Innovative Quality Schools

IQS Conferences and Training

IQS Reading Workshop

Twenty two representatives of schools authorized by IQS attended a Reading presentation/workshop on Wednesday, January 11, 2017, at the Minnesota Humanities Center.
 
John Alexander, the Director of one of Minnesota's premier private schools, Groves Academy, presented on the highly successful reading/literacy programs used by teachers at Groves Academy to teach and instill reading strategies in students experiencing difficulty in learning the art of reading. The Groves reading curriculum is based upon the widely acclaimed Wilson Reading System (WRS); a highly structured multisensory language program based on Orton-Gillingham principles for teaching and reading and spelling. 
 
The event provided an opportunity to learn about the program as well as about successful strategies and best practices available for implementation at individual schools.  Prodeo Academy recently implemented this program. As part of the presentation/workshop, Rick Campion, Executive Director, presented  about the implementation and success of the program at Prodeo.

 

 

 

IQS Annual Charter School Board Training

During July of each year charter school board members for schools authorized by Innovative Quality Schools (IQS), are invited to attend a board training session held at the Minnesota Humanities Center, 987 Ivy Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55106 (map). While priority will be given to school board members of IQS schools due to the limited number of spots available, the training session will be open to any Minnesota charter school board member. The training session is being designed to meet the annual training requirements established in Minnesota Statute 124E Subd. 7. 

Presenters have included Jennifer Earley from Ratwik, Rozak & Maloney PA, and Tim Palmatier and Maggie Wallner from Kennedy & Graven, Chartered. Session topics include, but not limited to board role and responsibilities, employment policies and practices, and financial management with presenter Josh Mahlen.

Minnesota Statute 124E Subd. 7.  Training Every charter school board member shall attend annual training throughout the member's term on the board. All new board members shall attend initial training on the board's role and responsibilities, employment policies and practices, and financial management. A board member who does not begin the required initial training within six months after being seated and complete that training within 12 months of being seated on the board is automatically ineligible to continue to serve as a board member. The school shall include in its annual report the training by each board member during the previous year.
 
 

Teacher-led Schools: Great Environments for Teachers… Great Outcomes for Learners
March 2014
St. Paul

IQS held a conference on schools being led by professional teachers. Since the Nation at Risk was published in 1983, countless efforts have been made to improve. Billions of dollars have been spent. Clearly there have been many successes and the consensus is that we must do better. While most agree that teachers are the most important variable in the learning improvement equation, the role of teachers has remained basically unchanged since 1983. Is there any other enterprise where the group that carries the majority of the responsibility for the success of the entire organization has so little say in how that organization does its work? What would happen if that changed? This was explored in the 2014 conference.

Redesigning Schooling: Doing Tomorrow Today
April 2013
St. Paul

Innovative Quality Schools’ second annual conference on redesigning schools and schooling through innovation.

Using Value-Added and Growth Models for Decision Making

September 2012
St. Louis Park, MN

Having valid data is one thing… being able to analyze is quite another. While “No Child Left Behind” helped many students, if we learned one thing about its flaws it would be that the lack of valid data analysis led to many poor decisions. Using a “value-added growth model” will provide you an excellent tool as your classroom or site makes decisions. IQS held this one-day conference to provide a great opportunity for education leaders to better understand and use the plethora of data now available.

Innovation: It Makes the Future Better!

April 2012
Plymouth, MN

Sometimes we cross our fingers and say, “If it isn’t broke… don’t fix it.” We know that such thinking is the antithesis of leadership. We held this new kind of one-day conference to learn about new ways of organizing schools, as well as seeing new instructional ideas that are very exciting and innovative!