Communication
Effectively listens to others; clearly and effectively presents and understands information orally and in writing; acquires, organizes, analyzes ,interprets, maintains information needed to achieve school or team 21st century objectives.
Maintaining clear, consistent and open communication with my students, their families and the community is a must in the education world. I work closely with my students' families to build productive partnerships which allow them to take an active role in the lives of their children. I utilize parent contact logs to help me keep track of our conversations, document strategies implemented as a result of our discussion and notes about our plans for next steps.
Effectively listens to others; clearly and effectively presents and understands information orally and in writing; acquires, organizes, analyzes ,interprets, maintains information needed to achieve school or team 21st century objectives.
Maintaining clear, consistent and open communication with my students, their families and the community is a must in the education world. I work closely with my students' families to build productive partnerships which allow them to take an active role in the lives of their children. I utilize parent contact logs to help me keep track of our conversations, document strategies implemented as a result of our discussion and notes about our plans for next steps.
Change Management
Effectively engages staff and community in the change process in a manner that ensures their support of the change and its successful implementation.
Whether we like it or not, change is an inevitable part of education. As educators and administrators, changes need to be made from time to time to keep the best interests of our students at the forefront of our work. Our Math I teachers were struggling to find a way to provide feedback to their students on classwork, homework and assessments. I created a method for them to use to deliver quality feedback while also keeping in mind the time commitment required from the teachers. I first introduced the concept at a weekly PLC meeting, then modeled it for them using authentic student work samples and finally helped them implement it in their classrooms.
Conflict Management
Anticipates or seeks to resolve confrontations, disagreements, or complaints in a constructive manner.
In any school setting, especially high school, conflicts will undoubtedly occur. Administrators must have the unique ability to creatively examine each conflict individually and respond accordingly, while also maintaining consistency and fairness with district policy. As an aspiring school executive, I learned that many issues can be prevented with open and honest communication and using tenants of the Restorative Justice model. Pictured below is a moment captured when three young women visited my office who were rumored to fight after school. By implementing Restorative Justice practices, we were able to arrive at a mutually agreeable resolution which did not result in any physical or verbal confrontations and the three were able to return to class without any further issues.
Creative Thinking
Engages in and fosters an environment for others to engage in innovative thinking.
I have always said that school is not possible without our bus drivers to bring our students. Drivers are an invaluable asset to our school team and need to be treated as such. A friendly little treat box on a frigid morning is the least I can do. On January 3, 2018, all bus drivers received a gift box decorated in school colors which contained a set of hand warmers, antibacterial wipes, school-colored hard candy and a few other small tokens of my appreciation for caring for our precious cargo each school day . It was my creative way of saying, "thanks" for keeping our Wildcats safe!
Customer Focus
Understands the students as customers of the work of schooling and the servant nature of leadership and acts accordingly.
Businessdictionary.com defines "customer focus" as the orientation of an organization toward serving its clients' needs. As leaders in education, our students and their families are our clients and we must work to meet their unique needs. Our school tardy policy states that a student can be suspended upon receiving their 6th unexcused tardy to a class. Careful review of data and attendance records revealed that for most of our students, this most frequently applied to their 1st period class, indicative of a problem related to arriving at school on time. To keep our customer focus, I now offer students and their families an opportunity to come to school for a parent conference in lieu of removing them from the classroom. At this meeting, we discuss their child's tardiness and we brainstorm ways together to alleviate the problem. Should the student receive another tardy after the strategies have been put in place, we then move forward with more severe consequences.
Revised_Tardy_Letter.pdf | |
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Delegation
Effectively assigns work tasks to others in ways that provide learning experiences for them and in ways that ensure the efficient operation of the school.
