Action Research - EDLD 5399

I have had so many growth opportunities throughout this program that it’s hard to know where to begin.  As I reflect on my experiences, I have learned several of the intricacies of how a district operates, how a superintendent functions, and about the many aspects of several departments.  We have a mid-sized district that has a population that is approximately 95% low socio-economic.  I have learned that our district places academic student success, as it’s major priority.    Our students have been afforded many opportunities to achieve success, but with budget cuts this last year, many of those opportunities have diminished.
  

I feel certain that with the implementation of a district-wide RtI program, a year round afterschool program and the implementation of a structured literacy program, our students will demonstrate significant growth in their academic achievement.  There is no such thing as doing too much to insure student success.   Our district has recently implemented a new curriculum.  It is a very rigorous and fast paced curriculum.  Many of our students have voiced serious concerns with the new curriculum.  They feel that the curriculum moves extremely fast.

After serving on the PBMAS Team for the district, I began to realize the many deficits of our students.  For the 2010-2011 school year, none of our campuses received an Exemplary rating, and only four of the 13 schools in the district received Recognized rating.  It is evident that there is much work to be done.  This is one reason for implementation of the new curriculum; however, I don’t feel that a mere change of the curriculum without some supports in place will be sufficient.

It is important that I students not only feel that they have the opportunity to be successful, they need to experience success.  If our district seriously took a look at the recommendations and implemented them, our students will definitely experience the success they rightly deserve. 

CARE Model - EDLD 5399

Concerns – Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research, and list at least three concerns that you have identified from these experiences – a concern may be any matter that engages your attention or interest.

1. District-wide RtI (Response to Intervention) Program
2. Year round after school program
3. Literacy Program


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

1. Selection of an RtI program suitable for entire district 
2. Construction of a year-round after school program
3. Structure a literacy program


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

1. Insure that representatives from each campus are involved in the selection of a suitable RtI Program.
2. Design an afterschool program that begins in September and terminates in May that provides tutorials in all core academic areas.  Students currently only have four months of afterschool tutorials.
3. Identify the components of a literacy program.


Evaluate - Review your participation in improvement initiatives or efforts to engage in action research and identify at least 3 strategies for evaluating the improvement plans or recommendations.
1. With more students identified to participate in the RtI program, there will be fewer students referred to special education.  Monitor special education referrals to document a reduction in the number of annual referrals.
2. After examining PBMAS documents, evidence should reveal fewer students at risk of failing, and an increase in the percentage of students being successful on TAKS, STAAR, and EOC exams.
3. Students that have been identified as dyslexic and/or non-readers will be given formal and informal assessments that indicate growth in areas such as decoding, fluency, comprehension and retention.

Job Entry Plan

Sharon K. Boutte
EDLD 5399
Week 2 Assignment

Job Entry Plan


First Day 
Goal(s): 1. Gather information that will lead to a greater understanding of what is expected of me and to gain knowledge of systems that are already in place.

Objective(s):
1. Become familiar with those that I will work closely with. 
2. Examine and become familiar with the organization chart of the district.


Activities addressing goals and objectives:
1. Meet with my secretary to be briefed on how the office is running and if there are any pertinent deadlines pending.
2. Begin organizing office.
3. Introduce myself to other office staff.
4. Meet with central administrative staff to get a feeling of the priorities of the district.
5. Review all available district data.

Resources:
1. Time
2. Personnel
3. District Reports (PIEMS, AEIS, AYP, Budget, etc.)

First Week 
Goal(s):
1. Establish strategies to work with the board of trustees and executive team members in order to develop collaboration when making decisions and to facilitate team building.

Objectives(s):
1. Develop a working relationship with the board and the executive team.

Activities addressing goals and objectives:
1. Review the district’s improvement plan.
2. Meet with the board of trustees to establish board priorities and begin to develop a collaborative working relationship with each of them.
3. Meet with each member of the executive team to review their priorities and assess the needs of the district.

Resources:
1. Secretary to coordinate meetings.
2. Copy of the district improvement plan.
3. Time
4. Personnel

First Month 
Goal(s):
1. Act with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner in order to promote the success of all students. 
2. Shape the district culture by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the educational community. 


Activities addressing goals and objectives:
1. Visit all campuses within the district.
2. Articulate the district’s vision and priorities to all stakeholders.
3. Meet with each school principal individually to review priorities and to look at demographics and examine campus improvement plans of each school.
4. Meet with Curriculum and Instruction team to review curriculum and ensure we are promoting a culture that is conducive to student achievement and professional development.

Resources:
1. Secretary to coordinate meetings and visits.
2. Time
3. Media venues
4. Campus improvement plans from each school

First Year 
Goal(s):
1. 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. 
2. Shape the district culture by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the educational community. 
3. 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.

Objective(s):
1. Develop a comprehensive district strategic plan.
2. Develop a budget that adheres to district, state and federal guidelines.
3. Ensure alignment between the district’s goals and the campus’ goals.

Activities addressing goals and objectives:
1. Meet with executive team and district improvement team.
2. Examine the expected local, state and federal revenues.
3. Development of a professional development plan.

Resources:
1. Personnel
2. Time
3. Documents
4. Available funding

SBEC Superintendent Competencies/Self-Assessment

In order for any self-assessment to be truly effective, the individual completing the assessment has to be completely honest. This assessment directs you to evaluate all of the areas that are important to being a successful superintendent as it relates to the skills an individual seeking this position should possess. I tried to do just that.

As far as Competency 1 goes, this continues to be an area of of strength for me; however, I did show some growth in this area. Competency Area 2 remained constant for me. As a principal and a director, I had experience in shaping the culture and a school and a district (of course on a smaller level), by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the educational community. I also remained somewhat constant in Competency Area 3.

Competency Areas 4, 5, 9, and 10 were the areas that I demonstrated the most growth. Initially, there were several areas where I rated myself with "I", indicating that there were several areas in which I would like to focus and improve my knowledge and skill. Several of those changed to "C", indicating that I now feel competent in these areas. In many instances where I rated myself with a "C", these areas are now rated "S", indicating that they are now strengths of mine.

Competency Area 6 showed growth in two areas. I still only feel that I am competent in most areas in this category. There are man areas where I still rate myself as only being competent. This is an area that I feel I need to work on. Competency Area 7 is an area that showed some improvement in two areas.

In the Competency Area 8, I actually rated myself lower on some items than I had initially. The coursework did an excellent job preparing me for the position of superintendent, but it also made me realize that there were some things I thought were strengths of mine that really were not strengths. They are only areas that I feel that I am competent in. I would still like to work on these areas.

This evaluation reinforced that although I have shown some growth, there is always something I can work on. In the field of education, your work is never done.