Week 4 Reflective Assignment

Life is a collection of reflections. Memories of everyday people, times, places and experiences that shape the path we venture down to our final destinations. Edmund Burke, a British statesman and philosopher stated, “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” As a leader, it is important to know your history and that of the organization which you lead. Being reflective about the activities you have completed and the decisions you have made are extremely important to stay on track with the mission statement and goals of your district and its campuses. As a leader, we will be charged with making decisions, putting programs in place, and recommending the allocation of funds that will directly impact the lives of thousands of people. It is imperative that we examine our actions to be sure that we are utilizing the resources available to us in the most efficient and beneficial manner possible. Good leaders reflect on the major issues in their sphere of influence. Great leaders reflect on the daily processes that influence the processes, the people, and the direction of the path they are on.

During the course of study for this program, the process seems to have promoted and fostered our ability to look at the many different facets of a superintendent’s job and reflect upon how they come together, or in some cases how they don’t, over a period of time. Through interviews, documents, processes in place at various districts, me and my fellow cohort members have reviewed and reflected over the decisions and practices in some of the most progressive districts in the state. In school finance, we looked at the history of the finance system for the state of Texas and tried to determine which areas are the most important to better improve the system for the future. In reflecting on the history of education in Texas, it was apparent, even as far back as the days of Mirabeau Lamar, that the funding of public education has always been an issue. In school facilities, studying the maintenance and construction of the buildings that enable district to function as learning centers for those to whom we are charged with serving. With the uncertain economic times that we are in, it is extremely difficult for school boards to go to their constituents to ask for enormous amounts of money to build new or improve existing campuses in their districts. Analyzing the efforts of districts who have been successful in passing bond elections or those who have a phenomenal maintenance program will better prepare us for the time that we are faced with preparing a bond package or maintenance program for our own districts. Reflecting on the practices that are not successful also help prepare us for our roles as leaders in school districts across Texas.

Throughout the coursework, I and my fellow cohort members have been sharing our knowledge and reflections through our Wikispaces and blog spots. Having access to their papers and thoughts has enriched the knowledge I have gathered from my course of study.  Working on the group Wikispace allowed me to collaborate with my fellow group members and share our experiences and reflections with one another on a new level. The comments and critiques of my postings by my fellow classmates have deepened my reflective practices with their insight and inspiration. Many times posts are made that open up areas, programs, and processes that I had not thought of or did not fully comprehend. Our group work during the school finance course strengthened my belief in my cohort members and our ability to work together as a unit to solve, what at the time seemed impossible, any problem if we worked together.

Finally, developing and completing my internship plan has been an ever-changing process in practice and study. With input from my fellow classmates, the plan has been tweaked to help better prepare me for my professional future. Many times, in completing one activity, I have found ideas and needs for further areas of study. As a result of my studies, I am now keeping a journal that I use to reflect upon the happenings in my educational, professional and personal life.  The writing of a journal is not the entire process for reflective study. It is important to read what one has written down the road to remember the choices we have made, the results that were gathered, and the path on which we have walked. By digesting this information again, one will hopefully have a clearer vision of the road up ahead.

Week 3 Assignment

Week Three Assignment, Part 1 – CARE Model Analysis of District/Campus Improvement Initiatives or Action Research Plans
Concerns – Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research, and list at least three concerns that you have identified from these experiences – a concern may be any matter that engages your attention or interest.

1. District Goal III has been addressed in the DIP since the 2008-2009 school year. It states that the district will recruit, develop and provide continuing education for a diversified and culturally sensitive staff at all levels. There has been little change in the hiring practices or in the professional development plans and criteria for staff members. In addition, the salary scales for administrative positions, especially in the counseling arena, are not competitive with surrounding districts. The salary scale is also not published and the formula used to calculate administrative salaries is not posted anywhere and cannot be easily explained to those who ask about it.
2. District Goal V addresses the participation rate of students in extracurricular activities from 6^th grade through 12^th grade. The goal is to have 100% participation. My concern is that when the district is promoting involvement in extracurricular activities, it turns around and cuts the funding to every activity including deleting stipends for sponsors of non-athletic activities.
3. District Goal I is for all district campuses to be rated Exemplary by the Texas Education Agency. Each campus has developed a plan to help their campus reach this goal, but there is very little interconnection between all the campuses’ plans. Vertical teaming of curriculum, especially on the secondary campuses has not been addressed at all campuses.

Affirmations - Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research, and affirm or identify at least 3 actions that must be sustained and supported to achieve the District/Campus improvement initiatives.

1. Central office has begun looking into the inequitable salary levels for campus professionals as compared to other districts in the area. It is important that the salary comparisons are looking at “apples to apples” and not just job titles and the salaries attached to them.
2. Core subject areas are beginning to vertically align their curriculum with other campuses. Primary focus is the alignment between Lockhart High School, Cisneros Freshman Campus, and Lockhart Junior High.
3. Re-evaluation of allocated funds for extracurricular activities has begun on the high school campus. In-depth meetings with department heads and sponsors of extracurricular activities have begun to analyze funds needed to keep up current level of service to students.

Recommendations - Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research and describe at least 3 recommendations you would make regarding the District/Campus Improvement plans or action research plans.

