Per the New Jersey Administrative Code, certified school administrators are required to conduct observations and evaluations with all certificated staff members. For tenured teachers the requirement is one observation and one summative evaluation per year. For non-tenured teachers, the requirement is three observations and one summative evaluation per year. In Alexandria Township, our observation and evaluation committee developed the model we use for the observation and evaluation process. This committee which consisted of teachers, administrators, special area teachers and educational specialists completed this document approximately 2 years ago. We are very proud of the process we have created to encourage the continuous growth and development of all of our staff members. If you would like to review this document, it is on our website (on the Staff page).
As the Superintendent of Schools, not only do I conduct these observations, I also review all of those completed by the other members of my administrative team. To determine our future staff development needs as well as our progress towards the district’s expectations for teaching and learning, I analyze the ratings given to our staff on an annual basis. The breakdown for this year is based on all of the observations and evaluations conducted by May 5, 2010. More specifically, 69 classroom teacher observations and evaluations and 16 special area/educational specialists’ observations and evaluations are the basis for the results that follow. The breakdown for the results are:
Teacher Evaluations
Instruction
3% (Improvement Needed) 77% (Proficient) 20% (Distinguished)
Assessment
1% (Improvement Needed) 89% (Proficient) 10% (Distinguished)
Learning
Environment
5% (Improvement Needed) 74% (Proficient) 21% (Distinguished)
Communications
9% (Improvement Needed) 86% (Proficient) 5% (Distinguished)
Professionalism
6% (Improvement Needed) 76% (Proficient) 18% (Distinguished)
Special Area/Ed. Specialists
Program Management
3%(Improvement Needed) 97% (Proficient) 0% (Distinguished)
Direct Services
0% (Improvement Needed) 50% (Proficient) 50% (Distinguished)
Assessment
3% (Improvement Needed) 68% (Proficient) 29% (Distinguished)
Collaboration
6% (Improvement Needed) 39% (Proficient) 55% (Distinguished)
Professionalism
29% (Improvement Needed) 71% (Proficient) 0% (Distinguished)
Total of all ratings
4% (Improvement Needed) 77% (Proficient) 19% (Distinguished)
As you can see, many of our teachers are doing an outstanding job! The fact that we have so few needs improvements and so many distinguished is a testament to the hard work of everyone in our schools. This is just but one more reason I am proud to be the leader of the Alexandria Township Public Schools!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Teacher Morale
During the May 12, 2010 Alexandria Township Town Council Meeting, a member of the Alexandria Township Town Council indicated that morale could be improved between the teachers, administrators and Board of Education in the school district. While I am always open to feedback and improvement suggestions regarding the district, I would suggest that we need to consider all viewpoints within the context of the current environment.
This district is morally obligated to constantly improve the educational experience that is afforded to our students. Significant changes and improvements have been implemented during my tenure within the district. These changes focus on; coordination, partnership and consistency among and between the classrooms, staff development, and accountability. The Administration and the Board of Education have actively solicited input from the community and the staff, and have been transparent in the communication of our approach. We are beginning to see the fruits of our labor as evidenced by the quality of our programs and the other metrics that we are tracking.
Unfortunately, change can also cause discomfort. Often times it can elicit resistance. As transparent and effectively we have managed the change, there are always those who are unwilling to accept the change, regardless of how well it is managed. I acknowledge that there are staff members whom are not happy with the changes made in the school district. Some degree of autonomy has been reduced in favor of increasing the coordination and consistency among and between classrooms and grade levels.
The totality of the changes in our school district has evoked feelings of fear, uncertainty and sometimes skepticism. Some staff members may wonder if they will be able to meet these expectations. Many staff members will feel overloaded and overwhelmed. On the other hand some other staff members are excited by the possibilities and look forward to the opportunities for personal and professional growth. The same change initiatives can be viewed very differently by different people, depending at least in part upon, how much they see it as a break from the past.
While being encouraged to teach what and how you want may provide adults with comfort and satisfaction, it does not always produce positive results for students. After all, we are a "school system". We have implemented changes to ensure that students in two classes at the same grade level will not have a fundamentally different experience depending upon what teacher they had.
