Crisis Plan

I am presenting on Region 9's crisis plan for their Head Start programs. I was going to use Burkburnett ISD for my crisis plan, but they do not release their crisis plan to the public because it is a secure document. I did, however, get to see part of the plan in action. I was at the district office speaking with Becky Parkey when the fire broke out on the North side of Wichita Falls. The principal of Tower Elementary called Randy Lovelady about the fire while I was there, he informed her to keep the students inside to keep out of the smoke until the superintendent, Mr. Taylor, arrived. One thing we need to especially keep in mind when dealing with fire or other chemicals in the air, is our students with asthma.

Crisis Plan Question

Dr. Owen,

Are we suppossed to use the Crisis Plan Checklist as a guide for the analysis and critique of the Crisis Plan of the school in which we are currently working? Thank you for your help.

Kyle Davenport

Scholarship Opportunity

The Graduate Merit Scholarship applications are due May 1!  It is a one-page form and easy to fill out.  If you are interested, please follow these directions:

Go to http://academics.mwsu.edu/graduateschool/scholarships.asp
Scroll down to Online Forms (left side of screen)
Click on Graduate Merit Scholarship Application

I need to sign the form so please get it up to my office so I can do so before the deadline.

Dr. O

Final Module

Hello Students--
You should all now be well into Module 12, the culminating assignment made up of a community relations plan and an evaluation of a crisis plan.  If you need assistance or advice, please don't hesitate to email me.  I'll be happy to look over any of your work in progress for an unofficial review.  I also have additional materials in my office if you need something else to pattern after.

Please remember your projects will go better if you read all instructions, look over all rubrics, and review all materials given before beginning your work.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone May 12, 7:00, FE 303 for your presentations and display of your community relations plan binders.  I'll bring refreshments!

Dr. O

My evaluation

I just checked my evaluation site and saw that only one student has completed the evaluation so far.  (Remember, I can't see what you wrote, only that you turned one in).  Please get this done as soon as possible--things will only get more hectic as the end of the semester approaches!
Thank you!

Additional Question

Dr. Owen,

What is your opinion or view on a two-track curriculum program, in which at some point in the secondary schools, students choose between continuing a liberal arts education for preparing for college while others choose a vocational-type track which provides job-related skills for such work as plumbing, electrians, mechanics, etc.?

Module 11

1.Question: With the budget like it is in today’s world, how are principals supposed to operate a school?

Concern: Not enough money to run the school in today’s low budget economy.

2.Question: How is one supposed to become comfortable with managing data?

Concern: Managing data might be hard for one who has not ever managed it before.

Questions and Concerns--Module 11

Concern: On page 408, Guthrie mentions that "an individual teacher's possible personal preference for upward mobility is reinforced by the widespread school district practice of paying classroom teachers a higher annual salary if the accrue added credentials or certificate and college credits in addition to their bachelor's degree." Wichita Falls ISD has mentioned that teachers receiving extra monthly stipends for added credentials such as being ESL certified or holding a higher level of education certificate will notice a decrease in their stipend amount. This concern raises the level of importance for participating in higher education. Teachers who are qualified for more than just the general certification for education will not be receiving much additional benefits. This concern raises the question to whether or not higher education is worth obtaining if it is for the purpose of receiving more pay.

Question: Has the level of respect for higher education decreased because of the financial crisis we are facing? Or is having a higher level of education not encouraged for educational leaders of the future since this is an area receiving a pay deficit?

Concern: Page 399 mentions that "today's K-12 education organizations, districts, and schools are larger than ever before in history. There are 53 million school children, 90 percent of whom are enrolled in public schools." With this said, I am concerned with the fact that school are being closed due to funding. Where are these students supposed to go? And, how are they supposed to receive and adequate education?

Question: How are teachers supposed to provide the best quality education to classrooms high in student population when schools are not receiving adequate funds and professionals to help aid in the growth of student knowledge?

Module 11 Questions and Concerns

Concern: After both studying this course and EDLE 5603 (Intro to Leadership), I am concerned that with all the emphasis on standardized testing and those tests being tied directly to much needed funding, public schools will fail to educate the whole mind of a child. My concern is that schools will continue to emphasize only the skills needed to pass exams, and take away from programs that teach creativity, real-world problem solving, and application. Concern: I am concerned that policy regulation and oversight will be placed more and more in the hands of the federal government to the detriment of not only the states but more importantly local municipalities. Schools not only serve as educational organizations, but also have the role of socializing kids to successfully function in the community. While increased regulation may not have much of a social effect in large urban areas, increased oversight could be crippling to small rural districts. For example, imagine if small farming communities had to take funds away from their agricultural programs in order to meet federal mandates. Question: I know that the principal is the highest paid individual in the school building, but how does assistant principal pay compare to the principal and other teachers? If one enjoys being the assistant principal and does not want the stress and responsibility associated with being a principal, is it possible to be a career assistant and does this "look bad?" How would it effect the career of an assistant who is asked to be a principal but turns it down because he/she prefers being an assistant? Question: There is no doubt that schools MUST be teaching students how to utilize technology to be productive workers. Besides keeping up with and knowing what technology should be taught in classrooms, what technology skills do principals need to directly do their job effectively? How do you see advanced technology effecting the every day life of an administrator?

