I inherited the Assistant Principal, Associate Principal, and Principal Pools last school year. Since the orginal implementation of these pools, the process had not been updated to reflect the changing administrative needs in our district. I solicited information from our current campus administrators, district assistant superintendents and coordinators as well as pool participants. In the beginning, I would discuss possible changes with campus and district administrators. They indicated that they wanted the process to change, but could not provide any insight on how they wanted it to change. Creating a survey that was geared toward discovering what the campus and district administrators were looking for in each of these positions provided a lot of valuable information. Through the research, discussions, data, and surveys, the recommendations have been finalized. The recommendation for the updated hiring guidelines is going forward next week for superintendent approval. In the future, I recommend that the process be revisited at a minimum of two years. Waiting so long to update, resulted in many campus administrators no longer supporting the idea of having pools for these positions.
One of our district initiatives this year was to transition from portfolio to PDAS evaluations. Providing the campus administrators with a PDAS refresher, documentation training, and a friendly way to store evaluation data through technology, has lessened the anxiety associated with such a massive change. Teachers were trained by their campus administrators as well. Annual updates for PDAS and documentation should be continued in order for the evaluation process across the district to remain consistent. I would also recommend that we provide everyone involved with PDAS evaluations the opportunity to make suggestions for improvement through an end-of-year survey. Since PDAS was utilized as an evaluation tool by such a small percentage in the past, it has been interesting to hear some of the same concerns from teachers that we heard when this evaluation tool was first introduced in the state.

During the budget crisis last spring, a few inequitable staffing issues across the district regarding fine arts and athletics became apparent. In order to address these issues, I held meetings with campus administration and the directors of these programs. Our goal was to balance the staffing guidelines without eliminating anyone’s position or compromising the success of the programs. We researched neighboring district’s staffing practices for fine arts and athletics and analyzed our district data which included campus master schedules, students in the program and courses offered.  We reached consensus and have made our recommendations for the 2012-2013 staffing guidelines. My recommendation is to continue to explore the guidelines annually in order to maintain balance and be competitive with our surrounding districts.

Participating in all of these initiatives reinforced my belief in the practice of setting goals and objectives with measurable outcomes. Collaborating with those directly involved with an initiative and allowing their voices to be heard allows for compromise and support.

 Reflecting on the competencies was challenging. However, I realized how much we have accomplished during this past year.

The entry plan this week forced me to think about what I would do as a new superintendent. My responses were geared toward a large district and would be very different had I written them for a small district.

My current position as a district administrator has been exciting and eye-opening at the same time. Although I still believe that the most important job in any district is the classroom teacher, seeing the district from a new perspective other than a campus administrator or a teacher has made me realize the importance and enormity of the “behind the scenes” work that is vital in order to ensure that the district functions effectively and successfully. Entering the Human Resource Services Department during a budget crisis forced my steep learning curve to be short. Principals, Directors, and our Superintendent relied on us to be consistent, fair, and legal in our processes and correct in our projections during this difficult time. My experience as a teacher, presenter, consultant, campus leader and principal provided me with the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to be successful at the district level. For the moment, I am enjoying learning about Human Resources and other departments as they relate to us and how we all work together toward the common goal: all children will learn…whatever it takes!  The positions that interest me in the future include Assistant Superintendent in our district or a Superintendent in a smaller district.

My twenty-five year path through education thus far has been one of unplanned, and natural leadership progression. I began as a classroom teacher which included multiple leadership roles from department chair, regional, state and national presenter, math consultant, teacher coach and lots of administrative experience. Although I believed that I would always be a classroom teacher, I was never satisfied with teaching one grade level for more than three years or not being involved at the campus, district and state level of education. After thirteen years in the classroom in the same district, I felt as though I had grown as much as I could and it was time to welcome a new challenge. I moved to another district and became an elementary assistant principal for two years and then the principal of our school for six years. An opportunity for a high school experience in a new district appealed to me. So, I spent the next two years as a high school assistant principal. During my time as a campus administrtor, I was able to apply the knowledge and skills I had aquired during my teaching years to become an effective instructional leader. Now that I am at the district level, all of my previous leadership experience has prepared me to assist those that are entering the teaching profession or aspiring to become a campus administrator. 

