As I look back over the competencies I marked I-improve my knowledge and skill, I see that my major area of need was communication. I have worked very hard to increase my communication skills. I have learned that diplomacy is the key. I have asked myself, "How would I like to be spoken to or how would I best accept this information" before I speak. If I can't resolve that in my head, then I save the conversation for another day. I have been interviewed several times by media outlets, pertaining to PK enrollment, and wrote the "script" for a major video project for our demonstration school. In the back of my mind, I would look at the interview or the project with the thought of how this would look to Joe Citizen.
Another area of need was in policy setting. While I've had a hand in some minor policy decisions, I've had no experience with major board policy. That is something that only a person at "the big desk" could really experience.
I also would like to say that I've enjoyed the format of the internship. It has been invaluable to be able to see what others are doing and how things work in their districts. It's not quite the same as walking a mile in their shoes, but more like looking over their shoulders as they walk the walk.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
D3C2A6
I have worked with the transportation department to develop bus routes for the summer school students. I do this by providing the department with the most current information of each student and making adjustments along the way.
D2C2A9
I have been part of interview committees and also worked with principals in reassigning teachers benefit the program. I also do all the hiring for the TAKS Recapture Summer School and Curriculum Writing for the past 8 years, where teacher strengths should be used to the advantage of the program.
D1C3A6 & D1C3A9
I have been interviewed both by the district public relations person for the district educational channel and one of the local news programs to promote enrollment in the district's PK program. We opened 15 classes last year and expect to open 6-10 this year. An Open House will be held Tuesday, May 4th.
D1C2A3
I am working with outside grant writers and distirict personnel to write the i3 grade that will extend the Reading First principles of RtI into the middle schools using Intervention Specialists to deliver prescriptive instruction to Tier 3 students. I am the program design contact while the district grant writer is the contact for everything else. She is also working on 2 other i3 grants. it will be very interesting to see if all or any on the proposals will be funded.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Job Entry Plan
School Board Objectives
To lay the ground rules and procedures by which the district is governed,
To get input from Board members of their expectations of the district under the Superintendent’s governance,
To get input from Board members of issues that face the district,
To prioritize those issues,
Develop plan of action to address issues,
Establish preferred form of communication with the Board members, either as a group or individually
Activities:
1. Interview Board members both individually and as a group to meet objectives.
2. Conduct meetings with Board members, as needed as implementation of plan proceeds.
3. Re-evaluate and adjust plan as needed.
4. Communicate with Board members about Superintendent’s performance.
Central Office Objectives
To gain insight as to the procedures of governance at Central Office,
Review the District hierarchy chart,
Determine issues and concerns of the Program Directors for the District,
Establish priorities in relation to the issues and concerns,
Activities:
1. Meet with District Leadership Team,
2. Establish priorities
A. Budgetary
B. Instructional
C. Facilities
D. Personnel
3. Meet with department personnel to determine job responsibilities,
4. Tour district to get the lay of the land, visit campuses.
5. Consider re-organization of Central Office, but only after careful consideration.
Campus Objectives
Meet with Campus Principals as a group to get general feeling,
Meet with Principals individually to determine “personality” and to establish campus needs,
Review campus data with principals to determine priorities ie. Personnel, facilities, budgetary,
Activities
1. Meet with Principals as a group, review district testing data, facilities reports, budgets, and personnel in general terms.
2. Make a schedule for regular meetings thereafter to ensure communication of District goals and objectives.
3. Meet with Principals individually, preferably on campus sites, to get a personal tour, to discuss campus needs and to review individual campus data.
4. Establish communication policy with Principals to ensure that “surprises” don’t crop up.
5. Review site issues with Central Office staff that are directly involved with the issues
Community Objectives
To create a bond,
To establish a communication framework with community members
To establish a “welcoming” feeling.