Module 11 Questions and Concerns

Concern: The population of schools continues to rise while the number of available schools continues to decline along with funding for operating schools (the book is contradictory in this statement - page 399 mentions that the number of schools is on the decline; however, on page 400, it says that the number of schools is increasing. Having been witness to many schools closing due to funding and consolidation issues, the latter is probably not the case). Meanwhile, standards, which are not funded by the government continue to increase. The ideal here is oxymoronish. Along with those increases in population, more and more attention is being directed to the minority-driven population groups while asking schools (teachers) to accommodate and educate these groups in order to bring them up to par with the "rest" of the students - namely the whites - all the while raising the standards, which increases the risk for failure for groups already not performing equally across the board. Question: Why would the public and its government expect schools to operate on less, when standards and diverse populations increase? Concern: It is amazing to me that people are confused about the financial crisis America's schools are facing. When you look at the charts on page 407, it is clear that there is a great discrepancy among school districts. On the one hand, a larger school district may offer greater pressure just by sheer numbers. On the other hand, a smaller school district, with lower populations probably has somewhat less day-to-day "office-type" stress, but sometimes those smaller districts offer a greater sense of buearocratic problems because of tight-knit communities with very strong religious centers. That difference in salaries can be directly translated into the classroom as to how much money is spent on each child simply because where they live. Isn't this discriminatory? Question: How do we change the way America views public school funding? NCLB wants all children to be on the same level, learning the same things. But no one wants to change the way the money is distributed. No one seems to want to correct the problems that will likely plague public schools, forcing children to bear the load of inconsistencies in learning. The best way I can think to describe it is this: We feel sorry for the people of Japan in the recent tragedies they have faced. But it isn't directly affecting us - we see it on TV and say, oh - those poor, poor people. But we do nothing because it hasn't reached us personally and it hasn't changed the way we live our daily lives. It's the same in public school funding - no one worries about what's happening until it affects their children directly - when it comes into their living room and sits at the dinner table every night in their house is when people start worrying. Shouldn't this be where we begin to make the change?

Module 11

Question: The chapter mentioned repeatedly that schools are very different organizations now than in the past, and instructional leaders need different training to prepare for upcoming circumstances. The text also said leaders need to be specifically taught for this new leadership style. Do you feel like existing leaders that underwent training programs years ago will be prepared for "strategic leadership" by their experience alone? Question: A section of the text discusses the "great demand for leaders, and new leaders, in education." It was estimated that 10,000-20,000 new administrative positions open each year. Do you think that is likely to continue in the face of economic difficulties, or will we see more administrative job cuts? Concern: The chapter stated that current administrative pay salaries are based on enrollment size, level of responsibility, housing prices in the community, and geographic region, but that pay should be based on the academic performance of the campus. I am not sure if merit-based pay is appropriate for school leaders, with the obvious concern that the best teachers and leaders would avoid low-performing schools (where they are most needed) because they lose pay, or even their job, due to low test scores. Texas was listed as an example of where merit based pay is becoming more popular. Do you think we will see an increase in this with higher academic accountability, and do you think it is a good idea? Concern: The "ambitious, activist, fast-track leadership candidate" was discussed quite a bit in this chapter. The text even mentioned certification routes that allowed people to become administrators even though they had never taught before. I know that the majority of the students in this class, including myself, are young people without a lot of teaching experience. Do you think it is becoming a trend for more young people to seek this "fast-track" leadership route, and are you concerned that they are trying to enter administration without the experience to be prepared for it?

Module 11

Questions:
What attributes should we look for in a mentor?

Is there a professional organization for educational leadership that you would recommend joining?

Concerns:
1. I am concerned that public education will become more and more regulated in the future. What is good for one school is not always good for schools.

2. For the next few years education systems throughout the U.S. will likely face tough economic choices, at a time when they need to invest more in updating our technology and science programs. A tough road may lay head for principals in a time when more focus is being placed on leadership and teacher performance.

