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.
In regard to competency 1, I included two specific intern activities in my internship plan. The first activity relates directly to student success. Motivating student learners is one of the challenges that educators commonly face in schools and classrooms. When professional educators come together to dialog about student success, there is always a portion of the discussion that is devoted to what to do to intrinsically or extrinsically motivate students to succeed. I have heard teachers express frustration about this topic because they feel they have little to no control over student motivation. For this reason, I brought this topic up at one of our district principal’s meetings. Everyone agreed to read and research for suggestions, which would then be shared back during our principals’ PLC. I chose to read the book, Whatever It Takes, by Geoffrey Canada, which helped address motivation issues for low socio-economic minority students. Additionally, I researched a new student motivation program called, P200, which is a positive behavior management system that incorporates student motivators. After reviewing the book and article, I shared the information at the principals’ PLC and facilitated a discussion about how the main ideas could be implemented within in the district and on campuses.
My district has historically struggled with achievement gaps, with our African-American sub-population performing at a level significantly below other student populations. The information presented by Canada was insightful in sharing some key points that should be considered when planning interventions for students. For instance, when dealing with unmotivated students, Canada suggests providing a “conveyor belt of support” to involve the families and community throughout the students’ developmental milestones.
After a district wide discussion, the elementary principals and assistant principals agreed to implement the P200 program this year in the district. Basically, the premise is that students are positively recognized and rewarded for making responsible choices, which leads to their “elite” membership in the “Principal’s 200” club. We are all very eager to see the positive impact on student achievement that will come from a focus on student motivation.
The other internship activity I chose related to competency 1 involved reviewing the local board policy regarding ethical behavior. After completing this review, I developed a staff development to highlight the key components of the educator’s Code of Ethics. Educational professionals should receive annual training to be reminded of the code of ethics and how it impacts their employment status.
One of the interesting components of the Code of Ethics involves the policy and the use of the term “moral turpitude.” The code clearly states that educators should are not permitted to be involved in any action defined as moral turpitude. The staff development at the beginning of the year should focus on providing up front information regarding this issue. The code is written in such a manner that it can be interpreted very subjectively; however, the clause is broad enough that it could cover a variety of actions and behaviors. Due to the vagueness of the “moral turpitude” clause, I made a conscience decision to specifically address it so that educators can be informed about the ramifications for their actions and behaviors.
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 superintendent plays an integral role in establishing and communicating the shared vision of the district and stakeholders. In order to deepen my understanding of this competency, I participated in eight different activities that are linked to competency 2.
One of the activities involved the researching and review of two different district vision statements. I analyzed each vision statement for strengths and weaknesses, but the most valuable component to the analysis process included discussions with employees from each district to gauge their understanding of the district vision. I chose to focus on this element because a vision statement can be beautiful on paper, but if there is no implementation plan and “buy-in” then the vision statement really is worthless.
Another activity that I included on my internship plan was to attend the annual TCEA conference in Austin. I felt as though this conference is important to educational leadership because a visionary superintendent needs to be informed about cutting edge technology. For instance, I was able to learn how distance education is being utilized in rural areas to offer advanced placement and dual credit coursed to small districts that would otherwise not have those learning opportunities available for their students.
After attending the TCEA conference I did meet with the Coordinator for Instructional Technology and the district webmaster to discuss how technology can be used to support the vision of the district. My district is very committed to providing services to include the community in the educational process. As a result, a parent center was opened to help foster a positive working relationship with the community, which is one of the most important stakeholders.
The parent center, which serves a large percentage of our Spanish speaking parents, is incorporating adult ESL classes for our parents. Additionally, parents have access to computers, which can be used to help them educate themselves and support the educational process of their families as well.
Another activity that I had the opportunity to participate in through the internship was an analysis of the gifted and talented program. We recognized that our district had a disproportionate amount of students identified for gifted and talented programs, when compared to the district’s overall student sub-populations. One of the most important outcomes of our “learning” is that the district recognized the need to re-evaluate the current rubric used of identification. After reviewing the process, we realized that we were inadvertently excluding some students from the program, when in fact, they should have qualified.
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 seems like it should be one of the easiest things to do, but it is usually an area where people will passionately argue that there is always room for improvement. For the purpose of my internship, I held a roundtable discussion with staff members to analyze strengths and weaknesses regarding district and campus communication. Specifically, one of the processes that I discussed was the weekly electronic memo/calendar that was distributed to staff members. The intended purpose of the communication was to inform all campus personnel about the upcoming week’s events so that everyone would know what was going on. The feedback obtained during the roundtable indicated that this form of communication effectively meets the needs of the stakeholders.