In addition, accountability for the professional behavior and collegiality of staff has been raised. The administration and Board of Education have high expectations for our staff. I make no apologies for this attitude. Education is an honorable profession that has a major impact on the future of our society.
Make no mistake we are in the midst of making planned, thoughtful changes to our school district. The world has changed, expectations have changed, and we will be forced to change if we do not take the initiative to do it ourselves. However, I would argue that while morale may be suffering for some, it is not a universal problem among our staff.
I suggest that the implication that the Board and administration need some external event to focus us on the issue of staff morale is off target. Nothing could be further from the truth. Examples of efforts from this school year that are designed to promote morale among staff include:
* Having a veteran staff member address the staff at our first staff development day.
* Presenting every teacher that earned tenure, had 25 or more years experience in the district, or was new to the staff with a gift.
* Providing breakfast on both days of our initial staff development meetings.
* Having AMS teachers recognize a colleague or team for their efforts at school staff meetings.
* Every administrator has provided staff members with positive notes, cards or token items to reinforce positive things they have observed.
* Providing staff members with a small gift during teacher appreciation week.
* Sponsoring a breakfast for the entire faculty prior to winter break.
* Hosting an ice cream social for all staff members prior to spring break.
* Establishing a box at the front of each office for parents to leave compliments for staff members.
* Improving the appearance of each school's faculty room.
* Providing a preschool program that our staff can use.
* Having decision making teams that consist of representative staff members at each school to discuss school related issues.
* Having district committees to develop or revise observation documents, curriculum guides and the district's strategic plan.
* Providing staff members with an extraordinary amount of technology (laptops, laptop carts, SMART boards) and the training and support to use them.
* Providing an extensive offering of professional development opportunities in district both during and after the school day.
* Being understanding and flexible when staff have health or family related issues that require their immediate attention.
Upcoming events include an Alumni Social and our very first Employee Appreciation Dinner. I wish that I did not have to highlight these things, as they are not being done for that purpose. I just want to make sure it is clear that the Board and the administration have cared about employee morale and are making sincere attempts to improve it.
This district is morally obligated to constantly improve the educational experience that is afforded to our students. Significant changes and improvements have been implemented during my tenure within the district. These changes focus on; coordination, partnership and consistency among and between the classrooms, staff development, and accountability. The Administration and the Board of Education have actively solicited input from the community and the staff, and have been transparent in the communication of our approach. We are beginning to see the fruits of our labor as evidenced by the quality of our programs and the other metrics that we are tracking.
Unfortunately, change can also cause discomfort. Often times it can elicit resistance. As transparent and effectively we have managed the change, there are always those who are unwilling to accept the change, regardless of how well it is managed. I acknowledge that there are staff members whom are not happy with the changes made in the school district. Some degree of autonomy has been reduced in favor of increasing the coordination and consistency among and between classrooms and grade levels.
The totality of the changes in our school district has evoked feelings of fear, uncertainty and sometimes skepticism. Some staff members may wonder if they will be able to meet these expectations. Many staff members will feel overloaded and overwhelmed. On the other hand some other staff members are excited by the possibilities and look forward to the opportunities for personal and professional growth. The same change initiatives can be viewed very differently by different people, depending at least in part upon, how much they see it as a break from the past.
While being encouraged to teach what and how you want may provide adults with comfort and satisfaction, it does not always produce positive results for students. After all, we are a "school system". We have implemented changes to ensure that students in two classes at the same grade level will not have a fundamentally different experience depending upon what teacher they had.
In addition, accountability for the professional behavior and collegiality of staff has been raised. The administration and Board of Education have high expectations for our staff. I make no apologies for this attitude. Education is an honorable profession that has a major impact on the future of our society.
Make no mistake we are in the midst of making planned, thoughtful changes to our school district. The world has changed, expectations have changed, and we will be forced to change if we do not take the initiative to do it ourselves. However, I would argue that while morale may be suffering for some, it is not a universal problem among our staff.
