Director Kevin R. George
100-DAY PLAN
Listen, Learn, Lead
Introduction
Dear University Laboratory School Stakeholders:
I am grateful and humbled for the opportunity to work at University
Laboratory School, or as the students are teaching me, U High. Every
decision I have made in my career has led me to this place where
leading and learning exists at high levels. Working in the shadows of
the State Capital while serving at the flagship university is an awesome
opportunity that I relish. While I feel I can enhance the organization
by bringing my skills and experiences to the position, I am a lifelong
learner who embraces the chance to work with a phenomenal staff
and community to carry out the mission of the school. My enthusiasm
is contagious and my dedication to our students and our team is
relentless. All of our decisions will be based on the best interests of
students as we model Rotary’s Four-Way Test with our own Two-Way
Test which involves two simple questions: How will this affect our
students? Is this in the best interest of our students? If we answer in
the affirmative to the latter, we will move forward.
Coming into a new position requires a transition and learning period.
University Laboratory School is an amazing school with a prestigious
history that we must continue to honor. As part of the transition, I will
engage with all stakeholders in order to listen and learn about where
we are as a school community. With the help of my leadership team,
I will gain an understanding of the issues we face and begin to form
strategies to address our issues and accentuate our strengths through
Stringer’s (2013) look, think and act model. This process will lay the
foundation for my tenure as the 13th Director of U High as I begin
my first 100 days listening, learning, and leading. We will identify and
elevate our points of pride as we seek to set our collective vision for the
next decade on Dalrymple Drive.
Please join me as we begin this new chapter. No one person can do
this work alone as continuous improvement is a concerted effort that
requires everyone moving in the same direction. I promise that we
will work together to make our school first in every field of human
endeavor.
UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL | June 1, 2021
100-Day Plan
Overview
The purpose of this entry plan is to outline and share with the University
Laboratory School community what I have planned for my first 100 days
as director. As I have previously stated, ULS has earned the reputation,
and rightfully so, as being one of the best schools in the state of Louisiana.
Much of what I plan to do over the next three months is to listen and
to learn from you what is already great about our school and then to
challenge all of us to further elevate those areas of strength, advancing
our position as the state of Louisiana’s demonstration school. I also plan
to listen and to learn about our opportunities for growth and to work
with our administrative team and key stakeholders to devise plans, based
upon data and proven methods, to elevate those areas. I wholeheartedly
believe that if we all work together, ULS will be recognized as the best
school in the state of Louisiana. I do outline specific plans of action in
this document, but I am aware those plans will likely need adjustment as I
learn more.
OVERARCHING GOALS
Continue to engage with stakeholders of every
type to learn fully about our school’s strengths and
opportunities for growth
Conduct a full review of the key areas critical
to our school’s success, again with the goal of
identifying strengths and growth opportunities
Review the mission, vision and values of ULS to
ensure we are delivering on our promises
Provide transparency to all stakeholders
throughout this process
UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL | June 1, 2021
Together, we – teachers, support staff, parents, alumni, donors, our College
of Human Sciences & Education, LSU and community partners and our
students – as true partners in education are poised to reach new heights.
With that in mind, I am committed to open lines of communication,
transparency, collaboration, and to developing lasting connections with all
of you. The success of our students depends upon it.
Listen
IN MY FIRST 100 DAYS, I WILL…
01
1.1
Continue to meet with and hold individual and group
listening sessions with our administrative team,
teachers, students, support staff, parents, alumni,
donors, and university and community stakeholders
1.2
Continue to meet with community leaders to better
understand ULS’s role as the state’s demonstration
K-12 school within the flagship university charged with
innovating teaching and learning and standing in
Baton Rouge and Louisiana
1.3
Continue to attend school, university, and community
events to grow and establish relationships
1.4
Continue to attend existing meetings with stakeholder
groups
UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL | June 1, 2021
As I mentioned earlier in this document, my dedication to our students
and our team is relentless. I am committed to ensuring that we remain
focused on educating the whole child in a safe, nurturing, and equitable
environment from kindergarten through senior year. Simultaneously, I
am committed to ensuring that we remain steadfast in our obligation to
ensure our students graduate from ULS not only prepared for college
but also to work and to thrive as global citizens wherever their
independent paths in life lead them.
Learn
IN MY FIRST 100 DAYS, I WILL…
02
2.1
Evaluate available data, including but not limited to
current standardized test scores, the results of our
recent Johns Hopkins Climate and Culture Survey,
and feedback from conversations with stakeholder
representatives, and work with our administrative team
to prioritize key action items for future short- and longterm strategic plans
2.2 Review current practices and efforts to identify
opportunities for an increase in support for, not only
the academic, but also the the social/emotional growth
of all of our students
2.3 Observe teaching and learning with a focus on both
instructors and students
2.4 Review hiring practices to determine approaches that
will result in an increase in diversity among our faculty
and staff
2.5 Begin meetings with the Diversity & Inclusion Working
Group to determine short- and long-term goals and
plans
UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL | June 1, 2021
It is already apparent to me that at ULS we are all committed to being
leaders in all that we do. From the classrooms to the cafeteria and from
the athletic fields to the music and art rooms, our faculty and staff, with
unwavering support from our parents and community, aim high to provide
the best educational experience possible for our students. By working
together as leaders, we will ensure they all reach their full potential and are
prepared for life in an ever-changing world.
Lead
IN MY FIRST 100 DAYS, I WILL…
03
3.1
Work to develop a trusting, productive, and
collaborative relationship with our faculty, staff,
students, and all of our community
stakeholders
3.2
Identify and bolster efforts to support our
teachers, administrators, and staff
3.3
Identify opportunities for organizational efficiency
and develop and support plans for improvement in
designated areas
3.4
Review fundraising and improve transparency,
communication, and involvement beginning with
the 2021-2022 school year
3.5
Review school safety protocols to ensure all students,
faculty, and staff are knowledgeable and up to date
on plans and procedures
3.6
Share the structure, work, and future plans of our
Diversity & Inclusion Working Group with other K12
schools as a resource and model for the benefit of
school communities across our state
UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL | June 1, 2021
Track My Progress
I am excited to begin this new chapter in ULS’s 107-year history, and I
invite you all to join me in continuing the legacy that has been laid before
us. Please follow our progress on the school website at https://www.uhigh.
lsu.edu/About-ULS/Director-100-Day. We will provide regular updates
and share opportunities for you to get involved and/or provide ideas and
feedback.
UNIVERSITY LABORATORY SCHOOL | June 1, 2021
University Laboratory School
College of Human Sciences and Education
Louisiana State University