Activities:
1. Determine and meet with the person and/or department responsible for communication with the public,
2. Host series of meetings in “social-type” situations (Breakfast with the Superintendent) as an introduction to the community,
3. Establish communication protocol community members.
Preparing for Year 2
• Re-evaluate Year 1 plan and adjust for Year 2
To lay the ground rules and procedures by which the district is governed,
To get input from Board members of their expectations of the district under the Superintendent’s governance,
To get input from Board members of issues that face the district,
To prioritize those issues,
Develop plan of action to address issues,
Establish preferred form of communication with the Board members, either as a group or individually
Activities:
1. Interview Board members both individually and as a group to meet objectives.
2. Conduct meetings with Board members, as needed as implementation of plan proceeds.
3. Re-evaluate and adjust plan as needed.
4. Communicate with Board members about Superintendent’s performance.
Central Office Objectives
To gain insight as to the procedures of governance at Central Office,
Review the District hierarchy chart,
Determine issues and concerns of the Program Directors for the District,
Establish priorities in relation to the issues and concerns,
Activities:
1. Meet with District Leadership Team,
2. Establish priorities
A. Budgetary
B. Instructional
C. Facilities
D. Personnel
3. Meet with department personnel to determine job responsibilities,
4. Tour district to get the lay of the land, visit campuses.
5. Consider re-organization of Central Office, but only after careful consideration.
Campus Objectives
Meet with Campus Principals as a group to get general feeling,
Meet with Principals individually to determine “personality” and to establish campus needs,
Review campus data with principals to determine priorities ie. Personnel, facilities, budgetary,
Activities
1. Meet with Principals as a group, review district testing data, facilities reports, budgets, and personnel in general terms.
2. Make a schedule for regular meetings thereafter to ensure communication of District goals and objectives.
3. Meet with Principals individually, preferably on campus sites, to get a personal tour, to discuss campus needs and to review individual campus data.
4. Establish communication policy with Principals to ensure that “surprises” don’t crop up.
5. Review site issues with Central Office staff that are directly involved with the issues
Community Objectives
To create a bond,
To establish a communication framework with community members
To establish a “welcoming” feeling.
Activities:
1. Determine and meet with the person and/or department responsible for communication with the public,
2. Host series of meetings in “social-type” situations (Breakfast with the Superintendent) as an introduction to the community,
3. Establish communication protocol community members.
Preparing for Year 2
• Re-evaluate Year 1 plan and adjust for Year 2
Staff Development Plan
21.451 Staff Development Requirements
a. The staff development provided by a school district must be;
1. Conducted in accordance with standards developed by the district; and
2. Designed to improve education in the district.
b. The staff development must be predominantly campus-based, related to achieving campus performance objectives established under Section 11.253, and developed and approved by the campus-level committee established under Section 11.251.
c. A school district may use district-wide staff development developed and approved through the district-level decision process under Section 11.251.
d. The staff development may:
1. include training in:
A. Technology;
B. Conflict Resolution; and
C. Discipline strategies, including classroom management, district discipline policies,
and the student code of conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37;
2. Include training that;
A. Relates to instruction of students with disabilities; and
B. Is designed for educators who work primarily outside the area of special education;
and
3. Include instruction as to what is permissible under law, including opinions of the United
States Supreme Court, regarding prayer in public school.
Throughout the Year (after school, Saturdays)
1. Content specific training to address TAKS weaknesses led by Curriculum staff and/or Master teachers in their fields.
August
New Teacher Training—2-3 day training:
1. PDAS
2. Payroll, fringe benefits
3. Overview of district procedures
4. Curriculum overview
District level training
1. 1-2 day training on new textbook adoption and/or other curriculum/instructional updates
Campus level training
1. Discipline procedures
2. Special Education/Response to Intervention updates
3. Campus procedures
4. Additional campus updates
5. Analysis of testing data to determine changes in campus instructional plans
October
1. District wide technology training
Multiple sessions available for teachers to choose technology that is relevant to their field.
April
1. Campus based planning for the next year based on need, campus plan produced that will correlate to District plan.
Summer
1. Content specific training to address district needs led by Curriculum Department and/or Master Teachers.
2. Content specific adjustments to curriculum/ scope and sequence led by Curriculum Department.
a. The staff development provided by a school district must be;
1. Conducted in accordance with standards developed by the district; and
2. Designed to improve education in the district.
b. The staff development must be predominantly campus-based, related to achieving campus performance objectives established under Section 11.253, and developed and approved by the campus-level committee established under Section 11.251.
c. A school district may use district-wide staff development developed and approved through the district-level decision process under Section 11.251.
d. The staff development may:
1. include training in:
A. Technology;
B. Conflict Resolution; and
C. Discipline strategies, including classroom management, district discipline policies,
and the student code of conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37;
2. Include training that;
A. Relates to instruction of students with disabilities; and
B. Is designed for educators who work primarily outside the area of special education;
and
3. Include instruction as to what is permissible under law, including opinions of the United
States Supreme Court, regarding prayer in public school.
