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.
I participated in three activities that aligned with Competency 001
for a total of ten internship hours. Each of these activities has been
beneficial to my growth and development towards one day being a district level
leader of the educational community. Though I had three designated activities
in this competency, there were many activities and experiences I’ve had during
the internship that I feel have provided me with effective examples of
Competency 001 elements.
One activity I completed was I interviewed a long-term member of
the community and district while noting significant events that affect the
district today. This activity helped me to gain further understanding of the
common values and culture of the citizens of this area. Gaining this knowledge
will help me in my relations with district and community members in regards to
both personal and professional interactions in regards to interacting with
district staff, students, school board, and community in a professional and
ethical manner.
Another activity I completed was I wrote a reflection that showed
how I monitor and adjust my performance as I ask staff members to. My
Superintendent stated his desire to be an exemplary district. In my office I
wrote myself a note that reminds me to strive to be exemplary in documentation,
communication, and expectations with students, staff members, parents, and my
projection of myself in and to the community. During my time in administrations
I have learned that administrators are scrutinized and criticized, and I need
to model self-evaluation, performance adjustment, and self-reflection in order
to become an exemplary administrator. Conducting this activity has allowed me
to model and promote the highest standard of conduct, ethical principles, and
integrity in decision-making, actions and behaviors, as well as applying laws,
policies, and procedures in a fair and reasonable manner. Also, by completing
this activity I know how to promote and apply The Code of Ethics and
Standard Practices for Texas Educators.
I also was able to analyze the correlation between the
Superintendent’s job description and the performance standards of evaluation.
In doing so I was able to contact and interview my Superintendent in regards to
this activity. Prior to my interview I was able to obtain a copy of the
Superintendent’s job description, as well as a copy of the individual appraisal
forms utilized by the school board members in appraising the level of
attainment of expectations by the Superintendent. I noticed similarities
between the major responsibilities and duties of the Superintendent’s job
description and the evaluation objectives on the individual appraisal. It was
helpful to gain the perception of my Superintendent on the appraisal process
during the interview, in which a key learning for me was realizing that while
the appraisal process is meant to be objective it can oftentimes be subjective
despite the requirements the board must meet during the appraisal process. This
has given me a new perspective on an ethical issue that can impact education
that all Superintendents face.
Throughout this internship experience based on interviews I’ve
conducted, activities I’ve participated in, the conversations and actions of my
Superintendent I have observed, I believe I know how to serve as an advocate for
all children. An essential learning for me that came to light during my
internship interviews with the different department Directors was in order to
be an effective Superintendent I must develop a heightened sense of awareness
of the various “special” populations of students, such as Special Education,
English Language Learners, Gifted & Talented students, and Behavior
Intervention students and determine how to advocate on their behalves as a
district leader to increase student achievement. Participating in these
internship activities has helped me to gain knowledge towards master of
Competency 001 in that I know how to “act with integrity, fairness, and in
an ethical manner in order to promote the success of all students.”
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.
I participated in five activities that corresponded to Competency
002 accruing a total of twenty-eight internship hours. Each of these activities
has been beneficial to my growth and development towards one day being a
district level leader of the educational community. Though I had five
designated activities in this competency, there were many activities and
experiences I’ve had during the internship that I feel have provided me with
effective examples of Competency 002 elements.
I analyzed my school’s vision and mission statement as it related
to the school’s master schedule. As the creator of the master schedule on my
campus I sought the input of staff members near the end of the last school year
in regards to changes that could be implemented to better the campus and
learning. In creating an effective master schedule and analyzing how it relates
to the school’s vision and mission statement I feel I learned to apply
Competency 002 elements in that I know how to facilitate the development, use
and allocation of all available resources, including human resources to support
implementation of the district’s vision and goals, as well as understand and
support educational programs for all student populations, including students
with special needs.
Another activity
I completed was I reviewed the strategic plan for the district, noting
personnel involved in the plan’s development, implementation, and evaluation.
