- Email: [email protected]
Partners at Lake Washington
Partners at Lake Washington Ron Barnes and Karen Bates
E
very Wednesday afternoon, Gary, an IBM manager, walks into an alternative high school in Kirkland, Washington. Me works incliviclually with a number of students, listening to them struggle with their math problems. lnsteacl of jumping to solve the problems for them, he coaches and guicles the students in finding the answers on their own. An integral prlrt of the classroom, Gary works closely with both the students ancl the teacher to ensure that the students are successful. One young woman whom Gary is helping, aclornecl with purple hair ancl ;I bl:lck leather jacket, recently commented, “Even though he looks straight, he’s an OK guy.” At an elementary school several miles away. Craig, a GTE supervisor, is surrounclecl by a clozen small boclies as he walks into the classroom. “Mr. Ortloff! Mr. Ortloff is here!” they shout as they yank on his tie ancl trousers with paintsniearecl hands. Later, as the teacher assigns stuclents to small reacling groups, a seconcl-grade boy pumps his fist ancl exclaims “Yeah!” when he is callecl to work with Mr. Ortloff. These business people are part of n program at Lake Washington School District called Partners at Lake Washington Schools, or PALS. They are among 75 employees released by their companies between two and four hours e:~ch week to work with students in the classroom. Four nmjo~ corporations in the Seattle area-Boeing Cornpurer Services, IBM, GTE, ancl McCaw Cellular Communications-are participating in PALS. Employees, referred to as partners, work uncler a teacher’s guidance to improve students’ acaclernic achievement and help them gain a broader unclerstmcling of the relationship between school mcl business. They cm choose one of the clistrict’s 37 schools in which to work, or they may request to participate in their own children’s schools or classrooms. The use of the word “partner” rather than “volunteer” is an important distinction. Every employee who participates in PALS is part of a company that has macle a commitment to work with Lake Washington schools in creating and P;mncrs
;II
L;lkc \Vdington
implementing processes of human resource exchange thd will benefit students, teachers, and businesses alike. The clistrict works with clesignated coorclinators ;it each firm to design, implement, coorclinate, and evaluate the clistrictbusiness partnership efforts. Partners and teachers decide as ;I team how the partners can best use their skills in working with stuclents. These incliviclual partnerships take many forms. Four partners are working with the frmllty of a high school math department. They assist students with algebra ancl calculus and clemonstrnte how these principles are user1 in the “real worlcl.” In a stuclent survey completecl at the encl of the 1991-92 school year, just four months into the program, 67 percent of secondary students saicl they had iniprovecl their academic performance as :I result of working with :I partner. One teacher reports, “He [the pnrtnerl can get stuclents to zero in on their algebra in instances where they are otherwise not niotivatecl.” Besicles working with small groups ancl inclivi&al students, partners at many elementmy schools are also teaching. An employee of Boeing Computer Services is teaching computer programniing to teachers and students using LOGO, a software program purchasecl by the school for his use. At another building, an IBM marketing representative teaches a computer class during lunch ancl recess. Last year he averaged 20 students in each weekly session. Others work as a team with teachers in the lab, teaching thircl-graders worcl-processing skills. A corporate manager who is also a musician works with a school’s music teacher, sharing his expertise in planning and management to better organize
Thisprogram combines the educational and business communities to help teach students what they’ll need to know in life.