1. One of the activities to meet the goal of exemplary is to increase the rigor in the classroom. Professional development for cores subjects have been directed at AP and Pre-AP summer institutes for subject matter and teaching strategies. A concerted effort to expand learning across the curriculum should be put in place for all subject areas on campus. Teachers will collaborate on lesson plans to incorporate TEKs from all subject areas in their classrooms.
2. The district should develop salary scales for all levels of district employees. Any position that requires a certain number of years in the classroom before a person can be certified to hold it; the salary level should take into consideration the number of years in the classroom into the experience of the applicant. Formulas for calculating salaries should be provided if requested.
3. The current activities for increasing parent participation are mainly centered on open house programs at individual campuses. District should plan more community based meetings with teachers and administration going out into the community and having meetings in different settings other than the school campuses. (i.e. churches, community centers, etc.)

Evaluate - Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research and identify at least 3 strategies for evaluating the improvement plans or recommendations.

1. To monitor the staff development, teachers will submit forms to department heads on conferences and courses they will be taking during the school year and summer for prior approval. All teachers will submit their lesson plans into Eduphoria which will be checked weekly by evaluating administrators.
2. Salary scales will be posted on the district website. All salary schedules will be evaluated and compared to area districts for relativity every three years. Detailed records will be kept of district job postings and the pool of applicants that apply. The district will hold a job fair in the spring of every year to promote job openings on district campuses.
3. Campus improvement teams will plan community based activities to promote parental involvement on campus at least once a semester. Campuses will utilize local media, district webpages, and the district phone dialer to promote the community meetings. Several campuses can have simultaneous meetings in the same place on the same night. Sign-in sheets and volunteer activity on campuses will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

Week Three Assignment, Part 2 – Part C of the Comprehensive Final Report

Describing Recommendations and District/Campus Improvement Initiative/Action Research Lessons Learned
Review the above analysis, and write at least one page thoroughly describing recommendations and lessons learned from experiences with the improvement initiatives or action research plans.

Any district’s plan is based on the premise of making their district the best that it can be. Time and effort is spent by countless staff to prepare goals and activities to make the district a success. The issue arises when you are putting a plan in place and the players that are required to make the plan work over time may not be there to see that the necessary support systems stay in place to make the plan work. When reviewing previous campus and district improvement plans, the above mentioned pattern has affected planning, development and follow-through in LISD. I have found, in talking with the many different stakeholders in the district, that many of the long-time employees feel that programs stay in place only as long as the administrator who introduced them stay in the district. Focus on continuity of a system or a program is imperative in the success of a district.

Having a highly qualified staff that is well-versed in cultural diversity will only increase the academic success in the classroom. Making sure that the support systems are in place to have said faculty on staff is one that needs to be addressed and improved upon in all areas. Campus administration must support their staffs to make sure they receive the tools that are necessary to have a safe, educational environment in their classrooms. These support systems start with the hiring process and continue through salary compensation, ancillary benefits straight through to the day-to-day activities on campus. A district or campus plan that does not address the needs of its staff will not succeed in improving the district. It is important that campus and district plans have concrete measures in place to meet their goals and needs of their staffs. Many times, abstract measures are put in place that cannot be measured for their effectiveness on campuses.

I have found that an effective educational leader on a campus or in a district needs to make sure that they research the plans and programs that have been in place on a campus or in a district before making changes or plans for the upcoming school years. It is important to know the history of the district to better plan for its future. That being said, it is also important that all campuses in a district have plans that not only support their campus’s goals but also support the district’s. This should also include goals that support the other campuses in the district. Each grade level acts as a building block in a student’s educational path. Secondary campuses should have collaborative meetings to make sure that their plans scaffold off of one another. Vertical alignment of curriculum along with lesson plans that work across the curriculum will allow the instruction in classrooms to be challenging and help students see that all of their subjects can be connected in some manner, just like it will connect to their everyday life.

It is important that district and campus plans be results of a collaborative effort. The activities scheduled to support these plans will require the entire faculty and staff’s participation for them to be successful. All stakeholders need to feel that the plan in place is their plan, not just something handed down to them from on high. Teamwork is important on all levels and is necessary for advancement for a district. It is the instructional leader of a district’s responsibility to make sure that the climate and support systems are in place for their faculty and staff to perform at the levels the community and stakeholders expect for the education of their children.

Job Plan: First day, Week, Month, and Year

The excitement of beginning my first superintendent position will be unbelievable. There are years of preparation that will have gone into the planning of the first day, week, month and year. I know what my vision will be for my job performance and the expectations I will have for those who make up my administrative team.

The first day, my goal will be to meet with my primary staff to include the assistant superintendents and all department heads. The main objective will be for me to introduce myself and give the staff a feel for my administrative style. Prior to my reporting for work on the first day, I will have already requested a district flow chart of responsibilities and asked for a detailed job responsibility report from each of the people I will be meeting with on the first day. The objective for this meeting will be to get the opinion of the “cabinet” on where they think the district is, where it’s going, and what are its greatest strengths and areas of weakness. After a short group meeting, I will meet individually with all involved. The first person that I would meet with, prior to the group meeting, is my administrative assistant to cover basic ideas I have for how we will conduct day-to-day business and activities.