Having served on a
District and Campus Site-Based Decision Making Committee previously I was
familiar with the purpose of each committee, the make-up and the development
process of a strategic campus/district plan. During this activity I learned
that our Assistant Superintendent utilizes formative reviews of district
activities at least four times per year in order to help measure objective and
goal attainment. A key learning for me during this activity was learning how to
align district budget allocation to strategic planning performance objectives.
Through review of my district’s strategic plan for my district I feel I have
developed towards mastery of Competency 002 by knowing how to facilitate the
development and implementation of a shared vision that focuses on teaching and
learning, as well as implementing strategies for involving all stakeholders in
planning processes and for facilitating planning between constituencies.
My Superintendent
tasked me with collecting and analyzing assessment data for all district
campuses for a two-year period, noting findings and trends, as well as advising
him on the top three areas to target. After meeting with my Superintendent to
debrief my findings and suggestions, I feel I know how to use formal and
informal techniques to monitor and assess district climate, as well as
institute procedures for monitoring the accomplishment of district goals and
objectives to achieve the district’s vision.
Involvement in formal and informal
observation, as well as participation in Principals & Directors’ meetings,
and formal/informal discussions with district leadership has given me a
perspective of the leadership style and leadership culture of my school
district. Participating in a district-wide Principal and Directors’ meeting was
an excellent opportunity to observe the behavior of my superintendent, Dr.
Hoyer, as well as his leadership style. Doing so has helped me learn how to
establish and support a positive district culture, recognizing and celebrating
contributions made by staff and community members, maintain awareness of
emerging issues and trends in education, encourage innovative risk taking, and
how to promote the appreciation of the diversity in our educational community.
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..
I completed five internship activities
totaling twenty-two hours in Competency area 003. Various activities throughout
the internship, that are not included in the five mentioned below, have also
contributed to my growth and development in this area. Participating in these
activities has helped to improve my leadership skills towards one day being a
district-level leader.
At my district’s August staff development
academy I led one workshop on the utilization of the newly acquired Eduphoria
system and assisted in leading district horizontal and vertical level meetings
across the curriculum. At the conclusion of these sessions each participant
completed an online survey that included responses on how well the training was
designed, trainer knowledge, and presentation skills, in addition to general
comments. Based on the feedback I received I will continue to sharpen my
presentation style in order to become a more effective communicator by knowing
how to serve as an articulate, effective communicator, as well as communicate
effectively about positions on educational issues, using effective writing,
speaking, and active listening skills for the success of all students.
During the internship I was tasked with
writing an informative article about our campus Family Night, including
photographs, to be submitted for inclusion in The Lampasas Dispatch Record. I was happy to see my article and
photograph published in the October 18th issue. Writing and
submitting an article for inclusion in the Lampasas Dispatch Record allowed me to gain experience in internal
and external district communications, public relations, articulating district
priorities to the media, and influencing the media to promote the district’s
vision.
I have also drafted an update to my
campus’s Title I Campus Parent Involvement Policy, and paying close attention
to the addition of creating a climate for cultural diversity, particularly in
the area of student and parent involvement opportunities. The document I
created included an explanation of Title I, district mission, and a campus and
parent compact. I also detailed how parents can be involved in developing
policy, types of parent involvement opportunities, evaluation, communication,
and student opportunities. A key
understanding for me was learning all the components that should be included in
developing an effective policy. Drafting an update to our current district
parent involvement policy allowed me to learn how to establish partnerships
with families and community groups to support district goals, and how to
communicate and work effectively with diverse groups in the district and
community to ensure educational success.
During the internship I was able to
interview the Board President of Lampasas ISD and another influential community
member. This activity was very beneficial for me on both a personal and
professional level in being able to understand their perceptions of the school
district. Key themes that I recognized throughout these two interviews were
that they each had a strong sense of belonging to a small community, and were
adamant that while changes occur in every organization, that it is important
that Lampasas ISD maintain small district values and retain its individuality.