Throughout the Year (after school, Saturdays)
1. Content specific training to address TAKS weaknesses led by Curriculum staff and/or Master teachers in their fields.
August
New Teacher Training—2-3 day training:
1. PDAS
2. Payroll, fringe benefits
3. Overview of district procedures
4. Curriculum overview
District level training
1. 1-2 day training on new textbook adoption and/or other curriculum/instructional updates
Campus level training
1. Discipline procedures
2. Special Education/Response to Intervention updates
3. Campus procedures
4. Additional campus updates
5. Analysis of testing data to determine changes in campus instructional plans
October
1. District wide technology training
Multiple sessions available for teachers to choose technology that is relevant to their field.
April
1. Campus based planning for the next year based on need, campus plan produced that will correlate to District plan.
Summer
1. Content specific training to address district needs led by Curriculum Department and/or Master Teachers.
2. Content specific adjustments to curriculum/ scope and sequence led by Curriculum Department.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
D3C1A10
We were having problems with Waterford computers dying. The only way to use the softwars was to purchase new computers from Pearson Digital which was very expensive. The software going to waste. I worked with Waterford techs and the District techs to purchase through Stimulus funds and install a server version of Wateford. The program can now be accessed from any computer as long as we don't exceed the number of licenses we possess. I am hoping to purchase additional licenses so that ANY computer on campus is Waterford saving us the headache of positioning computers in the right place.
D2C3A6
I've worked with RTAs (Reading First, Capacity Schools, and Demonstration Sites) as well as PK Mentors to deliver professional development and parent meetings to meet the requirements of the district as well as the grants.
D2C3A5
Twice a year we evaluate our curriculum programs by looking at the usage at the campuses related to performance on both District Benchmarks and program evaluation programs. This data is presented to the School Board in January at their Saturday workshop and in May at the Board meeting.
D2C3A4
I will be sending Campus and District adminstrators to both the National Reading Conference and the PK Splash this summer. We also received an additional $373,200 to send 311 teachers and administrators to Summer Reading Conferences in Houston, Galveston, and Dallas. All of these will be made possible through grants and amendments to current grants.
D2C3A1
I will be attending several conferences as well as presenting at several others. The National Reading Conference in Anaheim and PK Splash in Dallas are two I will be attending this summer. I will also be presenting RtI and the Paradigm Shift of Differentiated Instruction at Reading Conferencees in Galveston and Dallas.
D2C2A1
One thing I like to do for teachers is listen. Everytime we have had a new initiative, especially those that were a "paradigm shift", teachers are off kilter. A lot of times, they just want someone to listen to their issues and who don't demean them for having these concerns. Sometimes I work with them, side-by-side, on implemention. Other times we make adjustments to the plan because there may have been things that had not been considered at the planning stage. Any time teachers feel appreciated and their voice is heard, their willingness to try and their enthusiasm is enhanced.
D2C1A9
During Curriculum Writing, our ELA writers and Fine Arts writers worked together to include Theater Arts TEKS in with ELA. They are so closely related that the correlations are seamless.
D1C4A6
I have worked with principals on legal issues, mainly PEIMS requirements. These instances related mostly with the ages in which kids can be enrolled in PK or "skipping" a grade through advance placement exams. We also discovered a PEIMS law that allowed us to count PK students as full day because we received the PreKindergarten Early Start Grant. This gives us an additonal $ per day, a total of $ per year.
D1C2A1
I am working with the 3rd grade team on a campus whose test scores showed the students were not performing to standard. To demonstrate their support, the campus administration approved the placing of subs in their rooms to give us 3 hours to plan as a team. Several ideas were discussed and the teachers decided on a plan of continuing the regular reading program for the first hour and following with another hour with Acceleration/Remediation. The additional hour is designed to give the teachers the opportunity to work with small groups using SBR strategies on the major skills. I conducted a training on these strategies. The class was divided into thirds. One third was with the teacher who delivered explicit skill instruction, the second third work with an aide on fluency and comprehension, and the final third go to the computer lab to work on Ticket to Read, which is software that hits all the major skills in a SIMS format. At our latest meeting, the teachers have gone from saying, "Our kids can't do that" to "What can I do to help my kids get that?" I am very impressed with the changes I've seen in the teachers and with the Campus Administration. The Curriculum Coordinator has gained confidence in her abilities and has gained the teachers' trust.
