Interview Blog

Well, here it is, the final blog...YIPPEE!!! It is exciting to be done!!  Congrats to everyone in all the cohorts for their hard work, long hours and dedication it took to complete this program!!!

In regards to the interview simulation, I felt that we a valuable experience.  I would have loved to have had that simulation prior to my first interview :)  I appreciated the principals and superintendents taking time out of busy schedule to do this exercise with all of us.  I was interviewed by Mark Sutton, the superintendent of Selma Unified.  Mr. Sutton used our time as more of a coaching session, elaborating on some of the main categories which their questions cover - ranging from curriculum and instruction to budgets and leadership. 

It was nice see everybody for our cohorts one last time - the next time we are all together will be graduation :)

Again, CONGRATULATIONS  to everyone and enjoy your winter break...with no homework!!!

Blog - Capstone and Prof. Growth Plan

Well, I posted my assignments for both my Prof. Growth Plan and Capstone and find that I feel like I am behind and have a lot of work to do. haha  These assignments made me realize just how much work I still have to reach the educational goals we have for our school site.  On one side, I was able to discuss some of the good things we are working on and some of the achievements we have reached, but then when I look to the future, I realize we still have a lot of work ahead of us and some tough situations (budget challenges) in which to maneuver within.  I think the upcoming "trigger" on Dec. 15 has the potential to really impact our future practices in education. 

I liked working from the template for the Prof. Growth plan...it was an effective format in which to outline the plan without getting bogged down with narrative "fluff".  It was a very effective tool I plan to incorporate in my site plans.

Budget Blog

Well, this assignment was a challenge for me because some of the information relating to the assignment and the information presented by Dr. Bradley does not apply to my school site.  As a dependent charter school, we do not received categorical funds.  Therefore, some of the budget funding questions don't apply to my school site.  The funds I do receive are pulled for the charter school funds which are received from state funding sources such as the state lottery.  When the funds are put into my site budget, I have a greater flexibility in how I can spend those funds as compared to the funds received say for title 1, 2 or 3. But, I also receive less funds as a result.

Post # 10 Face-to-Face Nov. 4th & 5th

It is always nice when we have an opportunity to talk with peers from other school sites and districts.  I enjoyed hearing from the various district representatives regarding HR matters.  I was able to appreciate the commonality of all three districts as well as the differences - especially the differences pertaining to the collective bargaining units.  One "must" that was conveyed by all of the guests was the need for documentation - this is something that does take a little extra time but saves a lot of trouble in the long-run.

The remainder of the evening was a great opportunity to interact with classmates and converse with people I may not have spoken to otherwise.  I did like the "groups of three" activity and I can see how this could be used with staff, students and even with some of our parent groups. 

The information regarding school budgets was great - there was so much valuable information. I appreciated the depth in which Dr. Bradley explained many of the nuances of school budgets and how the state funding does/will impact us all.  It does sound like we still have some tough times ahead of all of us in education.

Chapter 7 Putting it all together

This was one of the best books I have read in the program.  It was so helpful!  It was easy to read and connect to and provided lots of insight and great suggestions.  It was very good at illustrating how each of the elements are linked and how things can go astray if even one of the pieces are not working.  I think this book should be a "must read" for all brand new administrators.

I really liked the last chapter, it was a touching and simple was to tie to all together.  We should all be so lucky as to have the career Jeff had and the make a difference in so many people's lives.  I like how they allowed us to take the "journey" with him as he remembered all the good times only to then begin to worry about the mistakes he made along the way. This was a great way to say, that even the "great ones" make mistakes.  The reception and all the people he encountered throughout his career came forward to honor him.  That was very powerful and I have to say I got a tear or two in my eye :)

I give this book a "two thumbs up" :)

Blog #8 - Face-To-Face Class Meeting Oct. 24

I did appreciate the information presented by Roberta Rowe and Dr. Kevin Torosian.  Much of the information they presented included situations I have dealt with  as an administrator.  The area of ed code and the required documentation is so important- it was nice to be able to ask clarifying questions to ensure we are in compliance.  It is always helpful to hear about updates to various laws and practices to ensure we are all in compliance and operating within those policies and laws. I also liked the hand-outs provided by both of the speakers, they are great resources to use in the future.

The effective meeting management information presented by Dr. Hauser was very informative and offered practices I can implement immediately at my school site.  I really appreciate the tools presented and shared that would allow me to make our meetings much more effective and relevant to everyone.  We are always talking about working smarter not harder and this is a perfect example of how to do exactly that.  It was also beneficial to talk with other educators (from other districts) and get various perspectives on meetings and practices used in their districts.

On the negative side, I would recommend we find a way to have classes during the week - many of us use the weekends to get our homework done and we get behind when we are in class all day Saturday.