Another activity that I completed in connection to competency 3, was the development of a general questionnaire addressing school policy, instruction, homework, activities, discipline, and parent involvement. My district is a Title 1 district so we are required to have strong parental involvement plans. The development of the questionnaire supports the Title 1 compliance requirements. The information gathered in the questionnaire can be used to complete the mandatory needs assessment, CIP (campus improvement plan), and parental involvement plan. Parents were given the opportunity to complete the questionnaire anonymously and on-line so that we could increase the percentage of participation.
Under competency 3, I also chose to develop strong interpersonal communication skills by making a concerted effort to acknowledge the accomplishments of others and encouraging others to participate. In order for this to happen, I strategically incorporated a time to share positive news at the beginning of each faculty/staff meeting. For instance, our theme is “making magic happen” so everyone had the opportunity to award “magic makers” to anyone or share “magical” news.
Additionally, during the PLC process teams were empowered to problem solve and discuss student success. The PLC process allowed each person to have an opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas, and student concerns that needed to be addressed to improve achievement.
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.
During my interview with my superintendent, one of the most eye opening realizations I made was how much time the superintendent spends working on school board related matters. Specifically, my superintendent stated that she spends about 70% of her time preparing information for the board, working in meetings/workshops with the board, and communicating with the board. Throughout the internship I have committed to attend as many board meetings as possible. I believe this is something that is invaluable because prior to becoming a superintendent, there are limited opportunities to observe the interactions of the board and the superintendent.
The political, social, economic, legal, and cultural factors that impact the district’s operation are immense. For the internship, I interviewed a long time community member, who also is a former school board member. This person served on the school board for over ten years, and has personally experienced the way political factors can affect the school district’s operations. The interviewee had children that grew up and graduated from the district, has a wife that currently works in the district, and they both still are taxpayers in the district. During his time as a school board member, he acknowledged that the vision of the superintendent is essential to generating an atmosphere and climate of high expectations. He also stated that it is extremely important for board members to receive proper training on how to deal with all of the outside factors that can potentially impact their decision making process. Essentially, everyone you meet has an agenda, and as a decision maker you have to have the ability to decipher between fact and fiction and prioritize the needs of the district.
The interview was beneficial in seeing a different perspective from someone outside of the district. Even though the interviewee was a former board member, it was helpful to discuss school related issues with someone who has a “non-educator” perspective. One of the most important things that new superintendents should remember is that when dealing with political, social, and economic influences, we will often be dealing with people who are not educators. Stakeholders who are involved in the decision making process come from a variety of backgrounds, and it is important to acknowledge that everyone has different “background knowledge” and expectations.
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.
This year my district decided to begin the formal strategic planning process. The district hired an outside consultant to come in and guide district personnel in the strategic planning process. As a superintendent intern, I had the opportunity to chair an action planning committee that was responsible for one of the district’s identified goals.
The strategic planning process began with a team of 25 stakeholders who were selected to participate in a two day training and brainstorming session. During these two days, the committee identified five goals and developed a district vision and set of belief statements. The goals were then turned over to five different action planning committees. One of the goals was to explore and investigate alternative sources of funding while ensuring fiscal responsibility. This goal was assigned to my action planning committee.
As facilitator of the action planning committee, I had the opportunity to lead a group of about twelve committee members in the action planning process. Our charge was to brainstorm and develop an action plan to find alternative sources of funding for the district. In order to meet the second prong of the goal, we also had in depth discussions and included items that would address the necessity to ensure fiscal responsibility.
The budget crisis that has impacted the state of Texas played an interesting part in the committee’s action planning process. The committee was formed and actually began work before we knew that the district would be facing a potential $12M dollar budget shortfall. Once we knew that the budget cuts would impact the district directly, it certainly added an element of urgency to our work.
We identified several potential business partners within the district that were researched and included in the action plan. We also researched and discussed alternative methods to generate income for the district. We discussed advertising on buses, football stadium sponsors, and internal audits that would help find or generate new money for the district.
The process was definitely a learning opportunity because I had never participated in a formal strategic planning process. Once the committee drafted an action plan, I was asked to present the plan to the original committee of 25. The committee of 25 made recommendations for revision. After revisions were made, then the plan was presented to the school board for approval.
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.
During the internship, I had the opportunity to experience several activities that promote student learning and staff professional growth. Specifically within this competency, one of the most memorable activities related to the district grievance process. As a superintendent intern, I was asked to serve as a hearing officer for a level one hearing for one of the middle school campuses in the district. This is part of the district’s grievance process which allows teachers to have due process when they file formal complaints.