Regardless of the position I held in education, the most important skill continues to be the ability to build quality relationships with people. Understanding and respecting others’ perspectives, beliefs and experiences has resulted in students, staff, parents and community members knowing that I am a trustworthy, honest and loyal leader. Listening and hearing as well as communicating often with all stakeholders also aides in developing the trust needed for people to feel as though they can come to you when they have concerns, ideas, and/or questions. My desire to lead has always been to serve others and help them reach their fullest potential as an educator and/or leader. I believe that we all continue to master our craft and that along the way there are people that have guided, encouraged, and equipped us with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to become a successful educator, leader and person. Throughout the Lamar Superintendent Preparation Program, I felt as though the activities we completed helped to not only prepare us for our future positions but also reassured my belief that  actions speak volumes about a person’s character. I have always believed that my Superintendent’s character, ethics, and morals were of high regard. After visiting with and observing him during some  difficult situations this past year, I am inspired by his ability to remain true to his beliefs. He puts the students first and provides such positive examples for all of us to follow.

Week 5 Part 2&3 Final Reflections

Although this was a difficult course for me because it is not my area of expertise or comfort, I found it to be very interesting. I have learned a lot in five weeks about the history, development, and maintenance of a district budget.

After completing the self-assessment, I found my strengths to be competencies that deal with personnel issues. My current position is in Human Resources, so thankfully I feel confident in that area. I feel much more competent in many areas concerning school finance now than compared to the beginning of this course. I still need to learn more in the areas of managing resources and the legal requirements of finance. I am certain that this knowledge will come as I spend more time delving into the development of a district budget during the next few years especially.

I found the history of how Texas schools are funded very enlightening and interesting. At first I was relieved that finding a balanced approach for funding has always been an issue. Then I was faced with the reality that we may never find a balanced approach and that state funding will more than likely continue to decline.  

Working with my Wiki group was exciting. We used Google Docs to create our papers. Instant messaging one another while we were working was almost like being face to face. I’m having a difficult time forming some committees to work on district projects because of time constraints. I am entertaining the idea of using Google Docs or a blog to begin some of our dialogue.

Currently, I am collaborating with a committee of campus principals, Director of Fine Arts, and the Athletic Director to meet our District Goal #1: Develop a plan to ensure programs associated with district and campus priorities are funded equitably. The knowledge I have gained from this course will assist me in providing current and projected data for salaries, benefits, operating costs and revenue as we work to achieve this goal.

I look forward to learning more about school finance now that I have a better understanding of the terminology and how the process works. This course has been the missing puzzle piece of the district picture for me. I always knew that school finance was important but I never really understood how it aligned completely with the district vision.

Week 5 - Assignment 1: Code of Ethics for School Leaders

Standard 1.2. The educator shall not knowingly misappropriate, divert, or use monies, personnel, property, or equipment committed to his or her charge for personal gain or advantage.

Example: An administrator uses a district credit card to purchase personal items for himself  that are not work related.

Consequence: The police would be notified. The employee would have to pay back the money and be given the option to resign or be terminated. The offense would be reported to SBEC within seven days and his certification could be removed.

Standard 1.3. The educator shall not submit fraudulent requests for reimbursement, expenses, or pay.

Example: An administrator submits receipts for hotel, food, and travel expenses that he claimed were for a conference that he never attended.

Preventive Action: Model and promote the highest standard of conduct, ethical principles, and integrity in decision making, actions and behaviors. Be honest at all times.

Standard 1.11. The educator shall not intentionally or knowingly misrepresent his or her employment history, criminal history, and/or disciplinary record when applying for subsequent employment.

Example: An administrator does not disclose a felony from another state.

Consequence: The administrator will be terminated and SBEC will be notified within seven days. The administrator may lose his certification.

Standard 2.4. The educator shall not interfere with a colleague's exercise of political, professional, or citizenship rights and responsibilities.

