NWEA Spark Community

Today was the day for educators at the Fusion 2010 conference to learn, reflect, and recharge for next year before heading into the relaxing days of summer.

A can-do mood permeated the conference even as Portland’s skies turned cloudy.  Dr. Thomas Guskey of the University of Kentucky set the tone early with his plea for educators to lead change, instead of simply managing the status quo. He was followed by Damen Lopez, founder of TurnAround Schools and the No Excuses University Network of Schools, who delivered the explanation point by challenging teachers to set uncompromising standards for themselves and their students.

Lopez drew a huge crowd for a breakout session on his visionary schools program, which establishes an expectation in grade schools that all students are capable of achieving a college education. The former California school teacher and principal quickly made clear that he applies his no excuses mantra to teachers as well as students for poor academic performance. “It’s easy to blame parts of society,” Lopez said. “It’s hard to take responsibility and help these kids. But that’s what we do.”

Founded in 2004, the No Excuses University Network now includes 71 schools in 13 states that embrace teaching techniques and messages aimed at helping kids aspire to a college education. In 2006, Lopez founded TurnAround Schools to assist teachers in implementing school improvement strategies that he champions. 

In a later breakout session, Lopez and other educators hit on another theme of elevating student and staff expectations. Panelists in a discussion on turning around low-performing schools focused on the role of school leaders in setting a tone for the school that demands success.

“Many times you can walk into a school and within 10 minutes you can sense the culture of that school,” said Bob Baker, senior education advisor at NWEA. Baker described his own history of being assigned as principal of a “failing” high school.

“The superintendent told me, ‘You’re principal of a school that no parent wants their child to go to.’ That stuck with me.”

Referring to Guskey’s earlier call for educators to become leaders instead of managers, Baker said he realized that making better use of NWEA test data could help turn the school around. “At the time I realized the gold mine we were sitting on I changed from being a manager to a leader,” he said. “The data caused us to take action.”

The conference continues Friday morning with a keynote from Matt Chapman, NWEA’s President and CEO, before a sendoff to summer.