This document summarizes the agenda for a school board meeting that will cover various routine and informational items, as well as a public hearing and a resolution regarding education funding. Items on the agenda include approval of minutes and reports, policy readings, budget updates, facility issues, and setting future meeting dates.

2. So You Want to be a Superintendent … Superintendent Values and Expectations Board Superintendent Relations

3. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Thursday, March 12, 2009 6:30 p.m. Call to Order 6:30-7:15 p.m. Executive Session 7:30 p.m. 1.0 Call to Order 1.1 Pledge of Allegiance 1.2 Approval of Agenda 1.3 Communications 1.4 PUBLIC HEARING—I-728 2.0 Public comments, recognition of visitors, interested parties and/or delegations 2.1 Classified School Employees Week Proclamation 3.1 Minutes of the February 26, 2009 Board Meeting 3.2 Revised Personnel Action Report 3.3 March, 2009 Enrollment Report 3.4 Out-of-State Travel Requests 3.5 2nd Reading—Board Policies—3000 Series: (3231, 3240, 3244, 3245, 3410, 3411, 3412, 3416, 3419) 3.6 Proposed MSHS ASB fee Increase 3.7 Proposed MSHS Catalog Course Fees for 2009-10 3.8 Proposed Construction Management Contract 3.9 AP Vouchers Register 3.10 Additional Gifts to the District 4.0 Information and Report Items 4.1 Two Rivers School Report 4.2 Supporting Document—Bond Election Results 4.3 Facilities Update 4.4 Supporting Document 2009-10 Budget Update 5.0 Board Review and/or Action Items 5.1 Resolution #732—Full Funding of K-12 Education 6.0 Future Meeting Dates/Agenda Items/Good of the Order (See page 2 for detail) 7.0 Adjournment

4. Hi Rudy! Last evening was very interesting, Rudy. I could not nor would not have imagined the complexity surrounding the School Boards scope and responsibilities. So many issues, so many opinions! But mostly, I came away wondering not Why? But, how in the world you have spent 19 years being involved such a malaise! In all seriousness, you are to be commended and thanked for your contributions. My oh my, what a job! And to think, you actually went out and campaigned for the responsibility. My condolences to your wife! I’ve always said the biggest concern surrounding anyone who would run for President of the US, regardless of their party affiliation, is that they would actually want the job at all. I am now concerned about your mental health, Mr. Edwards! J Look forward to the next experience and hope sometime in the near future we can carve out some time for you to enlighten me as to all the gyrations and machinations that went on last night.

5. As best as I could take away, this was my understanding: Even though the Board exercised excellent judgment eight or nine years ago on I-728 as opposed to I-90 or 405, today the District stands on the precipice of financial ruin because the gay/lesbian/transsexual students are not getting the 24 Core basic education areas they need and are subsequently being silent at school causing 6-700 God fearing Christian children to flee the school on certain days thereby getting even less than a basic education and if those same children could have gotten more than a weeks’ notice about the dreaded “Silence”, they could have convinced more than the 6-700 to flee the school and even more children would have received less than a basic education on that day and not had to suffer the mental machinations brought on by contemplating vague concepts such as diversity, respect, tolerance, and compassion, which, due to the home environments they’ve grown up in are currently not part of their collective, moral or intellectual tool boxes , not to mention effecting the funding the District receives in connection to student attendance which means there would be fewer students to frolic on the newly refurbished tennis courts and the science labs held in back alleys and neighborhood garages due to the squandering of State and Federal funding by the School Board who doesn’t keep the real general public as informed about the day-to-day minutiae regarding something I could never quite identify… Something like that, eh? I am thankful for your guidance.

6. List 5 core beliefs that guide and drive you in your life and in your work.

7. The ONE THING Leaders Must Know The “One Thing” leaders of any organization must know to be effective is the importance of clarity —communicating clearly and consistently: The purpose of the organization, The primary clients it serves, The future it is creating , The indicators of progress it will track, And the specific actions members can take immediately to achieve its long-term purpose and short-term goals. DuFour, DuFour, and Eaker

8. It’s about the kids . . . The best interests of students must always come first. We are responsible for the welfare of each and every student. They need and deserve the very best we have to offer them. Eaker challenges us by asking, “Do we base our decisions on what is most convenient for the adults, or on what will be most beneficial to our students?”

9. The student is . . . The student is the most important person in the school. Without students, there would be no need for schools. The student is not someone who is to be “tolerated” so that we can do our thing. They are our thing! The student is not dependent upon us. Rather we are dependent upon them. The student is not an interruption to our work. We are not doing them a favor by serving them. They are doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.

