A LYS Principal share the following:

SC,

As you are aware, I have been using PowerWalks since it was first introduced.  It was a pretty exciting instrument then, but nothing compares to the new version that you launched this school year.  PowerWalks 2.0 is amazing! 

I love how you can see the scoreboard for schools right when you open the program.  This has been very motivational for my team of observers.  They have been working hard to get their visits completed and keep us in the top schools.  The benefit of that is that we are ready to begin sharing data with teachers by the first week in October.  This is much earlier than we have ever had enough data to begin sharing. 

In addition to the scoreboard, the quick report that I am able to run showing all of the counts for each observer is terrific.  The email feature has made it possible to send the administrative team the counts for each of us every Friday afternoon.  No one wants to be the one that didn’t get his or her visits done!  What a great use of positive peer pressure!  We use the reports for our counts and observers, inter-rater reliability reports, and individual teacher reports as a regular part of our administrative meeting each week.  It is making a huge difference not only in the number of visits being done, but our understanding of what is going on in each classroom.

Now the best part of the program has to be the survey instrument itself.  The changes are brilliant.  You have trimmed down the indicators being monitored without sacrificing the critical items that help identify great teaching practices.  The cleaner version is easy to understand and makes it less likely that those doing the visits are rating indicators differently.  Lastly, the reports for teachers are so much easier to build and run.  The charts are clear and concise, making them easier for teachers to pinpoint areas that they want to focus on for improving their craft.

If it is not already clear, I love PowerWalks 2.0.  I appreciate your dedication to education and providing us with a quality program that helps us do our job better.  I am a lifelong fan.

Sincerely,

L. T.

SC Response Thanks.  As you well know, every change to the system is the result of feedback from leaders like you who believe in formative observation and coaching and want to best tool possible. As the principal of a perennial PowerWalks Hero School, your endorsement carries significant weight.  It is our validation.  Keep leading the way for your campus and district.

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