Module 9

I have assessed your Module 9 assignment that asked you to list all the stakeholders on your campus, list the ways you gather input from each group, list the ways you disseminate information to each group, and how you use each group as a barometer to ascertain if problems are brewing.  Since this will be part of the culminating assignment, I want to be sure everyone is on sound footing on this assignment.  Some suggestions:
1.  Your stakeholders are the community people who have a "stake" in your campus.  Each campus stakeholder list will look different, because each campus serves a slightly different community.  If you receive children from a military base, the base would be a stakeholder.  The business community is a stakeholder.  Churches, civic organizations, colleges and universities can also be stakeholders if they have an interest in education on your campus.  Be sure to tap into all groups that can give salient information to the school about our processes and practices, and all groups that need to know what is going on at school to build community support.
2.  Consider your parent group to see if it would be a good idea to divide it according to particular characteristics that require specific methods of communication.  For example:  do you have a group of Hispanic parents who only speak Spanish?  Or a low ses parent group who would not have access to computers and therefore email and a web page would not work well?  Sometimes the best way to reach an African American parent group is through the church.
3.  Methods that work well on elementary campuses don't work at all on high school campuses.
4.  Remember to put out all information in multiple ways to the same group.
5.  Don't rely on public communications (ie the newspaper) to reach important groups.  Target them specifically with information directly from the school.

If you have questions about this, please email me!
Dr. O

Crisis Plan

I forgot to announce my district for the Crisis Plan - it is Weatherford ISD (Texas) Cheryl Bailey

Student critiques of Module 8 assignment

I just finished reading the critiques and I appreciated the time that you put into giving thoughtful, productive input to your classmates.  You should have received my input, also.

Several things I wanted to address:
-- There are 5 areas that the site based decision making teams in Texas are charged with, and one of them is input into the budget.  The days of administration making the decisions and teachers doing the teaching are pretty much gone.  The "buck" always stops with the principal, but a wise principal will solicit input from everyone affected by the decision.  When I was a principal, I found that the decisions I made unilaterally, because of time constraints or whatever, never turned out as well as the decisions that were thoroughly vetted by the staff.  There are three basic reasons for soliciting input:  1) many heads are better than one; 2) it builds a cohesiveness and collegiality on the campus; 3) it's the law via TEC.  Keep in mind that the faculty is advisory only in every area except staff development.  The principal still makes the final call.  The process of discussion, giving input, hearing other opinions, etc. however, is as important as whatever the bottom line turns out to be.
-- The scenario given stated "Because of the downturn in the economy and the shrinking resources in the district," ... etc.  It would be a "given" that cuts would be necessary under these circumstances.  80% - 85% of a district's budget goes to personnel.  Significant savings cannot be realized without impacting personnel.
-- A good administrative rule of thumb is to ease into a difficult situation gently.  As Blanchard said, you want to give information, honor the feelings of your audience, and talk about implementation.  These three steps can be carried out very specifically or very generally.  The better part of valor is to be as general as you can, be as positive as you can, and be as inclusive as you can.  The first mention of this budgetary crisis is just a head's up to the faculty.  Those of you who mentioned committees to examine the situation were "right on."  It empowered the people to have some feeling of control over their lives.  It is best not to give specifics, such as pay cuts or not renewing probationary teachers, until you know that is absolutely what has got to happen.  String it out, continue to talk about the problem, give the people multiple chances to give input and discuss.  It's time to pull the trigger when 1) the deadline for contracts arrives; 2) central office demands answers; 3) the uncertainty of not knowing becomes worse than knowing.  The people weren't ready, at the first mention of the budget problems, to absorb much more than a briefing.  Time will allow them to think through issues, make personal plans, even do some grieving.  The principal's job is to provide that "psychological safety net" and give them time.

If you have not yet emailed your critiques to your classmates, please do so asap.

Use the rubric, please

I am looking forward to viewing your SOMs--if not later today, then tomorrow.  I wanted to call to your attention that the assignment was to use the rubric included in Module 8 to structure your feedback to each class member.  Then you were to email it by attachment to that particular student.  I'd like to be copied on it, also.
Thanks!
Dr. O

Module 8

http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXeu0GoTE

Module 8

Here is the link to my SOM presentation. I had a hard time keeping it under 5 minutes. You guys did a great job being to the point and keeping it simple. Any positive or negative feedback would be great. I think I get lost in trying to be personable and trying to make a connection with the faculty. http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXetrxo3w

Module 8

http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXet2Pora

Module 8

Here is the link to my screen cast for module 8.
Screen Cast

http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXeOePoqr

The link to my speech for Module 8 is in the title above. For some reason I could not paste it in the main body part of a post. Sorry for any confusion.

