SERVICES

School Improvement

JMD Consulting offers comprehensive school improvement services. We employ evidence-based strategies and continuous improvement processes to maximize what’s working well and to overcome barriers that negatively impact outcomes. We start the improvement process by engaging in our quality review process, a needs assessment, that lays the foundation for development of, or modifications to, the strategic plan. The plan guides our work in collaboration with educators and their partners. Our consultant team provides services across the academic, leadership, school culture, and school community domains for sustainable change.

Continuous Improvement

  • Establish, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of policies and procedures, such as resource allocation, staffing, and teaching and learning practices, that are driven by equitable student learning outcomes.

  • Engage the community to work together to implement the reimagined school improvement plan with fidelity, monitor progress, and apply midcourse corrections, as necessary.

  • Gather evidence of effectiveness through multiple ways, i.e., learning walks or instructional rounds, and data analysis of performance indicator results such as surveys, student assessments, discipline, and attendance data.

SCHOOL QUALITY REVIEW

Success is not achieved without knowledge of strengths and weaknesses. Our School Quality Review (SQR) provides school and district leaders with a comprehensive, objective assessment of factors that propel learning and those that hinder success. We can conduct the SQR in 1-2 days, on-site, virtually, or through a blended approach. Our team will examine organizational effectiveness across 5 domains- Leadership, Management, and Accountability, Culture of Learning, Quality of Learning and Teaching, Curriculum and Assessment, and Family and Community Engagement. The SQR evaluation tool can be customized to client specifications to incorporate school or district-wide initiatives and programs. Educators and members of the school community may participate in orientation session and are engaged throughout the process to ensure transparency and support for change. The final report consists of findings constructed based on triangulated evidence and high-impact recommendations.

Strategic Planning and School Improvement Planning

JMD Consulting Facilitator will engage school leadership teams and collaborative partners in plan development and management sessions focused on analyzing evidence of impact against strategic objectives, initiatives, and action plans. These sessions provide space to acknowledge what is having desired impact and what is not; what to continue, stop, or modify.

As a school partner, we assist in implementing the plan through professional learning sessions, ongoing data review and action planning by content areas, and tracking progress against strategic district goals and objectives and providing mid-course revisions.

LEADERSHIP COACHING

Principals are the singular most important agent for creating the conditions in schools that will support high quality teaching. Principals influence the motivations, capacities, and working conditions of teachers who in turn shape classroom practice and student learning. Research and best practice evidence suggest that excellent leadership is critical for district and school improvement.

Our work draws on the body of research produced over the past two decades by leading researchers in the US, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. We know that leaders vacillate between operational and instructional responsibilities. Our leadership coaching processes for principals, aspiring principals, and teacher leaders include calibration sessions to implement effective classroom observation and feedback practices, strategic planning, consultation, and virtual and in-person coaching to navigate complex school leadership roles.

Teaching and Learning Support

The heart of a school is the classroom where the students and teachers reside. Great teachers are invaluable, the essential components of high performing school. We offers an array of in-person and virtual services geared towards improving teaching and learning. Our experienced educators work alongside school leaders, individual teachers, and teacher teams. We take a developmental approach to improve teacher effectiveness, instructional leadership and support, and student learning.

Consultants offer facilitation, design, and support for:

  • Professional devlopement

  • Professional Learning Communtiites

  • Instructional coaching

  • Lesson planning

  • Formative assessment practcies

  • Classroom management

  • Multi-tiered system of support (MTSS)

  • Lesson observation and actionable feedback

  • Learning walks

  • Data analysis and implementation

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

JMD Consulting offers district or school-based professional development for administrators, faculty, and instructional support staff on a variety of topics including, but not limited to: Effective Classroom Observation, Questioning for Better Student Engagement and Deeper Learning, Teacher Clarity Series: Standards Deconstruction, Learning Intentions, Success Criteria, and Formative Assessments, Paraprofessionals: Accelerating Student Learning, Co-Teaching, High Yield Instructional Strategies, and Motivated Classroom. Sessions can be delivered in-person or virtually for up to 30 participants per facilitator.