To set up a new KansaStar account, to obtain log-in information, and questions related to state-level requirements please contact Joe Jewett at joe.jewett@ksde.gov or (785) 296-2600.
For all other questions related to best practices while using KansaStar please contact kln@swplains.org.
The Leadership Team The leadership team in your system plays an important role. This group is responsible for setting school improvement goals, serving as key communicators to all stakeholders, analyzing data to make school-wide decisions, and determining professional development needs. This tutorial will provide context around why a leadership team is necessary, who should be on the leadership team, and what the leadership team does.
Effective Communication The leadership team is the conduit of communication for all stakeholders (students, staff, parents, community members, etc). A clear method and protocol of how, when, and why something is communicated will ensure that the leadership team is providing consistent messaging, giving necessary information to the appropriate groups, and helping to process information.
Collaboration - Leadership teams are not born. They're developed. So often, teams are asked to be on committees or to be members of a group without truly understanding how to function as collaborative team members. This resource offers research on what it means to be collaborative, why it's necessary, and how to achieve it.
Data-Based Decision-Making Developing a systematic and purposeful way of exploring data as a leadership team is essential in the successful implementation of effective practices for school improvement.
Choosing Indicators - An indicator is an effective practice that is a concrete, behavioral expression of a professional practice that research demonstrates contributes to student learning. An indicator is expressed in plain language so that a school team can answer with certainty whether or not it is standard practice in the school. Choosing indicators, each aligned with research, can seem like a daunting task for leadership teams to sort through what matters most. This tutorial is one way that leadership teams can begin to make decisions about what indicators to add to the SIP (School Improvement Plan).
Implementation: Phase One - Exploration - Implementation is not an event. It is a mission-oriented process involving multiple decisions, actions, and corrections designed to make full and effective use of effective innovations in education settings (National Implementation Research Network, n.d.). There are four phases of implementation: exploration, installation, initial implementation, and full implementation. The exploration phase is the focus of this module.
Implementation: Phase Two - Installation - Implementation is not an event. It is a mission-oriented process involving multiple decisions, actions, and corrections designed to make full and effective use of effective innovations in education settings (National Implementation Research Network, n.d.). There are four phases of implementation: exploration, installation, initial implementation, and full implementation. The installation phase is the focus of this module.
Implementation: Phase Three - Initial Implementation - Implementation is not an event. It is a mission-oriented process involving multiple decisions, actions, and corrections designed to make full and effective use of effective innovations in education settings (National Implementation Research Network, n.d.). There are four phases of implementation: exploration, installation, initial implementation, and full implementation. Initial implementation is the focus of this module.
Assessing Indicators When the leadership team assesses an indicator, the team is assessing the current level of implementation of that indicator of effective practice in your school. This module will walk the team through reflective questions and other considerations when determining the level of implementation for indicators.
Sustainability - Coming Soon
Our Direction - This video model how the process manager and/or leader updates the school information, leadership team information, adding mission/goals/vision statements, adding data, choosing an indicator to add to the school improvement plan, and how to assess/create/monitor an indicator.
Our Meetings - This tutorial model how the process manager sets up a new agenda, considers resources that might be needed for the team meeting & how to enter meeting minutes.