During the first week, my goal will be to be visible throughout the district. I will make visits to all campuses and facilities (i.e. bus barn, maintenance,) taking a short time to speak with the lead administrator on each campus. At this time, I will ask the principal to prepare me a short report on their view of their campus and the district. My administrative assistant will have contacted everyone to let them know the time and date I will be coming to the campus.

Taking all of the information I gathered in the first week of the job, along with information I had gathered in the meetings and discussions I had with district representatives during the job selection process, I would spend the first month prioritizing my year plan on what I feel needed to be changed, needed to have more support or some improvement, or was fine as it is. I would initiate bi-weekly principal meetings and weekly cabinet meetings. My “cabinet” would consist of district department heads and the assistant superintendents. During these meetings, we would collaborate on problem-solving and formulate the strategic plan for the district for the upcoming year. Consensus planning is important in the first month and year to make sure that you have a chance for your team to bond and work together.

I would not plan on making any drastic changes with in the first year unless it was a matter of student safety or district fiduciary issues. In the first year, my main goal would be implementing ways to support the district’s vision statement by establishing goals that can be relevant and measurable. Also, it is important for me to let the district know what I expect of myself and my expectations for them. Throughout the entire time I am a superintendent, I think it is very important to be a visible fixture across the district. It is just as important to attend the Christmas choir concert at the elementary school as the state football game. My belief of “children first” should be modeled daily through my behavior and that of my staff.

Familiarizing myself with community leaders and becoming involved in the community would be an important part of my first year plan. As the superintendent, I should be the chief cheerleader and supporter for the district. In order to get our message out, it is important that I’m visible in the community and at community events. If I didn’t live in the district prior to taking the job, I would move into the district within the first month of holding the position. It is important for people to know you are committed to the students and to the community, not just collecting a paycheck.

Superintendent Competency 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.
Transparency has been a recurring theme in all of the discussions I have had with district personnel and educators. In order for a superintendent to meet the definition of transparency, he or she must act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner at all times. In my internship plan, four of the activities I selected fell under the Competency 1 area; however, in part, all of my activities could be connected to this area because it deals with how a superintendent interacts and conducts himself/herself on a daily basis.

The superintendent is the “face” of a school district. Perception is a key word that has been discussed in many of my meetings with current and past personnel along with stakeholders in the district. A superintendent can be doing everything according to the book, but if the perception of the community or the staff is that something is amiss, that is the “aura” that will penetrate and potentially damage the culture and effectiveness of an administrative team and a district as a whole. In discussing issues that deal with the development and passing of bond initiatives, Mary Springs, superintendent of Santa Gertrudis ISD, stated, “All the work put into a bond package can quickly go up in smoke if the stakeholders in your district do not have faith in the administrative team leading the district.” It is important that as a superintendent, you not only hold yourself to the highest standard of conduct but that you model this through the process used to make decisions, your daily actions and behaviors, and conducting yourself in a professional manner at all times when dealing with district staff, students, and stakeholders.

In working on my internship plan, the term of “situational ethics” came up a couple of times. The community business person believed that in business the ethics needed to fit the situation that was at hand. In talking with district leaders and the retired teachers, they held the common belief that “situational ethics” was more of an oxymoron unless you were talking about extreme circumstances, like a life or death situation. The teacher that had been in the district the longest, described previous and current superintendents in terms of their being trustworthy. She believed that some of the superintendents used the district only to better themselves, “a stepping stone on their road to bigger and better things.” In general, superintendents do not stay in a district forever for various reasons. I believe that how a superintendent leaves a district is just as important as how they begin with one. By placing the children first and conducting yourself in the most ethical and transparent way possible, the majority of stakeholders will see what you are trying to accomplish and support you and your staff in their efforts. It is important to improve the culture and climate of the district that you work in a manner that does not destroy the systematic beliefs that are in place, but enhances them into a system that benefits all.


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.
Teamwork is necessary for many things to be accomplished. In a school district, teamwork is crucial for the advancement of education for the population that it serves as well as the staff and faculty involved. Consensus on what the vision of a district should be can sometimes be hard to reach.

All stakeholders want their children educated, but in the manner of how it is done and the more defined goals can differ greatly from person to person. In the ever-changing technological world in which we live, many parents are left behind and fear that their children may be exposed to topics and situations that they have no control over through the use of technology. With the changes in requirements for graduation, parents often struggle with the courses their students are required to take that are outside of what they consider “needed”. Educating the parents in what is needed for their child to be successful and have the capabilities to meet their full potential is a crucial part of developing a shared vision supported by all.

A superintendent must be aware of the trends in education, so they can make sure that not only the shared vision is in line with expectations, but that it is also being implemented in a manner that encompasses all. Communicating the significance of the vision and how it relates to the local outcomes, as well as a global outcome, effectively is a key factor in a district’s success. The vision statement for a district can look phenomenal on paper but if it doesn’t have the systems in place to support it through implementation, articulation, and review, it is just a group of words on paper. Vision statements are just lofty dreams if they don’t have concrete tenets to help connect them to everyday practice. This is done through the policies and practices put into place by the administrative team lead by the superintendent and approved by the school board.

