Valerie Greenhill | CLO, EdLeader21 (Mod) Josh Brody | Director, Sequoyah School James Gibson | Superintendent, Castaic Union School District Elizabeth McGregor | Head of School, Westridge School Chris Thinnes | Division Head & Academic Dean, Curtis School

1. Leading Schools into the Future:
Strategies for 21st Century School Leaders
Valerie Greenhill, CLO, EdLeader21
Josh Brody, Director, Sequoyah School (Pasadena)
Jim Gibson, Superintendent, Castaic Union School District
(Valencia)
Elizabeth McGregor, Head of School, Westridge School
(Pasadena)
Chris Thinnes, Head of Upper Elementary School & Academic
Dean, Curtis School (Los Angeles)

2. Which student would you choose?
Student A
Student B
.
.
Math
Content Mastery
Science
English
Social Studies
Critical thinker
Effective
communicator
Effective collaborator
Creative and
innovative

4. EdLeader21 is a professional
learning community of
superintendents and district
leaders committed to 21st
century education.
www.EdLeader21.com
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

5. EdLeader21 has over 130 members from 32 states
and Singapore, representing over 2 million students.
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

7. Chris Thinnes
Head of Upper Elementary School & Academic Dean

8. Leading examples
Upper Arlington
City School District
(Upper Arlington, Ohio)
www.uaschools.org

24. Elizabeth McGregor
Head of School

25. Westridge School
The Essential Question
“What are the skills and values the
21st century will demand
and reward?”
(Patrick F. Basset, November 2011)

26. The Five Cs + One
1) Critical Thinking
2) Communication
3) Collaboration
4) Creativity
5) Character
6) Cosmopolitanism (Cultural
Competence)

27. Community Consensus
1) School Leadership Team
2) Board of Trustees
3) Department Chairs
4) Faculty and Staff
5) Westridge Parent Association
6) Student Leaders
7) Alumnae Board

28. The Right Kind of Excellence
Educating for Growth and Goodness
Academic
Excellence
Community
Leadership
and
and
Partnerships
The Right Kind
Service
of
Excellence
Physical
Professional
and
Development
Emotional
Wellness

29. James Gibson
Superintendent, Castaic Union School District

30. 7 Steps to implement…
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

31. 7 Steps to implement…
1. Adopt a vision based on 21st century
student outcomes.
• What are the defining characteristics of the change
we want to be leading?
• Is our District intentional or purposeful enough
about the outcomes we believe are important?
• How will we incorporate the vision?
• New Strategic Goals?
• Action Plans within the existing Strategic Goals?
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

32. 7 Steps to implement…
1. Adopt a vision based on 21st century
student outcomes – Castaic USD.
• Influence of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21)
• Influence of the Middle School Movement on 21st Century Learning
• Adjustment of District Goals to Transition to 21st Century Learning/Skills
• Preparing Teachers with Regular Meetings on 21st Century Skills/4 C’s
• Development of the District Core Vision – 21st Century Learning
(Common Core State Standards as a Subset of 21st Century Skills)
• 2014 Strategic Plan - Focus on 21st Century Values and Learning
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

33. 7 Steps to implement…
2. Create a community consensus:
• Get community consensus
• Work with the Board to make the new
framework official policy
• Collect best practices in your schools/district
• Have your teachers create the definitions
and rubrics
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

34. 7 Steps to implement…
2. Create a community consensus – Castaic USD:
• Introduce Senior Management to 21st Century Learning and Skills
• Early Involvement with EdLeader21
• Introduce the Board of Trustees to 21st Century Skills Early – Reinforce
• Introduce Teacher Leaders to “An Educator’s Guide to the Four C’s”
• Send a Large Diverse Team to Attend the 2nd Annual EL21 Conference
• Ken Kay leads off the District-wide Introduction to 21st Century Skills
• A Specifically Chosen District Team Attends the 3rd Annual EL21
Conference and Works Toward the 2014 District Strategic Plan
• District Invests in the Kay/Greenhill Book, “The Leaders guide to 21st
Century Education” and Distributes to Board, Leadership and Staff
• Share 21st Century Skills with All School PTA’s
• Provide a Major Review of 21st Century Learning to the 2014 Strategic
Planning Team (62 members)
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

35. 7 Steps to implement…
3. Align your system:
• Integrate the whole system
• Drive Professional Development, curriculum and
instruction and assessment toward your student
outcomes
• All parts of the system focus on 21st century
educational outcomes
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

36. 7 Steps to implement…
3. Align your system – Castaic USD:
• Teachers Realign Curriculum to meet 21st Century and Common Core
Instruction – Begin Curriculum Mapping
• Teachers Align Lessons, Units and Collaborate About Best Practices
• Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent Educational Services
participate in the EdLeader21 4-C Rubric Design Team
• District 6-8 ELA Teachers “Test Drive” Rubrics and Recommend
Adjustments
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

