3 Year Plan Reflection

The time that I spent working on my three year plan allowed me the opportunity to see what areas that I specifically needed to target first to feel confident in my ability to lead a district.  I entered the Lamar program concerned about my knowledge of district budget and finance.  While my knowledge of this subject has grown over the last 9 months, I can honestly say that it was my very top priority when looking at which goal to tackle on the first year and as my first goal.  One thing that I must remember to do is take advantage of the relationships that I have developed over the last 17 years of my educational career.  I have good friends that I need to be able to rely on as a mentor should I need their assistance, but also rely on those that have the greatest areas of strength and not depend on only one or two people.  Coming up with the mentor list, I challenged myself to avoid writing the same name twice which pushed me to think about colleagues and friends that I could call upon should I need assistance.  It was an excellent activity that helped me develop a solid plan if I enter the realm of being a superintendent.

SISE Reflection

As my time with Dr. George Kazanas comes to an end with my Lamar Superintendent Internship, I cannot help but think how fortunate I was to have him as my supervisor.  Our final conference was a positive experience that truly made me think ponder the thought of the superintendent seat being a real reality.  The date of our conference was Tuesday, September 17, 2013, and Dr. Kazanas was kind enough to come to the high school for our final visit.  For years, I have spoken about how much I enjoy working at as the principal of a high school.  After my meeting with Dr. Kazanas, I felt that should I decide that I want to take the next step that I have the tools necessary to be successful as a superintendent.  Dr. Kazanas highlighted several of the competencies as Exemplary.  Within each one of these areas, he took time to not only write but verbally share his feelings about why he felt these areas were areas that I was truly prepared.  His comments were uplifting and very thoughtful.  I have mentioned before in previous blogs that Dr. Kazanas takes advantage of opportunities to teach beyond just what is required in the paper.  Our time together was no exception.  The areas that he rated me Proficient were areas that I completely would agree.  Rather than writing comments on these areas, we discussed strategies to strengthen these areas should I determine that I want to pursue the position of superintendent.  I did not have any competencies that Dr. Kazanas rated as Minimally Proficient.  This entire experience gave me the opportunity to stretch my knowledge of school leadership and also gave me the chance to get to know my superintendent better.  I feel confident that if I pursue a superintendent position that Dr. Kazanas will be one of my strongest supporters.

Reflection

When I first began thinking about this assignment, about the value of reflecting on our reflections that we have made throughout this assignment, my thoughts went a book that I saw over the summer that is titled Using Reflection and Metacognition to Improve Student Learning:  Across the Disciplines, Across the Academy.  While I must truthfully confess that I have not had the opportunity to read this selection, I was able to look at the synopsis when considering the book and seeing just the value of reflection as a strong learning tool for students and I have seen the value of reflection for our activities.  I often find disappointment with myself that I failed to be reflective early in my administrative career of stories that I may never remember again, lessons that I learned from my mentors, and situations that I may never face again.  One story that I wished I would have put into a reflection was when I was asked by a teacher to “adjudicate” a situation between her and another teacher.  While I don’t remember the story, I recall needing to look up the word adjudicate because it was not one of the PSAT words I heard every day.  While I can say that all of my experiences have made me into the principal that I am today, some of those meaningful moments will be forever lost in the complete detail because I did not seize the opportunity to put down my thoughts.  A number of research studies have identified the value of reflection and for educators to monitor their own understanding.  Just this week within one of my Baylor courses, I read an article title “Meeting the Challenge:  Beginning English Teachers Reflect on Their First Year” by Melanie Shoffner, Matthew Brown, Bridget Platt, Martha Long, and Bryan Salyer.   about 4 brand new English teachers that wrote reflections at the end of each week of their first year.  These insights not only gave the new teachers a memory of that first year, it also is a useful learning tool for all educators and especially campus administrators when working with a new staff member. 

 

While considering what reflections were most meaningful to me, one jumped out from by time blogging.  That assignment was when we wrote a reflection about our Superintendent interview.  I wrote a very positive article about my superintendent and drew from that experience some of the things that I would aspire to do if I became a superintendent.  A reason that this particular reflection became meaningful during this experience is that all my interactions with Dr. Kazanas have been in a similar nature and tone.  He has looked all each of these times that I am working on a Lamar University assignment that requires his attention as a learning opportunity and has been that way since our first interaction.  I hope that I can do the same for aspiring administrators if given the opportunity. 

