STANDARD FOUR Human Resources Leadership
School executives will establish and maintain processes that recruit, onboard, and retain high quality staff who contribute to distributed leadership actions and are developed with their own professional development goals.
Standards 4 A, B, and C: The link above is to a comprehensive Human Resources plan created for ELP 553 that includes a thorough examination of my current school from an HR perspective, accompanied with a human capital table. Parts II and III build upon this understanding with a broad plan for recruiting, hiring, supporting, retaining, and evaluating staff in a future building. As a new administrator in a building, it will be vital for me to first assess the human capital within the walls to then support the principal with maximizing placements and assignments of staff. The current thinning of the applicant pool for teaching positions adds more urgency to creating impactful recruitment procedures and then meaningful support processes for all existing staff. True respect of all staff also dictates a robust development plan that differentiates for needs and includes teacher input on individual professional goals, as well. It is the privilege and responsibility of administrators to care for the staff in our buildings as both professionals and people.
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Standard 4A: To support the individualized professional development needs of the Combs staff and to provide resources for them to earn work hours while school is cancelled for COVID-19, I created this document through collaboration with the media specialist and magnet coordinator. We culled resources from emails, staff suggestions, our own experiences, and online searches to vet before entering them on this list. Staff appreciated our comprehensive and convenient repository of resources that will be updated continually. I made specific recommendations to individual staff based on my knowledge of their performance and interests, and celebrated accomplishments such as several earning their Google Level 1 Certifications. |
Standard 4A: After reviewing anecdotal data regarding PLT efficacy with the leadership team, I created this decision-making protocol based on the MMTIC work being integrated into our school processes. This expanding of the Z Model encompasses the learning preferences of staff and leverages strengths to support "stretches." Among the many procedures and elements needed to move PLT work toward greater achievement, several PLTs struggled with efficiency and objective decision-making. This tool was introduced immediately before the COVID-19 school closures, so few PLTs had the opportunity to employ it with fidelity. During the school closure, I was fortunate to attend all grade level PLTs through Google Meet and was able to offer insights on elements such as differentiation on their digital learning plans and adapted SPED processes. This experience reinforced the importance of having administrators attend all PLTs to gain insight and offer needed supports. |
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Standard 4B: To facilitate a comfortable transition to the Combs culture for new staff, I contributed to the full-day onboarding program entitled Combs 101. I led the opening activity with having each staff member choose the candy bar that best represented them followed by a sharing of the reasoning with the group. I also spent time processing the Combs population as a whole while sharing a bus tour of our base area with the new staff. The distributive leadership model at Combs relies on first forging relationships with new staff to then determine their unique skill sets and career aspirations. Time was spent at Combs 101 as well as throughout the year to achieve these trusting relationships. The turnover rate for new staff is slightly higher at Combs than the district average, necessitating intentional planning and supports for new staff, such as this comprehensive acculturation day. This school process supports the rapid performance of new staff to be high performing within Combs' unique culture.
Standard 4B: After experiencing the stress that staff experienced during the week leading up to school being cancelled due to the threat of COVID-19, I became more committed to creating structures to support the emotional needs of all the adults in the building. After researching best practices from existing principals, I created this Google form to send to future staff on a weekly or intermittent basis if needed. This would be one structure to reinforce fluid communication in a school and continue to build important relationships upon which impactful coaching could occur. The open-ended nature of this tool allows staff to share both professional and personal needs for administrators to address. This element of the mentoring process illustrates genuine and comprehensive concern for staff and is important for continual relationship building efforts. |
Standard 4B: In July 2019 I had the opportunity to be a member of the interview team for hiring a first grade Instructional Assistant at Combs. I created a note catching and processing sheet to record answers upon and maintain a consistent measure to evaluate applicants for hiring. The inclusion of unique elements of Combs not only allows us to gauge the skills of applicants, but also communicates the characteristics of the schools that all staff support. This hire has become an asset to Combs and we value her as a valuable team member. The importance of systematic and team-based hiring became evident through this process as I observed the many contributions of this IA positively impacting both the students and staff she works with. |
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Standard 4B: I was tasked with reviewing candidates vetted by WCPSS in the international Participate program to assess their skill set as it relates to upcoming needs for the 2020-21 staffing plan for Combs. I combed through resumes, as in the left snip above, watched their videos, and then scheduled the Skype interviews as in the scheduling interface above right. I participated in the interviews and processed the candidate's potential for success in our school. This exposure to alternate pathways for recruiting staff was valuable for future practice and an important source to remember for future staffing needs. International staff provide a broad perspective for students and model the possibility for international travel and employment to our students who do not have other exposure to these possibilities.
Standard 4B: The transition to online learning has been challenging for all staff, yet the Combs team have been responding with positive and amazing input. To celebrate their work for Gator Gallery of Learning and to sustain perseverance, I presented this sports-themed highlight reel at the opening of the full staff meeting on 4-27. Staff responded very favorably in the chat stream, and the meeting continued with energy and positivity afterwards. |
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Standard 4B: The months of October and February are traditionally low times for staff morale in a school building and to alleviate that I created a template to print encouraging notes to place on staff cars near the end of the day. I found this template, modified it for our use, and then printed them on super sticky notes before attaching them to cars in October 2019. Many staff were delighted and we received very favorable feedback, providing evidence of the effectiveness of even simple gestures for staff appreciation. School leaders must remain connected with staff morale and address needs in a timely manner based on staff preferences. Knowing these preferences can be culled through anecdotal conversations or through more systematic processes such as using a Google Form survey. |
Standard 4B: Continual recruiting of qualified staff often includes the elevating of those already in a building, but serving in a different capacity such as Instructional Assistants. For ELP 553 with Dr. Hicks, my group created a video targeting this already acculturated population. Personal interviews provided a friendly face and validity to the message to inspire our quality IAs to extend their professional reach toward being a lateral entry teacher. |
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Standard 4C: I have performed several teacher observations with Ms. Summers and Mrs. Sexton, including staff from all grade levels, support staff such as counselors and the IF, and from all electives. While in observations I take anecdotal notes and record data on a template I created from the specific substandard descriptions on the NCEES tool. After observations, the administrators and I confer on our notes and calibrate the levels of proficiency on the NCEES tool. We also perform the post-conferences together, and observing both leaders maximizing the observation process during these has been an invaluable growth opportunity. Both leaders begin conferences with teacher input and then deliver praise and opportunities for individualized growth accompanied with resources to accomplish it. These talented administrators conclude conferences with an encouraging and empowering ending and staff are visibly bolstered by the interactions. These equitable procedures remain focused on student improvement and staff satisfaction, and are practices I plan to replicate as a school administrator.
Standard 4C: Instructional coaching is undoubtedly one of the most vital elements of school leader's duties to impact student achievement, and formal observations are an important part of that effort. I have taken part in several Comprehensive, Standard, and Abbreviated cycle observations with Ms. Summers and Mrs. Sexton and one of which is detailed in this formal paper. Maintaining an atmosphere of continual learning in a positive growth mindset is a delicate balance with also presenting candid feedback when warranted. The three of us in the leadership team at Combs received coaching on writing comments from Tasha Davis, a Senior Administrator in the WCPSS office of Human Resources. Her guidance ensure our practices are aligned with district guidelines and are thoroughly impactful for teacher growth. |
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