Tuesday, November 10, 2009
D2C3A8
I have trained most of the new teachers in the district in the Professional Development and Appraisal System.
D2C3A7
For the last 3 years, I have managed the Beginning Teacher and Induction and Mentoring program. Teachers with less than 5 years experience, or those with less than 3 years in the district can receive a mentor. Mentors are selected based on experience and and ability. Principals nominate Master teachers and they are matched with new teachers. The new teacher watches the mentor teacher in her own classroom, the mentor watches the new teacher in her own classroom and then they debrief. They work together turning the new teacher's weaknesses into strengths. They spend about 30 hours in the year and the mentors get $1000 per new teacher.
D3C1A3
I've worked with the budget specialist and my administrative assistant multiple budgets, including 5 or 6 grants. I've learned so much about codes, moving funds between line items and how to read the OMB Budget Circular. I've also written grants and filed amendments to grants to adjust the program as we progressed through the intitiative.
D3C1A4
I developed a more accurate system for keeping track of budgets using an Excel spreadsheet. It may sound simple but I didn't think about it before. I put the formula in so that it keeps a running account of the expenditures and the amount remaining.
D3C1A5
I've been able to leverage funds in various funds to provide uniform materials throughout the district. We received the Intensive Reading Intervention grant. Although the state considered 16 of our 19 campuses in need of Intervention for grades 4 and 5, they only funded 9. I used money from ARI/AMI and other sources to provide the materials for all schools. Also, we were able to purchase PDAs for 11 of the 19 schools through the Reading First grant, but I was had to purchase them for the other 8 schools from various funding sources.
Board Member Interview
Board Member Interview
Woodrow Reese, BISD Board President
We interviewed Woodrow Reese, the BISD Board President. He has been a member of the board for 11 years, and the president for a year and a half.
Important skill—The most important skill a board member could have is communication. He/She must be able to communicate with the community as well as the Superintendent. The board must work with the Superintendent, not against him for the good of the students in the district. He/She must be able to communicate to the community that they are policy makers and the Superintendent runs the district.
Most difficult experience—The failure of the $150 million bond in 1992. Their mistake was not to involve the community to get their support. Because of it, the condition of the facilities deteriorated. Also, the current bond is not progressing as wanted. The community complains that the sports complex is going up faster than any of the schools, but they don’t understand that the complex is being built on an empty lot, but the schools must be relocated, demolished, the ground built back up and the schools built, which takes a lot longer. The district is saving about $50 million in inflation costs because the complex is going up faster than expected. Another problem is that some parents want things that are unreasonable. The parents at Sallie Curtis want the district to fund building a temporary site at the YMCA for them at a cost of $3 million, instead of waiting for Regina to be built and then moving into their temporary site. They think that this would get their new school built sooner, but it would only save them about 4-6 months.
Greatest Accomplishment—The district was Recognized in 2001 and again in 2009. That is a lot to say for a district with BISD’s demographics. With 70% economically disadvantaged population, this is quite a feat. No other district in the area has the same demographics, and BISD outperforms districts with similar ones. Also, the passing of the $388 million bond in 2008. They formed a bond committee, 50 or so people, to get the pulse of the community. They went out and asked the people what they wanted, then brought it back and put together a plan that everyone could back. Nobody got everything they wanted, but everybody got something they could live with. After the plan was formulated, the committee went out and sold it to the voters
Vision for the future—The board is striving for all children to be successful in a global society. While we have them, we want to educate them in a safe environment. We want to prepare them for the technology they will use in the future so that they can be anything they want to be.
Woodrow Reese, BISD Board President
We interviewed Woodrow Reese, the BISD Board President. He has been a member of the board for 11 years, and the president for a year and a half.
Important skill—The most important skill a board member could have is communication. He/She must be able to communicate with the community as well as the Superintendent. The board must work with the Superintendent, not against him for the good of the students in the district. He/She must be able to communicate to the community that they are policy makers and the Superintendent runs the district.
Most difficult experience—The failure of the $150 million bond in 1992. Their mistake was not to involve the community to get their support. Because of it, the condition of the facilities deteriorated. Also, the current bond is not progressing as wanted. The community complains that the sports complex is going up faster than any of the schools, but they don’t understand that the complex is being built on an empty lot, but the schools must be relocated, demolished, the ground built back up and the schools built, which takes a lot longer. The district is saving about $50 million in inflation costs because the complex is going up faster than expected. Another problem is that some parents want things that are unreasonable. The parents at Sallie Curtis want the district to fund building a temporary site at the YMCA for them at a cost of $3 million, instead of waiting for Regina to be built and then moving into their temporary site. They think that this would get their new school built sooner, but it would only save them about 4-6 months.
