CONTENTS SECTION ONE
Vision and Mission
2
SECTION TWO
Plan and Four Areas of Focus
4
SECTION THREE
Teaching and Learning
6
SECTION FOUR
Professional Culture
11
SECTION FIVE
Engagement
15
SECTION SIX
Organizational Development
19
SECTION ONE
Our Vision The KAUST School vision is to become a Beacon School, reaching stature and recognition as an International Baccalaureate School. 2
The KAUST School mission is to provide an exceptional International Baccalaureate education that empowers students to be resourceful and responsible global citizens. We will achieve our mission by providing opportunities for all learners
SECTION ONE
Our Mission to develop the attributes of the IB learner profile.
INQUIRERS KNOWLEDGEABLE THINKERS COMMUNICATORS PRINCIPLED OPEN-MINDED RISK-TAKERS CARING BALANCED REFLECTIVE
SECTION TWO
Our Plan
Inspiration. Integrity. Achievement.
This document sets out the Strategic Plan for The KAUST School (TKS) for the next 3 school years, 2017/2018 – 2019/2020. Up to now, The KAUST School’s strategic plan consisted of Strategies for Action that were identified in the last CIS/NEASC accreditation visit. The school’s Leadership Team has worked on streamlining all actions into a coherent strategic plan that also contains the recommendations from the last IB Evaluation visit. It is not a new plan, simply a more transparent way of presenting our vision and actions for the years ahead working towards becoming a “Beacon School”. It will also help us prepare for successful re-accreditation in 2020 with CIS/NEASC and the IB. The IB pedagogy and practice underpin this plan and the IB philosophical framework drives strategic practices and approaches.
4
SECTION TWO The Strategic Plan consists of
Four Areas of Focus: For each of these areas value statements, commitments, actions and success indicators were developed.
Teaching and Learning
Organizational Development
Engagement
Each of the three divisions (Kindergarten, Elementary School and Secondary School) as well as academic support areas have developed strategic plans connected to the overall TKS Strategic Plan.
Professional Culture
We will monitor progress against our objectives using our success indicators. The TKS Board of Education (BoE) approved progress indicators (PI’s) are also monitored annually. 5
SECTION THREE Area of Focus:
Teaching and Learning 6
Commit to We
ensuring students’ social, emotional, and physical needs are met
We Will:
SECTION THREE
Value child-centred and holistic education
• develop collaborative approaches and collective responsibility for student well-being. (TL1.1) • continuously review written curriculum to ensure students’ social, emotional and physical needs are being addressed. (TL1.2) • ensure transitions into and within the school are well supported. (TL1.3)
Our Success Indicators: • There are practices and procedures in place that support student well-being. • There is a written curriculum for PSPE/PHE. • Students feel supported and cared for as indicated by student voice data. • There are processes in place that support students in transition.
Area of Focus: Teaching and Learning
TL1
We
SECTION THREE
TL2
Value
learning success for all students
Commit to We
● ●
challenging all students to continually develop. empowering students to become self-regulated learners
Our Success Indicators: • An inclusive approach is visible in our teaching practices.
We Will:
• There is continual and measureable growth in student learning and development.
• develop an inclusive approach to meet the diverse learning needs of all students. (TL2.1)
• Collaborative planning, with a focus on pedagogy, is scheduled in all divisions vertically and horizontally.
• facilitate collaborative planning with a focus on pedagogy. (TL2.2)
• Staff interpret data, define goals and take meaningful action for student learning.
• use assessment to support, as well as measure, learning. (TL2.3)
• Documentation of curriculum and student learning reflects the ATLs as outlined by the IB.
• plan for, teach, and assess the Approaches to Learning (ATL). (TL2.4)
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Area of Focus: Teaching and Learning
We
Value constructing meaning from real-life experiences We Commit to ● constructing meaning through collaborative inquiry
● delivering a conceptual curriculum that explores the interconnectedness of academic disciplines
We Will:
● working within global and local contexts
SECTION THREE
TL3
We
Our Success Indicators:
• increase teamwork and collaboration amongst students. (TL3.2) • develop systems to ensure vertical alignment and review of curriculum. (TL3.3)
• Student voice is evident in the inquiry process. • Collaboration is embedded in learning engagements.