The district goals are tools to measure the progress the district is making towards fulfilling the district’s vision statement. These goals are also used as part of the criteria to measure the job performance of the superintendent. With the goals being part of the evaluation document for the superintendent, it’s imperative to effectively communicate the goals to all campuses and throughout the district. Board members use the superintendent’s job description with the district goals as the total evaluation tool. When talking to different board members, they have varying opinions on what is the most important goal for the district. This makes the process much more subjective according to the participants. Knowing the pulse of the board and keeping them informed of the ongoing processes in the district is important to make sure that the district is heading in the direction the board feels it should be going.

The superintendent is the steward of the ideals and educational beliefs of a community. Their attitude and manner of looking at the many different strengths and weaknesses of the district will shape and set the tone of the district’s culture.


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, it can either make a district soar or crash in a burning heap at the bottom of a ravine. The ability to communicate effectively, which means that you listen as well as you speak, is the most important skill a superintendent can possess. The school board members, many without any educational background, are the elected stewards of the educational health of a community’s children. The superintendent is hired by the board to ensure that the well-being of the community is cared for by providing guidance to all that work and attend school in the district.

To insure that the students’ needs are being met, the superintendent must make sure that there are programs in place, not only educational, and funding is adequate to run the programs effectively. In Lockhart, one program that tries to address the needs of the students outside of the classroom is Community in Schools (CIS). Each campus has a social worker that counsels students in small groups and individually. Students are recommended to the program by their teachers, counselors, administrators, or family members. It is hard for a student to be successful in school if outside forces and circumstances are working against them. CIS has access to many different resources not available to the district. In addition, since the CIS representative is a social worker and not a school employee, they have a wider scope available for which they can work.

The superintendent, or his representative, must work within the community to get the needs and goals of the district out to all of those outside of the district. Becoming a member of local business groups, such as the Chamber of Commerce, the superintendent can build relationships outside of the district that can enhance the community’s view of the district and may provide additional funding resources for certain projects. These groups also give another venue where a person can get the opinions and feel of leaders in the community outside of the office. In addition, being visible at school functions makes the public feel that a superintendent is connected with the daily activities in the district and strongly connected to the students. 

Site-based committees on each campus have representation from both the school and the community. The superintendent can use the reports from these committee meetings as another resource to evaluate the concerns of the community and individual campuses. By utilizing effective communication and building community relationships, a superintendent can ensure that he or she is getting the most out of the available resources to ensure the educational success of all students.

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.
Although the superintendent is the highest level lead employee of a school district, it is the school board that has the final say in district matters. This authority is given to them through the policies and laws put in place through the Texas Education Code and further expanded through local policy. The board sets the tax-rate, approves the budget, and gives final approval for most hiring of district employees, with advice and recommendations coming from the superintendent and his educational team. The superintendent is responsible for the day-to-day running of the district with the policies and staff in place. In order for the district to run effectively, the superintendent and the school board must be aware of their roles and duties and what areas they are responsible for and the areas they are not. Teamwork is essential and each group must respect the responsibilities and duties of the other without over-stepping their boundaries and attempting to micro-manage or leave completely out of the “loop”.

Trust plays a large part in effective superintendent/board relationships. The board must trust that the superintendent is serving the districts best interests on a daily basis. In turn, the superintendent must respect the input from the board and communicate with them honestly and effectively to keep the channels of communication open. At times, this might include unsatisfactory reviews of performances or questioning of why actions were taken. A superintendent needs to not take these negatives personally. He or she must be able to explain their actions in a reasonable manner in some instances. Board members generally do not have an educational background and may not understand why things are being done in a particular way, or why they can’t be done in a certain way. Strong communication skills and a healthy working relationship between the superintendent and the board will make for a stronger district not only in good times but also during stressful ones.

Keeping abreast of the political and economic climate is another area that the superintendent should do on a daily basis. By being able to see the trends and understand current issues, will help a superintendent better guide the processes that are currently in place to grow and change to continue supporting the district’s goals and vision. Funding can be found through alternative sources for certain projects when one knows what trends and political influences are occurring in certain areas. The superintendent can guide his staff to pursue the areas where additional funding might be available to better enhance programs on campuses or create new ones.

Staying abreast of these influences, a superintendent must be well-read and stay informed of the educational trends not only in his local area but also in state and federal trends. He or she must also be able to communicate the trends and how they can affect the district to personnel and the community at large.


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.

As an instructional leader, a superintendent needs to be able to take all avenues and assessment tools available to accurately measure his/her district’s performance and its road to meeting the district goals. Communicating the district’s vision to the district’s campuses and making sure that the individual campuses goals promote the district’s vision. 

In order for the campuses to be able to service the needs of the students, the curriculum and supports need to be in place for success. This includes the areas of curriculum, with a move to make sure that the subject areas are vertically aligned and instruction can be scaffolded to meet the students’ individual needs and assessments. Making sure the appropriate textbooks and instructional tools are available to the students and teachers, along with staff that is properly trained and have a positive educational environment in every classroom.

