MPA Leadership Team Retreat 

Excellence Without Excuses 
Wednesday, August 1, 2018- 9:00am-3:00pm 
Locations in Our Community:  
Narrow Way Cafe and Kuzzo’s Chicken and Waffles 
9:00-9:30  Heartfelt Honesty:  
- Why Reflection is Important: 
https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/re
flecting-on-work-improves-jo
b-performance 
9:30- 9:40  Get Great Results:​ Overview of the 
day 
9:40-10:00  Excellence in Expectations: 
Leadership Team Norms 
- Create and solidify for 18-19 
SY 
10:00-10:30  Excellence in Personal Reflection: 
Personal Reflection on Leadership in 
2017-2018 
Tools:  
- 17-18 Roles and 
Responsibilities Chart 
- LT Evaluation Rubric 
10:30-10:40  Break  
 

Excellence Without Excuses​ starts with ​YOU!​  

1
  
10:40-11:15  Get Great Results: ​Leadership Team 
Values- The MPA Team Member 
Compact Connection 
11:15-12:00  Excellence in Systems:​ Creating 
Systems for Desired Outcomes 
- Brain dump 
- Top three (highest leverage) 
12:00-1:00  Excellence in Bonding :-)   
(Lunch) 
1:00- 1:30  Transition back to Meeting Space 
1:30-2:45  Excellence in Planning:​ Preparing for 
Our Teams:  
- Select one of the top three 
items from the brain dump to 
work on and create:​ a 
detailed one-pager, 
spreadsheets or documents to 
support effective 
implementation, etc. 
2:45-3:00  Excellence in Feedback:​ Stop and 
Jot 
- Sign up for “Off Campus Work 
Time” 
 

Excellence Without Excuses​ starts with ​YOU!​  

2
  
 

Excellence in Note-taking 

Do Now:​ Read and annotate the Personal Reflection Article and answer the following 
questions. 

Why is it important to take time to reflect on the work we do at MPA? 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

In what way will setting up a system for personal reflection enhance your 
performance as a Leadership Team Member this school year? 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Excellence Without Excuses​ starts with ​YOU​! 

3
  
Excellence in Expectations: ​Leadership Team Norms Brainstorm 
Brainstorm a list of norms that the LT should adopt as shared expectations for the 18-19 
SY​. Once you have finalized your list, place your ideas in the chart on the shared 
document.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Excellence in Personal Reflection: P

​ ersonal Reflection on Leadership in 2017-2018 
 
Question 1:​ In what areas do you feel you led your team strongest in from this past 
school year?  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Question 2:​ In what areas do you feel that you ​did not l​ ead your team strongly in from 
this past school year? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Excellence Without Excuses​ starts with ​YOU​! 

4
  
 

Question 3:​ What strategic changes will you make to address the growth areas 
identified in your personal reflection reflection? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Get Great Results:​ ​Leadership Team Values- The MPA Team Member Compact 
Connection 
Question 1:​ What connection do you see between the Compact and the LT Rubric? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Question 2:​ What impact will this have on your leadership this year? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Excellence Without Excuses​ starts with ​YOU​! 

5
  
Question 3:​ What items need to be put in place in order for you to lead in excellence 
based on the expectations provided? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Excellence in Systems:​ Creating Systems for Desired Outcomes 

 

Select one system you will create in order to support one (or more) of your 
responsibilities as described on the LT Rubric and outlined in the responsibilities chart.  

Questions to lead your work time:  

- What is the system I will create/revise? 

- What are the major steps? 
- What are the implications of creating said system? 
- How will this set my team, and our school, up for success?  

LUNCH 

ACTION​ Items: 
● Excellence in Vision: ​Vision for Your Team 
o Revise vision statement for your “side of the house”. This will be 
shared with your team at your first official meeting.  
o Due to Boykin:​ Wednesday, August 8th 
● Excellence in Systems: ​Creating or Revising Systems for desired 
outcomes  
o Ex: System of Accountability (professionalism, deadlines, 
instructional practices, cultural practices) 
o Select three high leverage systems to create or revise based on 
your responsibilities.  
o Due to Boykin: ​Wednesday, August 8th  
● Excellence in Teambuilding: ​Building strong teams 

Excellence Without Excuses​ starts with ​YOU​! 

6
  
o Deliverable: plan in yearly calendar quarterly off-campus team 
building activities for team. 
▪ Q1: One event- Leader to host 
▪ Q2: One event- Leader to co-host with team member  
▪ Q3: One event- Two team members co-host 
▪ Q4: One event - Leader to host 
o Due to Boykin: ​Friday, August 10th  
● Excellence in Planning: ​August PD Plan 
o Complete outlines for owned PD sessions 
o Outlines should include- Norms, Do Now, See It. Name It. Do It. 
framework, timestamps, materials needed for exemplars 
o Due to Boykin: Drafts by next 03  
● Excellence in Written Communication: ​MPA Handbook Work Time 
o Utilize this time to edit items in the handbook 
▪ Friday, August 3rd from 10:00am-12:00pm 
● Each LT member must be logged on and working, 
no matter location 
 
 

Excellence Without Excuses​ starts with ​YOU​!