I suggest that the implication that the Board and administration need some external event to focus us on the issue of staff morale is off target. Nothing could be further from the truth. Examples of efforts from this school year that are designed to promote morale among staff include:
* Having a veteran staff member address the staff at our first staff development day.
* Presenting every teacher that earned tenure, had 25 or more years experience in the district, or was new to the staff with a gift.
* Providing breakfast on both days of our initial staff development meetings.
* Having AMS teachers recognize a colleague or team for their efforts at school staff meetings.
* Every administrator has provided staff members with positive notes, cards or token items to reinforce positive things they have observed.
* Providing staff members with a small gift during teacher appreciation week.
* Sponsoring a breakfast for the entire faculty prior to winter break.
* Hosting an ice cream social for all staff members prior to spring break.
* Establishing a box at the front of each office for parents to leave compliments for staff members.
* Improving the appearance of each school's faculty room.
* Providing a preschool program that our staff can use.
* Having decision making teams that consist of representative staff members at each school to discuss school related issues.
* Having district committees to develop or revise observation documents, curriculum guides and the district's strategic plan.
* Providing staff members with an extraordinary amount of technology (laptops, laptop carts, SMART boards) and the training and support to use them.
* Providing an extensive offering of professional development opportunities in district both during and after the school day.
* Being understanding and flexible when staff have health or family related issues that require their immediate attention.
Upcoming events include an Alumni Social and our very first Employee Appreciation Dinner. I wish that I did not have to highlight these things, as they are not being done for that purpose. I just want to make sure it is clear that the Board and the administration have cared about employee morale and are making sincere attempts to improve it.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
What Works in Schools
In 2003, Robert Marzano published a book entitled, "What Works in Schools". For those interested in the research on effective school practices, this book is an excellent synthesis of approximately 35 years of research in the field of education. In the first section of this book, Dr. Marzano describes five "macro" level factors that a school (or district) should use to focus their improvement efforts.
The first of these factors is the development of a guaranteed and viable school curriculum. He defines a guaranteed and viable curriculum as one that provides every student with the opportunity to learn the essential content within the instructional time available. As a school district we have worked hard to make sure our curriculum guides identify the most important instructional objectives. We have also attempted to reduce the number of objectives so that teachers can teach for depth instead of breadth. Currently our teachers and administrators are hard at work revising these new guides. They will be finalized for board adoption by June.
The second factor identified is challenging goals and effective feedback. Marzano describes this as establishing challenging goals for students and monitoring these goals so that meaningful feedback can be provided. We are currently hard at work developing a series of assessments in math, science, social studies, language arts, physical education and world languages that our teachers will administer three times during the year. The goal for these assessments is to assess student competence in the identified essential curriculum content. These assessments will be finalized this summer. In addition, I am developing a database that teachers will be able to use for establishing specific goals for their classes and students. Anyone who is an expert in Microsoft Access 2003, please contact me. While I am doing my best to learn how to use this program, I could certainly use some technical assistance.
The third factor identified by Marzano is parent and community involvement. This factor has to do with the extent to which parents and the community at large are both supportive and involved in the schools. However, he is clear that not all types of parental or community involvement are beneficial. Speaking of parental involvement, he states "It is clear that parental involvement in such areas as criticism of the school or visits to the school to complain are likely to generate negative effectiveness at the school level."
Three features define effective parental and community involvement: communication, participation, and governance. Based on his research, he recommends three action steps for improving in these areas. The first is to establish vehicles for communication between schools and parents and the community. In our school district, we use our website, district and school newsletters, superintendent's chats, parent/teacher conferences, this blog, and the marquee in the front of each school building. To improve in this area, we intend to switch over to Powerschool. Not only is this less costly than Edline, it is more user friendly. It is also being used by the other districts in our region. Once it is up and going, we will be able to share more data with the high school and the other districts in the Delaware Valley Region. We will be making this conversion this summer.
The second action step recommended is the establishment of multiple ways for parents and community members to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the school. A major focus for us next year will be strengthening our volunteer program. I am currently at work developing a recruiting, orientation and training program that I hope will strengthen our efforts in this area.
