EDLD 5399 Week 5 Assignment Reflection on Professional Development Plan

The Three Year Professional Development Plan was a good assignment for me to complete at the end of this course.  It was very helpful to review the competencies and select areas of weakness that needed improvement.  I enjoyed the opportunity to put my goals and activities that would help me complete the assignments.  Furthermore, I am looking forward to reading the selected books to help me gain a better understanding of the subject matter I have focused on for this plan.  Due to the financial issues around the state and at my district it will be difficult to attend any workshops or professional development activities.  I will look for webinars and other online based continuing education opportunities to help me achieve my goals and objectives.  This was an excellent activity and hopefully I will continue to plan out these types of events throughout my career. 

EDLD 5399 Week 5 Assignment Reflections on SISE Conference

The review of the SISE with my superintendent was very informative and provided quality feedback about my activities in the district during the program.  Mr. Philip Welch, my site supervisor, was very helpful and supportive during the entire process.  I have learned a lot through observations and interviews with him during the school year.  Although, many of the activities were helpful to me in gaining more understanding and experiencing superintendent related subject matter, it has been my goal to be a “spongelike” and absorb as much information as I can.  The internship was helpful in this process.  Mr. Welch provided valuable insight and shared many experiences during his career to help me along.  I believe my final conference with him was positive, but of course I have a lot to learn about the superintendent position as well as education in the 21^st century as a whole. 

EDLD 5399 Week 4 Assignment Reflections on Reflective Leadership

During this course there have many opportunities to reflect on assignments as well as other members of our cohort group.  There is no doubt that reflecting on our assignments in projects have been helpful and increased our knowledge about this field of study.

This week's assignment required a sort of review of past reflections.  I was able to travel back in time as I read and reviewed my previous reflections in multiple course assignments.  Personally, I have always conducted some type of evaluation or reflection of my decision making or job related experiences.  These reflections have been more internal and less of an external expression of my thoughts and reactions to different circumstances.  This program has brought to the forefront the importance of writing and collecting your thoughts to better approach challenges that we will face in our business and personal life.

Overall, I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge using these reflective measures.  It would be inappropriate if I did not mention how important it was to read my cohorts thoughts and respond to their reflections as well.  I felt very safe and supported throughout the course.  Probably because we are all in the same boat as they say.  We were all in this together and that is important when participating in a program that is very demanding of our time and efforts.

EDLD 5399 Week 3 Assignment Part 2 Reflection

There were three main concerns that led to improvement initiatives based on my understanding and observations for my district’s improvement.  The inclusion model of instructional practices has been implemented to minimal success and was in need of review, recent state budget cuts will have a potential major impact on school funding and inevitably create major changes, and the new STAAR state assessment will begin next year and it will be necessary to have creative measures in place to address this new exam.  These are the areas of concern I attempted to improve for my district as well as my campus.

As we all know, best instructional practices are essential for student success.  This is true for special populations as well.  Recently our district has adopted the practice of “full” inclusion.  There are many methods to achieve this established method of instruction.  Our district uses inclusion teachers and aides in the classroom to support special needs students.  Year one was very challenging and required many planning sessions; including several “gripe” sessions.  Based on these incidents and other observations, adjustments were made and the process was attempted the next year.  During decision making committee meetings there was a tremendous amount of input to help make improvements.  Recommendations included: rotation of inclusion teachers and aides to meet the needs of more students, teachers and aides need to be actively engaged in the lesson to better relate the information to students in need, teachers and aides need to be viewed as key members of the instructional staff to ensure buy in and respect from students.  Also, the implementation of a survey to determine level of understanding and attitude toward the district’s inclusion program is suggested.  The survey would focus on knowledge and practical application of inclusion concepts as it relates to individual needs.  These and many other suggestions will be used during staff development sessions as well as taken into account when designing campus master schedules.