School Board Meeting Reports

I truly enjoyed reading your board meeting reports.  To the casual observer, a board meeting is just a nice meeting of community and school individuals who want to make a good school for kids to learn in.  However, board meetings are district politics at their finest!  Every action, word, or gesture has political ramifications, just beneath the surface.
--What does it mean when two board members continue to hold a side conversation, complete with laughter, during the entire board meeting?
--What does it mean when one or a few board members seem to dominate?
--What does it mean if the board cuts the superintendent out of the discussion?
--What does it mean if there is a lot of community discussion and input?
--What does it mean if there is no community discussion or input? (remember the dangers of a closed decision-making system? --a video I posted awhile back)
--What does it mean if the meeting is extremely formal...or informal?
--What does it mean if legalities are ignored?
--What does it mean if the superintendent appears to be the "producer of information" instead of part of the Team of 8?
--What does it mean if the educators who present reports to the board are challenged, received collegially, ignored...by the board?
--What does it mean if a board member challenges a presenter, and the presenter must defend himself/herself without the assistance of an assistant superintendent or superintendent?

The health of the district, the longevity of the superintendent, the working conditions for teachers and principals---all these can be discerned with careful attention at the board meetings, but it takes practice!  Attend as many meetings as you can and you'll learn lots.

And have a great weekend!
Dr. O

Problems with blog?

Is anyone besides Mika having problems with postings disappearing from the blog?  If possible, I'd like  to get through this assignment as stated...and then in the future we'll use the WebCT discussion board.
Sorry it's being problematic!  If there are lots of difficulties, we'll change mid-stream.  Let me know...

Job opportunity

Tarrant County Community College contacted us for possible applicants for an open position they have. If you are close to the end of your master's program, or you know someone who has a master's and could  use this information, please see the URL below:

https://jobs.tccd.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=138833

Crisis Plan

I will be analyzing the Crisis Plan for Scotland Park Elementary.

Students--here is the blog assignment for Module 7 (see previous blog posting).  Please have it completed by Sunday night, midnight.  Use this original posting to begin your comments.  Remember to follow the rubric!

Chapter 12 contains much information concerning power…theoretical concepts, processes of implementation, how power is used in the context of educational leadership.  Your discussion should center on the types of power and how each could legitimately be used in the principalship.  Use examples from your own experience, from the additional resources listed at the end of this lesson, or from the case studies on pages 292-296.  Please review the rubric carefully to see how this assignment will be assessed.  The requirements are more stringent than some blog assignments have been in the past.  There is no assigned number of original posts; use this opportunity to show your knowledge and put forth thoughtful opinions backed by evidence.  In the real world of administration, you will be the judge of what length you should talk and when you have said enough.  A good rule of thumb is to measure your output against what others are doing.

Module 12--Capstone Assignment

I have completed and posted on WebCT the Module 12 assignment.  This is the capstone assignment for the course; you will have three weeks at the end of the semester to complete it.  The material will be presented to the class on May 12 (instead of a final exam).  It counts 35% of your grade.

I would recommend that you open and read over each piece of the assignment so you can start thinking about it, even if you do not begin the work at this time.

This is the first time I have used this particular assignment, and there may be "glitches."  Please let me know immediately if something is unclear or seems contradictory.

Thank you!

NCATE visit

You have probably heard College of Ed faculty "stewing about" our journey toward NCATE accreditation.  It has been a long and laborious trip, but we are almost there.  The NCATE visit is scheduled April 2-6.  We know they will be catching students and asking them about their knowledge of the West College of Education conceptual framework.  Since you are distance students, you should be safe!  However, if you are on campus for another class, please familiarize yourself with the information below:

Motto: “Let Knowledge Open Doors”

WCoE values and promotes the following traits and dispositions in our Conceptual Framework:

1.      Mastery of both content knowledge and content pedagogy.

2.      Embracing and celebrating diversity of ideas, culture, and individuals

3.      Teaching that is active, student centered, experiential, collaborative, reflective, engaged, contextual, grounded in theory, and research based.   

4.      Systematic, ongoing assessment, employing multiple measures and modes of measurement.

5.      Teachers who exhibit and promote self regulated, ethical behavior.

6.      Effective written and oral communication skills.

7.      Continuous learning including professional development and the sharing of knowledge and expertise.

Thanks!

Dr. O

Please answer the survey

Dr. Redmon is conducting a research project on reasons for going to graduate school.  Please fill out his survey at the following URL:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LRGVN5Y

It will only take a couple of minutes of your time.

Thank you!

Board Meeting assignment

Hello Students!
I hope everyone is still out there.  We've been two weeks without an assignment due--until last night--and I feel like I've lost touch with everyone!