The day-to-day life of an assistant principal is full of managerial, human resource, disciplinary and other unforeseen issues. It is therefore impossible for a single person in this role to complete tasks all on their own. Leaders need to rely on quality and trustworthy team members to help them complete all of their necessary tasks and must become proficient at delegation. An issue came to my attention related to some miscommunication between our Math teachers and their students regarding their appropriate location during remediation time each week. Parents felt that students were not being properly informed of their assigned rooms ahead of time, and therefore should not be punished for being late to their extra help session. It was my decision to delegate the assignment of writing and distributing weekly remediation passes for involved students to the lead remediation time teacher. I created a basic, easy-to-use pass template and tasked her with being responsible for filling them in each week with the child's name and new room number. She was also asked to ensure students received their new pass on the last day of the week prior to starting in their new assignment.
Dialogue Inquiry
Is skilled in creating a risk-free environment for engaging people in conversations that explore issues, challenges or bad relationships that are hindering school performance.
Principals and Assistant Principals must continuously make a valiant effort to get out of their offices and be present throughout their school building. I make consistent efforts to sit in on classes and visit teachers during their planning period to ask how things are going and really learn about their concerns, fears, and worries as it relates to our school and students. I also use this as an opportunity to connect with my staff on a personal level. This one-on-one time provides genuine insight into the culture of our school, the well-being of our teachers and provides insight into what is truly going on at the ground level. I believe by visiting teachers on their own turf, they feel more at ease and will more freely share their opinions, ask for your help and feel valued as an employee.
Emotional Intelligence
Is able to manage oneself through self awareness and self management and is able to manage relationships through empathy, social awareness and relationship management. This competency is critical to building strong, transparent, trusting relationships throughout the school community.
North Carolina Standards for School Executives describes the emotional intelligence competency as, " [One who ] Is able to manage oneself through self awareness and self management and is able to manage relationships through empathy, social awareness and relationship management. This competency is critical to building strong, transparent, trusting relationships throughout the school community." This includes being sensitive to staff members when they need to be out for various reasons or providing a comforting shoulder to lean on in times of crisis. Additionally, it is also being aware of the need to recognize your staff as human beings with unique needs and unforeseen situations and having the ability to respond to those situations professionally and appropriately.
Environmental Awareness
Becomes aware and remains informed of external and internal trends, interests and issues with potential impacts on school policies, practices, procedures and positions.
Administrators must have an in-depth understanding of the environment in which their school operates on a daily basis. This includes being cognizant of the trends, expectations, and necessary procedures and policies effecting their school. As such, it is essential to be prepared for the worst case scenario and practice safety procedures and plans before a disaster strikes. This advanced preparation can save precious time and student and staff lives in the event of a real tragedy or emergency. I maintain a notebook in my office which contains all pertinent safety information and plans in the event of an emergency to ensure the safety of our school and community.
Becomes aware and remains informed of external and internal trends, interests and issues with potential impacts on school policies, practices, procedures and positions.
Administrators must have an in-depth understanding of the environment in which their school operates on a daily basis. This includes being cognizant of the trends, expectations, and necessary procedures and policies effecting their school. As such, it is essential to be prepared for the worst case scenario and practice safety procedures and plans before a disaster strikes. This advanced preparation can save precious time and student and staff lives in the event of a real tragedy or emergency. I maintain a notebook in my office which contains all pertinent safety information and plans in the event of an emergency to ensure the safety of our school and community.
Bhs_Bus_Safety_Drill_Log.pdf | |
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Global Perspective
Understands the competitive nature of the new global economy and is clear about the knowledge and skills students will need to be successful in this economy.
Here today, gone tomorrow is an age-old adage, but it has never rang more true. Our job as educators is to prepare our students for a world which does not yet exist. We must produce graduates who are capable of solving complex problems which we have not yet encountered in our present time and provide them with the skills necessary to thrive in a globally competitive environment. Gone are the days when learning meant taking notes while listening to a single teacher speak; now our students must be equipped with skill sets geared toward technology and both independent and collaborative thinking. As leaders, we must train our teachers to rethink their practice and how they approach education. My work with the Franklin County EmpowerED team, a collaborative partnership between Franklin County Schools and North Carolina State University's Technology Education program, allows me to help my staff members begin to make the transition to a digital learning environment focused on producing these future-ready graduates. I serve as the lead administrator for Bunn High and provide help and support to teachers who are involved in the intensive training and professional development. Upon completion of the program, these teachers will serve as advocates for digital learning and will be responsible for training others at our school. I am committed to the vision of preparing our students to be globally competitive, responsible citizens and this initiative must begin by retraining our dedicated staff and teacher leaders.