D1C1A2
As we collected the ballots for the Reading adoption, I informed each campus how to conduct campus demonstrations by publishers, staff meetings with the campus textbook representative, voting processes, and ballot submissions. Each schools packet was sealed and they were not opened until the committee was together to count. Each group counted the votes for campuses other than their own and reported the tallies to me. I recorded the vote on a spreadsheet, the winner determined by a plurality, which I turned over to the District Textbook person. It goes before the board for approval before the decision is announced.
D1C1A1
I have been working with several new PK teachers that either have severe classroom management issues or are unhappy in their assignment and are only "getting through the days". I formed a team of administrators with PK expertise, with the Asst. Superintendent's approval, to make plans for each of these teachers. More information to follow as we work through the process.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Interview with James Green, Port Neches-Groves ISD Board Member
Mr. Green worked in the Business Department of PNGISD for 17 years. He served from 1974-85 and one term starting in 2002.
Important skill—The most important skill a board member could have is communication. That means they know how to talk as well as listen. They have to be able to use good judgment and to run the district like a business. They may not be able to make everybody happy, but their most important job is to have a healthy system.
Most difficult experience—The most difficult experiences have been dealing with grievances. People with a grievance have very strong feelings and sometimes the board has to use tough love. I asked if there were any decisions that he wished he could change. He said that every decision he made was well thought out and he wouldn’t change any of them.
Greatest Accomplishment—Changing the Head Football Coach/Athletic Director. Although it was very difficult to do at the time, it was the best thing to do for the district. The football team went 11-1 last year. Coach Faircloth has proved to be a great asset to the district and he supports all programs.
Vision for the future—Mr. Green is very concerned about finances for the district in the future. Since PNGISD is Chapter 41, there may be times that the fund balance has been dipped into for regular operating matters, and this will not be able to continue for long. The fund balance is usually only used for unforeseen expenses like school buses, not regular expenses like salaries. He is also very concerned about the plans to consolidate the elementary schools, one in Port Neches and one in Groves. He supports the plan 100%, but he thinks it will be difficult to get a second bond passed to carry it out unless there is an economic upturn. He wholly supports the last bond and the technology that is going in the schools.
Important skill—The most important skill a board member could have is communication. That means they know how to talk as well as listen. They have to be able to use good judgment and to run the district like a business. They may not be able to make everybody happy, but their most important job is to have a healthy system.
Most difficult experience—The most difficult experiences have been dealing with grievances. People with a grievance have very strong feelings and sometimes the board has to use tough love. I asked if there were any decisions that he wished he could change. He said that every decision he made was well thought out and he wouldn’t change any of them.
Greatest Accomplishment—Changing the Head Football Coach/Athletic Director. Although it was very difficult to do at the time, it was the best thing to do for the district. The football team went 11-1 last year. Coach Faircloth has proved to be a great asset to the district and he supports all programs.
Vision for the future—Mr. Green is very concerned about finances for the district in the future. Since PNGISD is Chapter 41, there may be times that the fund balance has been dipped into for regular operating matters, and this will not be able to continue for long. The fund balance is usually only used for unforeseen expenses like school buses, not regular expenses like salaries. He is also very concerned about the plans to consolidate the elementary schools, one in Port Neches and one in Groves. He supports the plan 100%, but he thinks it will be difficult to get a second bond passed to carry it out unless there is an economic upturn. He wholly supports the last bond and the technology that is going in the schools.
Interview with Billy Curl, Asst. Superintendent Port Neches Groves ISD
Mr. Curl spoke about grievance processes and issues.
