The Epping, NH School Board. Kenneth L. DeBenedictis, Ed.D. NESDEC Executive Search Consultant. Superintendent Search Focus Group Report

Transcription

1 To: From: Re: The Epping, NH School Board Kenneth L. DeBenedictis, Ed.D. NESDEC Executive Search Consultant Superintendent Search Focus Group Report Date: November 20, 2014 On November 12, 13 and 18, 2014, I conducted four focus group sessions in Epping, NH: one with the administrators and system wide leaders, one with professional and support staff, one with the community and one with the School Board. The following report includes all responses to two major topics: 1) The new Superintendent of Schools should possess the following characteristics, skills and background experiences, and 2) The new Superintendent of Schools should begin to address the following questions, issues and concerns within the first six to twelve months in the position. In the group sessions, which encouraged participants to share their perceptions, beliefs and impressions, attendees were open about their concerns and their hopes and aspirations for the district. In reviewing the process, it is very clear that each group was focused upon issues pertinent to Epping. It is also evident that there were shared concerns between the groups and distinct issues specific to each of them. The report begins with an Executive Summary which represents a composite of those items given the greatest emphasis in discussions. The Summary is followed by the responses generated by each focus group. I believe that the information provided by the four groups will be helpful to all involved in the screening process for the new Superintendent. The information should also provide a rich resource for the new Superintendent as he/she plans for the transition and entry. Many people were involved in the focus group sessions and I am very appreciative of their interest and enthusiasm. School Board members are to be especially commended for their efforts in supporting and organizing these discussions. Their welcoming of community participation will enrich the search process. 1

2 SAU #14, EPPING PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Discussion #1. The new Superintendent of Schools should possess the following characteristics, skills and background experiences: Not ranked in priority order: Possesses extraordinary leadership skills. Is a visionary who can engage all stakeholders in moving a district forward; has a creative mind; knows how to motivate others and models that skill set. Is inspirational; works collaboratively with others to define what could be in curriculum and instruction. Is a big-picture thinker. Has the ability to actively listen and follow up; encourages and welcomes the opinions of others. Skilled in working collaboratively with the School Board. Challenges thinking in the district so that all actions focus on what is right for children. Is viewed as the instructional leader of the district. Works with others to gather curriculum, instruction and assessment data and is experienced in connecting what is gathered with best practices. Knows how to handle conflict and is skilled in helping people to come to common ground on issues. Has a backbone; can stand up and defend causes important to the district. Has strong organizational skills and is goals-focused. Is highly supportive of teachers and publicly celebrates district accomplishments. Successfully experienced with facilities management, business and finance, school law, special education, collective bargaining and technology applications in curriculum, instruction and management. A solid manager of the district and a leader in every dimension of district responsibility. Is excellent in assessment of program strength and knows how to determine if instruction is successful. Not hesitant in holding himself/ herself accountable and models that responsibility for others. Supports the work of school leaders and helps them to stay focused on district goals and performance of teachers and students at their site. Knows curriculum and instruction and recognizes that 21 st Century thinking is a significant driver in successful school programs. Has an innovative approach which causes others to look outside of the box and use creativity in developing program opportunities; knows the research, the model sites and all steps and procedures to motivate teachers to build highquality academic programs. Recognizes the importance of professional development and works collaboratively with others to connect instructional training with goals of the district and identified building needs. Can help the School Board to do its best work; ensures that there is clarity and understanding of the roles of positions, the responsibilities that they have and the guidelines that help shape the direction that is followed. Understands the value of collaboration and seeks opportunities to practice team-building when addressing issues and creating new initiatives. Has a wide range of experience. Experienced in the classroom and has enjoyed building and system-wide leadership. Has a clear understanding of what 2