With this hearing, I served as the hearing officer for a level 1 hearing in which a teacher filed a formal complaint against the building principal because the teacher disagreed with the decision to implement a teacher growth plan. The situation forced me to do research on the grievance process and closely review the local district policy. Unfortunately, the employee did not accept my level 1 response and ended up filing for a level 2 hearing and eventually a level 3 hearing. The level 3 hearing was held before the school board, so I had the opportunity to participate on a panel of district hearing officers who represented the district at the level 3 hearing.
Personally, this was a great learning opportunity. In my district, we don’t have a lot of situations that result in level 2 and 3 hearings, so it was very insightful to be a part of the hearings. I believe this experience will help me greatly as I prepare to become a superintendent. I realized that employees don’t always accept formal decisions and will grieve simply because they have the right to do so.
Fortunately, the school board voted to uphold the decision of the district, but it was very interesting to see the political influences that impacted the case. The teacher happened to be “friends” with a few school board members, so we were not sure exactly how things were going to end up.
The most eye opening part of the experience was that I also realized that ultimately the power was in the hands of the school board. I knew that they would be deciding the conclusion of the hearing based on their perspective, which could have little to do with actual school operations.
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.
Competency 7 supports the importance of the superintendent’s role in ensuring that staff evaluations and staff development systems are used to improve student achievement. For this competency, I worked with the district curriculum department, which is responsible for developing the district staff development calendar.
I met with the Coordinator of Curriculum several of the district curriculum specialists to review and make recommendations for the 2011-2012 staff development calendar. Since our district was in the second year of PLC implementation, much of our discussion centered on what was needed to help teachers move to the next level with PLC planning. Eventually, we decided that teachers would need training on common formative assessments.
In order to effectively implement common formative assessments, we decided to send a group of district representatives to common formative assessment training. The information was then brought back and presented to the district leadership team. Each campus leadership team was then told to incorporate training at the campus level.
The district also decided to seek support from outside consultants so that teachers would feel supported during the implementation process. Each campus was asked to develop an implementation timeline related to each content area. For instance, the elementary campuses developed a plan to allow for adequate teacher training during the first three weeks of school. Each campus wrote a goal to begin using common formative assessment as part of the school-wide intervention process.
Ultimately, the goal of the internship activity was to analyze specific staff development needs that existed within the district. As an aspiring superintendent, I recognize that I will have to be very visionary in terms of planning. I will have to be able to analyze student data and identify areas of improvement. Initiating a strong staff development plan will be critical to addressing the district’s weaknesses.
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.
Throughout the internship experience I have realized that the superintendent has to know about all of the various departments that comprise the district. One of the things that I have heard central office personnel state is that, “you have to know a little bit about a lot of different departments.”
In order to gain understanding of the different departments that make up the district, I interviewed several district directors and coordinators to learn about their day to day operations. I was able to interview the Executive Director of Personnel Services, the Coordinator of Student Services, the Transportation Director, he Chief Financial Officer, and the Coordinator for Instructional Technology.
One of the most important lessons that I learned during the internship is that the superintendent must surround themselves with strong leaders. The superintendent depends heavily on the expertise and knowledge of the various department leaders. Prior to the internship experience, I thought that the superintendent had to be an expert in all areas. The superintendent must be able to build a strong team of advisors that keep the superintendent abreast of all district operations.
In my district, the superintendent holds weekly cabinet meetings and monthly roundtable meetings to facilitate the flow of information. The meetings are essential in keeping district leaders informed. Many times, departmental decisions directly impact district operations, so effective communication is key.
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.
The superintendent is ultimately responsible for everything that impacts the learning environment. Transportation and child nutrition are often overlooked in terms of their importance to student achievement. Strong superintendents recognize that the contributions these two departments make can greatly impact student success. Bus drivers are often the first face that our students see each morning, and child nutrition workers are often providing the only warm meals that our students receive. Both of these departments have the potential to impact student achievement, and superintendents must recognize and value the work that they do.
In order to gain a better understanding of how the transportation and nutrition departments affect student achievement, I decided to interview both directors. Having worked the past 13 years in a Title 1 district, I knew that these departments have the potential to build a strong partnership with campus employees who are working to improve student achievement.
The director of child nutrition and I looked at the impact of the department on students. A few years ago, the district implemented a “breakfast for all” program. Basically, all students are given a free breakfast whether or not they qualify for free or reduced lunch. The department is able to fully fund the program, which has been well received on the campuses. We looked at participation rates at the various campuses. What we realized is that the program is being utilized at every level, which is allowing students to take advantage of nutritional breakfasts that prepare them for learning.