One thing to remember is that being legally right doesn’t mean you will prevail in grievances. As elected officials, Board members are charged with making decisions based upon the evidence presented. The analogy of the fire tower ranger comes to mind. The Board members don't put out the fires that they spot, but they alert the District that there is smoke. Some laws and policies use the word "shall" and others use the word "may". It's possible to argue that the law or policy does not require that a specific relief be granted, but the Board may choose to grant relief that although is not required is permitted. He also said that everyone that deals with grievances should read The Godfather. Administrators need to understand two quotes the book, "It's not personal... It's strictly business". If you don't prevail in a grievance, don't take it personally. Review your documentation, review your procedures. Evaluate if there is anything you could-or should- have done differently. In the end, remember that the Board makes its decision on the evidence presented-and it's not personal-it's strictly business. The second quote, "This is the business we've chosen." Remember, you applied for this job. Some of the issues we deal with are unpleasant, but we took the job knowing there would be unpleasant aspects we would have to deal with. Another book to read is The Prince by Machiavelli. The Prince approach to leadership is very much a top-down model of leadership. It crushes opposition. Administrators are sometimes accused of being "Machiavellian". By reading The Prince the administrator can determine the validity of the criticism. Mr. Curl doesn't want to leave the impression that he is recommending the leadership style of Machiavelli, rather-understand the criticism and avoid that type of leadership.
Boards can do one of three things when ruling on a grievance:
1. Uphold administration,
2. Grant relief sought by the grievant,
3. Do something else (grant partial relief, compromise, take no action)
Policy requires the grievant must submit all documentation by the Level 1 conference unless they were unaware of the information. Level 1 complaints are not usually recorded. Make sure you document the day you receive the grievance and make a working copy for yourself. The original will be part of the record. Strictly adhere to the timeline. If there is an exception to the timelines in the policy, it must be mutually agreed to. Be sure to document the agreement.
At Level 2, Mr. Curl discovered quickly to set a time limit to hear complaints, 30 minutes is ideal. Level 2 is recorded on occasion, depending on the issues involved. He generally uses a template to record the details when listening to the complaint. A grievance decision is not dependent on "Is this what I would have done?", but more often "Is this permissible under the Board Policy and the Law?"
By policy, decisions at both Levels 1 and 2 must be written. When writing the decision, one must be aware that the audience for the decision is potentially much broader than the greivant alone. Because the decisions are maintained as a part of the record and subject to appeal, the decisions may also be read by the Board of Trustees, the Commissioner of Education, a District Court Judge, and at times, on the front page of the newspaper.
When the Level 2 decisions are appealed to the Board of Trustees for a Level 3 grievance, the grievant gets copies of the Level 1 and 2 decisions. The Level 2 decision contains a summary of the complaint, the investigation, the findings of fact, the policy, the response to the relief requested, and the procedures for further action.
Level 3 grievances are not a pleasant part of a Board member's duties because people are not happy and if it is an employee, it frequently involves pay or work conditions. Some years there are more parent/student complaints and some years there are more employee complaints. If a grievant is not satisfied with the Level 2 written response, that decision may be appealed to the Board of Trustees. Before hearing a Level 3 grievance, each board member must determine if he/she can hear the appeal or if a conflict of interest exists. If there is a conflict of interest, the Board Member recuses himself/herself. The Level 3 procedure begins with the Board reviewing the written documentation of the grievance in closed session. Neither the administration nor the grievant is present at this review. The Board can determine that the grievance does not merit a hearing. [Note the in the Legal policies of FNG and DGBA and GF, the Board is not required to negotiate or respond to a grievance.] Legally, the board is required to "stop, look, and listen". The Board can also determine to formally hear the grievance. The decision is made in open session of the Board meeting. If the Board chooses to hear the grievance, they will inform the grievant and administration of the meeting time when the grievance will be heard at Level 3. If the grievance is heard at Level 3, the Board may only consider the evidence in the written record considered in closed session. Typically at a Level 3 conference each side (grievant and administration) are allowed 15 minutes (including rebuttal) to present their respective sides of the issue. Board members may then ask additional questoins. The Board deliberates and then makes its decision in open session. If the grievant is dissatisfied with the decision of the Board, alternatives may include an appeal before the Comissioner of Education or litigation.
The district looks at changing policy when the state legislature changes law or when the District desires to change a local policy. PNGISD subscribes to TASB. They have access to their own representative who advises them on the language and points out potential problem areas. They also get stakeholders input when changing policy especially as it relates to the employees, ie dress code. There is a first read, then a second read in about a month on the regular agenda.