3 is contained in a successful PreK-12 program. He/she has a strong affiliation for the small community; understands the uniqueness of the New Hampshire small community and can connect its qualities and uniqueness with support for the district. Has enjoyed a variety of experiences with advisory groups; values their involvement and recognizes the contributions. Has a special ability to manage conflict and bring to resolution. Knows special education laws and regulations and is skilled with creating in-house local programs which are in compliance with those laws and regulations. Recognizes his/her own successes and failures and can connect what was learned to personal leadership impact. He/she is a problemsolver, coalition developer and creative budget manager who is successful in building trusting community relationships. Knows about and is a user of technology, an integral tool in connecting curriculum, instruction, management and communication. Models creative thinking and encourages and supports that capacity in others, whether it be in solving problems or developing new instructional strategies. Has a particular strength with 21 st Century Learning and is experienced with extended learning opportunities, alternative learning strategies, online programs and the virtual high school. Is a disciple of planning, combining past experience with strategic planning; knows how to create the plan and is skillful in its implementation, monitoring and assessment. Successfully experienced in collective bargaining. Works closely with state and local officials and understands and provides oversight for laws, rules and regulations and can clearly explain those requirements to Epping residents. Has expert knowledge. Knows learning and teaching; understands and is successful with assessment. Is well-read. Encourages and nurtures teacher leadership. Is skillful in interpreting data and knows how data is best used to inform instruction and decision-making; recognizes the importance of reporting and sharing results in clear and consistent ways. Knows the research and the model sites and is able to connect that information with district program needs; has resource capacity to work with others to support successful programs, initiatives and action plan improvement strategies. Is an excellent budget developer who knows how to connect program and student need to the process; skillfully works with others to create a clearly understood, transparent budget containing steps to implement, monitor and report in a timely and consistent manner. Attractive personal qualities. Is warm, welcoming, and inclusive. Has a great sense of humor. Is highly-visible everywhere and accessible. Is a creative, outside of the box thinker. Brings energy to the position; is inspirational and highly motivational. Models the benefits of working together. Builds relationships with various constituent groups in the community. Values others opinions; is open-minded without preconceived notions or closed decisions. Can say no if necessary and appropriate to do so. Is highly ethical with strong integrity. Holds all accountable for actions, including himself/herself. Outstanding communication skills. Is bright and articulate with excellent written and oral skills. Actively listens in conversations and values opinions of others. Maintains communication with the community; regularly distributes notices 3

4 and a variety of electronic and printed messages and reports. Values meeting with various constituent groups and arranges opportunities for open conversations. Works successfully with State and local departments, agencies, officials and the media. While no candidate can possess all of the qualities and experiences noted above, considering candidates who best match the profile, during the screening and interview process, will help the screening committee recommend a strong group of candidates to the School Board. The profile will also assist the School Board in selecting the candidate who is best-suited for the position. 4

5 Discussion #2. The new Superintendent of Schools should begin to address the following questions, issues and concerns within the first six to twelve months in the position: Not ranked in priority order Build community relationships. Become highly-visible, develop trusting relationships with townspeople and town elected and appointed officials to gather their perceptions and cooperatively engage. Begin the development of a positive, collaborative relationship with School Board members. Get to know building administrators and central office personnel. Meet with varied constituent groups to welcome and encourage involvement. Actively listen and respond. Visit the schools and staff; recognize past accomplishments and celebrate successes. Energize and excite the community about what could be. Communicate with townspeople through s, notices, mailings, school visits, visits to varied community groups and organizations. Connect with NH DOE and begin a collaborative, cooperative relationship with personnel Assess and update the plan for the district. Identify educational priorities by assessing strengths and needs of the district; include stakeholders; gather and examine data and begin to think about best next steps. Consider the development of a strategic plan for all components of the district. (In the focus groups, it became increasingly clear that an overall planning framework needs to be organized to better coordinate the district. Some of the observations included: Review the current plans for facilities, technology, curriculum, professional development, staff and program assessment (and others that might exist) and begin looking at how community outreach and involvement could better define current state and next step considerations.) Several residents and staff members indicated that the elementary facility requires attention for space, mechanical support and roof and that playfields on some sites require attention. Several others reported that their perception is that some children are leaving the district at grade eight for other opportunities. Is this an accurate perception? If so, why is it happening? Collective bargaining with the professional staff is scheduled for next year; examine past initiatives and establish the necessary ground work to facilitate the process. Review the roles and responsibilities of the district. Who does what and why? Determine if staff allocations and assignments are in alignment with building and district need. Take a look at the district vision. Does it align with goals and are there monitoring and assessment steps to determine success? Provide a fresh pair of eyes to help; be open to suggestions and feedback. People need to know how to become involved; seek opinions of others in the community to make this happen. Work with administrators and staff to provide welcoming opportunities for parents and residents and discuss with the Board the next-step planning considerations that should be organized. Examine the budget development process and seek ways to successfully communicate with the community about issues. Understand the budget requirements of the district and work collaboratively with all stakeholders to build and organize a defensible and understandable budget. Are there ways to become 5