We also discussed the FMNV (Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value) guidelines and how they are impacting the campuses. For instance, we looked at how campuses have the opportunity to take advantage of three waiver days, which are typically used for “party” days at the elementary campuses. We also discussed how federal and state funding could be jeopardized if the guidelines are not followed correctly.
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.
As referenced in competency 10, the superintendent must be aware and informed about federal and state requirements. During my internship, my superintendent asked me to help analyze a district problem with AYP (adequate yearly progress). Unfortunately, the district had several campuses that did not meet AYP and in order to address some of my internship activities, I was asked to participate in a problem-solving team to address this issue.
AYP can impact federal funding immensely, so the superintendent was wise to recognize and take a proactive approach to fix the problem before it becomes more serious. As a result of the meeting, a process was discussed to include key decision makers in data review sessions with campus principals. Specifically, LEP and Special Education are two areas that can impact AYP and funding. In order to monitor student achievement closely, the leaders from each area will implement a data tracking system to review student progress each month.
The district mandates that students will participate in district created benchmarks each nine weeks, so that data will now be broken down in to sub-groups by campus and by district in order to track students more closely.
This is a perfect example of a superintendent using decision-making and problem-solving skills to facilitate change. It is realistic to acknowledge that as the stakes get higher, especially with No Child Left Behind, superintendents must be visionary and proactive to meet these challenges. I was very excited to be able to participate in the process which ultimately led to organizational change. Campuses do an efficient job of analyzing data, but now we have established a process that will allow campuses to work together to review data to ensure that the district’s overall data is reviewed. This will lead to future discussions and brain-storming sessions that will promote student success.
Week One Assignment, Part 2 – Job Entry Plan
In Week One, Part 2, we asked that you identify your career and leadership goals. One of the most important skills in preparing for a career move is developing a job entry plan(s). The job entry plan should describe what goals, objectives, activities, and resources needed for you to accomplish your first day duties.
Please write a job entry plan describing the following for your FIRST DAY, FIRST WEEK, FIRST MONTH, AND FIRST YEAR.
We are not asking for a comprehensive multi-page report. We are asking you to try to identify one or two goals that you hope to address your first day, first week, first month, and first year. Remember to include the following for each first:
Position: Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Services and Public Relations
First Day:
Goal(s): My goal for the first day would be to meet with the Director of Personnel Services and the Director of Public Relations.
Objective(s): The objective of the meeting would be to gain an understanding of basic day to day operations within each department.
Activities addressing goals and objectives: Schedule two hours to meet with the director of each department.
Resources needed to achieve goals and objectives: Research from the district’s AEIS/AYP reports to identify discussion points.
First Week:
Goal(s): My goal for the first week would be to meet with the Coordinators of Personnel Services and the Coordinator of Public Relations (communications specialist and webmaster).
Objective(s): The objective of the meeting would be to gain an understanding of basic day to day operations within each department.
Activities addressing goals and objectives: Prior to meeting, I would want to review district resources and public relations materials that are currently being used. I would schedule thirty minutes to meet with the employees of each department.
Resources needed to achieve goals and objectives: Research from the district’s AEIS/AYP reports to identify discussion points.
First Month:
Goal(s): My goal for the first month would be to conduct observations and discussion to gain a general understanding of district operations and begin working on a departmental analysis to determine what is working and identify areas for improvement.
Objective(s): The objective of the meeting would be to gain an understanding of basic day to day operations within each department.
Activities addressing goals and objectives: Meet with the Superintendent and cabinet members to gain understanding about the organizational chart and layout. I would continually meet with all department leaders to show visibility and establish a working relationship with each employee.
Resources needed to achieve goals and objectives: Research from the district’s AEIS/AYP reports to identify discussion points. Support from professional organizations and network to build a relationship with other district leaders in similar positions.
First Year:
Goal(s): My goal for the first year would be to have conducted a thorough evaluation of the department and establish a strong working relationship with the superintendent to identify district level areas for improvement.
Objective(s): The objective of the first year’s activities would be to become fully aware and involved in the day to day operations of the department.
Activities addressing goals and objectives: Review all internal and external documents (i.e.: marketing tools, recruitment methods, hiring procedures, hiring software systems, website effectiveness, etc.)
Resources needed to achieve goals and objectives: Personnel records, public relations documents, research from the district’s AEIS/AYP reports to identify discussion points.