Several of you have contacted me, concerned about the difficulty you are having finding a board meeting to attend.  If you have class on Monday night, it is particularly problematic because many districts hold their board meetings on Monday night.

I called around today, and Iowa Park will have a regularly scheduled board meeting at 7:00 pm on March 10, a Thursday evening.  My contact said it would be a good one to attend--they will be approving teacher contracts and perhaps calling a bond election.  There will undoubtedly be lots of discussion about state and local budgets. 

As a professional courtesy, you should call Jerry Baird, superintendent, if you decide to attend, to let him (or his secretary) know you will be there, and why.  They are expecting a larger-than-usual crowd and will want to make arrangements for a larger room if it appears it will be necessary.  Additionally, it is disconcerting for a superintendent to see an unfamiliar face in the crowd---raises questions of why that person is present, and what the agenda might be!

Hope this helps--if not, let me know and we'll brainstorm something.

Dr. Owen

Examples of Strategic Planning Guides: #2

Here is another example.

Strategic Planning Initiative Guide

Step One: Selecting the Strategic Planning Team

First I will clarify the purpose of the strategic planning initiative with the superintendent. If I find the study is simply to check that we are progressing correctly and to prepare ourselves for future changes, then I will construct the planning team from internal members; if I find there is a discrepancy or concern with operations, then I will include outside members as appropriate by specialty. I will recruit the following people for the planning team:

·   Head Planner

·   Forecasting Specialist

·   Demographics Specialist

·   Financial Specialist

·   Personnel Specialist

·   Pupil Outcome Measurement Specialist

·   Public Opinion/Survey Specialist

·   Data Management Specialist

·   Research Design Specialist

·   Statistical Methods Specialist

·   Curriculum and Instruction Specialist

·   Graphic Design Specialist, and

·   Report Writing Specialist

Some team members will be part-time, or work only as a consulter. For example, the forecasting specialist will not be needed to plan future budgeting or personnel decisions after he/she has provided data and suggestions. In some cases one person can serve as more than one expert. As Head Planner, I will select team members based on their experience and knowledge.

Step Two: First Meeting

Estimated time length: two hours                                                                              Meeting objectives: Explain strategic planning process and individual roles                                                            Determine factors to be evaluated for planning                                                                              Delegate data collection for second meeting

I will open the meeting by briefly explaining the purposes of strategic planning and distributing a packet covering possible factors to be considered, team member roles to be included, and general desired outcomes of a strategic planning initiative. I will explain why the initiative was chosen at this time, and why each member was selected to participate. Team members will introduce themselves and state what area(s) they specialize in. I will then clarify the roles and expectations for each member, including who will be responsible for planning, data gathering, reviewing and authorizing the plan document, and evaluation for success. I will state the specific agenda for this team is to evaluate the current and future situations of our school, gather data on factors that could influence or change the school situation, develop specific school goals and a vision statement of where we want to be, record a detailed action plan of how we will reach those goals, and plan an evaluation of success. Our objectives for the meeting are to agree upon internal and external factors that should be evaluated, and delegate members to collect data on those factors. Members can make suggestions to build upon factors I have already suggested, and I will appoint members to gather information based on their team role and expertise. I will remind members that confidentiality is required; decisions and plans will be announced appropriately by administrators to the public.

At the end of this meeting participants should understand what we are doing, why we are doing it, the overall direction of the initiative, and his or her individual role. Data collection for the next meeting should be delegated.

Step Three: Data Collection

Data collection on internal and external factors will be done individually by team member specialists in between the first and second meeting. Information will be gathered on areas such as:

·   School strengths and weaknesses

·   School services

·   School programs/activities

·   Staffing

·   School/district finances

·   State/national economy

·   Funding trends

·   Demographics

·   Social factors

·   Changing legislation/politics

·   Changing technology

·   Competition, and

·   Public opinion

Step Four: Second Meeting (Scheduled two to three weeks after first meeting)

Estimated time length: two hours                                                                              Meeting objectives: Present data on external and internal factors                                                                                       Review current school goals and mission statement                                                                              Record suggestions about how goals might be adjusted

This meeting will begin with participants and consultants presenting the data they collected. Information about current finances and staffing, future enrollment projections, public perception of the school, and other internal and external factors should be reviewed. Data will be recorded by the Data Management Specialist and organized by category and pertinence. After team members have explained their information, I will present pages with the current school mission statement and school goals.  On large presentation paper a member will write original goals on one side of the sheet and areas of concern based on the needs assessment on the other side of the sheet. Members will make suggestions on how goals needs to be readjusted, added to, or deleted in consideration of weaknesses, available resources, changing forces, and new governmental mandates. Team members also need to input beliefs about school purposes and priorities for change. All suggestions will be recorded and considered, but I will explain that final goal authorization is the responsibility of school administrators. The reason for not accepting every goal desired by the committee is that members will potentially want conflicting things, and approving too many goals will spread resources so thinly nothing will be accomplished well. The mission statement should be the broad idea that goals complement.

