Inspiration Conversation: Big Ideas to 2018-2019 Goals

Earlier this month, AISC invited the community to participate in an Inspiration Conversation that focused on Futures Planning.

We have been hosting Futures Summits for three years now, and these multi-hour sessions are designed to evoke conversation about the changing world and its possible impact on education and AISC. These sessions are not created to solve problems, but rather to share trends, discuss possible scenarios and show people's thinking. We also do a check out activity at the end of the session where we gather people's takeaways, Big Ideas that have come out of these conversations. Below is a list of the Big Ideas from the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Futures Summits.

• Education Pit Crew 
• Real-world problems
• Personalization
• Redefining what we report
• Innovation as our core requirement
• Flexible schedules, flexible spaces and a flexible mindset
• A leader in green and innovation technology
• Encourage empathy, resilience, and independence in students
• A balance between pursuing new passions and exposing to a broad curriculum
• Social and emotional learning 
• Problem-solving and critical thinking
• Community resources and partnerships
• Trans-disciplinary learning and thinking
• Experiential learning
• Thriving in ambiguity
• Evolving the system
• Interdependence
• The role of artificial intelligence
• Collaboration and collaborative system
• Engaging the local community

Participants of the Inspiration Conversation in October of 2018 looked at these Big Ideas and then connected them to our 10 pathways, the three-year vision statements that we have for education at AISC. 

1. Pathway: Learning & Experiential Opportunities
   AISC develops programs for students to deepen their capacity to contribute with courage, confidence, creativity, and compassion to a diverse and dynamic world.
2. Pathway: Learning & Innovation in the System
   AISC implements innovative learning experiences incorporating the inquiry framework and trans-disciplinary skills, and alternative schedules to engage the vision of the AISC learner.
3. Pathway: Learning & Vision for the Learner
   As a means to live the mission, AISC integrates abilities to achieve success through the Vision for the Learner into the culture of the school.
4. Pathway: Learning & Inquiry in the Curriculum
   AISC integrates the inquiry framework and project-based learning into the curriculum development process.
5. Pathway: Learning & Wellbeing
   AISC creates an integrated student wellbeing program that promotes and fosters healthy habits, self-awareness, self-management and positive relationships.
6. Pathway: Resources & Data
   Develop and evolve systems and processes to facilitate the convergence of data collection and use, assuring that stakeholders have access to beneficial data to make informed decisions.
7. Pathway: Resources & Building Spaces
   AISC implements the Building Spaces 2020 Plan approved by the Board of Directors in November 2016.
8. Pathway: Talent & Professional Growth
   AISC develops a professional growth, well-being, and evaluation framework that is aligned to best practices and to the vision for an AISC learner, incorporates faculty learning and development.
9. Pathway: Community & Advancement
   AISC enhances its reputation locally and globally and expands engagement and support across all stakeholder groups.
10. Pathway: Community & Environmental Sustainability
    AISC enlists the participation of all stakeholder groups to incorporate environmentally sustainable policies, practices, and programming in alignment with our mission and core values.

Both teams of participants of the Inspiration Conversation saw connections from all of the Big Ideas to at least one pathway. And then each of the pathways also connects to the 14 goals that AISC has identified for the 2018-2019 school year. 

Again, showing that the Big Ideas that have come out of the Futures Summits over the last three years have led to the long-term vision and the short-term goals. 

Stay tuned here for more updates on how we are learning and growing to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world. 

Futures Summit Summary and Inspiration Conversation Invitation

On Friday, September 7th, thirty AISC community members gathered together for the third annual Futures Summit.

We began the conversation with people talking at their table about their first job. Next they considered the similarities and differences between their jobs then and their jobs now. The environment and context of the employee has evolved over time.

When considering the evolution of work, the jobs themselves change over time. New jobs crop up as technology and industries evolve. 

If the employee and jobs are evolving, then education too will evolve. 

Considering the articles below, how might education evolve?

How AI Could Transform the Way We Measure Kids' Intelligence

What's School Without Grade Levels?

Rush Hours: Let's Re-envision the School Day

Neuroeducation Will Lead to Big Breakthroughs in Learning

The iGen Shift: Colleges Are Changing to Reach the Next Generation

Participants of the Futures Summit were asked to illustrate the what school could look like in 2030. Here are some of their creations: 

We wrapped up the event with considering what were enablers and obstacles within education and/or AISC for creating the evolution in education. Here are their thoughts:

ENABLERS

·       Enhanced experimentation & communication

·       Mindset needs to be open, progressive and in support of adapting to change

·       Knowledge of an awareness of what is happening in the world. Advancements, inventions etc., to shape curriculum; Connect or exposure to global needs

·       Adopting technology

·       That this conversation happens

·       Grass roots call for systemic change

·       Courage

·       Prototype! New initiatives

·       Model, $$

·       Already has growth mindset (this kind of meeting), Leadership commitment to change (push boundaries).