I met with the curriculum coordinator for the district to discuss the textbook adoption process. Changes have been put in place to ensure a more cohesive curriculum development from grade-level to grade-level. As superintendent, it is important that support staff for classroom teachers, which includes all at central office, is making choices and putting systems in place to improve the rigor and effective use of curriculum resources in the classrooms. Encouraging collaboration between teachers not only on the same campus, but across the district, will strengthen the delivery of information for all students.

Disaggregation of data is one of the more difficult areas for school personnel to incorporate at times. Bi-weekly principal meetings are in place for principals to collaborate on district issues and develop inter-campus programs and solutions. On individual campuses, department head meetings are held bi-weekly for principals to share information from the principal meetings and discuss student assessments and growth. Inova is a program used to organize data in a user friendly manner so that campuses, departments and individual teachers can incorporate assessment data information into the development of their lesson plans. As superintendent, it is important to have the appropriate tools in place for teachers, principals, and students to be successful.


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.

Individualized instruction, Response to Intervention (RTI), ELL, ESL, IDEA, GT, AP, and inclusion, the list goes on and on of specialized instruction programs to meet students’ needs. As superintendent, part of your job responsibilities is to advocate for instructional programs that meet all students’ needs. It is impossible to know everything, so it is important to have people on staff that are knowledgeable and can assist you in the job. Communication and trust with high-level staff is a big part of a successful administrative team. The ability to soundly assess specialized programs and their effectiveness in the classroom is another area that is pertinent to the successful growth of students. With special needs programs, continuity and adequate funding is important to sustain the educational and social growth of the participants. Ongoing professional development and keeping up with the trends of special education and the varying needs of the students that fall under its umbrella should be the priority of the special education department on every campus and in the district. As superintendent, giving adequate attention to the special programs is important to model for all employees so they realize every student’s educational growth counts in your district.

As important as activities are in the classroom, the extracurricular opportunities available to students are necessary to prepare them for life after high school. Meeting with students to see what their interests are and how they feel about the opportunities they have access to on campus is imperative to providing a top-notch extracurricular program of enrichment for students. Making sure that the campuses strategic plans address not only classroom opportunities but also extracurricular ones is needed to educate and meet the needs of all students.

Discipline management programs in use along with studying the data of discipline trends on campus are another factor in supporting the culture of a school district. Schools should analyze the Disciplinary PEIMS data to see what the recurring issues on campus are which could include types of referrals, discipline consequences assigned, ethnicity of students receiving referrals, etc. Discipline data can help when monitoring programs to see their effectiveness on a campus. It can help in deciding if certain teachers need additional professional development in classroom management. This would be a topic discussed in the bi-weekly principals meeting with the information then dispersed to the administrative teams on each campus as it pertains to them.
 

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.

This domain has a strong impact on all areas of a school district. As important as it is to hire the right people for the positions available, it is equally important to have a system in place that evaluates the effectiveness of the district’s staff. In Lockhart, for all teaching faculty, there is a locally developed evaluation systems called the Lockhart Teacher Appraisal Performance (LTAP). This document is not a punitive document. It is strictly used to evaluate a teacher’s strengths and weaknesses and determine an appropriate plan for professional growth. For administrative team members, the evaluation process is a two-step program where the employee evaluates their performance on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the highest. After the employee rates themselves, they have a conference with their supervisor to discuss the evaluation and how the supervisor rates them. At the end of the summative conference, the administrative team member develops goals for the upcoming school year.

As steward of the district, it is the superintendent’s charge to make sure that the district staff is stays up to date with the trends and best practices in education. There can sometimes be a tendency to try to follow trends so closely, that a program never truly gets implemented or sustained properly. A superintendent should spend as much thought and care into the implementation and sustaining of a program as they do in choosing the appropriate programs for a district.

When discussing programs with teachers, especially long-time teachers, one of the main complaints about school programs directed at discipline, tutoring, etc., was that time and money would be spent on them during the initial implementation, but that there was not much follow-up on the support as time would pass. Continuity goes well with the support of teacher programs as well as it does with programs directed solely at students.


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.
When discussing superintendent performance, two areas are usually discussed finances and curriculum. School finance in Texas is one of the most difficult things to address. Yearly changes from the Texas legislature in mandated programs, without necessarily providing funds to implement them, along with the inequitable funding practices of the overall system makes budgeting nearly impossible. How do you plan for the upcoming school year, when you are not sure how many students you will have and how much money the state and federal government will be allocating to your district? The fiduciary responsibilities of a superintendent nearly require an MBA in finance to address effectively. The chief financial officer of a district is nearly as important to the health of a district as the instructional leader. If a district is not financially sound, all of its programs and buildings begin to suffer.

I know that coming into this program, that the financial and facility management portion for a superintendent was my weakest area. I’m not a financial wizard, so I know that it is very important to surround myself with top-notch financial people to insure that I get the best advice when it comes to making financial suggestions and decisions for the district. It will be my charge to further increase my knowledge of public school funding so that I will be able to take the information given to me from my staff and make the best decisions possible.

In order to help the district staff operate more efficiently, implementing the use of technology that can enhance their work performance would be a top priority; however, just purchasing technology and not providing adequate training on it would not be an effective use of district funds or employee time.