Leadership Connector - Trust

I know I state this every post, but I really like this book.  I think it is a great book and very helpful for  up and coming administrators, but really, these principles can be applied to any field, job, and even our own personal lives! 

I like the point the author makes about how it takes time to build trust and yet in some cases it can be destroyed in seconds!  That's the tough part, but this point also reinforces the importance of being conscious  about how we  interact with our staff, students and parents.  In the section on perceived betrayal there are some suggestions to avoid betrayal and perceived betrayal and they are:  Never talk negatively about anyone, think before you open your mouth, listen more than you speak, be positive rather than negative, stay away from negative people, their problems, messes and ugliness.  I think those are GREAT points in which to be guided by, especially when thinking about the statement above that it takes time to build trust and seconds to destroy.

As if it is not hard/bad enough to lose someone's trust but then to know that the likelihood of ever regaining that trust is "unlikely".  This adds a whole new level to the importance and focus we must place on trust if we want to be an effective leader.  As I take this information and apply it to my own role as a leader, I know the area I need to consciously think about is the "perceived betrayal"...the point of getting busy and unconsciously doing something that someone perceives as a betrayal... that is where I need to slow down and consciously be aware of what my actions and words are conveying.  This was a great chapter which provided tools and suggestions to improve my leadership skills and overall relationships!

Leadership Connector - Continuous renewal

This was a great chapter.  I really like the direct statements regarding priorities, health and emotions.  I can honestly say finding a balance is not my strength at this time.  I recognize that I am "out of balance" yet can't seem to find the hours in the day to do all the things that need my attention.  I have done a better job this school year of delegating. 

The section regarding "picking one's battles" it is important to recognize not everything requires you immediate attention or may not be a battle that needs to be fought!  In the beginning, I didn't do this, I felt I have do give EVERY situation my individual attention.  I now tend to listen and observe, then get involved if it is needed.

I strongly agree with the importance placed on visibility on campus.  I find that problems are reduced if not eliminated just be being present and vigilant.  By being visible, I am not only reducing certain behaviors of students but it also allows me time to interact with students, staff and parent volunteers - building those relationships and having those little conversations go a long way reducing behavior problems and parents like to see their child has a positive, personal relationship with the principal!

I can honestly say, my personal life is WAY out of balance.  I have a wonderful husband who is very supportive and understanding.  The focus is for me to "survive" until I finish school and then work to "realign" my time and priorities.  My children are older and are a big help:)  As far as exercise, I haven't been to the gym  in months... thank goodness, I am a pretty organized person, my office is neat and I have a prioritizing system - that does help to regulate my stress level at work :)

Leadership Connector - Competence

I know I keep saying this in each post, but I really like this book- maybe it is because I see so many parallels to my job as a relatively new administrator.  One of the first things my mentor told me last year when I was hired as a new principal is that "nobody expects you to know everything, and it is alright to say you aren't sure and need to check on something and get back to the person".  That was good advice, because there were times I was faced with questions and situations in which I didn't immediately know the answer - it is much easier and more respected to say you need to check on something rather than to spout off some random answer and have to "back track" to correct what you said when you provided incorrect information.

I really like the list of eight items the book outlined on "What Do I Really Need to Know and How Can I Learn It?"  I think the important part of that section is the "how can I learn"....that is a big part, because recognizing "what I don't know or need to know" is pretty easy...who to go to and how to find out how to do something in a little harder. 

The liked the section on self-efficacy - transitioning from one position to another can be a big leap at times.  The belief that you are capable of successfully accomplishing the tasks associated with the new position is very important.  I like the recommendation outlined in the story about Oscar, to "listen, observe, reflect and analyze" and also to find a knowledgeable person to mentor him.  I think with those steps in place the responses we make to either give up or seek to do the task is manageable. 

I really enjoyed this chapter on competence!

Leadership Connector - Safety

I really like this book - it is easy reading and I find myself making connections the whole time I am reading it.  This topic of safety was interesting to me, it started out talking about the physical, emotional and psychological safety of our lives.  These are all important and I'm sure most of us can see how it all translates from personal safety to our work and the roles we "play" at work. 

The bullying behavior is an issues we have see not only at our school sites and district but our communities as well.  This is not a new topic, yet it seemed to take on a lethal seriousness lately.  I don't recall hearing of bullying at schools in the 60's & 70's - yet in the 90's we were all shocked with the Columbine shootings. 

I know as an administrator I have had situations when I had to acknowledge that a person's actions were threatening and unacceptable and had to act accordingly.  That is not always an easy or comfortable situation to deal with, yet the bigger pictures and the safety of everyone on the school site is very important- that is my top priority.  The book did make be broaden my perspective of adult bullies and specifically with staff members.  One situation that came to mind was the interactions in a PLC I was a part of a few years ago...there was a teacher (in hindsight) I can honestly say was a bully.  This person created a climate that made everyone anxious and uncomfortable and nobody ever wanted to be the "one" who had to address issues with this person..because she was pushy and opinionated and would be rude in her interactions.  This experience makes me realize the level of responsibility I have as an administrator to my staff  not just to the students on our campus.