Also, there were many concerns about the state budget and school financing as many of my cohorts would agree.  The state budget crisis is worrisome for all of the districts around the state and my district is not immune.  Our district and campus level administrators met on many occasions to discuss the potential shortfall.  Later during the planning stages department leaders and other campus staffing were invited to sessions to discuss the impact throughout the district.  After all the meetings and sessions a two tiered approach was devised to address the potential budget reduction.  See the recommended plan below:

As OISD prepares for the 2011-2012 school year and the likelihood of a decrease of $748,869 in funding – hard decisions must be made.

The Tier 1 recommendations to address this shortfall are:

Salaries frozen at 2010 – 2011 amounts

As of March 25th, letters of retirement or resignation have been received from 8 professional and 1 support staff.

(3) elementary teachers

(1) junior high teacher/coach

(1) junior high teacher

(3) high school teachers

(1) maintenance employee

Do not fill 8 of these 9 positions. Fill the agriculture position.

This represents $375,069 in savings.

Approve a change in program resolution to eliminate elementary music and certified elementary librarian positions. A paraprofessional would be reassigned to the library. The elementary library had operated under the direction of a paraprofessional until the 2009 – 2010 school year.

This represents $101,862 in savings.

Tier 2 Recommendations:  Eliminate Retiree Sick Pay (maximum $7500 per retiree)
Reduce Insurance Contribution $20/month
Administrator reassignment, if administrator leaves reassign administrator to cover responsibilities
Reduction of property insurance premiums, will not know amount until later, TASB has indicated there should be a reduction. Reduction of Administrators’ number of work days – depends on number of furlough days used. Furloughs – Legislature discussing the possibility of allowing 7 furlough days. Payroll $40,000/day.

In addition to the above mentioned items, we also have been preparing for the STAAR state assessment that will begin next year.  Although field tests have been administered for several years, there is still some ambiguity to the test and the best and most practical approach to being successful on these new exams.  Core departmental meetings at the high school campus were held to address the new STAAR exam objectives and college readiness standards.  These meetings were held weekly during the 4^th six weeks.  The overall response was very positive based on teacher comments and participation in the agenda items.  The English department will experience many changes because students will be expected to write two different types of essays.  Also, the English exam will cover two days, with TAKS it was only one day.  The English III and Algebra II STAAR exam will have college readiness standards imbedded to evaluate student preparedness for post high school education.  Students graduating on the recommended high school graduation program must pass twelve STAAR e exams to successfully meet that standard.  Recommendations for success on STAAR exams include:  review state standards and objectives, utilize TEA resource guides, attend educational service center workshops related to STAAR preparation, and ensure best practices are implemented according to district and campus expectations to ensure quality instruction and time management.  Hopefully, these ideas and others throughout the process will provide guidance and support through this necessary change in state assessments.

In conclusion the improvement process can be very tedious and challenging.  There are many other areas of improvement that could have been attempted or addressed, but these seemed to be the most interesting and timely.

EDLD 5399 Week Two Assignment Part 2 Job Entry Plan

FIRST DAY

Goal(s)

·         Meet all central office staff via meeting and informally debrief with key members.

·         Develop an agenda based on specific tasks to gain familiarity within the district.

Objective(s) Provide central office staff with a “state of the district” snapshot as a form of needs assessment to being the goals, vision, and mission development process.

Activities addressing goals and objectives

·         Review district goals, vision, and mission prior to central office staff meeting

·         Analyze and disaggregate district budgetary, academic achievement through state assessment, and compile a list of priorities from high to low and stick with it

·         Facilitate a well structured but open dialogue meeting with central office staff to develop positive relationships and generate collegiality. 

·         Schedule district improvement committee meeting and have campus level administrators schedule SBDM committee meetings for needs assessment purposes. (provide sample agenda)

Resources needed to achieve goals and objectives

·         AEIS Report

·         District Report Cards

·         District Improvement Plan

·         Current district: goals, mission, and vision

·         final and current district budget reports

·         any other related materials

FIRST WEEK

Goal(s)

·         Meet all campus level administrators and review important data related to his or her campus.

·         Continue to develop district goals, mission, and vision agenda by including campus level administration in the needs assessment process.