The third action step recommended is the establishment of governance vehicles that allow for the involvement of parents and community members. To increase parent and community member input on school decisions, next year I intend to establish a district advisory committee. This committee will meet once a month. The purpose of this committee will be for me to receive input on major decisions. I am also working with each of our administrators to establish a similar structure in each school.
A major strength of our district relates to the fourth factor. This factor is a safe and orderly school environment. If teachers and students do not feel safe, they will not have the psychological energy required for teaching and learning. While we have seen an increase in incidents of bullying and harassment, overall our schools are a safe place. Even so, we are not satisfied. This year LDW established and implemented a code of conduct for student behavior. In grades K-5, our guidance counselors are teaching the Second Step Curriculum. This curriculum is designed to teach pro social skills. Every staff member in our district was required to take a 2hour on-line course that addressed identifying and dealing effectively with student related bullying and harassment.
The final factor is collegial, professional behavior among staff members. Collegiality is demonstrated by teachers who are supportive of one another. Teachers demonstrating a high degree of collegiality openly enjoy professional interactions, and are respectful and courteous of each other's needs. By having teaming in every grade level in our school district, we have created the structure for collegiality to emerge. Every teacher in the school district has regularly scheduled planning time with their colleagues in either their grade or department. This is in addition to their daily individual preparation period. We intend to enhance our teaming next year by doing work with understanding. personality types and their impact on communication, conflict resolution, problem-solving and decision-making.
A major aspect of professionalism is professional development. As a school district we have taken the professional development of our staff very seriously. In the past three years every staff member has received one full day of training on both classroom assessment and basic learning principles and two full days of training on cooperative learning. This is in addition to the many other professional development experiences we have offered both during and after school. The next step in our sequence of professional development activities will be differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
Lastly, we are working to incorporate structures that provide our staff members with input into the decisions that impact upon their work. Each school has developed and is currently implementing a site-based decision making team. At the district level we have curriculum committees and an observation/evaluation committee. Recently I have started a staff liaison committee to provide a forum for the positive resolution of any staff concerns.
I am proud of what our school district has accomplished. We are working hard every day to continuously improve the quality of instruction the children of Alexandria Township receive.
The first of these factors is the development of a guaranteed and viable school curriculum. He defines a guaranteed and viable curriculum as one that provides every student with the opportunity to learn the essential content within the instructional time available. As a school district we have worked hard to make sure our curriculum guides identify the most important instructional objectives. We have also attempted to reduce the number of objectives so that teachers can teach for depth instead of breadth. Currently our teachers and administrators are hard at work revising these new guides. They will be finalized for board adoption by June.
The second factor identified is challenging goals and effective feedback. Marzano describes this as establishing challenging goals for students and monitoring these goals so that meaningful feedback can be provided. We are currently hard at work developing a series of assessments in math, science, social studies, language arts, physical education and world languages that our teachers will administer three times during the year. The goal for these assessments is to assess student competence in the identified essential curriculum content. These assessments will be finalized this summer. In addition, I am developing a database that teachers will be able to use for establishing specific goals for their classes and students. Anyone who is an expert in Microsoft Access 2003, please contact me. While I am doing my best to learn how to use this program, I could certainly use some technical assistance.
The third factor identified by Marzano is parent and community involvement. This factor has to do with the extent to which parents and the community at large are both supportive and involved in the schools. However, he is clear that not all types of parental or community involvement are beneficial. Speaking of parental involvement, he states "It is clear that parental involvement in such areas as criticism of the school or visits to the school to complain are likely to generate negative effectiveness at the school level."
Three features define effective parental and community involvement: communication, participation, and governance. Based on his research, he recommends three action steps for improving in these areas. The first is to establish vehicles for communication between schools and parents and the community. In our school district, we use our website, district and school newsletters, superintendent's chats, parent/teacher conferences, this blog, and the marquee in the front of each school building. To improve in this area, we intend to switch over to Powerschool. Not only is this less costly than Edline, it is more user friendly. It is also being used by the other districts in our region. Once it is up and going, we will be able to share more data with the high school and the other districts in the Delaware Valley Region. We will be making this conversion this summer.