Step Five: Finalize Mission Statement/School Goals

Individuals responsible for final goal authorization will meet together to discuss all relevant data and the vision of what the school should ideally look like. The recorded suggestions of the strategic planning team will be considered and needs prioritized. Goals should also be limited such that the scope is reasonable in terms of implementation time and resources needed to complete. Once the mission statement and supporting goals are finalized and approved they need to be articulated carefully and specifically. Administrators need to decide an order to record and implement goals based on importance, impact, and ability to implement. When the mission statement and goals are recorded they will be publicly announced at staff meetings and through school emails. The strategic team will meet again to develop a specific action plan to meet the stated goals.

Step Six: Third Meeting (Scheduled one to two weeks after second meeting)

Estimated time length: two hours                                                                              Meeting objectives: Distribute recorded specific mission statement and goals for                                                                   strategic planning initiative                                                                                                           Discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities presented in data                                                  collection in relation to new goals                                                                                                        Develop detailed action plan to accomplish goals                                                                        Designate review committee to monitor progress and evaluate                                                            success of initiative

I will hand out the mission statement and goals authorized by the administrative team. The strategic planning team should discuss the data presented in the last meeting in relation to the new goals. Members need to speak according to their specialty to recommend strategies and needed changes to reach goals. The strategic planning team will be responsible for developing and recording detailed steps and strategies for the strategic action plan, including resources needed to complete each step. After this meeting members should understand what we are literally going to do to reach the school goals and how (resources) we are going to make that happen. Resource allocation will be subject to administrative approval. With tentative plans in place, members will need to agree upon evaluation criteria and designate a review committee. This committee will monitor the school’s progress throughout the implementation and reevaluate needs and changing circumstances. This committee will have the authority to reconvene the full strategic planning team if they determine new factors warrant reconsideration of goals, or that the action plan is not working successfully. The full strategic planning team will meet again in one year to evaluate progress if no special session is called.

Step Seven: Public Announcement

Administrators will announce to the community and school that the school is reviewing current practices, staffing, and resource allocation at the beginning of the initiative, although no details will be ready. The new mission statement and goals will be distributed to staff through school communication avenues, and posted for the public on the school’s website. After the action plan is in place and resources are approved, administrators should be very open and clear about the new plan and strategies. The action plan steps, and why they are important, should be presented at school board meetings and parent teacher association meetings, as well as to the staff members. The school should be translucent about planned actions, and motives behind them, so strategies are met with support instead of suspicions.

Examples of Strategic Plans: #1

I am posting two strategic plans, in separate posts, that I would like for you to read over.  I made comments for improvement on each plan, but, overall, they addressed the elements of the rubric well.

Planning for Strategic Planning

Objective 1: To a design and implement a belief statement, a vision, and a mission that are workable and representative of the needs and interests of our students, school, and community.

Objective 2: To conduct accurate and meaningful research that will enable us to identify areas where improvement is necessary, while forming a foundation from which appropriate action plans can be developed.

Objective 3: To address all areas of the school environment; fiscal responsibility, academic achievement, global awareness, community relations, student wellness, learning environment, maintenance and improvement of infrastructure, special programs, compliance with state and federal programs, and staff development.

Objective 4: To maintain the course of our plan, monitoring its progress, in order to make  informed and accurate modifications when necessary.

Objective 5: To include the community, district, staff, and students in the development of the strategic plan making clear to all the role each plays the implementation of the plan and informing them of our progress on a regular basis.  

Planning for the Strategic Plan         

            The time frame from the development of the strategic plan to the start of its implementation will be around five months. The Lead Committee will be established and begin work in early March. At this time the Lead Committee will continue to develop the strategic plan's framework, timeline, and begin preliminary research. Staff and the community will be informed of development in mid April. All committees will be established by late April; committee research will begin at this time. Research will continue through the beginning of June. By mid June action plans will be written, reviewed, and then adopted by mid July. A public meeting will be held at the end of July to present a workable plan to the community. Staff will attend a Strategic Planning Seminar in early August to make individual roles clear, and review accountability methods that will be used to monitor the plan's progress. The plan will be put into action in August. We will have a parent-staff luncheon a week before the start of school. At the luncheon I will give a short presentation of our plan, praise my staff for their hard work, and recognize key individuals who went above and beyond their regular duties to help construct the plan.  