57
each class to meet the learning objectives. This team was also awarded a restructuring grant by the school district to test the effectiveness of teaching music with computers. Their experimental results showed that accelerated and more indepth learning took place with the computeraided instruction-results that will affect the district’s entire music program. PALS has also produced benefits For participating employees and their organizations. This is a critical piece OFthe partnership concept. Evaluation results show that more than half of the participating partners Feel happier after they return to work. More than three-quarters Feel they have contributed to improving the education system. During an emotional testimonial at a partnership recognition event, one participant said that without PALS and his Firm’s commitment he would never have had the opportunity to be involved directly in the educauThe PALSprogram tion of his three children. Each week he divides his was developed on time among their three el,the assumption that ementary classrooms, assisting not only his own chilstudents need to dren but many others. The have opportunities Boeing Company (which, along with IBM, was First to to build long-term take part in PALS) has a relationships with corporate-wide goal to support K-12 education. Emother adults in the ployees include this expericlassroom. U ence on their performance evaluations and are recognized through the Formal appraisal system for their contributions Lo the community. Besides the classroom component, Boeing and IBM managers act as partners with school principals. The mission of these principal/manager partnerships, develped by the participants, is to share ideas, techniques, and experiences in management, leadership, and change strategies to assist both managers and principals in meeting their organizations’ goals and their customers’ needs more effectively. Each company hosts monthly meetings at which these private- and public-sector managers discover the common challenges they face. Moreover, they learn tools and strategies from each other that help them in their own positions. Recent topics of discussion have included continuous quality improvement, creating a climate For change, dealing with Fear in the workplace, and using outcome-based educational systems. Besides the monthly forums, principals and managers work on individual projects that will improve the quality of education For all students. The Lake Washington School District conceived the PALS program in fall 1991 to support 58
its vision-a vision that sees each OF the district’s 24,000 students receiving a world-class education. This education is outlinecl in the district’s student profile: ;I matrix of 52 skills, knowledge, and attitudes identified as critical For success in this decade and into the 31st century. These attributes range From demonstrating mathematical thinking and evaluating the effects of new ancl existing technologies to working effectively with others and presenting a coherent, logical argument iising relevant evidence. For students to receive an education resulting in these outcomes, it will take more than one teacher in each classroom of 25 01 30 students. It will require business and community members working together with eclucntors to develop students who are lifelong learners. responsible citizens, informed decision makers, and competitive employees. Business-school partnerships have often been thought of in terms of providing guest speakers, donating Financial or material resources, or adopting a school. The PALS program was cleveloprd on the assumption that students neecl to have opportunities to build long-term relationships with other adults in the classroom. They need to understand the connection between what they are learning and how it may be used when they graduate From high school. Students need to work with other adults who use the skills ancl knowledge they themselves will need when whey graduate. Classrooms ailso need positive role models from the business co~nmunity to work with students so no one misses an opportunity to !X successful. These objectives cm be reached only if companies are willing to allow employees to spend several hours with students during the work week. After only Four months in the classroom last year, 70 percent of teachers working with partners said there were changes in theil students as a result of having a partner in the classroom for two to Four hours each week. The PALS program is also based on choice. Employees are not assigned to a school; they can select From the district’s 37 buildings. The program was designed on the assumplion that it’ the employee can choose where to develop a partnership, he or she will be more likely to stay involved for the long term. This has proved to be true. Last year, 95 percent of all partners continued in PALS. The PALS program also affects teachers. To provide all stuclents with the increasingly complex knowledge and skills they need, the role of the teacher must change. All classrooms neecl integrated instruction, multi-age instructional groupings, active learning, and individuzalized instruction. Teachers’ roles are changing from being the learning authority and dispenser of information to one of team manager and CEO of the classroom. Having partners from industry BusinessHorizons/ Sepreml>rr-Oaober1993
working together with teachers assists them in unclerstancling the neecl for this new mamlgement nioclel. To further this effort, several teachers \xho hnve successfully hostecl business partners in their classroom recently clevelopecl a training course for clistrict teachers on how to integrate other aclults into the class effectively in order to rlchievc classroom goals 2nd stuclent learning outcomes. Besiclcs the PALS program, Lake Wxhington is pursuing other pxlnerships that support its restructuring efforts. The Quality Institute offered hy Boeing Computer Services cluring the summer of 1992 provicles ;I good example of this. Twenty staff members from xross the clistrict attenclecl 21 rwo-week intensive training session concluctecl by Boeing on clu;llity improvement ancl tenm lx~ilding. Sevelal nienilxrs of the Boeing training staff. lecl by the manager of organizational clevelopmerit-herself ;I former teacher--took formal concepts in the clomain of private inclustry ancl ma& them relevant ancl iinclerslanclril~le to ecluc2Lors L .. In follow-up sessions throu~hcxit the year, 13oeing ;mcl the clistrict have been nioriiloring tlx progress of parLicip3nts in applying these concepts to their classrooms ancl schools. On the hasis of this initial success, Lake WIshington receivecl ;I Boeing grant for 36 staff memlxrs from six clistricl schools to attencl similar training that I~~~:III in May ancl will continue for an entire year. Participaling chools were selectecl Ixisecl on their unclerst2nclina of how they coulcl restructure their eclucation system.