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.

In tougher economic times, it is hard to pass bond packages to improve facilities or build new facilities. Maintenance of existing facilities becomes a key factor in the upkeep and extending the life of existing buildings. Staying well-informed of maintenance costs and renovation needed to keep existing buildings in shape for educational purposes is necessary. When a district is in need of building new facilities, knowing the cost and upkeep to the current facilities is something that needs to be considered and communicated to the public. It is imperative to be able to communicate all aspects of a bond package to answer all questions that will be asked by the voting public.

I toured the district facilities with the head of maintenance. He pointed out many areas where we needed to expend some capital outlay to insure the safety of the staff, and people who visit our campuses. He also compared the current high school facility to the list of standards set in order for a campus to be considered a safe and secure school. The high school did not measure up to the standards set due to the age of the facility and the nature of the open campus. The key concern is the number of access points to campus. The other concern about the campus is the maxed out electric grid that services the campus. No additional phone lines, computer drops, or other electrical wiring can be installed on campus because the grid is maxed out. The only way to extend and upgrade current technology on campus is to add another transformer.

Support staff that are knowledgeable about their job responsibilities and the area that it covers are imperative to building a strong administrative leadership team. It requires everyone in a district to educate a child. The maintenance and cleaning staff are important to preparing a safe instructional environment to enable the teachers and students to meet their potential in the classrooms.


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.
When looking at the ten competencies for a superintendent, this last one is really a combination of previous competencies and how you work with people and programs to comply with all of the state and federally mandated programs. I believe that collaborative problem-solving is an excellent way to work with a team of highly-qualified professionals. With that said, it is also my name that will be signed at the bottom of programs, reports, presentations and suggestions to the school board. It is important to celebrate the successes of all and to model informed, out-of-the box thinking and problem-solving. Your team should feel confident in risk-taking problem-solving activities.

Having a professional library that is current and up to date with the innovations in education is a must for a successful superintendent. This library should be open to all of the members of the administrative team. Book studies with lead administrators from each campus should be conducted on a regular basis. Well-informed staff members are more likely to make well-informed decisions. Modeling life-long learning to your staff is as important as the faculty modeling the same behavior to their students.

Most districts have a department, or a dedicated person, working with special programs with federal mandates. Lockhart ISD has a staff member that works with all federally funded programs concentrating on ELL, TELPAS, and the curriculum practices they go along with the programs. It is important that they stay informed of the current practices and programs. Most of the programs have contacts through the educational service centers and area districts belong to the listserv that is dedicated to the programs. For smaller districts, this gives them a network of other professionals to bounce ideas off of and to help with any questions that may arise when dealing with the implementation and support of the programs.

Career and Leadership Goals

Assignment Part 2: Career Position and Leadership Goals

I have been an assistant principal at a high school for four years. The position I currently hold has been extremely educational for me in all areas that knowledge is needed to lead a successful campus. I have been giving some deep thought into which path I would like to travel down for the rest of my career.

I originally taught in a small 2A high school. I loved the culture of the school and the connections you can make with the students and your staff. I really think that my I would like to begin my career as a principal in a smaller school. Being in a smaller district requires the academic leaders to wear many hats. I believe that the experience will better prepare me for moving on to the next level of my career. I believe that I would like to move on to a larger, urban school after being at the smaller school for at least three years. After serving at the larger district, I would like to find a central office position in curriculum instruction or if I’m finished with my doctorate, a teaching position at the college-level.

Why do I want to be an educational leader? This is the exact question I asked myself when I sat down to take my GRE test before beginning my master’s program. Originally I was motivated to continue my education because of my desire to learn more about how to lead in the classroom and on campus. I had an exceptional principal that had recently left our campus to move on to a new district. She was replaced with someone who wasn’t quite prepared to step into a campus leadership position. I saw the damage that could be caused to a successful school with a positive culture when its leadership was ineffective. I love working with students and I found that with each passing course in my master’s program, the more I wanted to continue learning about what all the possibilities and strategies that could be used to bring a positive culture to any campus. Kids have to be connected to something in their lives and what better to connect to than a campus and the love of learning. Making students want to be lifelong learners is my main goal as an educator.

With each course of my superintendent’s program, I learn more about improving education on a larger scale; however, when all is said and done, it is about the people. If you forget the reason for why you are where you are, it is time to do something different. Schools are not mindless corporations but are the safe haven for future generations. Whether I am a principal, a central office administrator, or a superintendent, my motivation will always be the students. The knowledge I have gathered through this program has better prepared me to be a servant leader.

Assessment

SBEC Superintendent Competencies

Self-Assessment 

Directions:  Below you will find the SBEC Superintendent Competencies as revised in the Fall of 2010. Each competency is supported by indicators. The indicators are guides to identify knowledge and skills Superintendents should be practicing.

For each indicator, enter S, C, or I. The “S, C, or I” will indicate your assessment of your experience with each indicator.

Key to scoring:  S = I consider this a strength, I could lead in this activity.