Greatest Accomplishment—The district was Recognized in 2001 and again in 2009. That is a lot to say for a district with BISD’s demographics. With 70% economically disadvantaged population, this is quite a feat. No other district in the area has the same demographics, and BISD outperforms districts with similar ones. Also, the passing of the $388 million bond in 2008. They formed a bond committee, 50 or so people, to get the pulse of the community. They went out and asked the people what they wanted, then brought it back and put together a plan that everyone could back. Nobody got everything they wanted, but everybody got something they could live with. After the plan was formulated, the committee went out and sold it to the voters
Vision for the future—The board is striving for all children to be successful in a global society. While we have them, we want to educate them in a safe environment. We want to prepare them for the technology they will use in the future so that they can be anything they want to be.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Superintendent Interview
Superintendent Interview
We interviewed Dr. Thomas, the BISD Superintendent.
Important skill—A good leader is a good teacher. The superintendent is the instructional leader who can assist staff to help teach students in their different learning styles. The Bottom Line is that the district is measured by how successful the students are and how well they learned. Issues, like South Park and Curtis, go by the wayside once the district reached Recognized status.
Most difficult experience—the West Brook bus accident. The girls were good students, athletes, bright and happy. They got on the bus to attend a school sporting event and 2 died and others were injured, some severely. The one bright spot was that a seat belt law was passed in Texas that saved or will save countless lives in the long run.
Greatest Accomplishment—Coming into a contentious district and getting folks to work together for the good of the students. The Board was always divided, the student assignment plans were chaotic, the community was racially divided and TEA had stepped in to run the district. Although 50 people spoke out against his hiring at the Board meeting, he was able to reduce racial tensions, bring more money in the district through Title and Comp. Ed. funding, and create a more unified district in relation to curriculum and instruction. He feels his greatest accomplishment was student assignments across the district.
Vision for the future—to be a leader in education as a data driven district and as the largest predominantly African American in the state. Through organizations like NABSE, raise awareness of the unique challenges that face the AA student, since that population on average scores lower on state tests. Use data to adjust instruction and target professional development to bring about change and increased success for all students.
Extra credit question
5 issues faced in your tenure as Superintendent—
1. Racial tensions-minimizing division.
2. Learning styles and keeping up with demographic changes.
3. Financing-taking advantage of grant opportunities.
4. Performance pay-teachers feel they are part of a team for the betterment of all.
5. Evaluations systems-reassurance to teachers that the focus is not to fire teachers, but give them a chance to grow. Teachers would eliminate themselves if they don’t grow.
6. Focus on the research and the data.
We interviewed Dr. Thomas, the BISD Superintendent.
Important skill—A good leader is a good teacher. The superintendent is the instructional leader who can assist staff to help teach students in their different learning styles. The Bottom Line is that the district is measured by how successful the students are and how well they learned. Issues, like South Park and Curtis, go by the wayside once the district reached Recognized status.
Most difficult experience—the West Brook bus accident. The girls were good students, athletes, bright and happy. They got on the bus to attend a school sporting event and 2 died and others were injured, some severely. The one bright spot was that a seat belt law was passed in Texas that saved or will save countless lives in the long run.
Greatest Accomplishment—Coming into a contentious district and getting folks to work together for the good of the students. The Board was always divided, the student assignment plans were chaotic, the community was racially divided and TEA had stepped in to run the district. Although 50 people spoke out against his hiring at the Board meeting, he was able to reduce racial tensions, bring more money in the district through Title and Comp. Ed. funding, and create a more unified district in relation to curriculum and instruction. He feels his greatest accomplishment was student assignments across the district.
Vision for the future—to be a leader in education as a data driven district and as the largest predominantly African American in the state. Through organizations like NABSE, raise awareness of the unique challenges that face the AA student, since that population on average scores lower on state tests. Use data to adjust instruction and target professional development to bring about change and increased success for all students.
Extra credit question
5 issues faced in your tenure as Superintendent—
1. Racial tensions-minimizing division.
2. Learning styles and keeping up with demographic changes.
3. Financing-taking advantage of grant opportunities.
4. Performance pay-teachers feel they are part of a team for the betterment of all.
5. Evaluations systems-reassurance to teachers that the focus is not to fire teachers, but give them a chance to grow. Teachers would eliminate themselves if they don’t grow.
6. Focus on the research and the data.
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