Interviewing two district leaders has been highly significant in my growth
towards mastery of Competency 003 in that I can develop and use formal and
informal techniques to view perceptions of others, use effective
consensus-building and conflict-management skills, effectively gather input
from district stakeholders, and identify major opinion leaders and their
relationships to district goals and programs.
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.
In developing my
leadership skill set in Competency 004 I participated in two activities for a
total of 10 hours. Despite the growth I’ve received from these activities in
regards to this competency, other activities I’ve completed in the
Superintendent certification program, have also furthered my knowledge in
regards to knowing 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.
In one activity I
selected four areas to address towards developing interpersonal relationships
in order to increase my level of influence with others. I am growing to
recognize there is always going to be scrutiny from others to those in
administrative positions, and that I must avoid being defensive when
challenged. I do try to also seek to know and understand others. Learning about
those you work with is important in making them feel valued. It is difficult to
develop the best in someone without knowing him or her. When leading groups of
people this year I have made it a point to encourage others to participate. Tense
situations often occur in administration. It is crucial to be able to ease
those tensions when possible and deescalate the situation. Finding an agreeable
compromise in these situations can be effective. Developing interpersonal
skills is an activity in life that should not cease. As I learn more about
myself and how I am perceived, I will continue to develop my interpersonal
skills and use them to respond to and influence the educational community in
order to achieve the district’s educational vision.
I attended three
successive school board meetings in the first semester of the 2011 school year,
in which I began to learn about board members perceptions and concerns about
the district. I also was able to observe my Superintendent work within position
defined-board roles, to achieve mutual expectations. During another board
meeting I was able to witness the board vote to join litigation on school
finance, which was an example of analyzing and responding to economic factors
affecting students and education, by choosing to work with an organization on
this critical educational issue, as well as communicating and effectively
problem solving with board members. As an educational professional I find it
interesting how many board members have very little knowledge of the day to day
operations of a school, and I noticed that often times their questions had a
tendency to be asked about maintenance and operations, and not on curriculum
and instruction. I learned that board meetings and dealing with board members
are necessary to the operation of a school district, and to navigate
effectively, a Superintendent must run their (board members’) school, with
their money, their way. Attending several board meetings allowed me to observe
my Superintendent and board members adhere to mutual expectations, policies,
and standards, while using legal guidelines to improve learning opportunities,
as well as discuss grading policies to improve student learning while being in
compliance with state and federal requirements.
Completing these
activities has helped me to gain a more thorough understanding of and be able
to apply elements of Competency 004 in supporting my development as a future
district leader.
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.
I conducted five internship
activities that relate to Competency 005 for a total of seventeen hours. Three
of the activities were interviews with Directors and others who were
responsible for implementation of a major district initiative. As with previous
competencies, I had other activities that provided valuable learning
experiences for me in regards to Instructional Leadership, but I will be
reviewing the five related competencies below.
I interviewed both the
district Elementary and Secondary Curriculum Specialists. These two individuals
were key members in the actual planning and implementation process of the
CSCOPE curriculum in our district. I learned about similarities and differences
in the implementation of CSCOPE at an elementary and secondary level. I noticed
some similarities in the concerns each Curriculum Specialist had, each stating
that more and earlier communication on the implementation process would have
been helpful, as well as more intensive training on how CSCOPE is used.
Participating in these interviews, as well as in the actual implementation of
CSCOPE has helped me to learn how to facilitate effective curricular
decision-making, develop and implement collaborative processes for assessing
and renewing the curriculum, implement planning procedures to develop rigorous
curricula, implement curriculum systems to ensure instructional quality,
facilitate the integration of technology to enhance learning for students, and
facilitate creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem solving in
curriculum design and delivery.
The second activity I
completed in this competency area was to create the campus master schedule and
account for increased efficiency. Over the previous schedule I was able to increase efficiency in the areas of student
lunch times, teacher conference periods, enrichment times, as well as length of
instructional time. In doing so I have learned how to support the teaching and learning process.