P
artnerships--RGtli parents, Ixsinesses, ancl the community--are one of the three Ixlilcling blocks of L;tke Washington’s restructuring effort. We believe that to improve eclucational outcomes for all students clr:imntitally, we must change our entire system of schooling. Partnerships, together with the use of time and staff. ilre the systemic variables that must he changecl. Historically we have ;~llowecl stuclent achievement to vary, treating everything else relatecl to schooling as fixecl. This is not ;m acceptable operating system. To chnnge. however, recluires participation from our Ixisiness community to help effect the transformation ancl to lend creclihility to our efforts. Just ;Is partnerships among corporations are increasingly common ;mcl even necessary for survival in private inclustry, partnerships are critical to the SLICC~SS of public education. The PALS program is the first step in huilcling a network of business-school pxtnerships that will leacl to mennin~ful systemic change and 3 more relevant :incl challenging eclucation for all stuclents. 0
Ron Barnes, formerly deputy superintendent of Lake Washington School District #414, Kirkland, Washington, is currently the superintendent of the Marysville School District, Marysville, Washington. Karen Bates is assistant superintendent at the Lake Washington School District-a partner district of the Center for Leadership in School Reform, whose headquarters are in Louisville, Kentucky.
59
E
very Wednesday afternoon, Gary, an IBM manager, walks into an alternative high school in Kirkland, Washington. Me works incliviclually with a number of students, listening to them struggle with their math problems. lnsteacl of jumping to solve the problems for them, he coaches and guicles the students in finding the answers on their own. An integral prlrt of the classroom, Gary works closely with both the students ancl the teacher to ensure that the students are successful. One young woman whom Gary is helping, aclornecl with purple hair ancl ;I bl:lck leather jacket, recently commented, “Even though he looks straight, he’s an OK guy.” At an elementary school several miles away. Craig, a GTE supervisor, is surrounclecl by a clozen small boclies as he walks into the classroom. “Mr. Ortloff! Mr. Ortloff is here!” they shout as they yank on his tie ancl trousers with paintsniearecl hands. Later, as the teacher assigns stuclents to small reacling groups, a seconcl-grade boy pumps his fist ancl exclaims “Yeah!” when he is callecl to work with Mr. Ortloff. These business people are part of n program at Lake Washington School District called Partners at Lake Washington Schools, or PALS. They are among 75 employees released by their companies between two and four hours e:~ch week to work with students in the classroom. Four nmjo~ corporations in the Seattle area-Boeing Cornpurer Services, IBM, GTE, ancl McCaw Cellular Communications-are participating in PALS. Employees, referred to as partners, work uncler a teacher’s guidance to improve students’ acaclernic achievement and help them gain a broader unclerstmcling of the relationship between school mcl business. They cm choose one of the clistrict’s 37 schools in which to work, or they may request to participate in their own children’s schools or classrooms. The use of the word “partner” rather than “volunteer” is an important distinction. Every employee who participates in PALS is part of a company that has macle a commitment to work with Lake Washington schools in creating and P;mncrs
;II
L;lkc \Vdington
implementing processes of human resource exchange thd will benefit students, teachers, and businesses alike. The clistrict works with clesignated coorclinators ;it each firm to design, implement, coorclinate, and evaluate the clistrictbusiness partnership efforts. Partners and teachers decide as ;I team how the partners can best use their skills in working with stuclents. These incliviclual partnerships take many forms. Four partners are working with the frmllty of a high school math department. They assist students with algebra ancl calculus and clemonstrnte how these principles are user1 in the “real worlcl.” In a stuclent survey completecl at the encl of the 1991-92 school year, just four months into the program, 67 percent of secondary students saicl they had iniprovecl their academic performance as :I result of working with :I partner. One teacher reports, “He [the pnrtnerl can get stuclents to zero in on their algebra in instances where they are otherwise not niotivatecl.” Besicles working with small groups ancl inclivi&al students, partners at many elementmy schools are also teaching. An employee of Boeing Computer Services is teaching computer programniing to teachers and students using LOGO, a software program purchasecl by the school for his use. At another building, an IBM marketing representative teaches a computer class during lunch ancl recess. Last year he averaged 20 students in each weekly session. Others work as a team with teachers in the lab, teaching thircl-graders worcl-processing skills. A corporate manager who is also a musician works with a school’s music teacher, sharing his expertise in planning and management to better organize