One thing to remember is that being legally right doesn’t mean you will prevail in grievances. As elected officials, Board members are charged with making decisions based upon the evidence presented. The analogy of the fire tower ranger comes to mind. The Board members don't put out the fires that they spot, but they alert the District that there is smoke. Some laws and policies use the word "shall" and others use the word "may". It's possible to argue that the law or policy does not require that a specific relief be granted, but the Board may choose to grant relief that although is not required is permitted. He also said that everyone that deals with grievances should read The Godfather. Administrators need to understand two quotes the book, "It's not personal... It's strictly business". If you don't prevail in a grievance, don't take it personally. Review your documentation, review your procedures. Evaluate if there is anything you could-or should- have done differently. In the end, remember that the Board makes its decision on the evidence presented-and it's not personal-it's strictly business. The second quote, "This is the business we've chosen." Remember, you applied for this job. Some of the issues we deal with are unpleasant, but we took the job knowing there would be unpleasant aspects we would have to deal with. Another book to read is The Prince by Machiavelli. The Prince approach to leadership is very much a top-down model of leadership. It crushes opposition. Administrators are sometimes accused of being "Machiavellian". By reading The Prince the administrator can determine the validity of the criticism. Mr. Curl doesn't want to leave the impression that he is recommending the leadership style of Machiavelli, rather-understand the criticism and avoid that type of leadership.
Boards can do one of three things when ruling on a grievance:
1. Uphold administration,
2. Grant relief sought by the grievant,
3. Do something else (grant partial relief, compromise, take no action)
Policy requires the grievant must submit all documentation by the Level 1 conference unless they were unaware of the information. Level 1 complaints are not usually recorded. Make sure you document the day you receive the grievance and make a working copy for yourself. The original will be part of the record. Strictly adhere to the timeline. If there is an exception to the timelines in the policy, it must be mutually agreed to. Be sure to document the agreement.
At Level 2, Mr. Curl discovered quickly to set a time limit to hear complaints, 30 minutes is ideal. Level 2 is recorded on occasion, depending on the issues involved. He generally uses a template to record the details when listening to the complaint. A grievance decision is not dependent on "Is this what I would have done?", but more often "Is this permissible under the Board Policy and the Law?"
By policy, decisions at both Levels 1 and 2 must be written. When writing the decision, one must be aware that the audience for the decision is potentially much broader than the greivant alone. Because the decisions are maintained as a part of the record and subject to appeal, the decisions may also be read by the Board of Trustees, the Commissioner of Education, a District Court Judge, and at times, on the front page of the newspaper.
When the Level 2 decisions are appealed to the Board of Trustees for a Level 3 grievance, the grievant gets copies of the Level 1 and 2 decisions. The Level 2 decision contains a summary of the complaint, the investigation, the findings of fact, the policy, the response to the relief requested, and the procedures for further action.
Level 3 grievances are not a pleasant part of a Board member's duties because people are not happy and if it is an employee, it frequently involves pay or work conditions. Some years there are more parent/student complaints and some years there are more employee complaints. If a grievant is not satisfied with the Level 2 written response, that decision may be appealed to the Board of Trustees. Before hearing a Level 3 grievance, each board member must determine if he/she can hear the appeal or if a conflict of interest exists. If there is a conflict of interest, the Board Member recuses himself/herself. The Level 3 procedure begins with the Board reviewing the written documentation of the grievance in closed session. Neither the administration nor the grievant is present at this review. The Board can determine that the grievance does not merit a hearing. [Note the in the Legal policies of FNG and DGBA and GF, the Board is not required to negotiate or respond to a grievance.] Legally, the board is required to "stop, look, and listen". The Board can also determine to formally hear the grievance. The decision is made in open session of the Board meeting. If the Board chooses to hear the grievance, they will inform the grievant and administration of the meeting time when the grievance will be heard at Level 3. If the grievance is heard at Level 3, the Board may only consider the evidence in the written record considered in closed session. Typically at a Level 3 conference each side (grievant and administration) are allowed 15 minutes (including rebuttal) to present their respective sides of the issue. Board members may then ask additional questoins. The Board deliberates and then makes its decision in open session. If the grievant is dissatisfied with the decision of the Board, alternatives may include an appeal before the Comissioner of Education or litigation.