             Staff and committees will meet weekly; submitting progress reports or, if needed, plans to modify their current course of action. My staff and I will monitor all areas of the plan using daily (at first), weekly, and monthly checklists. Monthly progress reports will be given to the school board and to the community, addressing needs, concerns, and progress. I will read all progress reports and action plans to insure accurateness and completeness. If I have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, I will consult the head of the committee that submitted the document. New data will be collected as it becomes available and will continue to be collected and analyzed for the duration of the plan. Complete evaluation of all parts of the strategic plan will take place on a yearly basis, all aspects of the plan will be reviewed and, if needed, modified.  Prompt changes within certain areas of the strategic plan may be needed over the duration of its implementation. If an overhaul is needed, I will head the adjustment committee and ensure that the needed changes are made as prompt and effectively as possible. It may take up to 10 years for this plan to have a lasting effect and changes will need to be made as new information becomes available. Our goal is to see measurable results in all areas of the plan by the end its third year of implementation.   

            Both qualitative and quantitative forms of data will be collected. The external environment will be determined by observation and research of issues and trends at community, district, state, federal, and global levels. A close relationship with the community will be fostered and maintained in order to understand the needs and goals the community shares. The internal environment will be carefully observed. Staff will be encouraged to share their concerns, goals and visions, both at individual levels and for the school as a whole. We will gather quantitative data on external and internal environmental factors. We will then compare external data to internal data to better understand our school environment and areas we can or need to improve in. Doing this will help us recognize our strengths, weaknesses, and also trends that we may not be currently aware of. Some examples of quantitative data we will gather are: standard test scores, dropout rates, attendance rates, income rates, labor market information, expenditures, tax rates, and population trends.

            The planning team will be selected based on the following criteria: ability to conduct research, area of expertise, and leadership skill. Committees will be established to research the four general areas of the strategic plan: academic, budget and infrastructure, staff development and recruitment, and school environment. Each of these committees, with the exception of the Budget and Infrastructure Committee, will be headed by a teacher leader. Committee leaders will then choose staff members with the knowledge and skills needed to complete the task assigned to the committee. I will personally head the Budget and Infrastructure Committee. Committee leaders will form the Lead Committee of which both myself and the vice principals will be part of. The Lead Committee will design templates for each committee to follow for brainstorming, research, and action plan writing. The creation of templates for research and action plans is particularly important. They will serve as a  guideline for committees to work from and increase the uniformity of our data, which will allow for easier processing by the Lead Committee.   

            Our belief statement will be developed through the combination of the Lead Committee's understanding of what is known as best practice and an assessment of our community's beliefs. The belief statement will be the foundation of both our vision and mission statements will rest upon.

            The creation of our belief statement will help us envision the potential of our team, community, and students. It is crucial that we know who we are as individuals, team members, community members, and members of the human race to set a goal of where we want to be. The vision statement will express what we strive for, and work to inspire all who read it.

            The mission statement development will be a team effort. The mission statement will reiterate why we as a school team are here, and what we are doing now to develop ourselves and our students.

Format

            The format of the plan will be similar to that of a legislative bill. This will allow us to create specific goals and give an appropriate time frame for reaching each goal. This format will also allow us to easily track the plan's content and ease the process of changing specific goals when needed.

Lead Committee Meeting Format

            The Lead Committee will follow Robert's Rules of Order for regular meetings. Special meetings that address one specific topic will be less formal in order to encourage creative thought. In regular meetings the Lead Committee will analyze action plans and committee's justification for these action plans. Committee heads will analyze information before the meeting begins, and be ready to present their concerns, changes, and progress reports in a timely manner. If a committee member has a special issue it will be addressed after all other committee business is concluded, to enable the committee to focus full attention to the issue.

Regular Committee Meeting Format

            Committee heads will be allowed to conduct their meetings in the format of their choice. If meetings are not productive I will step in as mediator, review collected information, and make suggestions for more productive meetings.

Strategic Plans and the Perils of a Closed Decision-Making System

I just finished looking over your strategic plans and felt that each of you gave your work a good effort.  I have returned these to you, along with the rubric, and with my comments.  I tried to look through carefully and find where you addressed each point on the rubric.  If I missed something, or if you have questions about what I said, please email me and we'll work it out.  I have asked two of you if you would mind allowing me to share your work anonymously with the class.  These two students did an exemplary job on their strategic plan and I thought it would be beneficial for everyone to see how they completed the assignment.  You will undoubtedly be involved in strategic planning as a principal, and you need to have a clear understanding of what it entails.

There was one issue that I saw several times that I wanted to talk about;  I started to write it in this blog and then decided to do a screencast-o-matic instead.  I think I'm getting a little more comfortable with the process!  Please go to
http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXnDcpIu1
and watch the video.  If I had to select only one thing that you would remember from School Politics and Community Relations, this would probably be it.  Chances are good that how you manage this topic will mean the difference in success and failure for you as an administrator.