Understands the competitive nature of the new global economy and is clear about the knowledge and skills students will need to be successful in this economy.
Here today, gone tomorrow is an age-old adage, but it has never rang more true. Our job as educators is to prepare our students for a world which does not yet exist. We must produce graduates who are capable of solving complex problems which we have not yet encountered in our present time and provide them with the skills necessary to thrive in a globally competitive environment. Gone are the days when learning meant taking notes while listening to a single teacher speak; now our students must be equipped with skill sets geared toward technology and both independent and collaborative thinking. As leaders, we must train our teachers to rethink their practice and how they approach education. My work with the Franklin County EmpowerED team, a collaborative partnership between Franklin County Schools and North Carolina State University's Technology Education program, allows me to help my staff members begin to make the transition to a digital learning environment focused on producing these future-ready graduates. I serve as the lead administrator for Bunn High and provide help and support to teachers who are involved in the intensive training and professional development. Upon completion of the program, these teachers will serve as advocates for digital learning and will be responsible for training others at our school. I am committed to the vision of preparing our students to be globally competitive, responsible citizens and this initiative must begin by retraining our dedicated staff and teacher leaders.
Judgement
Effectively reaching logical conclusions and making high quality decisions based on available information. Giving priority and caution to significant issues. Analyzing and interpreting complex information.
It has been said that there are two sides to every story, yet being a principal resident has taught me that there are, in fact, multiple sides to every story. When incidents occur such as fighting, verbal altercations or theft, I spend time conducting thorough investigations before making any decisions on disciplinary actions. I review camera footage, when available, interview multiple witnesses when feasible and request both verbal and written accounts of the accused's testimonies before rendering my decision. Included in the file below are excerpts of an investigation I conducted related to a disciplinary issue which arose this year.
Student_Statements.docx | |
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Organizational Ability
Effectively plans and schedules one’s own and the work of others so that resources are used appropriately, such as scheduling the flow of activities and establishing procedures to monitor projects.
Organization is a key skill for an effective leader. Carefully planning details and then implementing them with fidelity ensures tasks and projects are completed correctly and in a timely manner. As part of our School Improvement Plan, Bunn High School hosts a celebration party for all students who passed their NC Math I Benchmarks. I was responsible for coordinating the event and created a thorough plan prior to the celebration to ensure the party was a success and within our allocated budget.
NC Math I Incentive Celebration Plan Fall 2017
Personal Ethics and Values
Consistently exhibits high standards in the areas of honesty, integrity, fairness, stewardship, trust, respect, and confidentiality.
Part of being an effective administrator is staying true to your personal values and ethics as they relate to the workplace and interpersonal relationships and interactions. I consistently work to ensure I treat all students fairly and equitably, especially when it comes to disciplinary consequences. I work to build relationships with the students who visit my office for behavior issues so they understand I am coming from a place of love and concern and am not out to "get them" as some students tend to believe. I always try to create an opportunity for a positive interaction with them within a day or two of the discipline meeting to let them know their slate with me is clean. I think it is imperative to suspend all judgement or preconceived notions about why a student behaved as they did and give them a fair chance to speak their side of the story openly. These ethics are reflected in my discipline records log which I keep not only for documentary purposes, but also so I can complement them when they have not had a repeated instance of the same behavior we have already addressed.
Personal Responsibility for Performance
Proactively and continuously improves performance by focusing on needed areas of improvement and enhancement of strengths; actively seeks and effectively applies feedback from others; takes full responsibility for one's own achievements.
