STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

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• STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
• FOR ISLAMIC SCHOOLS
• HOW TO DEFINE IT?
• HOW TO MEASURE IT?
• Necva Ozgur
• April 2006
• www.meritcenter.org
• nozgur_at_meritcenter.org

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• Achieving excellence is an ongoing process and an
  unfinished business.
• Setting The Standards The first step in this
  long journey is to define success and agree on
  this definition. This requires the efforts of all
  that are involved with the school (board,
  administration, teachers, staff, parents and
  students)
• Measurable Goals, Objectives, Strategies After
  all the stakeholders agree on what excellence
  looks like, then the next step is to set
  measurable goals, objectives and strategies
• Evaluating the School According to the Set
  Standards Every Aspect of the school will be
  evaluated periodically using the agreed upon
  standards

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• DEFINE EXCELLENCE ANDMEASURE SUCCESS
• Setting the Standards
• Accountability System
• Recognition From Reputable Organizations
• Matriculation
• 5. Competitions

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1. SETTING THE STANDARDS Standards of Excellence

1. Ideological Foundation
2. Governance
3. School Head/Principal
4. Business Management
5. Human Resources Management
6. Financial Management
7. Facility Safety Management
8. Program
9. Teaching Staff
10. Students
11. Community Building
12. School Climate and Culture

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2. ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM

• An accountability system based on
• Monitoring and Evaluating the school according to
  the set standards and agreed upon goals
• Setting Standards of Excellence for every
  aspect of the school
• Evaluating every aspect of the School

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2. ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM

• The Board Evaluates
• The Board Evaluates Self in Operations
• The Board Evaluates the Board Chair,
  Committees, and Members
• The Board Evaluates the Principal
• The Principal Evaluates
• Office Staff
• Teaching Staff
• Teacher Feedback
• Student Feedback
• Parents Feedback

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3. RECOGNITION FROM REPUTABLE ORGANIZATIONS

• Full-term Accreditation
• National Blue Ribbon Award by U.S. Department of
  Education
• Memberships and Representation at Educational
  Organizations and Representations

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4. MATRICULATION

• Matriculation of graduates to prestigious
  independent schools
• Following-up with our alumni for their
• Adjustment to higher-level schools
• Keeping up with their Islamic Identity
• Contribution to mainstream
• Academic achievements

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5. COMPETITIONS

• Inter-scholastic Activities Between Other Private
  Schools
• Quran Recitation and Islamic Knowledge
  Competitions
• Math Competitions
• County Science Fair
• National Geography Olympiad
• Poetry Competitions
• Handwriting Competitions
• Sports Competitions

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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I Ideological Foundation

• Mission
• Vision
• Philosophy
• Beliefs
• Culture
• Learning Expectations

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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II. Governance

• Establishing and Maintaining the Mission
• Select, Support and Evaluate the Principal
• Establish Policies
• Self-Management
• Ensure Financial Stability
• Enhance the Schools Public Image
• Legal Responsibilities
• Accountability

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STANDARDS
STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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III. School Head-Principal

• The Principal as the Inspirational and
  Spiritual Leader
• The Principal as a Visionary Leader
• The Principal as an Instructional Leader
• The Principal as a Manager, Managing the
  Organization
• The Principal as a Manager, Managing Finance
• The Principal as a Manager, Managing Facility
• The Principal as a Manager, Managing People
• The Principal as a Manager, Managing Self
  Personal Traits
• The Principal as a Builder, Building an Ethical
  Culture Climate
• The Principal as a Builder, Building Community

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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IV. Business Management (Administration)

• Organizational Structure
• Organizational Planning
• Policies and Procedures
• Operations
• Record Keeping

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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V. Human Resources Management

• Recruiting, Selecting, Interviewing
• Orienting, Training and Mentoring
• Supervising and Evaluating
• Staff Development

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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VI. Financial Management

• Accounting
• Budgeting
• Tuition and Fees
• Financial Aid
• Financial Policies
• Financial Long-term Planning
• Development and Fundraising

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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VII. Facility and Safety

• Facility Management Plan
• Crises Management Plan
• Emergency Preparedness Plan
• School-wide Discipline Plan
• Conflict Resolution

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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VIII. Program

• Curriculum
• Instruction
• Assessment
• Curriculum Development evaluation
  alignment

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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IX. Teaching Staff

• Planning and Preparation
• Instructional Strategies
• Classroom Management
• Professionalism
• Relationships
• Professional Growth
• Evaluation

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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• X. Students
• Admission
• Learning Expectations
• Student Life
• Student Conduct
• Student Assessment

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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XI. Community Building

• Parent - School Partnership
• Parent Association (PTO)
• Participating in activities of local Masjid
• Community Service Emphasizing Volunteerism
• Convalescent Homes
• Homeless Feeding
• Neighborhood Cleaning
• Participating in Relief Efforts like Hurricane
  Katrina and Tsunami
• Participating in Local Interfaith Activities

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STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
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XII. School Climate and Culture

• Based on Islamic Values
• Development of Islamic Identity
• Character Building
• Mission Driven
• Professional
• High Standards and Expectations
• Continuous Improvement

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MAY ALLAH GUIDE AND DIRECT US IN ESTABLISHING
AND MONITORING THE STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN
OUR ISLAMIC SCHOOLS You can find this
presentation and other resources at
www.meritcenter.org. Please contact us at
nozgur_at_meritcenter.org for more information or
consultation.