Steven Virgadamo believes education reform is dependent upon identifying, forming and helping school leaders improve annual performance and effectiveness. Here Steven Virgadamo presents a timeline and process for appraising the performance of a school administrator.

1. Fall 2014
SCHOOL LEADER
EVALUATION PROCESS

2. Overview
- A PROCESS FOR ENHANCING THE
SCHOOL LEADER EVALUATION PROCESS
- IDENTIFY OBSTACLES
- A TIME FRAME FOR IMPLEMENTATION
AND SEVERAL FACTORS TO CONSIDER.

3. Benefits of a Performance Appraisal Process
Sometimes the performance appraisal
meeting(s) can be viewed as merely another
administrative chore;
However it might be the most important
meeting(s) of the year.
3

4. Benefits of a Performance Appraisal Process
 Important to a principal’s professional development;
 Assists the SOS in achieving its overall educational goals and
objectives;
 Enhances communication;
 Morale is improved when a principal receives frequent and regular
recognition or reward for their work;
 Provides opportunities to discuss professional development, career
path, compensation and/or address performance problems;
 It is a matter of justice to the school leader.
4

5. Factors to Consider
 Job description (soft priorities)
 SMART Goals (hard priorities)
 Institutional memory (ease of use)
 Frequency (annual and triennial)
5

6. Basis of Evaluation
6
Annual Triennial360 degree review
Job description (soft
priorities – TBD%)
Job description (soft
priorities – TBD%)
SMART Goals (hard
priorities – TBD%)
SMART Goals Cumulative 3
year accomplishments
Input from faculty, parents,
regional board members
and host pastor.

7. SMART Goals are a critical factor in evaluating the annual
performance and enhancing professional growth for the
Catholic School Principal
 To be an effective measurement of job performance, SMART Goals
must be:
– Specific – defined and unambiguous
– Measurable – define what success will look like
– Relevant – specific to the needs of the school but contribute
toward achieving the Archdiocesan Strategic Plan for Catholic
education.
– Time bound – completed within the academic calendar year
(Note – Each SMART Goal should be accompanied by objectives (an action
plan) to achieve the overall stated goal.)
7

8. Instructional Goal:
St. Isidore School will design and implement strategies to increase the
percentage of 3rd grade students scoring at level 3 or above in the NYSED
Exams.
.
SAMPLE SMART GOALS
8
Objective/Action Plan Measurable by Target Date
Establish a before /after school
math enrichment program that
meets twice per week
Number of students participating
and evidence of attendance.
October
Establish a Home Literacy Program
in collaboration with parent
organization
Parent participation
Completion of book roster
Student performance on interim
ELA interim assessment.
November

9. Communication Goal:
St. Isidore School will reduce the rate of student attrition in the middle school
grades.
.
SAMPLE SMART GOALS
9
Objective/Action Plan Measurable by Target Date
Conduct a PD for the faculty/staff
focusing on the role of the
professional educator inn
marketing the Catholic School with
a focus on characteristics of
schools with low attrition rates.
In-service Completed October
Work with a faculty/staff task
force to develop and implement an
action plan applying the principles
of the PD
Action Plan Completed and
implementation monitored
November
Utilize a mid year parent
satisfaction survey to sense issues
and identify potential areas of
attrition.
Distribution completed, analyzed
and mid year correction action
plan prepared
December/January

10. SAMPLE SMART GOALS
Catholic Identity/Spiritual Goal:
St Isidore School will embrace the new evangalization and focus on
educating, engaging, and informing parents about the Catholic Faith.
10
Objective/Action Plan Measurable by Target Date
Utilize the Catholicism series to
conduct a series of parent
formation meetings.
Completing 3-5 parent formation
sessions throughout the year.
October - May
Involve parents the sacramental
life formation of students.
Parents and students participate
in 2 formation sessions in
preparation for first communion.
February- April
Collaborate with the members of
regional Catholic Identity
Subcommittee to develop and
implement a day of recollection
for Catholic school parents.
Completed day recollection and
number of participants
Lent