                               C=  I feel competent in this area of knowledge and skill

       I = This is an area on which I would like to focus and improve my     knowledge and skill

When you complete the self-assessment, review your responses, compare your responses to your answers in the first course, EDLD 5396, identify your strengths and be sure to include and identify any areas needed for improvement, and include these in your 3 Year Professional Development Plan for Week 5’s Assignment.

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.

The superintendent knows how to:

_S___ serve as an advocate for all children.

_S___ model and promote the highest standard of conduct, ethical principles, and integrity in decision making, actions, and behaviors.

__S__ exhibit understanding and implement policies and procedures that promote district personnel compliance with The Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators.

__S__ monitor and address ethical issues impacting education.

__S__ apply laws, policies, and procedures in a fair and reasonable manner.

__S__ interact with district staff, students, school board, and community in a professional and ethical manner.

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 knows how to:

__S__ establish and support a district culture that promotes learning, high expectations, and academic rigor for self, students, and staff.

__S__ facilitate the development and implementation of a shared vision that focuses on teaching and learning and ensures the success of all students.

__S__ implement strategies for involving all stakeholders in planning processes and for facilitating planning between constituencies.

__S__ use formal and informal techniques to monitor and assess district/school climate for effective, responsive decision making.

__S__ institute procedures for monitoring the accomplishment of district goals and objectives to achieve the district's vision.

__C__ facilitate the development, use, and allocation of all available resources, including human resources, to support implementation of the district's vision and goals.

__S__ recognize and celebrate contributions of staff and community toward realization of the district's vision.

__S__ maintain awareness of emerging issues and trends affecting public education and communicate their significance to the local educational community.

__S__ encourage and model innovative thinking and risk taking and view problems as opportunities.

__S__ promote multicultural awareness, gender sensitivity, and the appreciation of diversity in the educational community.

__S__ understand and support educational programs for all student populations, including students with special needs.

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.

The superintendent knows how to:

__S__ serve as an articulate, effective communicator for the importance of public education in a free democratic society.

___S_ develop and implement an effective and comprehensive internal and external district communications plan and public relations program.

__S__ analyze community and district structures and identify major opinion leaders and their relationships to district goals and programs.

__S__ establish partnerships with families, area businesses, institutions of higher education, and community groups to strengthen programs and support district goals.

__S__ implement effective strategies for systematically communicating with and gathering input from all stakeholders in the district.

__S__ communicate and work effectively with diverse groups in the district and community; i.e., social, cultural, political, ethnic, and racial group, so that all students receive appropriate resources and instructional support to ensure educational success.

__S__ develop and use formal and informal techniques to gain an accurate view of the perceptions of district staff, families, and community members.

__S__ use effective consensus-building and conflict-management skills.

__S _ articulate the district's vision and priorities to the community and to the media.

__S__ influence the media by using proactive communication strategies that serve to enhance and promote the district's vision.

__S__ communicate effectively about positions on educational issues using effective writing, speaking, and active listening skills to ensure educational success for all students.

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.

The superintendent knows how to:

__S__ analyze and respond to political, social, economic, and cultural factors affecting students and education.

__S__ provide leadership in defining superintendent-board roles and establishing mutual expectations.

__S__ communicate and work effectively with board members in varied contexts, including problem-solving and decision-making contexts.

__S__ work with the board of trustees to define and consistently adhere to mutual expectations, policies, and standards.

__S__ access and work with local, state, and national political systems and organizations to elicit input on critical educational issues.

__C__ use legal guidelines to protect the rights of students and staff and to improve learning opportunities.

__C__ prepare and recommend district policies to improve student learning and district performance in compliance with state and federal requirements

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.

The superintendent knows how to:

__S__ facilitate effective curricular decision making based on an understanding of pedagogy, curriculum design, cognitive development, learning processes, and child and adolescent growth and development.

__S__ implement planning procedures to develop curricula that achieve optimal student learning and that anticipate and respond to occupational and economic trends.

__S__ implement curriculum design and delivery systems to ensure instructional quality, appropriate depth of learning, and alignment across the district.

__S__ develop and implement collaborative processes for systematically assessing and renewing the curriculum to meet the needs of all students and ensure appropriate scope, sequence, content, and alignment.

__S__ use assessment to measure student learning, diagnose student needs, and determine effectiveness of the curriculum to ensure educational accountability.

__S__ evaluate district curricula and provide direction for improving curricula based on sound, research-based practices.

__C__ facilitate the integration of technology into the school district curriculum to enhance learning for all students

__S__ facilitate the effective coordination creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem solving by appropriate school district staff and other individuals involved in curriculum design and delivery.

__S__ facilitate the effective coordination of district and campus curricular and extracurricular programs.

__S__ ensure that staff members have a working knowledge of the accountability system and are monitoring its components to increase student performance.

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.

The superintendent knows how to:

__S__ apply knowledge of motivational theories and strategies to encourage staff, students, families/caregivers, and the community to strive to achieve the district's vision.

__S__ facilitate the implementation of sound, research-based theories and techniques of classroom management, student discipline, and school safety to ensure a school district environment conducive to learning.

__S__ facilitate the development of a learning organization that encompasses high student engagement and learning with academic rigor through the use of effective planning and lesson design.

__S__ facilitate the ongoing study of current best practice and relevant research and encourage the application of this knowledge to district/school improvement initiatives.