The second action step recommended is the establishment of multiple ways for parents and community members to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the school. A major focus for us next year will be strengthening our volunteer program. I am currently at work developing a recruiting, orientation and training program that I hope will strengthen our efforts in this area.
The third action step recommended is the establishment of governance vehicles that allow for the involvement of parents and community members. To increase parent and community member input on school decisions, next year I intend to establish a district advisory committee. This committee will meet once a month. The purpose of this committee will be for me to receive input on major decisions. I am also working with each of our administrators to establish a similar structure in each school.
A major strength of our district relates to the fourth factor. This factor is a safe and orderly school environment. If teachers and students do not feel safe, they will not have the psychological energy required for teaching and learning. While we have seen an increase in incidents of bullying and harassment, overall our schools are a safe place. Even so, we are not satisfied. This year LDW established and implemented a code of conduct for student behavior. In grades K-5, our guidance counselors are teaching the Second Step Curriculum. This curriculum is designed to teach pro social skills. Every staff member in our district was required to take a 2hour on-line course that addressed identifying and dealing effectively with student related bullying and harassment.
The final factor is collegial, professional behavior among staff members. Collegiality is demonstrated by teachers who are supportive of one another. Teachers demonstrating a high degree of collegiality openly enjoy professional interactions, and are respectful and courteous of each other's needs. By having teaming in every grade level in our school district, we have created the structure for collegiality to emerge. Every teacher in the school district has regularly scheduled planning time with their colleagues in either their grade or department. This is in addition to their daily individual preparation period. We intend to enhance our teaming next year by doing work with understanding. personality types and their impact on communication, conflict resolution, problem-solving and decision-making.
A major aspect of professionalism is professional development. As a school district we have taken the professional development of our staff very seriously. In the past three years every staff member has received one full day of training on both classroom assessment and basic learning principles and two full days of training on cooperative learning. This is in addition to the many other professional development experiences we have offered both during and after school. The next step in our sequence of professional development activities will be differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
Lastly, we are working to incorporate structures that provide our staff members with input into the decisions that impact upon their work. Each school has developed and is currently implementing a site-based decision making team. At the district level we have curriculum committees and an observation/evaluation committee. Recently I have started a staff liaison committee to provide a forum for the positive resolution of any staff concerns.
I am proud of what our school district has accomplished. We are working hard every day to continuously improve the quality of instruction the children of Alexandria Township receive.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Turbulent Times
Never have I seen such turbulent times in the field of education. Whether it be pay for performance, elimination of tenure, regionalization or any of the many other reforms proposed, we can be sure that changes in education are inevitable. This fact has caused many parents, educators and concerned citizens to feel anxious. In our hearts, we all know that while change may be inevitable, progress remains optional.
Over the past ten years, the Alexandria Township Public Schools have seen their fair share of change. In particular, changes in leadership have become the norm. More specifically, there have been ten changes in leadership at the principal level and four changes in the Superintendency. While each of these changes occurred for a variety of reasons, the result has been a cynical attitude toward change and a lack of trust for school leaders. I can remember in my first six months as the Superintendent, there were already rumors that I intended to use this position as a stepping stone for something "better".
With these turbulent times and the history of succession, it is important to maintain stability in our school system. For the first time in many years, a leadership team remains intact and unified in purpose. While some may not agree with or understand the direction we have taken, our goals remain the same:
* A superior teacher in every classroom.
* A curriculum that prepares learners for the 21st century.
* An assessment system that provides parents, students and teachers with meaningful feedback.
* An organizational structure that ensures coordination between and within grade levels.
* A positive partnership between families, community members and the educational system.
The school district's leadership team is unified in our belief that we can and we will achieve these goals. The future of our students and your children depends upon it.