 

One of the most meaningful activities I logged from my time working on the internship hours was the time that I toured the district campuses to look at what summer construction needs were going to be addressed.  As I reflected on that experience and what a superintendent must to do have a good grasp of Competency 9.  The activity was getting to be a shadow as the Superintendent and District Director of Facilities looked at a variety projects.  The experience was so valuable from what I learned and then what I was able to take the time and reflect on paper.

 

I will keep close all of my reflections from the course on budget.  I have felt from the outset of these 6 classes that finance will be my downfall for landing my first position as superintendent; I made numerous reflections on the assignments from that course.  I tried to capture thoughts and ideas that would ultimately help me prepare to be successful if given the opportunity to interview for a superintendent position.  I can even say that the assessment we took at the beginning of the year showed this was an area of weakness that would need to be addressed if I wanted to be successful. 

 

I hope that I will continue to use reflection as a valuable learning tool in my educational leadership experience.  I can see the value of it this year as I have faced a year that may never be duplicated where I have to work outside my comfort zone on numerous activities.  If I take the time to be reflective, I can not only look at how I have grown professionally, I can also use those lessons to help me be a better leader should a similar situation arise again. 

Comprehensive Final Report Describing Recommendations and District/Campus Improvement Initiative/Action Research Lessons Learned

I have learned a variety of lessons not only as an administrator but also as a potential superintendent. My first lesson was a crossover lesson not only connected to campus and district plans but also connected directly with my own life. That first lesson is simply this, as you write out your district (or campus) improvement plan make sure that you don’t put too much on your shoulders that makes it almost impossible to succeed. As I have been taking my Lamar courses, thinking about superintendency, I have also been working on classes at Baylor for a doctorate. This first lesson has been crystal clear to me as I looked at robust campus plans and big plans for the district plan but saw the potential that all might not be completed because there were so goals on the table. My life lesson was the same, in that I have wondered if I did not put too much on my plate trying to do all that I am trying to do.

 

My first recommendation would be to put into place plans that are not just meaningful on paper but meaningful to the entire campus and district.  In order to ensure that this recommendation is accomplished, I believed that the district needs to make it a requirement that every campus principal sits down with the staff, reviews the existing campus and district improvement plan and gather input from the staff on each of these documents.  Prior to that meeting, I would want each campus principal sitting down with the district level leadership to work on their own campus improvement plans in order to ensure the alignment of district level goals with the campus level goals.  Following those meetings, I would have the principals work with their campus leadership to finalize the plan and confirm what staff members will be responsible for each key goal.  I truly believe that there are staff members within the district that have been employed with the district for over 15 years and have never had the opportunity to review a campus improvement plan, nor have they seen the value to why those goals should be listed on that document.

 

One recommendation that cannot be lost is the work going on at the campus and district level preparing the students for 21^st Century learning.  The district has been taking a number of steps to prepare the teachers to actively engage the students utilizing new technologies and new strategies.  Sometimes that work can go unnoticed by the district or underappreciated by the campus leadership.  So we must keep the work going to equip our teachers but as we metaphorically push and pull the teachers towards new ideas, we must pat them on the back to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts. 

Job Entry Reflection

The task of creating what I would do if hired as superintendent on the first day, the first week, the first month and first year, really caused me to be reflective of the things that I view as critical components of my leadership style.  I was appreciative of the feedback I received from my classmates that gave me ideas about other good connections such as the Region Service Center to be an early contact.  I also appreciate the feedback regarding some of my early contact being connection with parents.  I feel like this has been a strength of mine during my administrative career.  I also wanted to highlight the need to establish strong relationships with my district and campus leadership staff.  The final element that I had strong feelings about was to ensure that the students of my district had a strong, viable curriculum to help them be successful in all their future endeavors. 

Review of Internship Plan

I truly feel blessed to have the experiences that I was able to engage in during my internship experience.  I think one of the best experiences that I was able to learn from was the fact that our district was going through a bond proposal.  The bond proposal not only allowed me to learn a great deal about the district’s financial status, it also allowed me to see how the bond would affect other areas of the district.  When I think about the key components of the bond proposal and their affect transportation, technology, our overall budget, ethics, legal aspects and buy-in from the community, it was a great opportunity to have an experience that others going through the Lamar superintendent program may not have experienced.  And it is an experience that I hope to not go through for many years to follow. 