Another beneficial activity
was I interviewed an administrator in an Exemplary school district about how
the formative/common assessment process is implemented and supervised in his
district. A key learning I gained was how the assessments were developed and
the resources used in creating them. This has helped me to learn how to use
assessments to measure student learning, diagnose student needs, and determine
effectiveness of the curriculum for accountability purposes, as well as
evaluate district curricula and provide direction for improving curricula based
on sound, research-based practices.
In regards to gaining a better
understanding of effective co-curricular programs and extracurricular programs
I was able to interview my district’s Athletic Director and head football coach,
in which I learned what has helped him to develop effective athletic
departments at each place he was Athletic Director, and that I feel would be
valuable to remember in the position of an incoming Superintendent, is to
assess, evaluate, and then address what must be changed within the context of
the district and community culture and climate. This interview helped me grow
towards mastery of this competency in that I know how to facilitate the
effective coordination of district and campus curricular and extracurricular
programs.
In my final Competency 005
activity I interviewed the Director of Special Education about her role,
responsibilities, and district compliance with federal guidelines. A key
learning for me was that special education students are calculated into 18
different indicators on PBMAS, and should be monitored closely despite being a
smaller portion of the student population. Conducting this interview has
promoted my growth towards mastery of this competency in that I know how to
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.
I participated in five
activities that aligned with Competency 006 for a total of twenty-nine
internship hours. Each of these activities has been beneficial to my growth and
development towards one day being a district level instructional leader. Though
I had five designated activities in this competency, there were many activities
and experiences I’ve had during the internship that I feel have provided me
with effective examples of Competency 006 elements.
One activity I participated in
was a district level staff development on characteristics of Gifted/Talented
students. In regards to this activity I have gained a more thorough
understanding of the Gifted & Talented program, its requirements, and the
varying aptitudes and ability levels of Gifted & Talented students.
Overall, I gained a deeper understanding of the GT program, GT students,
assessment and identification processes, in addition to state and local policy
that is implemented in our district. Doing so has helped me to know how to
implement and support student services at the district level, as well as
applying knowledge of special programs to ensure that students are provided
with appropriate resources and effective, flexible instructional programs and
services.
I was given the opportunity to
develop a PowerPoint presentation to be included on the Lamar University TK20
website that instructs students on how to create a professional portfolio in
TK20. My focus was to create an informative, clean, and easy to follow
presentation for creating an electronic portfolio in TK20. It can be viewed at
this website address: http://dept.lamar.edu/education/TK
20/Tk20 training PPT/EDLD5396.pdf. Through this activity I was able to analyze instructional
resource needs and deploy instructional resources effectively to enhance
student learning.
My Superintendent tasked me
with collecting and analyzing assessment data for all district campuses for a
two-year period, noting findings and trends, as well as advise him on the top
three areas to target. Reviewing the data I noticed certain trends of growth in
the district in key areas over two years, yet we are still below the state
average in many areas. My Superintendent met with me to review the spreadsheet
as well as to discuss my suggestions. Doing so has helped me know how to
establish a comprehensive school district program of student assessment,
interpretation of data, and reporting of data results for improvement of
student learning.
I was invited by my
Superintendent to observe an expulsion hearing of a middle school student. As I
have not been involved in the expulsion process before, I was highly interested
in attending the event. I noted attendees to the event, as well the process by
which the Superintendent led the hearing. I was surprised to learn how similar
the event was to a court hearing in several ways. I was surprised to learn at the
conclusion of the meeting the Superintendent would notify the parents of the
expulsion decision by certified mail, which was effective in preventing an
emotional conflict occurring at the hearing. This activity provided me
experience in facilitating the implementation of sound, research-based theories
and techniques of classroom management, student discipline, and school safety
to ensure an environment conducive to learning.
Moving a campus in a positive
direction is often a difficult task. I felt it would be beneficial for me to
gain perspective of staff members’ perceptions of what they experience
concerning barriers to improving teaching and learning on our campus through
creating, sending, collecting, and analyzing results of a survey I created using
Survey Monkey. This
activity has helped me learn how to apply motivational theories to encourage
staff members, facilitate the development of a learning organization, analyze
the implications of organizational factors, develop and use appropriate change
processes, and ensure responsiveness to various factors that impact student
learning.
