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__**Strategic Leadership**__ //School executives will create conditions that result in strategically re-imaging the school’s vision, mission, and goals in the 21st century. Understanding that schools ideally prepare students for an unseen but not altogether unpredictable future, the leader creates a climate of inquiry that challenges the school community to continually re-purpose itself by building on its core values and beliefs about its preferred future and then developing a pathway to reach it.//



**1a. School Vision, Mission and Strategic Goals**  The school’s identity, in part, is derived from the vision, mission, values, beliefs and goals of the school, the processes used to establish these attributes, and the ways they are embodied in the life of the school community.

**__Experiences__**  **__Coursework__**
 * **Internship:** Facilitated numerous sessions building consensus with SIP around school's technology vision, spring 2012
 * **Internship:** Facilitated meetings with teachers and School Improvement Team on school’s vision, mission and strategic goals in preparation for accreditation visit, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Many weekly logs included reflection on the collaborative processes Mr. Price uses to collect and analyze data that aligns with school goals and mission, particularly the school improvement plan. Fall, 2011.
 * **Internship:** Facilitated meetings with teachers and School Improvement Team on school’s vision, mission and strategic goals in preparation for accreditation visit, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Worked with new Freshman Academy to develop a shared vision in the newly established hall, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** As part of Problem of Practice, evaluated and discussed of Teacher Working Conditions Survey, including comparison of South Johnston with other schools.
 * **DLP** assignment required collaborative collection and rating of internship school vision and mission with mentor principal and select teachers, fall 2011.
 * **DLP:** In-depth discussion of mission and vision through Distinguished Leadership in Practice (DLP) program, fall 2011.
 * **DLP:** assignment required collaborative collection and rating of South Johnston vision and mission with mentor principal and select teachers, fall 2011.
 * **DLP:** Applied the PDCA cycle to study the processes used to establish vision and mission in the school, fall 2011
 * **Change Course:** Training on the Teacher Working Condition (TWC) survey included examination of vision and mission constructs, fall 2011.
 * **Change Course:** Through Vision Statement Assignment, developed and shared a personal vision that reflected high expectations for student achievement, fall 2011
 * **On-Going Leadership Course:** With Self Assessment assignments, fellow made continual changes to personal goals that reflected feedback data to improve performance.
 * **Social Justice Course:** "I Am From" Poem
 * School/District Digital Story
 * Leadership Digital Story
 * **Specialized Training:** NC "Turnaround" High School Visit. Reflection can be found on artifacts page.
 * **Specialized Training:** Certified training of //Schooling by Design// included protocols for articulating mission and vision regularly and incorporating them into the daily operation of the school, fall 2011
 * **Specialized Training:** Certified training on Facilitative Leadership, including specific training on sharing a compelling vision, having maximum appropriate involvement and building consensus, December 2010.
 * **Human Resources Course:** Reading, written discussion and wrap-around application (apply-discuss-revise-repeat) of chapters on how to win people to a way of thinking and alter perception without offense from //How to Win Friends and Influence People// (Carnegie, 1981), January-May 2011
 * **Human Resources Class:** Reading, discussing and continued implementation of vision setting and synergy skills from //Seven Habits of Highly Effective People//, (Covey, 1987) July 2010-May 2011.
 * ** Specialized Training: **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Site visit: AB Combs Elementary, Magnet School of Distinction with exemplary school culture. See reflection which includes a written discussion of how AB Combs incorporates mission, vision and core values into its school culture. September, 2011

<span style="display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 17px;">**__Related Readings__**
 * //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">7 Habits of Highly Effective Leaders //
 * //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Tinkering Towards Utopia //
 * //<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">The School Leaders our Children Deserve //

__**Example Artifacts:**__ Educational Vision Statement //Letter to school staff incorporated mission and vision:// media type="custom" key="15390548" //A Poster Presentation of the internship project. For more information, see Problem of Practice: Administrative Internship.//

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #c73333; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 16px;">**1b. Leading Change** <span style="color: #5a4949; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> The school executive articulates a vision, and implementation strategies, for improvements and changes which result in improved achievement for all students.