·         Begin development framework for strategic planning meetings to compile necessary materials for district goals, vision, and mission development. (includes key stakeholders at each campus and SBDM committee and possible minutes from previous scheduled meeting)

Objective(s) Increase level of involvement in the needs assessment and development of the district goals, mission, and vision.

Activities addressing goals and objectives

·         Schedule strategic planning meetings to address district goals, vision, and mission

·         Review list of priorities from high to low and reevaluate

·         Emphasize in-depth review of district/campus needs and district/campus plans.

·         Meet individually with campus level administrators and “listen” to their needs and concerns to help improve them as a leader and ultimately promote success of the overall campus.

Resources needed to achieve goals and objectives

·         AEIS Report

·         District Report Cards

·         District and campus plan

·         District improvement and SBDM committee minutes

·         Current district: goals, mission, and vision

·         final and current district budget reports

·         any other related materials

FIRST MONTH

Goal(s)

·         Develop personal agenda and provide a weekly calendar of events to disseminate electronically throughout the district and require all campuses to do the same for the community, faculty and staff.

·         Complete all strategic meetings and finalize district goals, vision, and mission to present to the board of trustees.

·         Maintain visibility throughout the district and provide necessary support to central office and campus level administrators. (meet teachers, eat lunch, attend meetings and extracurricular functions)

·         Seek out opportunities to get involved in community functions and events.  Make attempts to form relationships with key community stakeholders to improve relations. 

Objective(s) Increase level of involvement in and throughout the campuses and provide opportunities for community involvement as it correlates with the district plan.

Activities addressing goals and objectives

·         Attend school functions during the day and after school

·         Review list of priorities from high to low and reevaluate

·         Review personal agenda

·         Creation of district wide calendar of events that will be used throughout the district electronically

·         Attend functions necessary to meet with key community stakeholders

Resources needed to achieve goals and objectives

·         New district: goals, mission, and vision

·         Calendar of events

·         Personal agenda

·         any other related materials

FIRST YEAR

Goal(s)

·         75% of district and campus goals met at a commended level.

·         25% of district and campus goals met at a satisfactory level.

·         Review district plan, goals, vision, and mission to prepare for annual needs assessment.

·         Completed all necessary evaluations and well as required evaluations of personnel throughout the district.

·         Implemented several key curriculum related goals that increased student success on state assessments.

·         Evaluate district budget, enrollment numbers, tax rate, and other pertinent information to prepare for the budget adoption.

Objective(s) Evaluate the level of success as a first year superintendent by reviewing specific performance outcomes stated in the district plan.

Activities addressing goals and objectives

·         Review district and campus plans

·         Review goals, mission, and vision

·         Evaluate state assessment data

·         Compile new list of priorities and rate from high to low

·         Evaluate all employees under your direct supervision and others through the use of designees as a method to improve overall instruction as well as create accountability.

·         Involve key community stakeholders in helping to reach academic goals to provide students with a well-rounded educational experience.

Resources needed to achieve goals and objectives

·         District plans, goals, mission, and vision

·         AEIS Report

·         School Report Card

·         Completed list of evaluations

·         Calendar of events that included community involvement of key stakeholders

·         any other related materials

This was the first time I have completed a job entry plan, and I found it very helpful in collecting my thoughts and ideas.  Although some parts of the plan is very ambitious; it is hopefully practical and attainable.  There are many unknown factors about what type of district (size, demographic, rural or urban, size of population, etc.), but many of the goals and objectives I wrote were somewhat generic and could be adapted to most any district with a little time and effort.

I was challenged to write a plan that would be a usable tool presently and in the future.  I see why Dr. Arterbury was so keen on this plan.  It helps the individual put their job into perspective and provides an outlet for brainstorming and logical thought.

EDLD 5399 Week 2 Assignment Part 1 Competencies and Reflection

Domain I—Leadership of the Educational Community – Competencies 1 - 4

Competency 1 Area:

The superintendent knows how to act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner in order to promote the success of all students.

Through the entire process of this program, there have been many aspects of competency one that I have experienced.  Developing a quality intern plan helped me to better understand the importance of being a person of integrity, fairness, and the absolute necessity of acting ethically in all areas of the profession to promote the success of all students.