Thisprogram combines the educational and business communities to help teach students what they’ll need to know in life.
57
each class to meet the learning objectives. This team was also awarded a restructuring grant by the school district to test the effectiveness of teaching music with computers. Their experimental results showed that accelerated and more indepth learning took place with the computeraided instruction-results that will affect the district’s entire music program. PALS has also produced benefits For participating employees and their organizations. This is a critical piece OFthe partnership concept. Evaluation results show that more than half of the participating partners Feel happier after they return to work. More than three-quarters Feel they have contributed to improving the education system. During an emotional testimonial at a partnership recognition event, one participant said that without PALS and his Firm’s commitment he would never have had the opportunity to be involved directly in the educauThe PALSprogram tion of his three children. Each week he divides his was developed on time among their three el,the assumption that ementary classrooms, assisting not only his own chilstudents need to dren but many others. The have opportunities Boeing Company (which, along with IBM, was First to to build long-term take part in PALS) has a relationships with corporate-wide goal to support K-12 education. Emother adults in the ployees include this expericlassroom. U ence on their performance evaluations and are recognized through the Formal appraisal system for their contributions Lo the community. Besides the classroom component, Boeing and IBM managers act as partners with school principals. The mission of these principal/manager partnerships, develped by the participants, is to share ideas, techniques, and experiences in management, leadership, and change strategies to assist both managers and principals in meeting their organizations’ goals and their customers’ needs more effectively. Each company hosts monthly meetings at which these private- and public-sector managers discover the common challenges they face. Moreover, they learn tools and strategies from each other that help them in their own positions. Recent topics of discussion have included continuous quality improvement, creating a climate For change, dealing with Fear in the workplace, and using outcome-based educational systems. Besides the monthly forums, principals and managers work on individual projects that will improve the quality of education For all students. The Lake Washington School District conceived the PALS program in fall 1991 to support 58
its vision-a vision that sees each OF the district’s 24,000 students receiving a world-class education. This education is outlinecl in the district’s student profile: ;I matrix of 52 skills, knowledge, and attitudes identified as critical For success in this decade and into the 31st century. These attributes range From demonstrating mathematical thinking and evaluating the effects of new ancl existing technologies to working effectively with others and presenting a coherent, logical argument iising relevant evidence. For students to receive an education resulting in these outcomes, it will take more than one teacher in each classroom of 25 01 30 students. It will require business and community members working together with eclucntors to develop students who are lifelong learners. responsible citizens, informed decision makers, and competitive employees. Business-school partnerships have often been thought of in terms of providing guest speakers, donating Financial or material resources, or adopting a school. The PALS program was cleveloprd on the assumption that students neecl to have opportunities to build long-term relationships with other adults in the classroom. They need to understand the connection between what they are learning and how it may be used when