6 more cost-efficient? Finances are increasingly becoming a concern. Are there ways to look at people, time and money so that program integrity is maintained while costs are managed? Assess curriculum and instruction. Determine if needs of all children are being met by program offerings. Ascertain if consistency and coordination of instruction is in alignment with district goals and objectives. Is there a robust data analysis system that informs and impacts curriculum, instruction and management? Determine the success of the competency-based instructional program; what is the evidence of growth and what are its needs? How are special education students doing in terms of needs and programs provided? Is the professional staff held accountable to the high standards of the district? Is curriculum reflective of education for the 21 st Century thinking? Is technology a critical part of the program? Are there opportunities for extended, alternative and online learning? 6

7 SAU #14, EPPING PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOCUS GROUP SUMMARY REPORT Administrators and System-Wide Leaders (7 Participants) November 12, 2014 Discussion #1. The new Superintendent of Schools should possess the following characteristics, skills and background experiences in priority order: 1. Past successful experiences. Past experience as a teacher and a coach of others. Well-rounded with experience in business practices and special education. Has successfully overseen facility management and provided leadership in that area. Knowledgeable and experienced with school law, policies and procedures. Skilled with technology and highly competent with finance. Successfully experienced with collective bargaining. Has high capacity for state level responsibilities/laws/ governance/rules/regulations/requirements, etc. 2. Strong personal qualities. The position requires that he/she can successfully wear a lot of hats. Will stand up for administrators by supporting and defending them. Has earned at least a CAGS degree. An effective public speaker with high skills in presentation. Not afraid to make an informed decision; honest with high integrity. Can say NO and stand behind it. Highly visible everywhere. Models an outstanding work ethic. 3. People connected (interpersonal skills). An effective bridge-builder. Has the capacity and skills to learn about the community; will understand Epping by knowing about its culture and attributes. Appreciates and experienced in working with its socioeconomic diversity. Knowledgeable about the workings of small town politics; politically savvy. He/she has strong people skills; warm, welcoming, inclusive. Listens well and collaborates. Comfortable in receiving parent feedback; can deal positively with parent complaints and negative commentary. Successfully experienced in working with diversity within the community. 4. Curriculum-/instruction-/assessment-skilled. Experienced and knowledgeable about best practices in curriculum, instruction and assessment. Experienced with competency-based learning. He/she has high ability to understand and work with data; knows how to use it to inform decisions. Discussion #2. The new Superintendent of Schools should begin to address the following questions, issues and concerns within the first six to twelve months in the position (not in priority order): Examine and begin to deal with the financial challenges of the district. Teacher collective bargaining is scheduled for the year. Continue to do more with less. 7

8 There are building needs at the elementary level (space, mechanical infrastructure, HVAC, etc); school fields need attention. Review evaluations of staff and administrators; understand strengths and need areas. Examine allocation of staff to program needs. Begin an overall assessment of the district: staff, buildings, programs, and opportunities for students and staff. Review student performance: grading and reporting. The three-year facility plan needs to be assessed. Assess the quality of the technology plan: equipment, network, professional development, software, applications, connections, personnel availability. Review the common visioning for the district. Review of all roles and responsibilities in the district: who does what and why? Personnel: is there adequacy or are people being stretched beyond what is reasonable? A strategic plan to tie together all assessment and planning steps is necessary. 8

9 SAU 14, EPPING PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOCUS GROUP SUMMARY REPORT Teachers/Staff (17 Participants) November 12, 2014 Discussion #1. The new Superintendent of Schools should possess the following characteristics, skills and background experiences in priority order: 1. Strong leadership. Possesses highly-developed leadership skills. Has experience as a Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent. Is approachable and flexible. Is a big picture thinker. Knows how to manage people; is an inspirational leader. Is highly supportive of teachers and recognizes and appreciate their contributions. 2. Communication-skilled. He/she is a consensus-builder. Possesses outstanding public speaking skills with well-developed presentation capacity. Is people-skilled; can reach out and involve. Demonstrates good problemsolving skills; investigates before deciding. 3. Successfully experienced. Has experience with teaching; experience with a range of age levels youngest to oldest children. Has enjoyed successful experiences with a small community. Experienced as an administrator previously a Superintendent or Assistant Superintendent. Proven and demonstrated successes; can provide evidence. 4. Curriculum expertise. Knowledge of and experience with developmentally appropriate practices. Experience with competency-based grading. Understands the three different levels; knows how elementary programs are different from middle school and high school. He/she has differentiation of instruction experience at all levels. Successfully experienced with curriculum, instruction and assessment; understands the connection of all three; understands and is skilled with using data so that what is learned is skillfully applied to all three. Knows the importance of the unified arts and guidance. 5. Knowledge of the community. He/she has experience in a similar socioeconomic community: income, support of children, district involvement. Becomes highly involved in the community. Is highly visible everywhere; gets to know the schools, students and staff. Discussion #2. The new Superintendent of Schools should begin to address the following questions, issues and concerns within the first six to twelve months in the position (not in priority order): There is a high dropout rate at the high school. We need to successfully work with parents to turn this around. 9