By reviewing the job description and evaluation for the superintendent in my district, I developed a keen understanding of the board and communities expectations.  Observing and watching this individual during the internship process gave me a new appreciation and reiterated the fact that all actions of the superintendent are being watched by many.

Furthermore, I thought about the importance of ethical standards for everyone especially those in leadership positions. It seems maintaining these standards is very difficult and it was interesting to compare and contrast individuals who have held to the high calling and those who have found themselves in this treacherous territory.  The internship plan helped me balance this important concept with standards of our society today where a lack of integrity is commonplace. 

I am certain that as individuals we must resist the temptations that challenge our integrity and value system.  Our charge as educators is to provide students with the opportunity for success without compromising our values and in turn distorting the view our students and community has about their leaders.

Competency 2 Area:

The superintendent knows how to shape district culture by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the educational community.

The climate and culture are some of the most unique aspects of any school district; my school district is no different.  Every person employed or may potentially be employed could have a lasting impact on the overall performance and success of the campus for many years.  There is no greater influence than the superintendent in my opinion.  If implemented appropriately the superintendent can have a major impact on the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning.  Then again maybe just the opposite can happen.  Based my learning during this course and through personal observations the very tone of the district is established by the superintendent or who the superintendent allows to set the tone.

During my internship plan development and at completion, competency two was assigned to five of the activities.  These activities included review of district vision and mission, observations of district personnel interactions during meetings, review of demographic and state assessment data, and promotion of the awareness of a district issue or problem and create awareness and host a meeting to attempt to resolve.  These activities were very helpful in better understanding the purpose of competency two and how it affects the role of the superintendent.  Facilitating an ongoing vision of learning in any school district is challenging and through personal observations can ultimately be the downfall of even the most talented of individuals.

Competency 3 Area:

The superintendent knows how to communicate and collaborate with families and community members, respond to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilize community resources to ensure educational success for all students.

Communication is considered one of the key elements of success for just about any individual person.  Developing effective strategies in this area would benefit any potential superintendent, but communication is only one element.  Having the ability to communicate the message to a vast number of people will help contribute to increased knowledge and understanding for those who most need the information. 

Due to the importance of overall student success it is necessary for the superintendent to be able to collaborate with all members of the learning community which includes: students, teachers, families, and many others.  My internship plan addressed competency three in five different activities ranging from attending SBDM committee meetings, meeting and interviewing with different ethnicities of students to determine to help create a positive cultural environment, and compiling a list of several different social agencies that would beneficial to district staff.

Collaborating and mobilizing district resources to address district and community concerns is of utmost importance.  My attempts to understand and apply the aspects of this competency was challenging at times.  I saw on several occasions how our superintendent met to resolve issues related to specific needs our district and community.  One example of this occurred during our district review of the school finance bill and our district’s effort to make necessary adjustments for the state’s shortfall.  The superintendent met with administrative staff, board members, and later with teachers to address this challenge.  In this specific case many community members and other concerned parties voiced their opinions and provided suggestions to help elevate the potential impact on our district as well as the community.

Competency 4 Area:

The superintendent knows how to respond to and influence the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context, including working with the board of trustees, to achieve the district's educational vision.

Superintendents must be able to spend a tremendous amount time and effort in competency four.  This competency indicates that the superintendent should know how to influence the larger aspects of our society and culture to achieve the district’s educational vision.  Although this competency is only one sentence; it encompasses a large portion of the superintendents’ role in education.

Reaching a level of understanding and practical application for this expectation was difficult at times.  My internship plan addressed this competency in an effort to better understand the community as a whole.  One activity included interviewing a long time community member to obtain the oral history to better understand the community’s viewpoint and perspective.  The person interviewed has a unique perspective because he works as a voluntary docent in the local museum.  His perspective and insight is very valuable and important to the community. 