·       Well-resourced school

·       Not in a national system (more freedom relatively)

·       Good interaction with community

·       Good staff

·       Progressive industries driving progressive universities/ colleges to promote & support changes in curriculum

·       Risk takers

·       An enabler of change is if change is highly called for. If many people see that change is needed

·       The fact that we are having a discussion on this. Leadership commitment to change (push boundaries)

·       Like minded group of people or transparency in communication to facilitate that.

OBSTACLES

·       Social value system still might not change

·       Parental buy-in to a new system

·       Academic rigidity

·       The need to keep going. No way to stop, Reset, Go

·       Resistance (fear of unknown)

·       University admissions

·       Closed mindset

·       There is no ethics to use AI

·       Technology is enough developed?

·       Education systems don’t evolve to needs

·       Adherence to structures/conservatism

·       There is no rule for supporting new things

·       Danger of being too progressive as opposed to what colleges/employers expect.

·       Complacency

·       People who say “you can’t do that because…”

·       $$, Time, Training, Community ed, calendar

·       Definitions of success

·       Fear of change as a risk to children’s future

·       Cultural expectations around structure

·       Past experiences holding on/fixed mindset 

We will continue the conversation about the evolution of education at our next Inspiration Conversation. Mark your calendar now and join us!

Elements of our Futures Plan and Invitation to the Futures Summit

How do all of the pieces of AISC work together? How does the Futures Plan connect with elements already in the AISC system? This helpful graphic looks to connect AISC's foundational documents to the Futures Plan's yearly goals.

We hope that is clear that what we think and what we do are connected, and our 2018-2019 goals, shared on the blog last week will help us achieve our mission. 

On the right hand side of the blog, I've also updated the Community Planning Team to reflect our new members. Congratulations! Finally, I've added the final version of the Futures Plan. 

I hope to see many people come out to the Futures Summit on Friday, September 7, from 1:00–4:00pm where will look at the evolution of work and some new insights into education and create what school could look like in the years to come. We look forward to seeing you in the Hall of Light! 

2018-2019 Goals and Call for Community Planning Team Members

On May 3, 2018, the Community Planning Team recommended that AISC adopt 14 goals in order to achieve the 10 Strategic Pathways.


Please see our goals for 2018-2019 below:

VACANCIES
We are also adding new members to our 2018-2019 Community Planning Team to replace those that have left the school or chosen not to return.

We are looking for:

• A freshman student
• A elementary school faculty member
• An alumni student
• Two current parents, preferably with elementary and/or middle school children

COMMITMENTS
Being a Community Planning Team member asks that you commit to 2 full days of meetings during the 2018 -2019 school year:

September 7, Futures Summit
This half-day event is designed to engage any AISC community member in generative conversation about the futures trends and drivers in society and their implications for education and AISC. Community Planning Team members are encouraged to attend.

February 14, Community Planning Team Work Session
The Community Planning Team gives the Leadership Team feedback on goals and priorities for the Futures Plan 2018-2021.

May 9, Planning Team Retreat
The Community Planning Team approves the 2019-2020 goals for Futures Plan.

AGREEMENTS
The Community Planning Team agrees, while they are meeting together, to:

• treat each person as a peer.
• communicate openly and honestly.
• reveal their interests but work toward the common good.
• present their points of view and their points of view only.
• contribute, but not dominate.

If you are interested in being on the Community Planning Team, please email Angeline Mohan for an application form. The deadline to turn in the form is August 31. 

Futures Plan: 2018-2019 DRAFT Goals

The Building Futures Plan provides vision for the future that is flexible enough so that the school can be responsive and proactive to a changing reality. As a deliverable, our Building Futures Plan entails three-year commitments to Strategic Pathways, annual commitments to goals associated with each Pathway, and a rolling review and projection process whereby each year the school re-commits to good work ongoing and adapts and/or develops goals for the third year of the plan. Central to the planning process is broad-based stakeholder involvement.

Last Thursday the Planning Team gave feedback on the 2018-2019 Goals of the Building Futures Plan. Please see these goals here.

If you’d like to read the entire Building Futures Plan, which also shares the story of its creation, please click here. Please note this is not in final draft yet.

Please share your feedback with us on the 2018-2019 Goals? What opportunities do you see? What challenges might arise? Do you have any other feedback?

Futures Planning Update

Yesterday, Thursday, February 22, the Planning Team met for an all-day meeting where the leadership team updated the Planning Team on the progress of this year's end results, and then in the afternoon the leadership team explained the 2018-2019 goals around the 10 pathways that were shared in the last blog post.