10 Too many students are leaving the district at grade eight to enter other programs and opportunities. This also needs to be reversed. Assess the competency-based instructional effort: is it developmentally appropriate? The elementary school is different than the middle school and high school. All schools should not be under the same umbrella. Funding for special education moves funds from other programs (i.e., gifted and talented.) Need to look at attempts to intercede to support students. Are they successful? If not, why not? The PACE initiative. The next Superintendent needs to understand, monitor and assess its success and its impact on teaching and learning. A district plan needs to be developed to assess strengths and determine next steps. Discussions with each building staff should be scheduled to learn more about strengths and needs. Professional development should be examined to determine its successes and needs; this effort needs to be tied to district, building and individual goals. The elementary school has significant space needs; the sharing of classrooms is impacting instruction. There are also issue with roof leaks, HVAC and plumbing. 10

11 SAU #14, EPPING PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOCUS GROUP SUMMARY REPORT Community Members (7 Participants) November 13, 2014 Discussion #1. The new Superintendent of Schools should possess the following characteristics, skills and background experiences, in priority order: 1. Strong leadership skills. He/she models the best in leadership ability; others are motivated to emulate. Demonstrates the ability to sincerely and actively listen and appropriately follows up; demonstrates validation of others while valuing the diversity of opinion. Is experienced in working with school boards and knows how to successfully collaborate with them; works cooperatively with them so that decisions are thoughtful, carefully investigated and processed. He/she should have past experience in helping and encouraging the board to professionally grow to become responsible participants on the team. Shows support for students by being highly-visible in the schools and events. Parents frequently believe that they are right; the new Superintendent should be skilled in honesty and careful listening while helping all to focus on what is best for children. He/he should be supportive of administration while challenging thinking in the district. 2. Successfully experienced. Has a solid and extensive background in education. Enjoyed success in business. He/she is a public relations expert. Has enjoyed a variety of experiences in working successfully with advisory groups. Has extensively developed technical skills; knowledgeable about technology and experienced with the many applications in teaching, learning and management. Has particular strength with technology applications to 21 st Century Learning (i.e., extended learning opportunities, alternative learning programs, and online and virtual high school models.) 3. A forward thinker and a visionary. Brings a fresh outlook to the district. Understands educational trends and models and works thoughtfully and carefully while processing these approaches with others; examines the work of others to learn what might apply to Epping. The importance of student voice is critical. The new Superintendent needs to support that value and work with educators and administrators to work on its many dimensions. 4. (Tie) Community connections. He/she has enjoyed extensive success with community involvement. Parents and residents will learn about the Superintendent and his/her actions will indicate a positive, supportive leader. Will commit to living within proximity of Epping; must be within a manageable commute. Living within the town would help, but is not a requirement. There has been lots of turnover in school building and central office administration; there is a need for consistency and the promotion of longevity in positions. New Hampshire small towns are unique. The new Superintendent needs to appreciate the value of 11

12 that uniqueness and know how to connect and tap into the resources of the community. (Tie) Communication-skilled. Well spoken; comfortable in talking with others; knows how to reach out and engage them. He/she actively listens and is successful in working with others towards resolution. Understands the importance of follow-up and follow-through and has a history of success in doing so. Encourages and values opinions of others; demonstrates that value in subsequent actions. (Tie) Personal qualities. He/she is an active listener; values the opinions of others. Not easily intimidated and has a backbone. Not a mouthpiece; stands up for beliefs with high integrity. Discussion #2. The new Superintendent of Schools should begin to address the following questions, issues and concerns within the first six to twelve months in the position (not in priority order): There are significant space needs issues at the elementary school. Get to know the administrators, teachers/staff, parents and students. Examine the Common Core curriculum and be able to explain to the community what it is in a positive manner. Include in the discussion the curricula, instruction and assessment provisions. Examine system wide assessment provisions and grading. What is learned, as a result and how do data that are collected inform curriculum, instruction and assessment? What are the outcomes of these connections? Communicate this review and analysis to the community in understandable messages. Take a look at space needs for special education students. How do programs/ initiatives and demands in this area impact the schools? A facility assessment of the district is necessary. Is there a plan in place? Has it been updated? What s next in priorities, if one exists? Undertake a plan to assess: create a strategic plan initiative and include all of its critical steps community outreach and engagement, staff involvement, assessment, data gathering, data review and analysis, priority setting, goals establishment, calendaring, funding, monitoring and reporting. Study all day kindergarten for all students (no tuition). Identify what it takes to make it happen. We need more two-way communication in the budgeting process: how do we fund programs? How are priorities determined? Is there flexibility in the allocation of funds? There are limits to funding. How can we do more with less? Question: If funding needs exist, why are we returning money to the town? We need to address accessibility to all on line documents. Are they up to date? Accurate? The School Board needs to understand its role, the responsibilities of that role and the rules that govern the role so that collaboration, team building and respect are priorities. 12

