STANDARD FOUR - HUMAN RESOURCE
School executives will ensure that the school is a professional learning community. School executives will ensure that processes and systems are in place that result in the recruitment, induction, support, evaluation, development and retention of a high-performing staff. The school executive must engage and empower accomplished teachers in a distributive leadership manner, including support of teachers in day-to-day decisions such as discipline, communication with parents, and protecting teachers from duties that interfere with teaching. They also must practice fair and consistent evaluation of teachers. The school executive must engage teachers and other professional staff in conversations to plan their career paths and support district succession planning
4A: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/LEARNING COMMUNITIES
The school executive ensures that the school is a professional learning community.
Data Walk
At Knightdale Elementary, we are focused on increasing student achievement and removing the barriers that impact learning for all of our students. During one faculty meeting, I led a session were I asked teachers to bring their preliminary iStation data. We created color coded charts to represent whether a student was above, on, below, or severely below grade level. Teachers work together as grade-levels to short their students and they were given a photo of each student. They placed the photo of each student based on score to give a visual representation regarding what our student performance looks like from an equity lense. Teachers were shocked to see the progression or decline certain students made as they matriculated through the grade levels.
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At Knightdale Elementary, we are focused on increasing student achievement and removing the barriers that impact learning for all of our students. During one faculty meeting, I led a session were I asked teachers to bring their preliminary iStation data. We created color coded charts to represent whether a student was above, on, below, or severely below grade level. Teachers work together as grade-levels to short their students and they were given a photo of each student. They placed the photo of each student based on score to give a visual representation regarding what our student performance looks like from an equity lense. Teachers were shocked to see the progression or decline certain students made as they matriculated through the grade levels.
*This information is restricted.
Equity Professional Development
I wrote and facilitated three professional development sessions that spanned several topics related to equity. These sequences aimed to create awareness of individuals’ identity, privilege, and bias and the structures of power within the classroom, school, and community. The three sessions were 3 hours each and consisted of one or more specific equity-based skill sets, including listening, recognizing dominant discourse, using protocols to support equity-oriented instruction, and developing an equity lens and mindset. During the sessions, teachers and staff engaged in reflexive practice around issues of equity while also building a collaborative, authentic, and high-functioning community that actively works to disrupt oppressive norms and structures.
The topics were:
Session 1 : Bias & Resilience
Session 2: Race & Systemic Racism
Session 3: The Danger of a Single Story and Equitable Instructional Practices
I wrote and facilitated three professional development sessions that spanned several topics related to equity. These sequences aimed to create awareness of individuals’ identity, privilege, and bias and the structures of power within the classroom, school, and community. The three sessions were 3 hours each and consisted of one or more specific equity-based skill sets, including listening, recognizing dominant discourse, using protocols to support equity-oriented instruction, and developing an equity lens and mindset. During the sessions, teachers and staff engaged in reflexive practice around issues of equity while also building a collaborative, authentic, and high-functioning community that actively works to disrupt oppressive norms and structures.
The topics were:
Session 1 : Bias & Resilience
Session 2: Race & Systemic Racism
Session 3: The Danger of a Single Story and Equitable Instructional Practices
Instructional Assistant Meetings
To cultivate community and learning, we host Instructional Assistant (IA) meetings the same week as our faculty meetings because our IAs are unable to attend. In these meetings, we share, discuss and collaborate on the information shared with the teaching staff. This enables everyone to grow and learn and to make sure our learning community is growing in their craft. Because IAs are spread out all over the building this becomes their PLT where they can also celebrate and feel connected to each other.
4B: RECRUITING, HIRING, PLACING, AND MENTORING STAFF
The school executive establishes processes and systems in order to ensure a high-quality, high-performing staff.
Interviews
I had the opportunity to be a part of the several interview teams during my Principal Residency at Knightdale Elementary. This experience was meaningful because it allowed me to see hiring from the human resources side. We checked references, had candidates denied by HR, struggled to fill vacancies and also hired some awesome staff members.
Offering the Position
I served as the administrator who supported the third-grade team as they interviewed a long-term substitute teacher to replace a teammate who was going on maternity leave. Following the interview process, I offered her the position after conferring with the grade level and administrative team. Below is the email thread.
I served as the administrator who supported the third-grade team as they interviewed a long-term substitute teacher to replace a teammate who was going on maternity leave. Following the interview process, I offered her the position after conferring with the grade level and administrative team. Below is the email thread.
New Knight Orientation
At the beginning of the school year, we had 8 new staff members. I planned the New Teacher Orientation where the goal was to welcome teachers to KES, teach them about our culture, provide pertinent information to make for a successful start to the year, and to be clear on expectations and performance. After the full day session, new teachers were knighted and given knight pens to officially welcome them.
At the beginning of the school year, we had 8 new staff members. I planned the New Teacher Orientation where the goal was to welcome teachers to KES, teach them about our culture, provide pertinent information to make for a successful start to the year, and to be clear on expectations and performance. After the full day session, new teachers were knighted and given knight pens to officially welcome them.
Teacher Pipeline
As a part of my coursework, I spent time analyzing the current leadership pipeline at my school. I interviewed teachers and administrators to better understand how it is developed. I also assessed how the leadership team develops and retains effective teachers. From there, I created a Teacher-Leader Pipeline for a future school where I used the concepts and theories of distributed leadership.
As a part of my coursework, I spent time analyzing the current leadership pipeline at my school. I interviewed teachers and administrators to better understand how it is developed. I also assessed how the leadership team develops and retains effective teachers. From there, I created a Teacher-Leader Pipeline for a future school where I used the concepts and theories of distributed leadership.
4C: TEACHER AND STAFF EVALUATIONS
The school executive evaluates teachers and other staff in a fair and equitable manner with the focus on improving performance and, thus, student achievement.
Formal Observations
As a Principal Resident, I conducted formal observations alongside the administrators at my school. I learned a lot by visiting classrooms and completing teacher observations based on teaching standards. I also was able participate in the pre-conference, post-conference, middle of the year and summative process. As I became comfortable, I was able to provide feedback to teachers during post-conferences and during summative meetings. Detailed and consistent observations are very important as a school administrator.
As a Principal Resident, I conducted formal observations alongside the administrators at my school. I learned a lot by visiting classrooms and completing teacher observations based on teaching standards. I also was able participate in the pre-conference, post-conference, middle of the year and summative process. As I became comfortable, I was able to provide feedback to teachers during post-conferences and during summative meetings. Detailed and consistent observations are very important as a school administrator.
Walkthroughs
At Knightdale Elementary, the administrative team conducts walkthroughs weekly. We use a Rigor, Equity and Personalization (REP) tool to enter what we see. These walkthroughs allow us to see how our school improvement efforts and professional development sessions are impacting the learning environment. The idea behind walk-throughs is that firsthand classroom observations can paint a picture to inform improvement efforts. We review this walkthrough data during our staff meetings and also use it to tell where teachers need additional support.
*Restricted Access
At Knightdale Elementary, the administrative team conducts walkthroughs weekly. We use a Rigor, Equity and Personalization (REP) tool to enter what we see. These walkthroughs allow us to see how our school improvement efforts and professional development sessions are impacting the learning environment. The idea behind walk-throughs is that firsthand classroom observations can paint a picture to inform improvement efforts. We review this walkthrough data during our staff meetings and also use it to tell where teachers need additional support.
*Restricted Access
Streamlining the Summative Evaluation
As an administrative team, we struggled to capture post conferences in a way that made the summative evaluation process easier. We were given a set of questions to use in the post-conferences and I generated a google form to capture the conversations.