they graduate From high school. Students need to work with other adults who use the skills ancl knowledge they themselves will need when whey graduate. Classrooms ailso need positive role models from the business co~nmunity to work with students so no one misses an opportunity to !X successful. These objectives cm be reached only if companies are willing to allow employees to spend several hours with students during the work week. After only Four months in the classroom last year, 70 percent of teachers working with partners said there were changes in theil students as a result of having a partner in the classroom for two to Four hours each week. The PALS program is also based on choice. Employees are not assigned to a school; they can select From the district’s 37 buildings. The program was designed on the assumplion that it’ the employee can choose where to develop a partnership, he or she will be more likely to stay involved for the long term. This has proved to be true. Last year, 95 percent of all partners continued in PALS. The PALS program also affects teachers. To provide all stuclents with the increasingly complex knowledge and skills they need, the role of the teacher must change. All classrooms neecl integrated instruction, multi-age instructional groupings, active learning, and individuzalized instruction. Teachers’ roles are changing from being the learning authority and dispenser of information to one of team manager and CEO of the classroom. Having partners from industry BusinessHorizons/ Sepreml>rr-Oaober1993
working together with teachers assists them in unclerstancling the neecl for this new mamlgement nioclel. To further this effort, several teachers \xho hnve successfully hostecl business partners in their classroom recently clevelopecl a training course for clistrict teachers on how to integrate other aclults into the class effectively in order to rlchievc classroom goals 2nd stuclent learning outcomes. Besiclcs the PALS program, Lake Wxhington is pursuing other pxlnerships that support its restructuring efforts. The Quality Institute offered hy Boeing Computer Services cluring the summer of 1992 provicles ;I good example of this. Twenty staff members from xross the clistrict attenclecl 21 rwo-week intensive training session concluctecl by Boeing on clu;llity improvement ancl tenm lx~ilding. Sevelal nienilxrs of the Boeing training staff. lecl by the manager of organizational clevelopmerit-herself ;I former teacher--took formal concepts in the clomain of private inclustry ancl ma& them relevant ancl iinclerslanclril~le to ecluc2Lors L .. In follow-up sessions throu~hcxit the year, 13oeing ;mcl the clistrict have been nioriiloring tlx progress of parLicip3nts in applying these concepts to their classrooms ancl schools. On the hasis of this initial success, Lake WIshington receivecl ;I Boeing grant for 36 staff memlxrs from six clistricl schools to attencl similar training that I~~~:III in May ancl will continue for an entire year. Participaling chools were selectecl Ixisecl on their unclerst2nclina of how they coulcl restructure their eclucation system.
P
artnerships--RGtli parents, Ixsinesses, ancl the community--are one of the three Ixlilcling blocks of L;tke Washington’s restructuring effort. We believe that to improve eclucational outcomes for all students clr:imntitally, we must change our entire system of schooling. Partnerships, together with the use of time and staff. ilre the systemic variables that must he changecl. Historically we have ;~llowecl stuclent achievement to vary, treating everything else relatecl to schooling as fixecl. This is not ;m acceptable operating system. To chnnge. however, recluires participation from our Ixisiness community to help effect the transformation ancl to lend creclihility to our efforts. Just ;Is partnerships among corporations are increasingly common ;mcl even necessary for survival in private inclustry, partnerships are critical to the SLICC~SS of public education. The PALS program is the first step in huilcling a network of business-school pxtnerships that will leacl to mennin~ful systemic change and 3 more relevant :incl challenging eclucation for all stuclents. 0
Ron Barnes, formerly deputy superintendent of Lake Washington School District #414, Kirkland, Washington, is currently the superintendent of the Marysville School District, Marysville, Washington. Karen Bates is assistant superintendent at the Lake Washington School District-a partner district of the Center for Leadership in School Reform, whose headquarters are in Louisville, Kentucky.
59