The district looks at changing policy when the state legislature changes law or when the District desires to change a local policy. PNGISD subscribes to TASB. They have access to their own representative who advises them on the language and points out potential problem areas. They also get stakeholders input when changing policy especially as it relates to the employees, ie dress code. There is a first read, then a second read in about a month on the regular agenda.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Interview with Dr. Lani Randall, Port Neches-Groves Superintendent
The most important skill a Superintendent can possess is the ability to take a broad view of issues. You have to be aware that everyone has a personal view of the issues and that there are always things going on behind the scene. You have to approach these individuals in different ways. You have to listen to them, but always keep both local and legal policy at the forefront. This ability is not automatic but something that is developed as you gain experience on the job.
The most difficult experience as a Superintendent was Hurricane Rita. Everyone was operating on a huge learning curve. From communication with employees and the community, to deciding when to bring people back, to compacting the curriculum, and to the $4 million in damages, it was an extremely stressful time. The silver lining was that the lessons learned with the Rita experience made the Hurricane Ike experience much easier.
Dr. Randall’s greatest, short term accomplishment was the passing of the $123 million bond, which was actually postponed for a year due to Hurricane Rita. The district will have two new middle schools that will be completed in the middle of May. Additions to the high school will allow for each grade level to be separated into pods and the athletic complex will be updated with baseball and softball fields, a batting cage, and tennis courts. Her greatest, long term accomplishment has been serving as a successful change agent, bringing change that has been for the greater good for the entire district.
Her vision for the future is to bring better technology and a more cost effective structure to the district. As part of the bond, every middle school student will have laptops, and every elementary classroom will be digital with document cameras, speaker systems and projectors. Future bond plans for the district may include the reconfiguration of the existing elementary campuses in order to reduce the number of campuses in order to save on personnel costs as well as other operating costs
Extra credit question
5 issues faced in your tenure as Superintendent—
School finance
4 x 4 changes, Career and Technology changes
Disaster situations-you can prepare for natural, but there is always a threat at the chemical plants of terrorist acts, explosions, and accidental emissions
Keeping kids in schools and preparing them for the work force
Personnel support-wages, benefits and meeting everyone’s needs
The most difficult experience as a Superintendent was Hurricane Rita. Everyone was operating on a huge learning curve. From communication with employees and the community, to deciding when to bring people back, to compacting the curriculum, and to the $4 million in damages, it was an extremely stressful time. The silver lining was that the lessons learned with the Rita experience made the Hurricane Ike experience much easier.
Dr. Randall’s greatest, short term accomplishment was the passing of the $123 million bond, which was actually postponed for a year due to Hurricane Rita. The district will have two new middle schools that will be completed in the middle of May. Additions to the high school will allow for each grade level to be separated into pods and the athletic complex will be updated with baseball and softball fields, a batting cage, and tennis courts. Her greatest, long term accomplishment has been serving as a successful change agent, bringing change that has been for the greater good for the entire district.
Her vision for the future is to bring better technology and a more cost effective structure to the district. As part of the bond, every middle school student will have laptops, and every elementary classroom will be digital with document cameras, speaker systems and projectors. Future bond plans for the district may include the reconfiguration of the existing elementary campuses in order to reduce the number of campuses in order to save on personnel costs as well as other operating costs
Extra credit question
5 issues faced in your tenure as Superintendent—
School finance
4 x 4 changes, Career and Technology changes
Disaster situations-you can prepare for natural, but there is always a threat at the chemical plants of terrorist acts, explosions, and accidental emissions
Keeping kids in schools and preparing them for the work force
Personnel support-wages, benefits and meeting everyone’s needs
Monday, February 1, 2010
D3C3A2
Using item analysis, the district data disaggregation tool, we are able to inform instruction and staff development. We have brought in various presenters to meet our needs. On Feb. 15th, we will have a Technology Day training. I worked with the PK mentors to develop a plan for training to meet their needs, which are unique not only because of the age of the students, but because we gained about 300 new PK students this year. This means we have hired about 15 new teachers, some new to the grade level and some new to teaching. I am also going to be training Counselors on the use of the RtI software so that everyone can be on the same page in the documentation process.
D3C3A1
I have managed personnel through several initiatives to meet the each grant's specific goals. 100+ people, full-time, part-time, or extra duty, through several different initatives, each working to meet the needs of each grant.
