What We Do
Organization Systems and Structure Studies:
The Orion (Audit Studying+Planning)=Results® Model
Orion recognizes school district leaders are under substantial pressures to achieve truly high student learning outcomes. And we realize just how challenging it is to achieve high learning outcomes, even for the most competent leaders and even with highly committed and dedicated faculty. Even when these outcomes are approximated, they are most often isolated in certain schools, student sub-groups or content areas.
Why is this? Missing is the critically important focused and systematized manner by which all affairs of the district are conducted. District leaders and staff are challenged to create and sustain both focus and dynamic systems which link and ensure consistent high outcomes across all grade levels, student sub-groups, departments, and individual schools. Focus of course is built around student learning and achievement outcomes. The critical systems needed to maximize district resources and integrate for truly high district-wide learning outcomes are:
- Student Data Analysis
- Curriculum
- Instruction
- Supervision
- Governance
- Resource Prioritizing/Allocating
- Staff Development
- Recruitment, Hiring, Retention
- Communication and Public Relations
Orion’s team conducts thorough, data-driven and unbiased studies of the strength of each district system with a specific objective of maximizing their congruency and measurably raising outcomes. Our Orion (Audit Studying+Planning)=Results® Model is anchored to our comprehensive analysis of the district’s learning data. We then identify the patterns of thinking and practices which underlie the district’s student performance results by interviewing a cross section of teachers, principals and central office leaders. Applying our knowledge and experience with systems that produce outstanding student performance, we then detail the difference between what is occurring and specific strategies to elevate learning and achievement outcomes. Orion’s specific recommendations in each system’s area then become of central importance to informing the district of pathways to significant improvement. These are strategies the district can reasonably and successfully implement and are the specific evolutionary steps proven to improve the quality of systems and create immediate and sustainable improvement in student learning.
With high-functioning systems, the superintendent is then able to define focused learning and achievement targets, with confidence that the pathways to accomplish these targets are in-place. Able to monitor system effectiveness and provide focus and accountability, as opposed to creating ad hoc systems for each initiative or goal, allows the superintendent and other district leaders the time to genuinely become instructional leaders, keeping their attention on what is truly important - student learning. Likewise, boards of education are able to increasingly assume their most valuable role of policy and governance, and hold leadership accountable for accomplishing student performance outcomes.
We recognize that accomplishing the learning mission of schooling is complex and challenging. Orion’s consultants are experienced, accomplished and ready to help any district distill the complexity and proactively manage the challenges.