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.
I participated in
two activities that corresponded to Competency 007 accruing a total of twelve
internship hours. Each of these activities has been beneficial to my growth and
development towards one day being a district level instructional leader. Though
I had two designated activities in this competency, there were many activities
and experiences I’ve had during the internship that I feel have provided me
with effective examples of Competency 007 elements.
At my district’s
August staff development academy I led one workshop on the utilization of the
newly acquired Eduphoria system and assisted in leading district horizontal and
vertical level meetings across the curriculum. At the conclusion of these sessions
each participant completed an online survey that included responses on how well
the training was designed, trainer knowledge, and presentation skills, in
addition to general comments. Each of these sessions allowed me to gain a
different perspective about the school district in addition to working on my
presentation skills. I felt more comfortable leading in the team meeting
sessions as I was interacting with educators in a small group setting, as
opposed to a large group in the previous session. Feedback that I received from
the surveys was mostly positive. I do believe that I need to continue to
sharpen my presentation style in order to become a more effective communicator.
By leading two professional development sessions I feel I have a better understanding
of how to improve teaching and learning by studying current professional
literature and research, developing, implementing, and evaluating a
comprehensive professional development plan, and facilitating the application
of adult learning principles to all professional development activities,
including the use of support and follow-up strategies to facilitate
implementation. This activity has also benefited my learning towards developing
mastery of this competency through understanding how to work collaboratively
with other district personnel to plan, implement, and evaluate professional
growth programs, deliver effective presentations and facilitate learning for
both small and large groups, as well as implement necessary strategies to
improve the performance of all staff members.
I was able to play
a significant role in the hiring and interview process for 5 positions being
added to my campus. At the time of this activity unfortunately there were not
any district-wide positions available. I was given district-wide access to our
online Applicant Tracking system, and was tasked with selecting applicants to
interview for the available positions on my campus, three being teaching
positions, and two being paraprofessional positions. There were over five hundred
applicants for our three teaching positions. I narrowed my selections to those
who had teaching degrees, EC-4 certified, and who were ESL certified. With my
narrowed pool of applicants I began calling to schedule interviews. I
participated in the interview process by asking questions along with my
principal. My principal and I would debrief after each interview and then rank
our interviewees. The process of selecting who to hire was much more difficult
than I imagined as we had 10 interviews. In one case, when calling references,
I was able to eliminate an applicant based on the recommendation of the
reference. Once we selected our top three, we communicated with Human Resources
about those individuals, and were given clearance to offer the positions. Participating in the interview process for
my campus helped me to gain a further understanding of how to implement
effective strategies for the recruitment, selection, induction, development,
evaluation, and promotion of staff, as well as how to develop and implement
comprehensive staff evaluation models and appraisal strategies.
Completing these
activities has allowed me to further develop leadership skills toward being an
effective district level instructional leader.
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.
I completed five internship
activities totaling fifteen hours in Competency area 008. Various activities
throughout the internship, that are not included in the five mentioned below,
have also contributed to my growth and development in this area. Participating in
these activities has helped to improve my leadership skills towards one day
being a district-level administrative leader.
I interviewed the Director of
Human Resource in my district on the process and criteria used to determine
employee pay grades. Through this activity I learned about the reclassification
process and members involved in the reclassification committee. It is important
for me to note that the purpose of reclassification of a position is not to
evaluate the employee, but to correctly classify each position using a ratings
standard system to determine the value of a given job in the district.
Conducting an interview with the Director of Human Resource has helped me to
better understand how to use district and staff evaluation data for personnel
policy development and decision making, as well as how to apply knowledge
associated with personnel management and position classification.