• strengthen connections across disciplines to enhance learning. (TL3.4)
• Systematic approaches to curriculum review across programmes are established.
• include local and global contexts in curriculum documentation (written, taught and assessed). (TL3.5)
• Units of study across the programmes are based on content that is significant, relevant, challenging and engaging. • Collaborative planning across subjects is scheduled. • Units of study across the programmes address issues of global and local importance.
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Area of Focus: Teaching and Learning
• develop approaches which enable students and teachers to co-construct understanding. (TL3.1)
SECTION THREE
TL4
Value
diverse cultures and perspectives
Commit to We
● developing International Mindedness and intercultural understanding
We Will:
Our Success Indicators: • Additional language curricula are developed. • A broad mother tongue programme is in place.
● expand understanding of languages and cultures, including host country. (TL4.1)
• Profile attributes are embedded in the written, taught and assessed curriculum.
● develop in students and teachers the attributes of the learner profile. (TL4.2)
• Action / service is embedded in our curriculum.
● build the competencies students need in order to make ethical decisions, solve problems and manage conflict. (TL4.3)
• Scope and sequence of ATL skills are school-wide.
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Area of Focus: Teaching and Learning
We
Area of Focus:
Professional Culture
11
Area of Focus:
Professional Culture
SECTION FOUR
SECTION FOUR
PC1
Value
the collaborative process
Commit to We
●
Our Success Indicators:
a culture of collaboration
• Agreements are developed and implemented related to collaboration
We Will:
and teaming.
• create and foster a collaborative environment founded on shared agreements and balanced participation. (PC1.1)
• Collaborative planning is scheduled in all divisions vertically and horizontally.
• share our beliefs, inquiries and results with colleagues and provide time, space and resources for everyone to be effective. (PC1.2)
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Area of Focus: Professional Culture
We
Value informed decision-making guided by the school’s mission
Commit to We
● making thoughtful and transparent decisions based on multiple sources of information, which include gaining perspectives, researching best practice and collecting data to determine next steps
We Will: • develop our culture of data-informed decision-making (PC2.1)
Our Success Indicators: • Practices are in place for using data to
inform curriculum, guide teaching and learning, and support school-wide strategic planning.
• Key strategic decisions and processes are
documented and shared with all relevant stakeholders.
SECTION FOUR
We
Area of Focus: Professional Culture
PC2
We
Value ongoing professional learning and development
Commit to We
SECTION FOUR
PC3
● planning and evaluating teaching and learning collaboratively, providing relevant professional learning opportunities ● providing ongoing teacher development for Saudi nationals
Our Success Indicators: •A strategic vision for whole-school, divisional and team development will be implemented and shared, supporting the school’s strategic plan and mission.
We Will: • develop a planned approach to professional learning and development, with targeted opportunities for personal learning. (PC3.1)
•Enhanced engagement in professional inquiries and Communities of Practice.
• enhance the Professional Learning and Performance (PLP) process. (PC3.2)
•A school-wide definition of Communities of Practice, with an identified purpose and ways of working, is in place.
• develop and nurture talent and create opportunities for leadership. (PC3.3)
•Practices will be in place for all professionals to participate in inquiries.
• explore ways to enhance the Advancement Program for Saudi nationals. (PC3.4) •
•Increase in the number of opportunities for existing staff to engage in leadership roles.
offer ongoing training for Thuwal teachers. (PC3.5)
•Reviewed TDP program is in place.
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Area of Focus: Professional Culture
● building leadership capacity
Area of Focus:
Engagement 15
Area of Focus: Engagement
SECTION FIVE
Value connections with the community
Commit to We
● utilising the resources and facilities in the community to enrich our programme
SECTION FIVE
We
E1
• further develop relationships with the university and KAUST community as well as in Kingdom. (E1.1)
Our Success Indicators: • A database has been created that documents links with the university and beyond, and evaluates all collaborative projects.
