EDLD 5399 Week Four Assignment

            Reflecting on my experiences simply means that I review things that I have studied and learned and realizing how those experiences made me a better person or enabled me to be better in doing my work.  It is extremely important to assess what I have learned and apply some value to it.  Any good leader has to practice reflection on a daily basis.  Without reflection, it is easy to make a decision in haste that could result in disaster for the individual and those affected by the decision.  Reflection is a tool that I had practiced in decision-making, but I did not recognize its importance until I was forced to take a closer look at what it involved. 

John Dewey wrote in Experience and Education (New York: Macmillan, 1938) that reflective thinking leads educators to act in a “deliberate and intentional fashion” rather than in a “blind and impulsive” manner.  As I reflect over the course of this superintendent’s certification program, I have realized that I was not as proficient in areas I previously thought I was.  There were so many learning experiences where I gathered valuable information.   These are experiences that I would not trade anything for.  I feel that I am a better decision-maker because I have had the opportunity to work through problems I never knew existed. 

Reflection, in my opinion, is like performing a self-assessment on my experiences and incorporating what I have learned into my professional practices.  One exercise that I found thought provoking and gained valuable information from was reviewing contracts and termination policies.  As director of special education this information will used time and time again.  I know that I can make an informed decision regarding employment issues because of what I learned. 

Another activity that I was thoroughly stimulated by was serving on the district’s PBMAS Team.  We had to disaggregate test scores, attendance, discipline and several of the sub-groups such as special education and bilingual education.  The ultimate purpose of evaluating this information and disaggregating every strand of information was to develop a Continuous Improvement Plan to improve the deficits that were observed.  This experience has provided invaluable information that will prove useful to a superintendent or any other district leadership position.

The coursework that I found most challenging was EDLD 5342. I love math, but not having any prior experience with district finances intimidated me. Having to calculate different funding sources for the first time allowed me to develop a better understanding of how local funds are generated.  

I didn’t meet with my superintendent often, but I did have the opportunity to meet and discuss issues with my Deputy Superintendent.  I feel that I gained so much from these conferences.  Not only did he share his opinions with me on several issues, he allowed me to voice my opinions as well.

John Dewey maintained that reflection is an important aspect of learning from experience.  I agree with this statement.  If we do not learn from our experiences, and use these experiences as opportunities for growth, I believe our existence is in vain.  I plan to utilize the reflection process in my professional and private lives.  Utilizing this process will allow me to make conscious choices about hot to make a difference.  

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.

M & O Calculations

Port Arthur I. S. D. has proposed total expenditures will be $172,649,667. The expenditures will be taken from Local M & O collections of $45,115,917. Of that total, $43,380,689 is M & O Collections @ Compressed Rate (compressed rate x 100 x yield per penny) and $1,735,228 is M & O Collections for Level 1 (Level 1 rate x 100 x yield per penny). The district also has I & S tax collections of $19,495,622. Because the district has 9% of its population that is designated as special education, it receives a special education allotment of $4,212,523. It also receives $413,277 for its bilingual students and $8,344,712 in compensatory funds.

For 2011-12, the district has total general fund revenue of $69,665,575. 61.71% or $47,650,002 is from local sources, 37.53% or $21,504,435 is from state sources and 0.75% or $596,238.

The budgeted calculations indicate that $38,227,070 will be used for instruction and $1,924,599 is allocated to instructional leadership. $11,614,028 is proposed to be used for plant M & O. This results in per pupil expenditures of $4,166.

I found this assignment quite enlightening. I have a better understanding of how the funds that are used to operate a district are generated and expended each year.

Local Property Values

2010 Local District Property Value (DPV)
District 1 $ 145,968,635
District 2 $2,916,187,709

I & S (Interest & Sinking Fund) Tax Collection
District 1 $94,871 District 1 $8,836,256

Chapter 46 (EDA) Totals
District 1 $572,716
District 2 $0

Funds Available to Make Payments
District 1 $667,587
District 2 $8,836,256

By examining the figures above, it is apparent that District 2 is a much wealthier district than District 1. District 1only has a local district property value approximately 145 million dollars and District 2 has a local district property value of approximately 2 billion dollars. I would ascertain that the buildings and the infrastructure in District 2 are probably newer and better maintained than those of District 1. With property values as low as they low as they are in District 1 would probably indicate that the buildings in District 1 are somewhat dilapidated and the infrastructure antiquated. I would also envision District 2 to have more intervention and remedial programs than District 1 although they are needed much more in District 1. Even if District 1 had newer buildings, it doesn’t have enough funds available to make payments on them according to calculations above. Since District 2 has the funds available to implement new programs for its struggling students, it is probably rated by the state as a Recognized or Exemplary district. District 1, on the other hand, appears to be experiencing financial hard times and is probably rated by the state as an Acceptable or Unacceptable district.