Synopses & Reviews
PEARSON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
“Despite the challenges, there was a sense that we could improve. I knew that indeed we could and would do better.”
--Dr. Mark Edwards
In 2007, Dr. Mark Edwards was the new superintendent of the Mooresville N.C. Graded School District. The graduation rate was only 64%, the high school academic composite only 68%. But Dr. Edwards was convinced that Mooresville students and teachers could do better . . . and they did.
Here is the story of how Superintendent Edwards led his district in an innovative “digital conversion” initiative with very remarkable results within just four years:
- Every student and teacher got a laptop despite a very modest resource base.
- The graduation rate increased to 90%.
- The composite academic performance rose to 89%.
- A vibrant new learning environment was recognized and admired by hundreds of outsiders.
Each chapter of this inspirational and informative book gives readers a look at the visionary success factors that worked together to produce these positive results–a culture of caring, digital resources, a relentless focus on data, leadership at all levels, and student-centered learning–and shows how their interplay drove, and can drive, academic improvement. In addition, new funding strategies that address the budget issue combine with step-by-step replication tips to provide valuable inspiration and guidelines to help every school succeed on the digital conversion path to student achievement.
Praise from U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.)
"Mark Edwards’ Every Child, Every Day provides real-world testimony to the proposition that the best way to move the American education system forward is to be open to new ideas. Dr. Edwards’ record, as a national technology leader and local superintendent, demonstrates a quantifiable increase in graduation rates and overall academic performance even in times of limited public support. His smart, creative approach produces improvements focused on what students need to know today while also equipping them to address tomorrow’s challenges. At a time when digital technology offers enormous opportunities to revolutionize the access to information and provide more personalized instruction, Dr. Edwards’ Digital Conversion Initiative offers an innovative approach that will help us pivot toward a more modern and relevant educational system.”
Review
"Dr. Mark Edwards provides education leaders with a clear, pragmatic, and inspiring roadmap for how to lead a digital conversion. The success of Mooresville is the story of creating an education culture that focuses on every student, every day. Every page is dedicated to how leaders can overcome the barriers that keep us from providing the education our students deserve."
-John Bailey, Executive Director, Digital Learning Now!
“If you only want to read one book on how to reimagine learning and how to make a digital transformation, this is it. The lessons from Mooresville in Every Child, Every Day are crisp, clear and totally inspiring – and replicable! I sat down to read the introduction chapter and couldn’t put it down until I was finished. Every superintendent, district head of curriculum or technology, CFO, school board member and parent should immediately read this book and ask “Why not do a digital conversion here?”
-Keith R. Krueger, CEO, Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)
“Mark Edwards and the MGSD team have made a powerful vision a reality for children—finally, classrooms with 21st century tools, content, and methods. Framing that vision in a caring culture where everyone is a learner and where achievement is noted in hard data…..a true balance of the art and science of instruction.“
-Vicki B. Wilson, Ed.D. Former Assistant Superintendent, Henrico County, Virginia, and Former Director of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Education Associates
“ Mark has effectively articulated why and how he blended experience, culture, leadership, content, community, technology, effective teaching, and a deep, overriding love for students to transform a school system and community for the better. This is a must-read book for all educators."
- Randy Wilhelm, CEO and Co-Founder, Knovation
“If you cannot follow this road map, you should not be driving!”
-Terry Grier, Superintendent, Houston Independent School District, Houston, Texas
Synopsis
KEY BENEFIT School and district administrators get a positive, innovative blueprint of how to achieve outstanding academic results through systematic change, in this case an innovative digital conversion initiative that provided every student and teacher with a laptop, despite a very modest resource base.
KEY TOPICS Understanding fundamental change concepts of digital conversion; the role of caring and collaboration; emotional aspects of school life; steps for preparing for and carrying out successful digital conversion; the laptop deployment process; the roles of personal and team growth; how to drive student engagement and achievement; data-driven decision making; "doable" funding strategies and budget issues; making every adult and student count in the change process; a roadmap to successful digital conversion.
MARKET School and district administrators; teachers, instructional staff, and other team members.
Synopsis
This is the story of how 2013 Superintendent of the Year, Mark Edwards, led the Mooresville, N.C. Graded School District in its goal of creating a vibrant new learning environment for teachers and students and achieving outstanding academic results through an innovative digital conversion initiative that provided every student and teacher with a laptop, despite a very modest resource base. Every Child, Every Day gives readers a look at the visionary success factors that worked together to produce positive results–a culture of caring, digital resources, a relentless focus on data, leadership at all levels, and student-centered learning–and shows how their interplay drove, and can drive, academic improvement in virtually any school district. New funding strategies that address the budget issue combine with step-by-step replication tips to provide valuable inspiration and guidelines to help every school succeed on the digital conversion path to student achievement.
About the Author
Dr. Mark Edwards has served as a school principal; Superintendent of Henrico County, Virginia; Dean of the College of Education at the University of North Alabama; and Vice President for Business Development at Harcourt Assessment. During his tenure in Henrico County, the district deployed 26,000 laptops to students in grades 6-12 as part of a groundbreaking Teaching and Learning Initiative. The initiative received national attention as a benchmark for one-to-one computing and was recognized with numerous awards.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Governor Jeb Bush and Governor Bob Wise
Prologue
Chapter 1: Digital Conversion and the Moral Imperative
Chapter 2: A Culture of Caring
Chapter 3: Digital Resources and Infrastructure
Chapter 4: Evolutional Capacity Building
Chapter 5: Instructional Transformation
Chapter 6: Infodynamo: A Daily Date with Data
Chapter 7: Resource Alignment
Chapter 8: All In: Everyone Counts
Chapter 9: Replication
Epilogue
Appendices:
A. Sample Meeting Agendas
B. Planning Documents
C. Teacher Evaluation Materials
D. Real-Time Data
E. Help Desk Procedures and Guidelines for Damages
F. Mooresville Graded School District Visitors
G. League of Innovative Schools