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**__Experiences__**
 * **Internship:** Internship weekly logs included reflection on new and better ways I could lead to improve student achievement, specifically core instructional practices, fall 2011. Weekly Logs.
 * **Internship:** Worked with School Improvement Team to revise strategies and create new initiatives to improve achievement for all students, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Created personal
 * **Internship:** Weekly reflection, feedback and monthly conferences with coach included practical discussion and coaching on leading change, fall 2011. See more information on this relationship.
 * **Internship:** Monthly internship logs included the identification of particular standards and competencies for growth. Insight from Dr. Johnson was used to create an action plan to grow in these areas, fall 2011.
 * **Change Course/Internship:** Internship project included data audit of current resources and achievement, identification of a problem of practice and developing a theory of action to create and monitor the effectiveness of strategies, fall—spring 2011. Seen Phase I, II, III, IV, V, Evaluation and Poster Project below.

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**__Course Work__**
 * **DLP:** Analyzed Teacher Working Condition (TWC) survey for Distinguished Leaders in Practice (DLP) program. With a teacher, South Johnston was compared against state, district and grade-level state averages, as well as performance from previous years.
 * **Specialized Training:** Certified training of //Schooling by Design// included plans for collaboratively creating strategies to improve learning outcomes, fall 2011.
 * **Change Course:** Read, discussed and presented on selected passages from //Leading Change// (Kotter, 2006), //Managing Transitions// (Bridgers, 2006) and //Leading in a Culture of Change// (Fullan, 2001), fall 2011 and spring 2012.
 * **Specialized Training:** Certified training by Ruby Payne: //Raising Achievement with 9 Systemic Processes//, including concrete strategies for creating new school processes, March 2011
 * **Specialized Training:** Certified training on Facilitative Leadership, including specific training on sharing a compelling vision, having maximum appropriate involvement and building consensus, December 2010.

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**__Related Readings__**
 * Reading, discussing and writing summary of //The Bell Curve// article on using data to drive decisions, spring 2010.
 * Reading, discussing and writing summary for //Tipping Point Leadership//, including analysis of spearheading effective and systemic change, (Kim & Mauborgne, 2003) May 2011
 * Reading and discussion of //Why Transformations Efforts Fail//, (Kotter, 1995), March 2011

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif;">__ **Example Artifacts:** __ //Common Core Professional Development created and presented to entire faculty. Reflection on the experience can be found in// Weekly Log March 3-5-12 media type="custom" key="15390422" //Letter of Introduction incorporated school's mission and vision.// media type="custom" key="15390692"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 16px;">**1c. School Improvement Plan** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #5a4949; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 16px;"> The school improvement plan provides the structure for the vision, values, goals and changes necessary for improved achievement for all students.

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**__Experiences__**
 * **DLP:** Analysis of South Johnston's SIP, comparison with other highly effective SIPs, reflection on data-driven SIPs. Spring 2012.
 * **DLP:** sessions incorporated interim assignments involving analysis of South Johnston's mission, vision, values and goals within the SIT, then build consensus about steps needed to take in order to improve them for increased student achievement. Fall 2011
 * **Internship:** Active member of the South Johnston School Improvement Team, fall 2011—Spring 2012.
 * **Internship:** Contributed to 8 SIT meetings about revising the SIP, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Contributed and facilitated meetings revising current SIP with the SIT. Spring 2012.
 * **Internship:** Built consensus with SIT around specifics for POWER changes, spring 2011.
 * **Internship:** Helped build consensus creating new SIP for 2012—2014. Spring 2012.
 * **Internship:** Facilitated SIT meeting around aligning strategies with school and county vision, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Facilitated SIT meeting around creating a tiered intervention for POWER block, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Facilitated a meeting on proposed changes to the School Improvement Plan, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Weekly internship logs included reflection on facilitating School Improvement meetings and work with the SIT, fall 2011—spring 2012. Weekly Logs.

**__Course Work:__**
 * **Change Course:** sessions with Drs. Joe Peel and Cathy Williams included description and discussion of successful SIT attributes. Spring 2012.
 * **Change Course:** Analyzed Teacher Working Condition (TWC) survey for Distinguished Leaders in Practice (DLP) program. With a teacher, South Johnston was compared against state, district and grade-level state averages, as well as performance from previous years.
 * **Change Course:** Class investigation with Dr. Cathy Williams on creating collaborative environment. Included presentation on leadership styles that encourage healthy PLCs, fall 2011.

**__Related Readings__**
 * //Leading in a Culture of Change (Fullan)//

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif;">__ **Example Artifacts:** __ //Addendum collaboratively created, using an analysis of valid data. Consensus built through SIT meetings, e-mail communication with staff.// media type="custom" key="15390886" //Document made collaboratively with South Johnston SIT in preparation for AdvancED accreditation visit// media type="custom" key="12739298" //Agenda created to drive SIP recreation process in spring 2012// media type="custom" key="15390898" //Logic Model for one of four goals created to explain new draft SIP to school in a way that was easily understandable. Format altered for presentation here. Spring 2012.// media type="custom" key="15390922"

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #c73333; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 16px;">**1****d. Distributive Leadership** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #5a4949; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 16px;">The school executive creates and utilizes processes to distribute leadership and decision-making throughout the school.