 

Besides the bond issue providing great learning experiences, I was appreciative of the district leadership within Midway ISD for allowing me to take their time and them each giving a great deal of thought to ensure that the lessons I would learn from each of them would help me to be a better superintendent if that were something I wanted to pursue.  I also appreciated getting to visit with students which is why I love my job so much.  I find that the students took their tasks seriously and gave a great deal of thought to their tasks to help me in my internship.

 

I think one of the major takeaways that I have from my internship is the need to establish a strong vision and ensure that all stakeholders know that vision.  Although a district has a mission statement and many districts have a vision statement, sometimes those are not completely in sync so with one another which makes it critical that all people understand the direction the superintendent intends to take the district. 

 

A second takeaway is the need to have a clear message from the district and have that message known by all staff, especially the staff that will help get out that message.  Whether it is social media or just in meetings, communicating the common message in a strong manner helps ensure that the message is getting out.  I had great opportunities through the bond process but also in a variety of other ways to see the effectiveness of a good communication strategy. 

 

A final takeaway that I would highlight is the need for continued professional development of a superintendent.  When a person reaches the highest point in a district, they cannot let their learning end but need to be an example of what a lifelong learner should be for all employees to see.  The other element I would share is that it is important to be a lifelong learner but also to continue to be a teacher for those who wish to grow professionally. 

 

I will value my time in my internship plan and will be prepared for success should I ever desire to take the next step in my educational career. 

Superintendent Entry Plan

Please write a job entry plan describing the following for your FIRST DAY, FIRST WEEK, FIRST MONTH, AND FIRST YEAR.

 

First Day:

 

Goal(s): Begin to establish strong relationships with different groups in the district.

 

Objective(s): Share expectations and learn about different groups expecations.

 

Activities: I would want to have 3 formal meetings during the day on my first day.  My first, early morning meeting would be with the superintendent’s secretary to just touch base about the first few weeks, establishment of routines, and expectations how we can work together more efficiently.  I would want the superintendent’s secretary to start scheduling time for me to meet with all district principals, directors, executive directors and assistant superintendents to learn more about each and their career aspirations.  The second formal meeting would be an opportunity to meet with the School Board President.  The purpose of the meeting would just be to share my appreciation to lead the district and start to establish routine communication between us. The final formal meeting would be the district’s PTA president.  This would give me the opportunity to learn about our parents and hear about any PTA initiatives.  The other goals for the day would be to briefly stop by to informally meet other members of the district administrative staff.

 

Resources: Time

 

 

First Week:

 

Goal: To develop collegial relationships with all upper district staff, help establish the understanding that I am approachable and available, and begin to establish communication with parents. 

 

Objectives: Learn from each administrator their own professional goals, views of their campus and district, and their hopes/expectations for the superintendent. 

 

Activities: Scheduled meetings that will last a minimum of 1 hour with each of the district principals, directors, executive directors and assistant superintendents.  My activity will include approximately 10 questions to get to know more about them, their role for the district, and who they view as the most valuable staff within the district.  The meetings will be hosted at the administration building but I will schedule a follow up visit to have the opportunity to tour their campus/facility.  I will finish the week with an informal luncheon with all assistant superintendents of the district.

 

Resources: Personnel and time.

 

 

First Month:

 

Goal: Continue to build relationships with key members of our district team and have the district understand the vision/direction of my leadership. 

 

Objectives: Continue to have meetings with key staff members, lay out vision for the district of our district, establish an open door to key members of the district leadership team, and learn about the strengths of the district plus areas to grow.

 

Activities: Have follow-up meetings with campus principals and district administrators.  Those meetings will be conducted at the principal/district administrator’s facility and will include a brief tour of their facility.  At each of these meetings, I will review the district’s vision and mission statements with each administrator to learn what activities each are doing to contribute to that mission.  I will formally meet with each of the school board members to develop a relationship with each individually.  Review with the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction the district improvement plan and learn how the district established that plan.  Finally, I will have a meeting of all district leadership to have everyone collectively hear from me about my vision for our district. 

 

Resources: Notes from initial meeting with principals/district administrators, district improvement plan, and district vision/mission statements.

 

One Year:

 

Goal: Develop strong relationships with district leadership, School Board members, teachers and parent groups, plus review and establish that the district is providing a strong, viable curriculum for all students. 