11. Evaluation Procedure
The procedure, timeline and forms for
developing SMART Goals and
annual/triennial evaluation process shall be
provided by the SOS.
11

12. DRAFT - Principal Evaluation Timeline
12
Month Activity Person Responsible
June /July SMART Goals Drafted (all but
instructional)
Principal
July/August Establish mid and end of year
dates for annual or triennial
evaluation process
Principal and Regional
Superintendent
August/September Data dashboard and NY State
Test Scores distributed
Academic SMART Goals drafted
Smart Goals finalized
SMART Goals shared with
school staff and input secured
regarding objectives/strategies
SOS
Principal
Principal and Regional
Superintendent
Principal

13. Principal Evaluation Timeline
13
Month Activity Person Responsible
September/October Walk through observation and
post conference with Principal
Regional Superintendent
October /November Seek input from teachers
regarding school’s overall
progress toward achieving
SMART Goals.
Prepare mid year parent
(school) satisfaction survey
Principal
Principal and Regional
Superintendent
November/December Mid year parent (school)
satisfaction survey link
distributed.
Host pastor evaluation
distributed
Principal
Regional Superintendent

14. Principal Evaluation Timeline
14
Month Activity Person Responsible
November/December
(continued)
Mid year self evaluation of
SMART Goal objective status
submitted to Regional
Superintendent
Review mid year self
evaluation and prepare
response
Principal
Regional Superintendent
January Meet to review & discuss mid
year self evaluation of SMART
Goals, parent satisfaction
survey results and host pastor
evaluation
Share parent satisfaction
(school) survey results with
staff
Principal & Regional
Superintendent
Principal

15. Principal Evaluation Timeline
15
Month Activity Person Responsible
January
(continued)
Discuss any necessary
personnel improvement plans
Regional Superintendent and
Associate Superintendent for
leadership.
February Meet with appropriate school
leaders to review
improvement plan.
Regional Superintendent and
Associate Superintendent for
leadership.

16. Principal Evaluation Timeline
16
Month Activity Person Responsible
March Complete on site school walk
through and post conference
with Principal
Faculty invited to participate
in e-survey to evaluate
Principal
(Triennial evaluation only)
Parents invited to participate
in e-survey to evaluate
Principal
(Triennial evaluation only)
Completes on site walk
through and post conferences
with Principal.
Regional Superintendent
Regional Superintendent
Regional Superintendent
Regional Superintendent

17. Principal Evaluation Timeline
17
Month Activity Person Responsible
April Complete on site school walk
through and post conference
with Principal
Complete any necessary parent
or faculty conferences (based
on survey results) (Triennial
evaluation only)
Prepare and submit a written
year end self evaluation based
on SMART Goal status. (Annual
evaluation only)
Prepare and submit a written
year end self evaluation based
on 3 year cumulative SMART
Goals and Job description.
(Triennial evaluation only)
Regional Superintendent
Regional Superintendent
Principal
Principal

18. Principal Evaluation Timeline
18
Month Activity Person Responsible
May/June Meet to discuss year end
review of SMART Goals (Annual
review)
Meet to discuss triennial
evaluation – 3 year cumulative
of SMART Goals and Job
description. (Triennial review)
Finalize year end or triennial
review and submit to SOS with
a recommendation for contract
renewal.
Regional Superintendent and
Principal
Regional Superintendent and
Principal
Regional Superintendent

19. Needed
- TASK FORCE TO POST MORTEM DASHBOARD CONTENT
AND PROCESS.
- DETERMINE DO WE PROVIDE PRINCIPAL WITH SCHOOL
SPECIFIC SMART GOALS AND LET THEM ESTABLISH
OBJECTIVES/ACTION PLAN? OR DE WE CONTINUE PROCESS
OF ALLOWING SMART GOALS TO BE DETERMINED LOCALLY?
- PD FOR SCHOOL LEADERS ON SMART GOALS AND
RELATED OBJECTIVES /ACTION PLANS AND APPRAISAL
PROCESS.
- TIMELINE FOR TRANSITIONING TO A NEW PROCESS
- COLLECTIVE WISDOM

20. Discussion
OBSTACLES AND SOLUTIONS