I met with the district
attendance officer (a former school Superintendent) to discuss the rules,
procedures, and ramifications of attendance on law, finance, and general
district operations. Enforcing attendance law is integral to the school system
because attendance plays a direct role in student learning and thus school
accountability. Also, good attendance is so important to the school system in
the area of finance, as the Average Daily Attendance and Weighted ADA help
determine school district funding. Through working with the attendance process
and interviewing the district attendance officer, I know how to apply legal
concepts, regulations, and codes as required.
I had the privilege of
conducting two interviews with the district Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of
Lampasas ISD. He oversees the heads of departments unrelated to instruction,
and assists in the day to day operations of all areas of the school district
that relate to Maintenance and Operations (M&O). I learned a significant
deal about what an effective M&O program and budget should resemble. From
him I learned about effective budget planning and management techniques. My CFO
talked about how the Superintendent works collaboratively with board members
and appropriate personnel to develop the district budget. Through this
interview I gained valuable knowledge that has promoted my growth in knowing
how to facilitate and evaluate effective account auditing and monitoring,
establish district procedures for accurate, effective purchasing, record
keeping, and reporting, acquiring, allocating, and managing resources, as well
as developing and implementing plans to enhance the efficiency of the district
operations.
I also contacted sitting and
former superintendents to compile a list of different associations and
organizations that provide expertise to the position of Superintendent. These
organizations will help me as a district leader be able to effectively apply
legal concepts, regulations, and codes as required. In addition to these
organizations I learned it was important to have access to legal counsel when
concerning the school district.
Another activity I completed
in this competency was I compiled a list of literature to be included in a
professional library recommended for the position of Superintendent. I
consulted with many administrators, Department Directors in Lampasas ISD, my
current Superintendent, and a former Superintendent about literature they would
suggest to include in creating a professional library for the position, of
which reading will help my growth toward effective administrative leadership.
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 developing my
leadership skill set in Competency 009 I participated in three activities for a
total of twelve hours. Despite the growth I’ve received from these activities
in regards to this competency, other activities I’ve completed in the
Superintendent certification program, have also furthered my knowledge in
regards to applying principles of leadership and management to the district’s
physical plant and support systems to ensure a safe and effective learning
environment.
An activity that aligns with this
competency is I assisted in completing a Texas School Safety Center campus
audit report, examined safety inspection reports, building work orders, and
noted my findings. Each Principal in my district was tasked with assisting in
the completion of a Texas School Safety Center campus audit report for a campus
other than the one on which they serve. I was able to accompany my Principal
and assist her in auditing the Lampasas Middle School. I was given a packet
that resembled the NCEF Safe School Facilities Checklist that I was familiar
with from my Facilities class. Due to the age of the campus, there were many
areas where I recognized that would not be “up to code” in the case of a new
campus building. Upon completion, the audit reports were submitted to the
district CFO who then compiled the data. At a board meeting I attended, this
audit was mentioned, and it was stated that the district report is not a
“pass/fail” but is just required information that is reported to the state.
This task was informative to me as I was able to gain knowledge of an area of
administration that I was unfamiliar with. This activity was beneficial to me
in that I have a better understanding of how to apply procedures for planning,
funding, renovating, and/or constructing school facilities to support the
district’s mission and goals, implement strategies that enable the district’s
physical plant to operate safely, apply strategies for ensuring the safety of
students and personnel, developing and implementing procedures for emergency
planning, as well as applying and evaluating procedures for ensuring the
effective, efficient operation and maintenance of district facilities.
In another Competency 009 internship
activity I reviewed incident and discipline referrals occurring on district
buses and interviewed a bus driver for concerns and recommendations for safer
and more efficient bus service. My findings noted aggressive physical behavior
was the most referred bus discipline issue. If funding were not an issue, it
would be in the best interest of safety for bus drivers and students to assign
an aide to each bus route. Conducting this activity has helped me learn how to
implement and evaluate appropriate procedures to ensure efficient, effective
district transportation services.