A competent administrator knows the importance of accepting personal responsibility for job and a school's performance. My work with this competency focused on diligent and meticulous tracking of data related to my assigned areas for NC School Report Card growth. I continuously tracked Math I benchmark and classroom assessment data for the NC Math I Report Card score and tracked all members of our graduating cohort to ensure we will meet the Math Rigor NC School Report Card component. While this took a great deal of time, I knew it was ultimately my responsibility to assure our school was in the best place possible for earning proficient marks in these important categories.
Responsiveness
Does not leave issues, inquiries or requirements for information go unattended. Creates a clearly delineated structure for responding to requests/situations in an expedient manner.
Responding to student, staff, parent and community concerns in a timely manner conveys a sense of respect to the person who is trying to bring an issue or concern to your attention. As a rule, I respond to all emails within 24 hours of receipt and do my best to return phone messages within the same time frame. On weekends, I make a habit of acknowledging the sender's concern and reply with a time frame in which they can expect a response from me once I return to work. I want these individuals to know that I take their questions and worries seriously and will work with them to find a mutually acceptable response to the best of my ability and within an acceptable time frame. All responses to parent concerns and questions are recorded in the contact log pictured below.
Results Orientation
Effectively assumes responsibility. Recognizes when a decision is required. Takes prompt action as issues emerge. Resolves short-term issues while balancing them against long-term goals.
While working in an administrative capacity, it it imperative to know when a program, strategy or intervention is working and when it is not. The most objective way to make these choices is to analyze available data sources and look for patterns indicating either a program is working or it is not and changes must be made in order to reach the school goal. Careful and purposeful monitoring of data allows a leader to examine programs and initiatives in real-time, rather than waiting until the end to determine effectiveness. I developed an Excel Spreadsheet in order to closely monitor the effectiveness of our NC Math I remediation plan over the course of the year. Student performance data, which included individual achievement scores on in-class assessments and district benchmarks, was recorded and analyzed every three weeks. Trends were noted and ongoing adjustments were made throughout the year in order to offer the best data-driven instruction and remediation assistance possible to our students.
Sensitivity
Effectively perceives the needs and concerns of others; deals tactfully with others in emotionally stressful situations or in conflict. Knows what information to communicate and to whom. Relates to people of varying ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds.
Leaders in any field understand the importance of being sensitive to the needs of others and being able to connect with students, adults and community members from all different backgrounds. In addition to being present in the hallways, I make a point of talking with teachers in between class changes, at lunch and at school events about topics other than school. During morning duty and lunch duty, I make a habit of visiting with all different groups of students to hear about their day, ask what they've learned and find out what's going on after school or over a weekend. This allows me to connect with them on a more personal level and let them know I am a person they can trust and not just an unapproachable disciplinarian.
Systems Thinking
Understands the interrelationships and impacts of school and district influences, systems and external stakeholders, and applies that understanding to advancing the achievement of the school or team.
It is essential to continuously renew, update and revise systems and procedures used within a school in order to provide the best opportunities for student growth as possible. Prior to the start of school, our administrative team noticed a need for extra tutoring and individual help existed among our students, especially with those from a lower socioeconomic status who could not find transportation to receive this additional assistance after school. As a team, we were able to devise a schedule which allowed for course remediation to take place during the day and allow for participation in extra-curricular clubs and event committees. Our team knew that in order to help our students perform academically and be competitive for college, we would have to explore non-traditional schedule matrices. The group devised four different plans and presented them to the Leadership team, who chose the plan they felt best met the needs of our students. We fully implemented the plan during the third week of school and are continuously monitoring data points to determine whether this plan was effective during the 2017-2018 school year.
Technology
Effectively utilizes the latest technologies to continuously improve the management of the school and enhance student instruction.