Example: In a meeting, the administrator advices the staff about who to vote for in the upcoming school board elections.

Preventive Action: Interact with district staff in a professional and ethical manner. Remain professional at all times.

Standard 2.3. The educator shall adhere to written local school board policies and state and federal laws regarding the hiring, evaluation, and dismissal of personnel.

Example: A teacher is told by the administrator to complete their own evaluation and (s)he will sign it.

Consequence: The administrator is reported to her supervisor. A reprimand is placed in her file and the administrator is given strict directives to adhere to regarding evaluations. Violation of any policies, regulations, or guidelines may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment. DH(Local)

Preventive Action: Apply laws, policies, and procedures in a fair and reasonable manner.

Reflection

When it comes to ethical behavior, it is best to view things in black and white rather than gray. If an action seems questionable, it is best to choose another route. I believe that sometimes, leaders react without reviewing the code of ethics and knowing policy. Those reactions can lead to serious consequences. Then of course, there are those leaders who feel empowered and therefore assume that policies were written for everyone but them.

Personnel Salaries Week 4 Assignment 4

As educators always say, “We are in the people business.” The employees of a school district are its most important asset. We can have state of the art facilities and materials, but without quality employees, educating and caring for our students would not occur. Attracting and retaining quality employees is essential for the success of a district.

Personnel costs for 2011-2012 are 87.75% of our district budget. Due to state funding concerns, we did not give raises to our employees this year. Had we done so, many positions and programs would have been eliminated in order to offset the cost of the raises. Ultimately this would have increased our class sizes and decreased additional instructional support and extracurricular opportunities. During budget workshops and community meetings, it was very clear that our stakeholders wanted class sizes, programs, and extracurricular opportunities to remain protected. Fortunately, we were able to make reductions in other areas, our enrollment numbers continue to grow and we have a very healthy fund balance. We will be able to maintain status quo for the 2012-2013 school year. Hopefully, salary increases can occur in 2012-2013. During this time we are looking for more ways to trim the budget to prepare for the next legislative session which is predicted to slash state funding even more.

A salary increase can potentially attract more quality candidates that can enhance your district. However, it can also create a need to eliminate programs and positions to cover the cost of the salary increase. For our district a 5% salary increase would equal $14,124,794. This would bring our personnel costs for our district to 91%.

Week 4 Assignment 5: Fincancial Audits

In our district, an external auditor is selected through the Request for Proposal process. Typically, the selected auditor will sign a one year contract that is renewable for four years. The firm will rotate its staff during these years to provide a different perspective to the process. The cost to our district ranges from $60,000 to &70,000.

Once the external auditor is selected, they spend one week with our Business/Financial Department. Then they return to the district for another three weeks to examine all of the District documents and receipts. They perform tests for compliance with certain provisions of laws, regulations, contracts and grant agreements.  Most of their time is spent focusing on payroll, debt expenditures, capital projects and tax collection statements and files.

The results of the external audit, which includes an opinion letter, ensure that all financial statements prepared by the district are reported fairly and accurately and are free of material misstatement. They also prepare a report on internal control to ensure that their tests do not disclose any instances of noncompliance or other matters that are required to be reported under Government Auditing Standards.

The external auditor results are prepared for the Board of Trustees, District management, federal awarding agencies and pass-through entities. Results from the audit are used to report to TEA through TEASE in November and PEIMS in January. The District Financial Department prepares the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) each year. This report includes the financial statements prepared by the district and the external auditor’s results. The CAFR is presented to the Board of Trustees in December at the monthly board meeting and is available to all stakeholders through our website.

After interviewing our District CPA, Executive Director of Business Services, I realized how vital the management of our money is. Not only at the central office level in the business and financial departments but also at the campus and department levels. It is crucial that anyone that manages a budget or is responsible for the inputting data is accurate. The audit is the result of a year-round process that involves the “checking” of numerous employees’ work. We are so fortunate to not only have proven systems in place but knowledgeable staff in our business and finance departments that continue to receive excellent audits and Superior Achievement Ratings on our FIRST reports.