The Power of ICU with Garett Cook

• The Power of ICU - focuses on giving kids what they need when they need it. 
• Bringing it all back to Tier 1. 
• ICU Menu
• Changing language - how can I help you, what can I do for you? 
• Lifeguards - 7 Lifeguards
• ICU time (Advisory/WIN/RTI time)
• 9 departments - every subject is involved and every subject matters. 
• 35 minute window - walk around helping students. Love beeps. 
• About 75 students per teacher. 10 or so might be heavy hitters 
• Teacher designed, for teachers by teachers. ICU Database. Parent communication. 
• Healthy grading - learning target that’s easy to identify for everyone involved.
• Tied to a learning standard. 
• Humans not heroes.
• This isn’t equitable when some teachers don’t have students. 
• Blitzes - getting additional support from the Tier 1 teacher. 
• Math access - Partial Teacher 550 hours in the school year. 
• Menu of support
• Depth of Knowledge - Maverik Education AI
• Safety is the cost of doing business, not the number 1 priority. 
• 100% completion rate of essential assignments.
• Blitz day - 90 minutes for ICU at the end of the day. 
• No homework school.
• Key Stats: 
• A/B Honor roll fall 2022: 248 students
• Fall 2023: 376
• Spring 2024: 439 kids
• ODRs reduced by 34%
• 70 Fs (75% decrease)
• 99% completion rate. 
• How to be a Transformative Principal? Servant Leadership - Serve your people better. 

About Garett Cook

Garett Cook has dedicated 15 years of his life to education, with nine of those years as a principal. His journey in education has taken him to various states, including Kansas, Missouri, and Texas, where he has left a lasting impact as an educator. Cook's core value is to be a positive influence on all individuals he interacts with, serving others through his actions. He strives to live out his faith in God through his daily walk, aiming to inspire and uplift those around him. Cook's passion for education and his unwavering commitment to serving others have made him a respected and valued leader in the field. See his previous interview here on Transformative Principal.

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks, IXL, and Renaissance Learning:

As a global leader in education technology operating in more than 110 countries, Renaissance is committed to providing educators with insights and resources to accelerate growth and help all students build a strong foundation for success. We believe that technology can unlock a more effective learning experience, ensure that students get the personalized teaching they need to thrive, and help educators and administrators to truly, fully, See Every Student. Learn more at renaissance.com.

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation.

We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

• Simplify and streamline technology
• Save teachers’ time
• Reliably meet Tier 1 standards
• Improve student performance on state assessments

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.