 

Objectives: Establish the expectation that as superintendent that communication between all leadership, teachers and the community is vital.  Establish committee to review curriculum. 

 

Activities: Attendance at a variety of parent meetings, attendance at campus staff meetings at least twice a year, attendance of leadership at monthly board meetings, attendance of all leadership at a monthly administrative meeting, and the establishment of a district curriculum review which will use the district improvement plan as a resource.

 

Resources: Personnel, curriculum binders, District Improvement Plan and Campus Improvement Plans, School Board policies, and time.

Career Goal and My Leadership Goals

I am very fortunate to have reached my goal for my career position that I would be pursuing.  The spring that I applied to be principal at Midway High School, I also applied to the Baylor Doctoral program.  I feel passionate that as a leader, I need to model skills for the staff that will be meaningful.  I want all teachers to be life-long learners and I felt the best way for me to model this desire is to pursue my doctoral degree.  Within the Baylor Doctorate program, there was not an elective area that I felt would help me grow within my job better than the superintendent program.  Because Baylor did not have those courses, I pursued them at Lamar University.  I feel extremely blessed to work at one of the greatest high schools in the state of Texas with a strong group of teachers that have a big heart for their students, and with a group of students that I would compare to any students in the State of Texas.  They are just such a great group of young men and young women.  I felt like my 4 years as an assistant principal, 2 years as a director in Human Resources, 2 years as an associate principal and 2 years as a campus principal in another district all led me to a place that I was prepared to take the position of principal at Midway High School.  I think each of these positions gave me experiences and pressures that helped prepare me to be the leader of a campus.  Each of them were extremely different but gave me many experiences that make the role of campus principal one that I feel extremely prepared. 

My opportunity to influence the lives of all students was very limited while serving as a teacher and coach. I felt that we have students that walk the halls of so many high schools and never experience a connection to that campus.  My goal as an assistant principal, associate principal and then principal was to help students find their connections to the campus and have a richer high school experience.  I have always encouraged students to get involved since I was an assistant principal and will continue that desire until I leave education.  So my hope as a leader would that every student of Midway High School would find their niche at the campus by being involved in a club, organization or activity.  I truly believe that students will have greater success if they are involved and have a greater purpose of their time at school.  And if the students have this greater purpose, it will motivate them to achieve more academically, be more caring to their fellow classmates, and make decisions that will keep them out of any trouble.  Helping students is why I go to work each day because it helps me and I feel called to this purpose.  I feel blessed that I get to be around the best students every day but there are those that still can experience Midway if they will find their connection. 

Post Self-Assessment EDLD 5399

The Lamar Superintendent Program has allowed me the opportunity to build several areas of my administrative experience that needed to be addressed.  It also gave me the opportunity to strengthen those areas that I feel confident with my knowledge.  One area that I feel is a strength is Competency 1.  This competency includes areas such as acting with integrity, fairness and acting in an ethical manner in order to promote the success of all students.  I felt strong about this competency after the initial assessment back in January but my work within the Lamar program has even made me feel stronger with this competency.  Another area that I felt good about was Competency 4.  This was another area that I felt good about during the initial assessment from January.  My time within all of my courses has allowed me to hone in my knowledge and skills within this area which addresses responding to and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context, including working with the board of trustees, to achieve the district’s educational vision.  It was a competency that I had only a few “C” during my final assessment.  Competency 6, which addresses how to advocate, promote, and sustain an instructional program and a district culture that are conducive to student learning and staff professional growth, was another competency that I felt was a strength during my final assessment.  The last competency that I felt highlighted a strong competency was Competency 10 which addressed how to apply organizational, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to a comply with federal and state requirements and facilitate positive change in varied contexts.

The Lamar Superintendent Program also allowed me to work on areas that I will continue to work on even if I were to become a superintendent.  The first area that I will continue to address is Competency 8, which addresses how to apply principles of effective leadership and management in relation to district budgeting, personnel, resource utilization, financial management, and technology application.  The areas that I must continue to look for opportunities to grow are in the area of budget.  I feel that I grew from my budget class but it is still has many components that I want to learn.  The final competency that I want to work on to make it stronger would be Competency 9 which address 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.  I completed several activities this summer to give me learning opportunities through my internship plan, but it will still be an area that I need to continue to work on learning.