Over the past ten years, the Alexandria Township Public Schools have seen their fair share of change. In particular, changes in leadership have become the norm. More specifically, there have been ten changes in leadership at the principal level and four changes in the Superintendency. While each of these changes occurred for a variety of reasons, the result has been a cynical attitude toward change and a lack of trust for school leaders. I can remember in my first six months as the Superintendent, there were already rumors that I intended to use this position as a stepping stone for something "better".
With these turbulent times and the history of succession, it is important to maintain stability in our school system. For the first time in many years, a leadership team remains intact and unified in purpose. While some may not agree with or understand the direction we have taken, our goals remain the same:
* A superior teacher in every classroom.
* A curriculum that prepares learners for the 21st century.
* An assessment system that provides parents, students and teachers with meaningful feedback.
* An organizational structure that ensures coordination between and within grade levels.
* A positive partnership between families, community members and the educational system.
The school district's leadership team is unified in our belief that we can and we will achieve these goals. The future of our students and your children depends upon it.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Teacher Appreciation Week
"Teaching, the one profession that makes all other professions possible."
Having been a classroom teacher for ten years, I can tell you it is a physically draining and emotionally taxing vocation. At the end of a day with students that have all different abilities, learning styles, and interests, are evenings correcting student work and preparing for the next sequence of lessons.
Most teachers do not do this job for the pay, benefits or recognition. Rather, they do it because it offers them the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children. Recently, government officials and some members of the public have been very vocal in criticizing teachers. I think this is truly unfortunate. What value could you really put on the contributions to our future that a great teacher makes? Should they be paid equal to what a rock star, professional athlete or movie actor make? This will never happen.
Great teachers know this and never expect to receive that level of compensation. They may even be uncomfortable being singled out for recognition from others. However, they deserve to be positively recognized for the efforts they make on a daily basis. As this week is teacher appreciation week, it is an opportunity for providing much deserved thanks.
Yet, I have often wondered why we limit our appreciation to a single week. Perhaps it is because we forget, or we have no vehicle to express our gratitude. I am proposing a solution to these problems. First, I will be placing cards in each front office that anyone may complete. This card will provide everyone with the opportunity to write a positive comment about something one of our staff members has done. These cards will be collected and then posted on a bulletin board in each faculty lounge. Once each trimester, we will hold a lottery drawing to select one of these cards. That teacher will be provided with a special gift donated by the school administration.
I will be putting these cards in each front office by May 17th. We will collect them for the remainder of this school year. At our first day back for staff, I will hold the drawing near the end of our full staff meeting. I hope you will accept my offer to provide our staff with much deserved appreciation all year round.
Having been a classroom teacher for ten years, I can tell you it is a physically draining and emotionally taxing vocation. At the end of a day with students that have all different abilities, learning styles, and interests, are evenings correcting student work and preparing for the next sequence of lessons.
Most teachers do not do this job for the pay, benefits or recognition. Rather, they do it because it offers them the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children. Recently, government officials and some members of the public have been very vocal in criticizing teachers. I think this is truly unfortunate. What value could you really put on the contributions to our future that a great teacher makes? Should they be paid equal to what a rock star, professional athlete or movie actor make? This will never happen.
Great teachers know this and never expect to receive that level of compensation. They may even be uncomfortable being singled out for recognition from others. However, they deserve to be positively recognized for the efforts they make on a daily basis. As this week is teacher appreciation week, it is an opportunity for providing much deserved thanks.
Yet, I have often wondered why we limit our appreciation to a single week. Perhaps it is because we forget, or we have no vehicle to express our gratitude. I am proposing a solution to these problems. First, I will be placing cards in each front office that anyone may complete. This card will provide everyone with the opportunity to write a positive comment about something one of our staff members has done. These cards will be collected and then posted on a bulletin board in each faculty lounge. Once each trimester, we will hold a lottery drawing to select one of these cards. That teacher will be provided with a special gift donated by the school administration.
I will be putting these cards in each front office by May 17th. We will collect them for the remainder of this school year. At our first day back for staff, I will hold the drawing near the end of our full staff meeting. I hope you will accept my offer to provide our staff with much deserved appreciation all year round.
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