Many of the course assignments provided opportunities for growth in this area.  Working with the board of trustees will most definitely be the most challenging aspect of this competency.  This year I had more interactions with the board of trustees because of some circumstances related to policies.  I had to meet on several occasions along with the superintendent during policy meetings to share perspectives and insight about the practicality of some of our current policies.  The school board is a very unique group of individuals with many needs and their own viewpoints on a variety of topics.  This is an area I have put more of my focus on since beginning this program.

DOMAIN II—INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP – COMPETENCIES 5 - 7

Competency 5 Area:

The superintendent knows how to facilitate the planning and implementation of strategic plans that enhance teaching and learning; ensure alignment among curriculum, curriculum resources, and assessment; use the current accountability system; and promote the use of varied assessments to measure student performance.

Many of the courses during this program provided valuable insight and guidance in the area of curriculum and instruction.  As accountability increases year after year it is important that the superintendent understand and be a key player in the implementation of research based and cost effective curriculum materials.  It is important that the superintendent surround himself or herself with a good support staff that includes a solid curriculum and instruction director.

During the creation of the internship plan during the first course, I selected five activities related to this competency.  The focus of my plan in relation to competency five was textbook selection and allocation, co-curricular activities, special education, class scheduling, and interview the director of curriculum and instruction to determine to what level central office provides services to the campus level in the area of curriculum and instruction.  These activities provided a unique look into some of the instructional elements that would benefit any potential superintendent. 

Due to the fact that the superintendent will be involved in many other aspects of the job, it is important the he or she delegates some of the curriculum responsibilities.  Facilitation of the planning, alignment, resources, assessments, and state assessment evaluation is crucial.  This program has helped me realize how important it is to have a working knowledge of the various aspects of the job of superintendent, but it is not necessary to know everything immediately.  Everything must be balanced and put in perspective in order to be successful in many areas including curriculum and instruction.

Competency 6 Area:

The superintendent knows how to advocate, promote, and sustain an instructional program and a district culture that are conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.

Creating an environment where students and staff are learning and making the necessary improvements to increase productivity and success is essential.  The superintendent definitely has his or her hands full to act as an advocate, promote, and sustain the instructional program of the district.  Much of this course has prepared me to better understand the role of the superintendent as a whole, especially as an instructional leader.

The internship plan addressed competency six by surveying faculty and students about motivational issues, analysis of district, state, and national testing information, meet with student leaders to review campus level policies and procedures related to discipline, and research current issues to address student success rates.  Using research based studies and data will play a major role determining the success of students and how the district as a whole is impacting student learning objectives.

This course has provided many opportunities through assignments and readings to better understand the purpose for the superintendent in the area culture and instructional practices.  Providing quality staff development will provide much needed support and knowledge to teach at an efficient level.

Competency 7 Area:

The superintendent knows how to implement a staff evaluation and development system and select appropriate models for supervision and staff development to improve the performance of all staff members.

Creating a quality staff evaluation program is very important and will provide faculty and staff with consistent feedback and areas to address their current and future performances.  The superintendent will set the tone for what is expected of staff members by requiring district-wide supervisors to evaluate all employees.  Not only should evaluations occur, but they should be structured and developed to truly reflect the job description and responsibilities of the employee.  Often the evaluation instrument is outdated or not accurate and should not be used as a standard for the employee.

My intern plan addressed competency seven by completing activities related to the review of the staff development plan and how it correlates to the district vision and mission and other pertinent information, and a review of the district turnover rate and how it is impacting district morale and student success.  This process was helpful because it placed focus on areas of specific need within the district.  The findings were reasonable with little discrepancy in comparison to the district staff development plan and district goals, mission, and vision.  The turnover rate seemed to be closely related to an aging population that increased the number of retirements in our district in the past few years.

This program has provided me with a realistic view of the staff development program and an excellent baseline for developing a quality evaluation system in order to maintain high standards.  I could not ask for a better opportunity.

DOMAIN III—ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP – COMPETENCIES 8 – 10

Competency 8 Area:

The superintendent knows how to apply principles of effective leadership and management in relation to district budgeting, personnel, resource utilization, financial management, and technology application.

