1. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
Fifth Core™ World Language & Culture Program
DR. WILLIAM SKILLING, SUPERINTENDENT
DR. JAMES SCHWARZ, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF
CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION
APRIL 8, 2013

2. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
• Magnetism of a Vision
– Board Interview
– Creating the case for Internationalizing our Education
– Strategic Planning : Creating consensus
• Importance of networking/partnerships
– MSU Confucius Institute
– BCC Educational Group
– Hanban
– Asia Society
• Leveraging your resources
– Pooling resources
– Selectively abandon
• Program elimination
• Appropriating time
• Implementing Oxford’s Fifth Core™
• Outcomes & Results
Five Big Ideas!

3. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Deputy Secretary of Education:
Tony Miller
• Can we afford world
language study for all
students?
• What about students
with low linguistic
aptitudes?
• These were two reasons
given to Tony Miller for
why we should not try.
• It came from
administrators and world
language instructors.

4. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Interview: We need to start
internationalizing American
Education.
We can no longer afford to
ignore the realities of a
Globalized world
that is only going to become
more globalized.
If we do not prepare our
students for a global world
changing 24/7, we will be
preparing our students for a
world that no longer exists.
Skilling, Board interview May 10, 2007
Oxford Community Schools
Board of Education

5. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Magnetism of a Vision
If the Magnetism of your Vision is not greater than your current
assets, your organization is in the state of decay, decline, and
well on its way to mediocrity and possible extinction!

6. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Oxford’ Strategic Planning
• The Oxford Community Schools
educational community establishes and
communicates a shared purpose and
direction for improving the
performance of students and the
effectiveness of the system.
• Feb. 27 - March 1, 2008
• March 2009
• March 2010
• March 2011
• April 2012
• April 2013
• We will reconvene a four day planning
session in March of 2013.
• Rewrite the plan
• Set new goals for
Innovative Interventions
Creating a world-class
education today to shape
tomorrow’s selfless, global
leaders
VISION STATEMENT
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Oxford Community
Schools is to provide a world-class
education that challenges all
students to achieve their maximum
potential and prepares them to
succeed in a global society.

7. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Oxford Strategic Planning Goals
1. To graduate students who
are prepared for ever-
changing global
opportunities and who
embody our core values
evidenced by the Oxford
Student Profile/Exit
Outcomes.
2. To create a model global
learning community that
maximizes student
achievement and promotes
excellence.

8. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Vision
• Slogan: Where the
Globe is Our
Campus™
• Goal: To Become a
Model Global School
– Every student is fluent in at
least one world language
– Every student has a high
“CQ” Cultural Intelligence
– Every student can work as an
effective member of an
international team both virtually
and physically present
– Every student will learn from at
least one international teacher
each year
– Every student experiences
authenticity in their global
learning

9. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Partnerships: Knowing What to Do
Thinking locally but preparing
student globally:
• Medical beltway
• Auto Capital of the U.S. (GM, Ford,
Chrysler)
• Third largest employment of
technology workers in USA
• Most engineers of any county in
U.S. but still a shortage
• Severe shortage of skilled works,
i.e. tool & die, machinists, etc.
• Over 900 international companies.
Three largest trading partners
(Canada, China, Mexico).

10. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Looking Locally to Prepare Globally

11. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Partnerships: Knowing What to Do
International Education Group

12. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Partnerships: Knowing What to Do

13. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Partnership Benefits Student Teachers
Oxford's partnership with Oakland University and
BCC International Education Group will allow Mandarin Chinese
language teachers from China to advance their own education
while helping Oakland County's 28 school districts

14. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Execution – Implementing the Fifth Core™
Edupreneurship

15. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Execution – Implementing the Fifth Core™
• Leadership: The genius is not
in the idea . . . It is in the
execution! Be willing to
execution.
– Laser like focus on the vision,
mission & goals.
• Vision: “Creating a World-
Class Education Today, to
Shape Tomorrow’s Selfless
Global Leaders”
– To become a model global
school
– Where the Globe Is Our
Campus™

16. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Implementing the Fifth Core™

17. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
• In January of 2008:
– Hired a Chinese language
teacher to develop
Chinese curriculum and
cultural program
• 2008 – 09:
– 3rd grade Chinese language
& culture for (2) 30 minute
periods
– 7th grade Chinese culture
– HS: Chinese I
– Through a co-sponsorship
of Hanban and Michigan
State University Confucius
Institute, superintendent
travels to China
Implementing the Fifth Core™

18. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
• 2009-10:
– Grades 3 & 4: Two
periods per week for 30
minutes
– Kindergarten everyday
for 30 minutes
– Grade 7: Chinese cultural
program required for
one semester
– HS: Chinese I & II
• Very difficult to fine
certified Chinese
teachers
Implementing the Fifth Core™

19. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
• 2009 – 10: Partner with
Confucius Institute at MSU
& Beijing Channel
Consulting
– To secure native born
language teachers
– We had recalibrated our
art, physical education,
music, and media
schedules at the
elementary to
accommodate for minutes.
Implementing the Fifth Core™

20. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
• 2010– 11:
– Officially launched our
Fifth Core™ Chinese
World Language &
Culture program
– Phase in program
• K-3: Everyday for 30
minutes mandatory
• 4 & 5th grades: 30 minutes
(2) per week
• 6, 7 & 8th grades everyday
for 45 minutes
• HS: Added Chinese III
Implementing the Fifth Core™

21. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
• 2011– 12:
– All students K – 8 required
to take Chinese language &
culture as a Fifth Core
class.
• K-5: Everyday for 30 minutes
• 6-8: Everyday for 45 minutes
• HS: Still optional for grades
10 – 12
• 9th grade: 60 minutes per
day for four periods per
week.
• Added Chinese IV
Implementing the Fifth Core™

22. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
• 2012– 13:
– All students K – 10 required to
take Chinese language & culture
as a Fifth Core class.
• K-5: Everyday for 30 minutes
• 6-8: Everyday for 45 minutes
• HS: Still optional for grades 10 – 12
• 9-10th: 60 minutes per day for four
periods per week.
• 11-12th grades optional unless in the
IB Diploma program
• Added AP & IB Chinese
– Today, we have over 2,200
students in the program
– We are growing by 200 plus
students per year
– Hired a Director of Chinese
International Programs, Chunchun
Tang starting July 1, 2013
Implementing the Fifth Core™

23. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Oxford Outcomes
• Recognition of the Fifth
Core™
– 2012 Educational Program of
the Year
Automation Alley
– Winner’s Circle Award
Michigan Association of School
Administrator
– Hanban and Asia Society
Confucius Classroom Network.
One of only 100 districts
nationwide to be accepted into
this network of “model”
Confucius classrooms.
– International Baccalaureate
World School authorization

24. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Oxford Recognized by Oakland County
Executive in his State of the County Address
“One of our China-related
success stories is on the
very northern reaches of
Oakland County. Oxford
Community Schools
embraced my call for
Mandarin language and
culture instruction back in
2007 and they’ve taken it
to the next level.”
L. BROOKS PATTERSON
OAKLAND COUNTY EXECUTIVE

25. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Oxford Outcomes
• Oxford International
Residence Academy
• Northeast Yucai Oxford
International High School
• Virtual Foreign Exchange
Program
• Sister Schools
– Beijing Dong Zhimen High School (10-12)
– Beijing Shijia Primary School (K-6)
– Beijing Fuxue Hutong Primary School (K-6)
– Xicheng Foreign Languages School (7-12)
– Beijing No. 14 Middle School
– Beijing Wuyi Primary School
– No. 2 Middle School of Fengtai District
– Jimei Middle School – Xiamen, Fujian, China
– No. 1 Middle School – Quanzhou, Fujian, China
– No. 1 High School – Zhangzhou, Fujian, China
– Northeast Yucai School – Shenyang, China

26. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Results
Project ReImagine
One of only 14 districts
in the state designated
as a lighthouse district
and grant recipient
“Fewer students means more money woes for
state's school districts”
“It's not all bad news. Oxford Community Schools grew by 25%.”
2012-13 Pupil Count
5,478

27. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Results

28. OXFORD COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
WHERE THE GLOBE IS OUR CAMPUS™
Oxford Community Schools
www.oxfordschools.org
http://twitter.com/SuptSkilling
oxfordcommunityschools@gmail.com