In addition to the work I do with the Franklin County EmpowerED team, I also find ways to promote the use of technology to help increase communication with students, parents, the community and other field colleagues. I maintain a professional Twitter page as a means of staying connected to the field of education, shouting out successes and celebrations related to our school and promoting positive images of the public school system.
Visit Laura Wilson on Twitter: laurawilson126
I also work to encourage my teachers to use sites such as Canvas as a means to communicate effectively with students and their families. At the start of the school year, several of my teachers shared a concern regarding the delay in students receiving and completing make-up work. The teachers felt that the students were not taking the initiative to find out what they missed, then either failed to complete it or said they did not know they had to do it in the first place. I shared a professional development session I created and presented at a technology conference with them and taught them about the use of a simple Google Doc to create an online class agenda. This agenda would be linked to the student's course Canvas page and would contain complete descriptions of the work completed in the class that day, as well as links to homework assignments, class notes, solutions guides (where appropriate), study guides and other pertinent information. I explained that students should be held accountable for accessing the page either during their lunch, remediation time or at home, but must accept responsibility for finding and completing the work they missed when they are absent. I also pointed out that for the majority of our students, this means the work can be completed on the same day they missed since most of our students have internet access outside of school.
Effectively utilizes the latest technologies to continuously improve the management of the school and enhance student instruction.
In addition to the work I do with the Franklin County EmpowerED team, I also find ways to promote the use of technology to help increase communication with students, parents, the community and other field colleagues. I maintain a professional Twitter page as a means of staying connected to the field of education, shouting out successes and celebrations related to our school and promoting positive images of the public school system.
Visit Laura Wilson on Twitter: laurawilson126
I also work to encourage my teachers to use sites such as Canvas as a means to communicate effectively with students and their families. At the start of the school year, several of my teachers shared a concern regarding the delay in students receiving and completing make-up work. The teachers felt that the students were not taking the initiative to find out what they missed, then either failed to complete it or said they did not know they had to do it in the first place. I shared a professional development session I created and presented at a technology conference with them and taught them about the use of a simple Google Doc to create an online class agenda. This agenda would be linked to the student's course Canvas page and would contain complete descriptions of the work completed in the class that day, as well as links to homework assignments, class notes, solutions guides (where appropriate), study guides and other pertinent information. I explained that students should be held accountable for accessing the page either during their lunch, remediation time or at home, but must accept responsibility for finding and completing the work they missed when they are absent. I also pointed out that for the majority of our students, this means the work can be completed on the same day they missed since most of our students have internet access outside of school.
Sample_Weekly_Online_Agenda.pdf | |
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Blank_Weekly_Online_Agenda.pdf | |
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Did_I_Miss_Anything_While_I_Was_Out__.pptx | |
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Sample_Parent_Letter.pdf | |
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Time Management
Effectively uses available time to complete work tasks and activities that lead to the achievement of desired work or school results. Runs effective meetings.
Anyone who has spent a day in the role of an administrator knows of the excessive amount of demands which exist on one's time. It is nearly impossible to keep track of appointments, meetings, observations, pre/post conferences, follow-ups and IEP meetings without the use of a calendar or appointment book. I maintain a Google Calendar for all of my engagements which keeps me from overbooking or forgetting an important commitment. At the beginning of my principal residency, I used a hard-copy agenda, but quickly learned events, time changes and other obligations arose quickly and it was not feasible to always stop and write them down. The Google Calendar has helped enormously and will continue to be of great use to me as I continue on with my administrative career.
Visionary
Encourages imagineering by creating an environment and structure to capture stakeholder dreams of what the school could become for all the students.
An effective leader has a vision for their school and conveys that vision appropriately to all stakeholders. I, along with my administrative team, discussed our vision for the school and determined our academic performance goals for the upcoming year in August. I then created a bulletin board which is located in the front entrance of our school, illustrating our vision for academic success. This board is also surrounded by banners boasting of previous school accomplishments, both academic and extra-curricular, reminding our visitors, students and staff that when we work together, our visions and dreams become reality at BHS.