This competency area was the most difficult to understand and fully apply in comparison to the other related areas.  The financial aspects of school district operational system are an area of weakness based on my efforts during this course.  This course provided several unique experiences related to the area of financial.  I still have a tremendous amount of information to learn and high need for more experiences in this area. 

My internship plan focused on several factors related to competency area eight.  The plan required me to interview the director of technology to determine the present and future needs of the district.  This interview was very informative and helpful in understanding how technology planning is implemented within the district.  In the area of management, I reviewed the district evaluation plans of some of the current positions and determined that some changes would be necessary to address current job requirements.  Also, I completed a district level requisition as required by the intern plan.  This requisition was partially completed through the computer system that has been implemented for the last two years. 

This program focused on guiding the students through many expectations and standards required by superintendents in the State of Texas.  There is no doubt in my opinion it was very difficult to teach the finance portion online without creating any major confusion.  That course was the most difficult to understand and receive feedback in order to understand actual knowledge attained. 

Competency 9 Area:

The superintendent knows how to apply principles of leadership and management to the district's physical plant and support systems to ensure a safe and effective learning environment.

Knowledge of physical plant management and organization is essential.  Safety issues have come to the forefront more in the last decade and it is necessary to spend a considerable amount of time and energy to provide a secure learning environment for all parties involved.

The internship plan I developed focused on several issues which include: meet with director of support services and shadow maintenance and custodial employees.  Also, it was developed into the plan for an interview with the director of support services as it relates to transportation services throughout the district, and also to seek out information about the child nutrition program at the district level.

Personnel appropriate for overseeing the facilities and overall safety of the campus is vital to general feeling of well being when visiting a campus or other district facility is very important.  It is expected that the superintendent would personally make general observations and walk through the district facilities to ascertain the level of disrepair or maintenance issues to improve the campus ascetics and overall pride in the district as a whole.  There is a saying in our district about broken windows.  If a window is damaged or broken by vandalism it is important that the window be replaced immediately.  If the window remains broken then more than likely another window will be broken and so on and so forth.  Furthermore, if the window is replaced time after time the likelihood of continued damage or vandalism is diminished significantly.  

Based on my learning during this course, it is important for the superintendent to be aware of many factors affecting the management of district’s physical plant and support systems.  The superintendent should be mindful of concerns like: air quality, construction materials, safety structures, and general maintenance concerns which are vital to his or her success.  Also, good leadership in the area of maintenance and environmental quality will demonstrate to the community that the district administrators are good stewards of district funds.

Competency 10 Area:

The superintendent knows how to apply organizational, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to comply with federal and state requirements and facilitate positive change in varied contexts.

One of the most admirable attributes of a district leader or any leader for that matter would be their ability to make good decisions based on practical and realistic methods.  These decisions should align with federal and state requirements as well as promote positive change within the district as a whole.

My internship plan provided a focus on several aspects of competency ten.  These include: selecting three areas that need review and potential change that will improve the district, interview the school nurse to make necessary and proper changes to improve the overall health plan of the district, and review the inclusion program to improve the overall success of special needs students.

Being a problem-solver and decision-maker is important for any superintendent as a change agent within a district.  Utilizing the personnel resources at your disposal will enhance your decision-making skills and help to facilitate positive change within the district.  This course has provided me many opportunities to develop my decision-making and problem solving skills.  Several activities like the development of the internship plan, staff development plan, and budgetary activities were challenging, but an excellent opportunity to learn more about myself as well as the role of the superintendent.

Reflection:
This activity was an eye-opening experience that helped me put into perspective the accomplishments over the last nine months.  Each time I have the opportunity to read and review the domains and competencies I am reminded of the requirements and obligations of the superintendent. 

Also, it was good to review the internship plan and make observations about the content and context of the activities.  Each competency had a variety of the activities the related in some way to the expectations of the state requirements for a superintendent.  This course has created new insight and valuable perspective on the role of the superintendent.  By participating in activities related to this occupation, I have received new knowledge and understanding to help me become a better educator.

Participation in the reflections and blog activities have increased my awareness and the value of others perspectives and creativity.  I have learned a tremendous amount from my peers and hope to continue some form of similar communication once this program is concluded.