Dr. Owen

Module 2, Objective 3

Can anyone help clarify objective 3 in Module 2 (envision the linkage between organizational theories and concepts of leadership)? Thanks for any help.

Danielle's video

You can access Danielle's video at http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXnVF5ldl

If you are having trouble posting, please let me know.  The blog program requires that I send out an "invitation" to everyone with authorship privileges in order for you to make original posts.  I have re-sent this invitation to several people who were having difficulty.  Hopefully, everyone will be in good shape now.
Dr. O

Video

http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXnVF5ldl
I answered question number 5 on page 37.

Quality Enhancement Plan Survey

Hello Students!  I hope you are enjoying your snow day.  If you have a minute or two of time, it would help us to get more feedback to the Quality Enhancement Plan Survey we have going.  If you'll go to the MSU homepage and look at the right hand side below the weather conditions notification, you will see a "click here" that will take you to a short survey.  I did mine in about 30 seconds.
Thanks--and stay warm!
Dr. O

Good Work on the Speeches!

I was so pleased that everyone got a speech posted (Danielle, we'll look forward to yours when your camera arrives).  Kyle, if your flu was anything like mine is, you would definitely have had grounds for an extension of the assignment!  I will be reviewing each speech individually and giving feedback...just as soon as my eyes will focus and I can hold my head up!

Remember to give your classmates feedback on their speeches.

Elizabeth Trigg's Screen Cast

http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXVweulGO

This was so nerve racking to me and I was in my home alone!! I can only imagine being in front of a Rotary Club nonetheless!!

I responded to the question on page 16 that asks, "What are the most important decisions on which a leader should concentrate?" Hopefully my link and my video works!

Willis Norton presentation

http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXVvYvlEQ

My presentation addressed discussion question #5: Within the context of increasing demographic diversity, how would you as a school leader propose to engage all stake holders in a process of agreement on school mission and goals to build a community of shared values.

First, my focus would be on the students and young people in the community. This is a place of common ground all community members. I think that once people meet face to face for a common cause they tend to forget about their differences and focus on the task at hand. Giving presentations around the community will allow my committee to better understand community dynamics, so that we can identify ways to become more effective in reaching the community.

http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cXVvFzl55

This is so embarrassing! I am not sure if I did this right, but I followed Dr. Owen's lead on her example. I'd never make it in Hollywood!

my link was copied and pasted into the title bar - I hope it works. I could not upload to YouTube - I tried several times, but it said there was a problem with the UNI (?) on YouTube.

Screen Cast o matic

I have tried and tried, but I cannot for the life of me get the video to show on my computer. The sound is there, but no picture. The video tutorial online is no help at all. It only shows how to view excel - not personal recordings. Please help...

ILD Training

Instructional Leadership Development training is mandated for all school administrators.  Region 9 will be offering this training this summer and they are asking me how many of our students are planning to take it.  Please let me know if you need this training and are planning to get your certification this summer.
Dr. O

Screencast-O-Matic

I wanted to touch base and see if everyone is ok using Screencast-O-Matic.  You might want to try it out if you haven't already so we can work through any difficulties you might be having--before the last minute.  I'll be available at MSU for hands-on assistance for the rest of the week.  Please call or email first to be sure I'm free.

Getting to Know You

For the first blog posting, please write an introduction to yourself so that we will get to know the class members better.  Include whatever you wish--district, job, family, interests, goals, what you hope to get from the class, why you aspire to be an administrator, etc.  The length is up to you.  In order to keep the "thread" together, please reply to this posting instead of beginning a new post.

Since I never ask my students to do anything that I won't do, I'll go first!

My name is Jane Owen, and I have been at MSU for 7 years.  I received my bachelor's degree in English Education from the University of Wyoming, my master's in Educational Development and Management from New Mexico State, and my doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Texas - Austin.  Most of my career has been spent in public education at the high school or district level:  English teacher, high school assistant principal and principal, director of student support, and assistant superintendent.  I have worked in Colorado, New Mexico, and Bastrop and McKinney, Texas.  I was an intern at the Texas Education Agency while I was getting my doctorate.

I have enjoyed my career in education at every level at which I have worked.  The high school principalship was probably the most challenging, but also one of the most rewarding.  I love teaching at Midwestern and consider it an honor to be able to help prepare the next generation of administrators.

My husband of 43 years, Jim, is a professor of economics in the Dillard College of Business.  We have two children and five grandchildren.  I love to garden, travel, read, and write--I am the author of two textbooks and one novel.