10. Success for all . . . The fundamental purpose of the district is to ensure high levels of learning for every student. We must be relentless in our pursuit of success for all students. If we are to achieve success for all students, I am of the opinion that teachers must first work to build relationships with their students; for without strong and caring relationships, it is nearly impossible to inspire our students to achieve their highest potentials.

11. Student learning is the core of our work . . . The single most important thing we, as school leaders, can do to consistently focus the organization on student achievement might very well be to frequently remind those who teach and work in the school district that this is our charge. In addition to this frequent and consistent articulation of the district’s core purpose, we as leaders must model this in our words, actions, and decisions as well.

12. Good Teachers and Good Schools Do Make a Difference! The research is clear, effective teachers have a significant impact on student learning and ineffective teachers do not. Maranon maintains that ineffective teachers may actually impede the learning of their students. The combined impact of a strong teacher and a good school can have a profound impact on student achievement. If we really are able to make this kind of difference, we have a moral imperative to do it.

13. The teacher is crucial. . . I am convinced that the most impactful component of the school district organization is the teacher. Because of their close proximity and frequent contact with the students, they are the single most influential variable in the learning that occurs among the children in our schools. Exemplary teaching is the key to improving student learning. Exemplary teaching is the key to moving all children toward high standards of learning. To develop and sustain exemplary teaching, we must equip teachers with a variety of strategies to meet the needs of individual students and their diverse learning styles. Exemplary teaching is what can make a real difference for all children, regardless of race or socioeconomic status. Nearly all teachers that I have encountered over the years are dedicated and caring people, who want what is best for their students. It is up to us to provide support, training, encouragement, and resources to help them to be at their very best for the students under their care. A critical question: How do we develop and support exemplary teaching in the Snoqualmie Valley School District?

14. It’s in our attitudes, gang! Perhaps the most critical variable in our work lies in our attitudes and beliefs regarding the abilities of all children to learn and achieve at high levels. Schools that have made the most significant gains in moving all children toward a high standard of learning have a high percentage of staff members who sincerely buy into the view that all children are capable of learning. They are unyielding in their pursuit of this notion and tirelessly explore a variety of avenues to realize it. Persistence and perseverance is fundamental to these ends. I believe the building principal is the key to promoting this attitude among the staff members in his or her building. We must aim high!

15. The next challenge . . . Students in the Snoqualmie Valley School District are currently performing well on the high-stakes tests that have been identified to assess their achievement. The emerging challenge however, is to elevate all students to standard, and provide opportunities for students who have already met the minimum standards to stretch themselves to the highest levels of achievement. The name of the game nowadays is continuous improvement. Continuous improvement is not necessarily about haste and hurry, but rather a steady and persistent approach to school improvement. We should never tire of “looking for a better way” to educate our students.

16. We are in the business of growing others . . . This notion is not exclusive to our students. We must also endeavor to cultivate knowledge, nurture skills, and develop leadership capacity in the adults throughout the organization. We must challenge others to reflect, analyze, question, and explore possibilities on a frequent basis. We must model and promote the ideal of a “learning organization”; many of the problems and challenges that will emerge in the future are much too complex in nature to rely upon a “select few” for solutions. We must cultivate knowledge and leadership throughout the system. Fullan maintains that broadening teacher leadership until it becomes the norm is the sine qua non (main thing) of educational reform.

17. The Professional Learning Community The PLC ensures that all students learn: What is it that we want children to learn? How will we know they have learned it? How will we respond when a child experiences difficulty in learning? How will we respond when they already know it? Success for all students cannot be achieved if people throughout the organization work in isolation. Coordination and collaboration are essential. The critical issue is not do we collaborate, but rather what we collaborate about —Are we collaborating about the right things? Are we asking the right questions? By working together to build the capacity of the district to function as a professional learning community, all staff will experience both greater job satisfaction and the sense of accomplishment that comes with making a positive difference in the lives of the students. The PLC is focused on results. Attention is shifted to goals that focus on student learning. We must stop assessing our effectiveness on how busy we are and instead ask, “Have we made progress on the goals that are most important to us?” The PLC is not the end; high levels of learning for all students is the end. The reason we strive to create and sustain the ideal of the organization is to stretch the aspirations and performance levels of the students and the adults.

18. Problems or Opportunities? Our professional experience is fraught problems and challenges. The greatest and most resilient leaders tend to view problems as “opportunities”. When confronted with a seemingly negative problem, exemplary leaders find ways to turn problems into opportunities to improve the school for our staff and students.

19. Passion and Compassion . . . Leaders who bring passion to their work will naturally foster passion in those around them. This energy, within a compassionate environment, inspires others to new heights and enables us to build and sustain a climate that is both productive and desirable.