D3C1A1
Through the many grants I manage, curriculum activities, and summer school, I generally manage around $5 million per year. Each of those grants involve personnel costs, training, travel, technology, and materials. Through the years, I have developed a system that makes it easy to keep on top of all these activities. I keep spreadsheets of each fund, with the proper budget codes. This helps me double check on the orders and the delivery of the materials. I have worked closely with the Budget Supervisor to make sure that the money is spent appropriately and within the parameters of the grant or department requirements.
D2C3A2
Through several grants, PreKindergarten Early Start, Reading First Grant, and The Writing Academy, I have looked at assessment data, scientifically researched materials and instructional strategies, I have developed comprehensive plans for training and material acquisition for the improvement of instruction.
D2C2A8
A lot of 4th grade teachers are still having difficulty teaching students how to write at a 4 level on the TAKS composition. The Writing Academy developed a workshop for us that will show teachers how to score papers. My theory is that if a teacher can read a jpaper and identify those aspects that make a paper a 4, they will be more adept at teaching students how to achieve that level of writing.
D2C2A7
I worked with the Special Education Dept. to assess Life Skills students' Reading levels. Once we determined where the students are, we were able to design a Reading Program that met their needs. The program is designed to teach them reading where they are and to provide Intervention that is appropriate for them.
D2C2A5
I have planned and managed several programs, including Reading First, PreKindergarten and TAKS Recapture Summer School. Each of these programs had some programmatic guidelines, but I developed our BISD programs to fit our needs. For example, for the Summer School program, I was able to purchase curriculum materials that were appropriate for our needs at that time. This year, due to the fact that we are able to hire the best teachers in the district, our needs have changed. This year, we are looking at programs that will take our students further in the time we have them.
D2C1A8
Last summer we had to rewrite our curriculum to accommodate the new ELA TEKS which went into effect in the 2009-2010 school year. This summer we will have to accommodate the new Basal Adoption, and the next year, we will have to look to the new STAAR test, which promises to be more rigorous.
D2C1A5
I prepare a spreadsheet of the benchmark averages by grade level and by classroom. We are able to focus in on teachers in need and help to bridge gaps in instruction for those students. I share this information with all other supervisors. It gives us a "snapshot" of need throughout the district. I've asked the programmers to create a way to look also at the average of all the students by grade level. It will help us examine the individual questions and gauge the validity of the test.
D2C1A4
The Reading Basal is up for adoption this year. I have put together a team to examine the five offerings on the state list. They have been given a rubric by which they will measure the series. I had the publishers come and present their programs to the district teachers, and they were allowed to visit campuses with the campus administrators' permission. They will meet one more time with the Adoption Committee to have one last word and to show the free with order materials. The committee will then meet again to share our findings and then to develop "talking points" to take back to their teachers. In March, we will take a vote. Each classroom teacher will have a vote, one man, one vote. The series that receives majority of votes will be the one selected. Our timeline is to have the voting completed before we go out for Spring Break.
D2C1A2
I conduct regular meetings with teachers after benchmark testing to determine the validity and reliability of the benchmark assessments created. More often than not, most of the test was deemed appropriate, but there are always some instances of inappropriateness of the questions or the way the question is asked. Frequently, when talking to teachers, they tell me that while the questions were difficult, they did not feel they were out of the students' abilities. Sometimes, they state that they felt that they could have done a better job of preparing the students.
D1C3A3
When writing several grants, I have had to seek out district and community leaders in order to create a comprehensive plan that not only fit our needs but met the requirements of the grant. Even after the grants were approved, there have been times when we have had to change the plan due to the changing needs of the district.
D1C3A1
As mentioned in an earlier posting, we have a school that is a Demonstration Site and we are creating a video that shows how the campus is successful. I have written a "screenplay" with the help of the Leadership Team and the Reading Technical Assistants from the University of Texas. The video will be produced completely with district resources. It will be assessable from the district site and will be posted either on the TEA or UT website.
D1C1A3
I have conducted several trainings for teachers who still need to pass the PPR portion of the TExES test, the latest one scheduled for Feb. 2nd and 4th. I have also presented the classroom management portion of the Substiture training. No person can substitute in BISD unless they have completed the Sub Training and passed a background check.
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