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**__Experiences__**
 * **Internship:** Weekly internship logs included reflection on leveraging the strengths of the staff to meet the needs of the school, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Work with South Johnston teachers to create protocols for 1:1 laptop initiative, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Collaboratively redesigned district professional development on Common Core to meet the unique needs of South Johnston and allow for presentation by teacher leaders, fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** The placement of 13 new SMART Boards was based on teacher input from a survey I created in fall 2011.
 * **Internship:** Worked with the Mayor of Benson to develop a technology grant, fall 2011—Spring 2012.
 * **Internship:** Internship project included extended interviews with parents and community stakeholders, fall 2011.

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**__Course Work__**
 * **Specialized Training:** Certified training on Facilitative Leadership, including implemented skills and wrap-around feedback. Skills included coaching for performance and celebrating accomplishments, December 2010
 * ** School Law: **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Working with a team for both the school law and developmental projects required the distribution of responsibilities among group members. September-May, 2011

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**__Related Readings:__**
 * The Fifth Discipline (Senge)
 * Schooling by Design

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: Georgia,serif;">__ **Example Artifacts:** __ media type="custom" key="12739468"//One of eight school law documents that were created in teacher work-groups at Northwest Halifax High School during school law PD conducted by myself and Annabel Bello.//

//Letter written to English II teachers seeking assistance with upcoming survey of all 10th grade students for a national survey.// media type="custom" key="15390378" //Example of letters sent out regularly to Freshman Academy (at least twice a month) communicating upcoming events and seeking opportunities for collaboration.// media type="custom" key="15390350" //Correspondence with Mayor Massengill of Benson, collaborating on Golden Leaf grant.// media type="custom" key="15390396" //Establishing a collaborative work time with NELA fellows.// media type="custom" key="15390444"

<span style="color: #c73333; font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 130%;">**Gap Analysis of Growth ove****r Time:** <span style="color: #5a4949; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> While in North Carolina State's NELA program, I have received intensive training on the competencies needed to lead strategically. In my internship with principal Eddie Price, I have been involved in or lead numerous strategic shifts designed to improve student achievement and align the school's activities with its mission and vision. Work with my coach, Dr. Henry Johnson, includes consistent reflection and feedback that is incorporated into my work. Included within each sub-standard are specific experiences I've had tied to that strand of the rubric. Over the last two years, these experiences have yielded countless opportunities for growth. Specifically, my self-ratings for strategic leadership have gone from // Developing // to // Proficient //. This decision was made after extensive discussion with my mentor principal and NELA coach, both of whom agree with this assessment in their own ratings. Below is a chart intended to visually summarize this growth.

<span style="color: #5a4949; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**1a:** My work with South Johnston began before I walked through the doors, as I focused on honing my own personal mission and vision. This gave voice to my own expectations and ideals. During the internship, I had a number of opportunities to work with the faculty and staff to ensure that our actions in the school were aligned to our mission and vision.

<span style="color: #5a4949; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**1b:** I quickly gained a new appreciation for principals as change agents when I started my internship. I worked with a variety of groups on a variety of new initiatives. With the Common Core and the ominous 6th standard looking large, 2011 was already a fitful year for South; however, I helped to navigate a 1:1 laptop initiative, focus on Google Docs, an RtI Pilot for High School, a newly instituted Freshman Academy and a renewed focus on teaching strategies, specifically through University of Kansas training and development.

<span style="color: #5a4949; font-family: Georgia,serif;">**1c:** Before coming to South Johnston, I had never sat on a School Improvement Team and had only read a SIP. Within my first 2 weeks I was a contributing member of the SIT and actively collaborating on SIP revisions. My work continues with the SIT, facilitating necessary changes to POWER Block and the RtI Pilot.

<span style="color: #5a4949; font-family: Georgia,serif;">** 1d: ** South Johnston is blessed with a handful of the strongest teacher leaders I’ve ever met. Working along side these teachers, we’ve collaboratively revised PD on the Common Core, rescheduled students, revamped POWER Block, and created formative assessments among a litany of other experiences. At the same time, I’ve found the undeniable value of leveraging the passions and expertise of even the most begrudged teachers.