Area of Focus: Engagement
We Will:
SECTION FIVE
E2
Value home school partnerships Our Success Indicators:
Commit to We
•Our calendars include parent information
sessions, PAC, PFL, PTC and SLCs** and the agendas, minutes and programmes are published.
● providing opportunities to engage and collaborate with parents
•Parents information events are relevant
and meet the needs of the school and the parents.
We Will:
•A variety of platforms are in place for
• further develop our approach to informing parents of school programmes. (E2.1)
communication with parents.
**Parent Advisory Committee (PAC), Partners for Learning (PFL), Parent Teacher Conferences (PTC), Student Led Conferences (SLC)
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Area of Focus: Engagement
We
Value active engagement of students in a co-curricular program
Commit to We
● offering an age-appropriate, co-curricular programme
We Will: • enhance opportunities for all students to participate in co-curricular programmes. (E3.1) • create a culture in which all teachers sponsor engagements outside the regular curriculum. (E3.2)
SECTION FIVE
We
Our Success Indicators: • The range of opportunities and the
widespread participation in the co-curricular programme has increased. • Our calendar of events and assembly
programmes includes opportunities for sharing and celebrating. • All teachers are engaged in sponsoring
activities outside the regular curriculum.
Area of Focus: Engagement
E3
Area of Focus: Organizational Development
Area of Focus:
Organizational Development 19
SECTION SIX
SECTION SIX
OD1
Value sustainable financial planning and management
Commit to We
Our Success Indicators:
● optimizing funding to support the school's mission, vision and values
•Total costing exercise is embedded. • Annual budget ask is prepared and approved by the Board of Education in a timely manner.
We Will:
• Financial allocation processes and procedures are fit for purpose, clear and transparent.
• effectively utilize financial resources to align with the KAUST financial guidelines. (OD1.1)
20
Area of Focus: Organizational Development
We
We
SECTION SIX
Value effective school governance
Commit to We
● clarity and transparency of our governance
We Will: • develop, review and communicate policies and associated guidelines. (OD 2.1)
Our Success Indicators:
• Up to date policies and associated
guidelines are published and implemented.
• Policies and associated guidelines are fit
for purpose and further the school's mission and meet the needs of stakeholders.
• A policy database is accessible and
searchable.
• Regular Board of Education update
reports are provided to staff from the Director.
Area of Focus: Organizational Development
OD2
We
Value effective organisational structures Our Success Indicators:
Commit to We
• Regular reviews of organizational structures to ensure role clarity and effectiveness.
● clarity of roles and responsibilities
We Will:
• Regular review of the
organizational chart.
• ensure organisational structures are clear and logical by providing clarity around staff roles and responsibilities. (OD3.1)
• Staff are provided with job descriptions
and well described ways of work.
• ensure systems and processes support a responsive, integrated, and sustainable service-oriented model. (OD3.2)
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Area of Focus: Organizational Development
SECTION SIX
OD3
SECTION SIX
OD4
We
Value our people
Commit to We
● recruiting and retaining the right people
• recruit and retain high quality teachers and professional staff. (OD4.1) •
build leadership capacity and opportunities. (OD4.2)
Our Success Indicators: • Increase the proportion of Tier 2 and
Tier 3 teachers.
• Turnover rates are lower than
international averages.
• Leadership capacity is developed and opportunities are accessible throughout the organisation.
Area of Focus: Organizational Development
We Will:
We
Value quality physical spaces Our Success Indicators:
Commit to We
• Completion of school infrastructure and
● spaces and environments that are conducive to learning
building works program that is conducive to learning.
• Reduction in health and safety issues.
We Will: • create and develop modern, high standard and safe learning environments that enhance teaching and learning and child well-being. (OD5.1)
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Organizational Development
SECTION SIX
OD5