20. Character counts! Honesty and integrity in our dealings with students, staff, and with one another is non-negotiable. Integrity, honesty, consistency, and compassion are the foundational building blocks for a trustful high-performance environment. Professionalism Set a standard for others to emulate. Represent yourself and the district in a fashion that projects the very best. Expect professionalism from your staff. Be self-disciplined, thorough, organized, and consistent.

21. Respect Honor staff and respect the collective bargaining agreement; how we treat people is a key to climate. Don’t underestimate the power of your position . . . The “leader” (principal, director, or supervisor) essentially sets the tone for his or her school or department; you are in a position of great influence. Wield the power of your position wisely, responsibly, and respectfully.

22. Communication, communication, communication . . . Beware . . . A majority of the problems and breakdowns we experience with parents, staff, and with one another can be traced back to some sort of communication shortfall. Customer Service Take good care of our “customers”: students, parents, and community patrons. Always treat them with respect, courtesy, and compassion (even when they do not deserve it!). Be firm on principle and gentle with people. We are fair and consistent and treat others respectfully. We are held to a higher standard of behavior and courtesy than parents and even our staff in some instances.

23. Take Care of Yourself One must take care of oneself before one can effectively take care of others. Teamwork We must work together for the good of the whole. Give and take will sometimes be required. We will handle disagreement as a family would . . . directly, honestly, respectfully, and privately. Be Prepared and Be On Time While unanticipated events and interruptions are bound to occur, please show your respect for the team by being on time and well prepared.

24. Feedback Honest feedback and dissenting opinions will help us to grow and think outside the box. Be respectful of one another in actions and words. Respectful disagreement and debate are to be valued. Communication Endeavor to keep me in the loop; I prefer to know sooner rather than later. No surprises please . . . emergency or crisis situations, if you are considering change or innovation, good things and bad things, let me know if you make an error or anticipate I may receive a call. We want to know about employee illness/personal/family problems so we can support them.

25. Decision Making As superintendent I believe in an approach to decision making within which: Some decisions will be made by the group Some decisions will be made with input from the group Some decisions will be made in isolation It is my right and responsibility to decide which model will be utilized for a particular decision. Once a decision is made, all of us must embrace it as if it is our own. Support I expect public support, even in times of disagreement. You will be, in some instances be caught “in the middle”. We must however, remain united and loyal to one another and the school district. Perspective We must take our work seriously--- yet not take ourselves too seriously.

26. What You can expect from me Listening I will listen to your concerns, opinions, and ideas. Honesty I will be consistently forthright you. Feedback I will offer feedback in regard to my observations. Support I will offer support in your dealings with students, parents, and staff. I will endeavor to support your work in promoting increased levels of student achievement. Encouragement I will encourage you to take risks and challenge those around you to aim high. Information When Possible We will have an open working environment. Whenever possible, I will share information. Questions I will ask questions to clarify, stimulate thinking, and assist you in planning and leading.

27. ?Questions?

28. Write down one takeaway …

30. What are the keys to building and sustaining strong and productive relations between the Board and the new Superintendent?

31. Relationships and Preparation Communication is Critical Clarity of Expectations Clarity of Roles The Board Meeting Growing the Board and Their Capacity

32. Relationships *Trust *Integrity *Competence *Invest Time in the Board Members *Respect Traditions *Work sessions and Retreats *Socializing With the Board *Playing Favorites *Board Disharmony *The Difficult Board Member *Mutual Respect and Support *Defend Board Members

33. Communication *Read Through Board Meeting Minutes and Previous Supt. Communications *The Board Chair---A Key Partnership *Clarify Expectations With the Board *Friday Update *Share the Good and the Bad *Be Aware that Nearly All Written Communications are Subject to Disclosure * Working Individually and Collectively *Same Information to All at Same Time

34. Clarity of Expectations *What do they expect of you? *The Brochure *What do you expect of them? *Understanding Board Member Priorities---Vision *Interview Each Board Member---Share feedback… *90 Day Plan ---Set Your Goals and Share With Board *Insist That they are honest and do not hold back… *Board Protocols *Superintendent Evaluation *Superintendent Contract Negotiation and Extension

35. Clarity of Roles *Board *Superintendent *President’s Role

36. The Board Meeting * Agenda Development *Deliberation and Resolution of Issues---Process *Make the Board Look Good *Be Organized and Prepared!!! *Open Public Meetings Law *Follow up Carefully After Board Meetings

37. Growing the Board and Their Capacity *Assess Board Strengths/Weaknesses--- Help Guide them in terms of training and team-building *Strategic Planning and Goal-Setting

38. ?Questions?

39. Write down one takeaway …