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.
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