I really liked the section on decompressing.  I find myself waking up at 3:00am and "thinking" about everything I need to do the next day, week or month.  Sometimes, I get up and work on those items. I liked the 5 tips discussed to reduce anxieties.  Some of them I think are easier said than done, but others were great ideas that I can see working for me.  Personally, one thing I have been doing lately is making a list of things I am going to work on the next day right before I go to bed. I prioritize the list and having is on my briefcase ready to go the next day....I haven't been up working at 3:00am since I started doing it :)

Leadership Connector - Support

The topic of support from leadership is so important to the success of a school.  Most of us have probably worked at a position (not just in education) where there was incredible support and great leadership and then in other places where those incredible experiences where not in place.  I agree that is it important to have high levels of transparency - it allows everyone to "see" the whole picture and it promotes the open communication which reinforces the connectedness Hennsley referred to it in the chapter. The chapter discusses the importance of support in terms of new teachers and getting them connected and supported, but I believe it is equally important to those veteran teachers we rely on as well.  Everyone wants to be connected and valued and that occurs when we feel we are supported, in the communication loop, and valued for our contributions. 

With NCLB the stakes are getting higher and the required scores are getting harder to reach.  As a result, it is even more important that teachers and staff feel their administrator values and supports them and stands behind them.  I agree with Hennsley's comment that when teachers feel supported they reciprocate. This reciprocal support creates a positive climate and supports the overall school culture and student achievement.

I think some of the areas the chapter discusses to support teachers, such as providing materials, can be a tough challenge in this current budget situation.  While we may not be able to provide all the "wants" we must strive to provide all the "needs".  Sometimes even the "needs" are difficult to provide - this is were the communication piece is even more important.  If we communicate the financial standing of the site budget and openly discuss options to meet the needs in other ways the teams feels included and is more apt to understand the reasons if those things take a little longer to obtain. 

Leadership Connectors: Communication post

I find it interesting that people have been communicating with each for centuries and yet, we still have problems mis-communicating or being "misunderstood".  In reading chapter one, I was stuck be how so much of the information seemed to be "common sense" or widely accepted in practice and yet each scenario had the potential to go awry. 

One of the things that stood out to me in the chapter, was that it was geared towards adminstrator and advised on some of the "pitfalls".  Being a new principal last year, I can really relate so some of the stories... about establishing that new relationship with staff members and parents/students.  I spent a lot of time thinking over how I wanted to establish me relationship with them and how to communicate that I am approachable, working for a common goal with them and will work hard for the school/team/students. On one side I wanted to demonstrate my competency yet incorporate my personality (bring in some humor), be approachable and establish the "right" relationship from the start....not as easy as it seems :)

I also liked how the chapter talked about communicating in emails, newsletters, and formal/informal communication.    I know I am cautious when communicating with parents by email, because you are not always sure how they are "interpreting" what you are trying to say.  That doesn't even include the grammatical manner in which we communicate.  I much prefer meeting with parents especially if there is a problem, yet this is not always possible, so some of the info. for consideration is very helpful.

My favorite information was the "Frame It" and re-framing - its about the perspective and how we choose to view a situation and how we choose to move forward.  That is not to say we are going to "sugar coat" everything, but rather acknowledge the situation and determine how to move forward.  I love how it pointed out that framing must be used with integrity!!

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269 Face-To-Face Reflection - Post #1

I have to say I am feeling a little overwhelmed with these two classes and writing our project all simultaneously....oh yeah and working :)  But, seeing all of us in the room in Clovis made me realize we are probably all in a similar boat...well they say, "there is strength in numbers", so I have faith that we can do this!  As far as the class, I liked having the opportunity to get to know some of the other cohort members - and also to finally meet some of the Visalia cohort members we have been taking online classes with!

I liked the Daniel Pink video -the illustrations were a creative way to engage the audience and keep us all "plugged in".  I agree with several points Pink made regarding what truly motivates people...such as more money doesn't necessarily motivate individuals.  I would imagine most of us have either experienced or witnessed some of the scenarios Pink illustrated. I know my own experience confirmed his theories.

As an employee of Sanger Unified, I have had the opportunity to be involved in the district's redirection and introduction of our main initiatives we all work under (EDI, RtI, PLC, ELD/SDAIE).  Fortunately for us, our leaders didn't try to "throw money" at the problems we were experiencing at the time, but rather focused on the purpose of our jobs...the collective mission we all share and allowed the "tight/loose" theory to move our teams.  This opportunity allowed for teams to be self-directed and work together collectively with a common purpose to make a difference in the lives of our students.