__S__ implement and support student services and activity programs to address developmental, scholastic, social, emotional, cultural, physical, and leadership needs.

__S__ establish a comprehensive school district program of student assessment, interpretation of data, and reporting of state and national data results for improvement of student learning

__S__ apply knowledge of special programs to ensure that students are provided with appropriate resources and effective, flexible instructional programs and services.

__S__ analyze instructional resource needs and deploy instructional resources effectively and equitably to enhance student learning.

__S__ analyze the implications of various organizational factors (e.g., staffing patterns, class scheduling formats, school organizational structures, student discipline practices) for teaching and learning.

__S__ develop and use appropriate change processes to improve student and adult learning.

__S__ ensure responsiveness to diverse sociological, linguistic, cultural, psychological, and other factors that may affect student development and learning and create an environment in which all students will learn.

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.

The superintendent knows how to:

__S__ improve teaching and learning by participating in quality relevant professional development activities and studying current professional literature and research.

__S__ develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive professional development plan to address identified areas of district, campus, and/or staff need.

__S__ facilitate the application of adult learning principles to all professional development activities, including the use of support and follow-up strategies to facilitate implementation.

__S__ implement strategies to enhance the expertise and skill of staff at the district and campus levels.

__S__ work collaboratively with other district personnel to plan, implement, and evaluate professional growth programs.

__S__ deliver effective presentations and facilitate learning for both small and large groups.

__S__ implement effective strategies for the recruitment, selection, induction, development, evaluation, and promotion of staff.

__S__ develop and implement comprehensive staff evaluation models that include both formative and summative assessment and appraisal strategies.

_S___ assess and support the organizational health and climate by implementing necessary strategies to improve the performance of all staff members.

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.

The superintendent knows how to:

__S__ apply procedures for effective budget planning and management.

__S__ work collaboratively with board of trustees and appropriate personnel to develop district budgets.

__C__ facilitate and evaluate effective account auditing and monitoring that complies with legal requirements and local district policy.

__C__ establish district procedures for accurate, effective, ethical purchasing and financial record keeping and reporting.

__C__ acquire, allocate, and manage resources according to district vision and priorities, including obtaining and using funding from various sources.

__S__ use district and staff evaluation data for personnel policy development and decision making.

__S__ apply knowledge associated with personnel management, including requirements related to certifying, recruiting, screening, selecting, evaluating, disciplining, reassigning, and dismissing personnel.

__S__ manage one's own time and the time of others to enhance district operations.

__C__ develop and implement plans for using technology and information systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of school district operations.

__C__ apply legal concepts, regulations, and codes as required.

_C___ use revenue forecasting and enrollment forecasting to address personnel and budgetary needs accurately.

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 knows how to:

__S__ apply procedures for planning, funding, renovating, and/or constructing school facilities to support the district’s mission and goals.

__C__ implement strategies that enable the district's physical plant, equipment, and support systems to operate safely, efficiently, and effectively.

__S__ apply strategies for ensuring the safety of students and personnel and for addressing emergencies and security concerns.

__S___ develop and implement procedures for emergency planning and for responding to crises.

__S___ apply procedures for ensuring the effective operation and maintenance of district facilities.

__C__ implement evaluate appropriate procedures to ensure efficient, effective district transportation services, food services, health services, and other services.

___C_ apply legal concepts, regulations, and codes as required.

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.

The superintendent knows how to:

__S__ implement appropriate leadership skills, techniques, and group process skills to define roles, assign functions, delegate effectively, and determine accountability for goal attainment.

__S__ implement processes for gathering, analyzing, and using data for informed decision making to attain district goals.

_S___ identify, analyze, and resolve problems using appropriate problem-solving techniques and decision-making skills.

__S__ use strategies for working with others, including the board of trustees, to promote collaborative decision making and problem solving, facilitate team building, and develop consensus.

__S__ encourage and facilitate positive change, enlist support for change, and overcome obstacles to change in varied educational contexts.

__S__ analyze and use political influences to benefit the educational organization.

Superintendent's Proficiency Assessment

Self-assessment reflection

In completing the Superintendent Competency Self-Assessment I was amazed at the number of areas that I have gone from a C or an I to an S. The knowledge that I have garnered with my coursework combined with my day-to-day work activities has really combined to make me much better prepared to take the next step in my career.

My strengths are in the areas of communication and curriculum and instruction. I have an affinity for the classroom and there is no place I’d rather be than watching a teacher connect with the students in his/her classroom. This leads me to feel extremely comfortable with Domains I and II. I feel comfortable speaking with all sizes of groups and enjoy doing research to figure out a problem and keep abreast of the trends that are affecting education.

My concern and area that I need to do the most work in is in Domain III dealing with the financial aspects of the superintendency and dealing with the maintenance and support of district facilities. When working on the assignment that dealt with the financial worksheets and templates, I felt completely inadequate. After speaking with some friends who work as superintendents and in central office, I felt better because they said the templates could make them feel inadequate also. While I continue with my educational growth, I will focus more on the financial and facility aspects of a superintendent’s responsibilities so that I can be well prepared for when I step into a district’s lead administrator.