Ferris

1. ASSESSMENT
PHILOSOPHY
Melissa Ferris
“Data dynamics are the use of information in
a continuous way as the energy and force to
stimulate and guide change.” ~Edie Holcomb

2. Beliefs
 Data provides us with a detailed picture of where our building is and highlights areas
for growth
 Our data is a roadmap. How we use it will determine where we go, and how hard we
will work to get there.
 We can’t make a difference for our students if we don’t know where they are.
 All kids can learn at high levels.
 Assessment is an integral part of instruction
 Data doesn’t lie. It will show us what we need to do to improve growth for all
students.

3. Non-Negotiables
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• We will use all forms of data to get the picture of our
students.
• We will meet on a regular schedule all year.
• We will let the data speak for itself.
• We will work together as a team.
• We will align our practice with the school mission.
• ALL students will show growth.
When people have a true sense of urgency, they think that
action on critical is needed now, not eventually, not when it fits
easily into a schedule. Now means making progress every
single day.
A Sense of Urgency
John Kotter

4. I will…
 Honor your work
 Be supportive of your team efforts
 trust that you are making decisions for
the betterment of your students.
 provide you with opportunities of
professional development aligned with
your goals
 Trust you
Creating the conditions to help others succeed is one of the highest duties of a
leader.
Leaders of Learning
Richard Dufour
Robert Marzano

5. My promise to you
Your
professional
judgment
Your decisions
to change
instruction
Trust
Provide ample
time for
teaming
Provide
vertical
Teaming
Time
Your time and
energy
Your
professional
judgment
Respect
Multiple years
Multiple
sources
Data
“Professional expertise is not just about having the
evidence or being aware of it. It’s also about knowing
how to judge the evidence and knowing what to do with
it.”
Michael Fullan

6. TPEP, CCSS, Student Growth
Assessment is…
all those activities undertaken by teachers
and their students in assessing themselves
that provide information to be used as
feedback to modify teachers and learning
activities.
Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards
through classroom assessment, William &
Black.

7. In Closing…
“School culture and climate create the
environment that determines whether school
improvement and reform are successful or
unsuccessful. The interaction of the
professionals in a school environment is
critical to the effectiveness of the academic
program. No strategy works without a group
of focused and cooperative professionals
working together on critical student issues.”
Anthony Muhammad,
School improvement expert