-engages, retains, and ensures our students are well equipped to meet the challenges in their futures.”