One activity I really enjoyed was
interviewing my district’s Director of Child Nutrition, about federal child
nutrition requirements, concerns, and issues of her department. Child Nutrition
services are responsible for meal planning, food production records, and school
meal applications, in addition to preparing meals. Membership in the Texas Association
of School Nutrition is important to her as it allows her to educate her
employees on state level mandates, as well as communicate and collaborate with
other school districts’ child nutrition professionals. Concerns and issues that
she must contend with are preparing healthy meals that meet federal guidelines
that students will eat, with rising food costs. After visiting with the LISD
Director of Child Nutrition I feel that I have a much better understanding of
what an effective child nutrition program consists of, as well as I have gained
a great deal of respect for what this department accomplishes in any given day.
Conducting an interview with the Director of Child Nutrition has helped me
understand how to better implement and evaluate appropriate procedures to
ensure efficient effective food services, as well as 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.
I conducted three internship
activities that relate to Competency 010 for a total of eight hours. As with
previous competencies, I had other activities that provided valuable learning
experiences for me in regards to Administrative Leadership, but I will be
reviewing the three related activities below.
I interviewed district level
Elementary and Secondary Curriculum Specialists who were highly involved in
implementing the CSCOPE curriculum. Due to increasing accountability standards,
and the district-wide need for aligning the curriculum to state standards,
district leadership saw that adopting and implementing the CSCOPE curriculum
would meet this need. Once the CSCOPE curriculum was adopted the Curriculum
Team, led by the Assistant Superintendent, developed a plan for “rolling out”
the information to staff members. A step that I feel was important to the
change process was not going to full CSCOPE implementation the first year. I
learned at all levels it would be implemented in Math and Science, and then
other subject area teachers could begin to look at the “Year at a Glance.”
Implementing CSCOPE in this way was determined after district leadership
visited with other districts who had previously implemented CSCOPE, about
possible implementation pitfalls and advice for implementing it. A key learning
I gained from the interviews and participating in the implementation process
was that constant and frequent communication is integral and teachers must feel
valued and supported along the way. Participating in the implementation
process, as well as conducting these interviews has helped me grow towards
mastery of being able to implement processes for gathering, analyzing, and using
data for informed decision making to attain district goals, and be able to use
strategies for working with others in problem solving, collaborative decision
making, team building, developing consensus, and encouraging and facilitating
positive change while overcoming obstacles to change in varied educational
contexts.
Interviewing the Director of
School Health Services in my district was a highly beneficial activity in that
it gave me insight into an integral department of the school district that has
the ability to affect many other departments. During this interview I learned
that as in all departments, this department is required to address unfunded
mandates. This is a particularly difficult issue as this department does not
generate income and has no objective measure of its impact on student learning.
I learned that an effective school health program should focus on the “8
Components of the Coordinated School Health Model.” Another key learning for me
is as a Superintendent, I need to show appreciation to this department because
the health of students is its primary focus. After conducting this interview I
better understand how it contributes to the Superintendent being able to
implement appropriate leadership skills, techniques, and group process skills
to define roles, assign functions, delegate effectively, and determine
accountability for goal attainment.
When dealing with issues that
impact students, parent tensions may rise, and give way to emotions that make
it difficult to understand the repercussions of acting or not acting on a
decision. Such was the case with a student on my campus, who obviously was not
prepared for the next grade level, but due to a poor (and since revised)
grading policy, we did not want to retain this student without parent consent.
After having several meetings with the parent, she and her husband agreed to
place the child back in the previous grade level. I learned through this
process of dealing with conflict to clearly communicate goals, expectations,
and ramifications on decisions that are made. Participating in this activity
has helped to develop my growth towards mastery of Competency 010 in that I am
able to identify, analyze, and resolve problems using appropriate
problem-solving techniques and decision-making skills.
In contacting former and
sitting Superintendents about professional organizations that provide expertise
to the position, my current Superintendent discussed with me a communication he
sent to a state level political figure regarding school finance. This activity
furthered my growth and development of Competency 010 in that I know how to
analyze and use political influences to benefit the educational organization.
