Presentation of Vince Carbino and Tenny Poole at 1st Global Conference on Positive Change, April 2017

1. A High School’s Journey
in the Pursuit of
Excellence
A Transformation from Turmoil to
High Performance
Dr Vince Carbino
Principal, Independent Study -City of Angels ISS
Los Angeles Unified School District
Tenny Poole
Principal – Corporation for Positive Change
Founder, Owner, West Coast Center for Positive Change

2. This is the story of how an independent study and virtual
high school supporting schools in the Los Angeles School
District went from being at risk, in discord and feeling
discounted and alienated, to creating a positive unity of
purpose with a clear vision of the importance and
potential of the unique services they
provide. How healing took place, how
resources and content surfaced to apply to
reaccreditation and the steps taken to
ensure the journey continues to this day
and beyond.

3. What I needed
! To deliver on promises to the superintendent and
the board
! The stakes were high for the school and the faculty
! Surface information needed for WASC
! Promote healing
! Create critical mass exiting the process that could
move the school in a positive direction forward
! Building of POSITIVE relationships
! Restoring trust and collegiality among all faculty
members

4. Observations
! Catharsis
! Got on board quickly
! People letting go of negative feelings
! Seeing how deep the feelings were
! Mostly listening
! Authentic reactions – no self editing
! Gave voice to the less vocal
! Critical mass congealed
! Renewed dedication to students and school

5. Surprises
! They never looked back
! They never gave up on their dreams even 3 +
years later
! Long term increase in organizational capacity
and confidence continued to this day
! Long term impact on relationships
! How powerful a co-constructed vision turned out
to be
! Strong organizational resiliency

6. Process
August 11 Meeting with administration and
senior faculty
• Build ownership and initial trust
• Name process
• Identify a metaphor
• Review initial interview guide
September 11 & 12 First Session – 45 administration and
volunteer teachers
• Introduce AI
• Pair interviews
• Surface strengths
• Identification of topics of greatest potential
• Write interview guide
• Create strategy for next steps

7. Between sessions Interviews
• All teachers interview
• Teachers interview either a parent or a
student
Second Session September 26 & 27
• Debrief team, parent and student
interviews
• Add to strengths previously collected
• Dream about the future
• Demonstrate dreams
• Design most important changes
• Plan for forward motion
Process continued

8. Follow up support
! WASC helped to stay focused on the positive stories
and drive outcomes
! Vince’s day to day focus on the outcomes
! Conduct 3 days of Appreciative Leadership to build
new behaviors to support the philosophy of AI that
had begun to be incorporated into the organization
! 2 days on team leadership
! 1 day on individual leadership
! Vince attends the Power of Appreciative Inquiry
Workshop (and ultimately completed his Certificate
in Appreciative Inquiry)

9. Continued follow up
! All Assistant Principals and Counselors attend
Appreciative Coaching Workshop to change
conversations with students
! AI principles are integrated into day to day
operations of school.
! Vince uses AI coaching with faculty members,
and new principals and assistant principals in
LAUSD.

10. Results
First Year
! Submitted WASC 2 months early
! Within 2 weeks organized a graduation for a
student who was dying
! WASC outcome - term of 6 years with a 1 day
! 17 commendations and only 6 recommendations
! Grew by 9 teaching positions and 3 sites
! At 7 months the superintendent said “what you
have done with this school is nothing short of a
miracle
! Doubled their graduation rate

11. More results
! New leaders among the faculty emerged
! Became the subjects for innovation and
experimentation
! Asked by the district to develop
curriculum
! Changed the reputation of the school
in the district – became magnets for talent
! Mid-term WASC visit found the leadership capacity
of the faculty was sound. They gave 6
commendations and no recommendations.

12. Next steps
! School will be competing for the model
independent study program for the state of
California
! Exploring student development process
! Identify personal strengths and values
! Goals:
! complete high school
! develop the love of learning
! create dreams for the future
! emerge as responsible members of the
community

13. Keys to success
! Leadership must take a strategic approach
! Leaders must be willing to share power with
the group – believe in their people
! Don’t underestimate the relationship
between the leader and the facilitator
! Let the natural process happen
! Believe in and trust the process
! Commitment to the Positive – strength
based approach

14. It is about culture shaping.
How would people describe the
new culture??

15. Some thoughts for our
discussion:
! What are you curious about?
! What would you like to know more about?
! What did you find to be most interesting?