13 Goals should drive the district and they should be tied to and aligned with the district strategic plan which reflects the community s needs, desires and dreams. Staff development is as important as student development. Are we tracking student retention in the district? Do we know, for example, why some leave at grade eight for other programs/ schools (charters/ private schools)? Are we losing students who choose to drop out in high school? It seems that we are losing a percentage of our population. Is that an accurate perception? Consider assessing the post graduate population. What did we do well? How successful have individual students been? How prepared were they for college, the world of work, the military? Review the collected data and examine its impact on program. 13

14 SAU #14, EPPING PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOCUS GROUP SUMMARY REPORT School Board (5 Participants) November 18, Discussion #1. The new Superintendent of Schools should possess the following characteristics, skills and background experiences, in priority order: 1. Leadership capacity. Embraces his/her function as the primary instructional leader of the district. Prioritizes student achievement and best practices as primary objectives of the district. Knows how to handle conflict. Requires a backbone to be effective. Admits failure. Leader of a data-driven practice who uses student achievement data to deal with gaps in learning and educational practice. Has strong organizational abilities; is highly-organized. Goaloriented. Skilled at public speaking. Capable with conflict management. Plays an active role in evaluation and implementation of district instructional practices. Reads and understands the landscape of the town. Plays an active role in the evaluation of instructional strategies. 2. A visionary with forward-thinking. Is able to assess where the district has been and is skilled and sufficiently resourceful to help the district determine where it is going. Plays an active role in evaluating the implementation of district instructional practice. Knowledgeable and skilled with technology; knows trends/practices/models of excellence. Has excellent ability to read the landscape of the town and capacity to work with what is learned. Plays a critical role in the evaluation of instructional strategies and successfully collaborates with others to map improvements. 3. Possesses outstanding communication skills. Highly skillful with two-way communication; actively listens. Has enjoyed excellent success in working with town-elected and appointed officials. Articulates clear and non-negotiable priorities that are developed as a result of ongoing dialogue. Willingness to have a strong relationship with the School Board. 4. Successfully experienced. Has enjoyed outstanding success with a small community. Has a strong financial background. Is a former teacher. Experienced in administration, both building and system-wide. Is very active at the State Department of Education level; works collaboratively and successfully. Has a strong knowledge about special education law and can interpret the many provisions to Epping. Highly skilled in developing successful programs and strategies in curriculum, instruction and assessment; evidences successful practices and approaches in all three areas. Provides examples of past successes and failures and is able to articulate how those experiences impacted his/her leadership. Knows all aspects of the district and can provide examples of approaches undertaken to arrive at that ability. 14

15 5. Personality traits. Possesses warmth and has a genuine interest and willingness to being involved in the district. Demonstrates honesty and transparency; very open and highly ethical. Has a backbone and not afraid to stand up for causes. Holds all accountable for actions, including himself/ herself. Is flexible and has a sense of humor. An inspirational leader who models the qualities of inspiration. A forward-thinking visionary. Discussion #2. The new Superintendent of Schools should begin to address the following questions, issues and concerns within the first six to twelve months in the position (not in priority order): Assess competency-based grading. Assess curriculum development. Develop a vision for next year s budget. Review teacher evaluation and performance plans. Assess special education escalating costs. Review the short- and long-term technology plan. Assess teacher placement across the district: are teachers placed according to student need? Are there issues? Review student achievement data; identify the gaps and assess the effectiveness of the instructional program. Begin to examine the need for a district strategic plan and incorporate all components of this effort: outreach, assessment, data collection, calendaring, priority setting, funding, etc. Hire a business administrator. Transportation: is the current system efficient? Get to know the community: parents, residents, students, staff, administrators, School Board members, elected and appointed officials, etc. There are facilities issues the elementary school, for example, has space problems and mechanical concerns. District facilities should be reviewed. 15