Watch here for more updates on the Futures Plan!

Futures Summit Takeaways and Futures Plan 2018-2021

Future Summit Takeaways

Last December while working with Katherine Prince from KnowledgeWorks, we gathered clarity around the near and distant future around work and how we can prepare our graduates.

We came away from this experience with the following three crucial understandings:

1. Our Mission and Vision for the AISC Learner are built for the future of teaching and learning at AISC.
2. A crucial next step for us as a school will be to define the competencies that we expect of ourselves and our students to assure student success within the framework of our Mission and Vision for the AISC Learner.
3. Our Strategic Pathways for Learning will appropriately drive us to continue to stay relevant as a learning organization.

This helped us verify that we were on the right track creating our Futures Plan 2018-2021. Below you can see our pathways, which align with each of our Strategic Objectives: Learning, Resources, Talent and Community.

Strategic Pathways

Strategic Pathways articulate three-year vision statements around core priority areas. Annual Goals and Actions Plans will support the vision in our Strategic Pathway Areas.

Strategic Objective: Learning
We will align expected outcomes, assessment, teaching, learning and reflection on practice in order to support our mission and student learning objectives.

Pathway: Learning & Experiential Opportunities (Sectional)
AISC develops programs for students to deepen their capacity to contribute with courage, confidence, creativity, and compassion to a diverse and dynamic world.
Person(s) Responsible: Each Principal

Pathway: Learning & Innovation in the System (Sectional)
AISC implements innovative learning experiences incorporating the inquiry framework and transdisciplinary skills, and alternative schedules to engage the vision of the AISC learner.
Person(s) Responsible: Each Principal

Pathway: Learning & Vision for the Learner (Inter-Sectional)
AISC integrates the vision for the learner as a means to achieve the mission.
Person(s) Responsible: Each Principal

Pathway: Learning & Inquiry in the Curriculum (All School)
AISC integrates the inquiry framework and project-based learning into the curriculum (development process).
Person(s) Responsible: Director of Teaching and Learning

Pathway: Learning & Wellness (All School)
AISC creates an integrated student wellbeing program that promotes and fosters healthy habits, self-awareness, self-management and positive relationships.
Person(s) Responsible: Director of Teaching and Learning

Strategic Objective: Resources
We will strategically use all possible resources* to create a learning community aligned with our core values and mission.

Pathway: Resources & Data (All School)
Develop and evolve systems and processes to facilitate the convergence of data collection and use, assuring that stakeholders have access to beneficial data to make informed decisions.
Person(s) Responsible: Director of Technologies and Innovation

Pathway: Resources & Building Spaces  (All School)
AISC implements the Building Spaces 2020 Plan approved by the Board of Directors in November 2016.
Person(s) Responsible: Chief Business Officer

Strategic Objective: Talent
The school will hire, develop and retain staff members who embody the school mission and core values.

Pathway: Talent & Professional Growth (All School)
AISC develops a professional growth, well-being, and evaluation framework that is aligned to best practices and to the vision for an AISC learner, incorporates faculty learning and development.
Person(s) Responsible: Head of School & Director of Teaching and Learning

Strategic Objective: Community 
We will actively communicate, support, and contribute to our core values, mission and vision for an AISC learner so that our community lives the shared vision.

Pathway: Community & Advancement (All School)
AISC enhances its reputation locally and globally and expands engagement and support across all stakeholder groups.
Person(s) Responsible: Director of Advancement

Pathway: Community & Environmental Sustainability (All School)
AISC enlists the participation of all stakeholder groups to incorporate environmentally sustainable policies, practices, and programming in alignment with our mission and core values.
Person(s) Responsible: Head of School & Director of Technologies and Innovation

Tell us what you think? What ideas resonate with you? What questions might you have?

Finland Thinks It's Designed the School for the Future

The school of the future...It's like looking into the crystal ball. What attributes, elements, characteristics will schools need to have to create students ready to tackle the world they will encounter as adults? Since the world is changing at such a fast pace, this is a true challenge for educators and communities.

Finland has been at the forefront of many conversations and media regarding innovative schooling. Read more about Finland's current iteration of what they think the school of the future looks like.

What do you think about Finland's schools? Are they truly the schools of the future?

The Accelerating Rate of Change of the World Today

In a talk at Singularity University’s Global Summit in San Francisco, SU cofounder and chairman Peter Diamandis told the audience, “Tomorrow’s speed of change will make today look like we’re crawling.”

He then shared his point of view about some of the most important factors driving this accelerating change.

Based on these factors of change,  please share your thoughts on some opportunities and challenges that our world will face in the coming years.