37. 7 Steps to implement…
4. Build professional capacity:
• Prioritize the skills;
• Identify your P.D. resources;
• Create/utilize Professional Learning Communities;
• Utilize peer coaches
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

38. 7 Steps to implement…
4. Build professional capacity – Castaic USD:
• 2013-14 Staff Development Program Centered on the Common
Core, Smart Technology and 21st Century Learning
• Participation in the 4 C Rubric Design Team
• Development of an Understanding of 4-C Rubrics with Teachers and
Staff – Teachers Use Rubrics to Mold Instruction, Revise as Needed
• All Collaborative Teacher Conversations Embed with 21st Century
Learning and Skills
• Infusion of SMART technology has Assisted 21st Century Learning
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

39. 7 Steps to implement…
5. Embed the 4 C’s in Curriculum & Assessment
•
Evaluate the level of the 4 C’s integration in current
curriculum and make necessary design changes
•
Ensure measuring and tracking the 4 C’s in student
performance and District assessments
•
Collect and share Best Practices
•
Align curriculum and assessment practices with authentic
professional development
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

40. 7 Steps to implement…
5. Embed the 4 C’s in Curriculum & Assessment –
Castaic USD
• Teachers Realign Curriculum to meet 21st Century and Common Core
Instruction – Begin Curriculum Mapping
• Teachers are Realigning Teaching Practices
• Selection of a New Math Series that is Interactive, Cross
Communicates and Embeds “Real World” Situations and Careers
• Students Focusing on “What it means to be a 21st Century Learner”
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

41. 7 Steps to implement…
6. Support the teacher in the classroom:
• Effective use of Professional Learning
Communities (PLCs)
• Effective time for planning and collaboration
• Constructive feedback
• Strong leadership
• Effective education practices are acknowledged,
supported and shared
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

42. 7 Steps to implement…
6. Support the teacher in the classroom –
Castaic USD:
• Staff Development Program for Smart Technology and Common
Core Instruction
• Common Core State Funding for Materials that Embrace 21st
Century Skills
• Specific and Continuous Enrollment in Workshops and
Conferences that Focus on 21st Century Learning Skills
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

43. 7 Steps to implement…
7. Continuously improve and innovate:
• Create a continuous improvement culture
• Create accountability for things that really
matter (21st century accountability)
• Model innovation.
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

44. 7 Steps to implement…
7. Continuously improve and innovate –
Castaic USD:
• Strategic Planning – Realigning Values, Vision and Mission to
reflect 21st Century Learning
• Considering Redesign of our District Logo to Incorporate 21st
Century Vision and Thinking
• Place Tools that Support 21st Century Skills in the Hands of Our
Students
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.

45. UNIQUE CONVERGENCE
School Facilities Plan (2012)
Renewal of 2009 Strategic Plan
21st Century
Learning & Skills
Smarter Balanced
Assessments
Measure QS
2014 Strategic Plan
and
Local Control
Accountability Plan
Local Control Accountability Plan
(LCAP)
© 2010 EdLeader21. All rights reserved.
GO Bond
Common Core
Standards
Local Control Funding Formula
(LCFF)

46. Josh Brody
Director, Sequoyah School

47. 21st CENTURY SKILLS
Critical Thinking
Creativity
+
NON-COGNITIVE SKILLS
Cultural Competence
Empathy
Resilience, Grit, Growth Mindset
Self-Awareness/Regulation
Works diligently and
independently, with attention to
detail

48. Interdisciplinary
study
How does water use affect the people
and land
of California?
Placebased
Community
engagement
/ Service
Learning

49. ASSESSMENT

50. NEXT STEPS
● Fully integrate EdLeader21 rubric and non-cognitive skills language
into our Habits of Mind
● Develop a Habits of Mind Continuum that shows developmental
stages for each Habit, helping students and teachers understand goals
● Identify project-specific performance tasks that help students
demonstrate mastery at each level
● Collaborate with EdLeader21 network to share best practices,
including use of performance tasks

51. Contact Us
Valerie Greenhill, EdLeader21
vgreenhill@edleader21.com
Josh Brody, Sequoyah School
jbrody@sequoyahschool.org
www.edleader21.com
www.sequoyahschool.org
@Val_Green
Jim Gibson, Castaic Union SD
jgibson@cataic.k12.ca.us
Liz McGregor, Westridge School
emcgregor@westridge.org
www.castaicusd.com
www.westridge.org
Chris Thinnes, Curtis School
cthinnes@curtisschool.org
www.curtisschool.org
@CurtisCFEE