Woods_Internship+Log+2011-2013

Program for the Preparation of School Principals and Supervisors
Internship Log
LAST NAME
2011 - 2013
Internship Hours to Date:
Interim Report Form for the Internship
Objective 1 Objective 2 Objective 3 Objective 4 Objective 5
Objective 71

Objective 1
Use the worksheet provided to prepare a profile of the primary internship site. The profile has three sections
a) Section I: Characteristics of the Site. A review of the community, students, families, faculty, staff,
plant, and school outcomes.
b) Section II. Leadership of the Site.
c) Section III: Analysis of Data and Recommendations for Improvement
STANDARDS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3. 1.4, 1.5
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
Description of activities
4/30/12 3:30 4:30 1 Started collecting data and information
about the school in preparation for the
objective 1 worksheet that needed to be
filled out for Dr. Sellers.
5/1/12 9:00 3:00 6 Finished collecting data and information
filled out for Dr. Sellers.
5/2/12 8:00 3:00 7 Finished collecting data and information
filled out for Dr. Sellers; then wrote up the
report to turn in to him.
Reflections
and learning
As I collected data about Bassett High School, I was able to delve more
into the diversity and economic climate that exists within the community.
Each section above contributes to the makeup of the school facilitating
partnerships with the community, and the perception people take away
when they visit the school. I go into more detail in my paper which was
turned into my advisor, Dr. Sellers.
Reading(s) Allen, R. (November 2003). Building School Culture in an Age of
Accountability: Principals Lead Through Sharing Tasks. Volume 45 (7)
This reading brought up a very good point about the difficulty in
maintaining culture with the push for accountability. Many schools try an
“imitate” something another school does if they think it is successful and is
helping their SOL scores rise; there is nothing wrong with this notion, but
schools must make sure they do not compromise their individuality in
seeking higher scores. As you read my paper, I start it off by talking about
the community and how the school is a direct influence of it. Schools
should seek a balance to promote uniqueness in their schools, while also
achieving acceptable scores compared to their counterparts. As the journal
reading said, “If the superintendent tells [the principal] that your job is on
the line because of test scores, then you don't care about constructivism—
you work to get the test scores up, but fretting about numbers won't
necessarily cultivate a positive school culture that's focused on raising the
achievement of all students.”

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Objective 2
Analyze a school’s SOL test scores for the previous three years using disaggregation software. Assist the site
administrator or supervisor with developing a plan to improve the scores for all students with special emphasis
on NCLB-targeted groups.
STANDARDS: 1.2, 2.3
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/12/12 7:30 5:00 9 ½ Worked with Donna Hicks at central office
reviewing Social Studies data over the last
three years from Bassett High School
(applying special interest to World History
II scores).
3/17/13 5:00 7:00 2 Looked over data subgroups for Bassett
High School for the last three years of
Mathematics scores (2009-2012).
3/18/13 4:30 9:00 4 ½ Put together data tables and graphs
showing trends for Bassett High School
over the last three years in Mathematics
scores (2009-2012).
4/6/13 9:00 5:00 8 Analyzed SOL test results for the Social
Studies department, and looked at ways the
Alternative school’s curriculum (NovaNet)
can align with the standards.
Reflections
and learning
Going through student’s data of any sorts (especially SOL scores) is
important because it can highlight categories that need to be improved.
Mrs. Hicks and I carefully reviewed the trend in SOL scores (especially in
the Social Studies ones since that is what I teach) and drew out problematic
areas. When going through the data we addressed possible areas that can be
fixed through an array of different techniques and strategies. Examples
include (but not limited to) unit graphic organizers for every unit and
common assessments (to be used by everyone) to graph student progress
throughout the semester to identify week areas before the SOL. For our
NCLB groups, we talked about more parent-teacher communication to get
these students more involved in school.
Reading(s) Pasi, R. (February, 2000). Educational Leadership. The SOL: No Easy
Answers. Volume 57 (5), 75-76
This journal article drew emphasis on the change in SOL standards
(highlighting the state of VA), and how it is meeting a mixed reaction from
educators and parents in the state. The article also brought up the “old”
issue of SOL assessments actually measuring student growth in the
classroom. I applied the content of this article as I went over the SOL data
of the last two years (the “new” test) compared to the “old” SOL data
strands.

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Objective 3
Assist a principal, assistant principal, department head, or a curriculum specialist with analyzing a variety of
assessments, including student work samples, that yield individual, class, grade-level, and school-level data.
Work with the principal, assistant principal, department head, or curriculum specialist as he or she
collaboratively plans and implements interventions to make needed improvements.
STANDARDS: 2.3
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/13/12 7:30 5:00 9 ½ Sat down with Denise Faultz (Pre-School
Coordinator) and talked about the
implementation of the Pre-School program
in Henry County Public Schools.
Reflections
and learning
I did not understand the importance and tremendous ramifications the pre-
school programs have on education until I talked to Mrs. Faultz. We looked
at how Mr. House (Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction)
and herself had been tracking kindegarten-3 grade scores and noticed
alarming scores amongst the NCLB sub-groups; because of these alarming
discrepancies, the pre-school program in Henry County had a huge
overhaul breaking it up into three categories: one group for the
“exceptionally bright” students, another for children with severe disabilities
and handicaps, and one for students who scored very low on the entry-level
assessment test. Henry County’s stance on their pre-school program is that
each category can accurately meet the needs of those given children and
better prepare them for when they enter Kindergarten.
Reading(s) Barnett, W and Hustedt J. (April 2003). Preschool: The Most Important
Grade. The First Years of School. Volume 60 (7), 54-57
This book ties in perfectly to my reflection because it highlights how
important early introduction to education is, and how it can set the child on
the right path of being a good student. The author makes sure to talk about
how generally the wealthy and “exceptional” students have access to
preschool while lower income families do not which defeats the purpose of
preschool entirely. The core benefits of preschool that the book places
heavy emphasis on: “Schooling—Participants were less likely to be
retained in grade or placed in special education; Welfare—As adults,
participants were more likely to get better jobs and earn more money; and
The criminal justice system—Participants were less likely to break laws or
participate in other delinquent acts.”
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Objective 4
Work with the principal and staff to prepare or implement a school renewal or school improvement plan.

STANDARDS: 2.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
8/10/12 10:30 11:30 1 Sat in with my mentor Mrs. Renee Scott
and the lead teachers (from different
departments) to prepare the new school
improvement plan for the upcoming school
year.
8/16/12 3:30 5:00 1.5 Met with School Improvement team to
tweak the plan some more.
8/30/12 3:30 4:30 1 Met with School Improvement team to
tweak the plan some more.
Reflections
and learning
Henry County has adopted a new way of creating a school improvement
plan for each year. Instead of having each department making a goal they
want to achieve then merging them all together, Mr. House wants the lead
teachers at each school to sit down and map out goals that each department
can achieve. Before they started listing goals however, the lead teachers at
Bassett High School wanted to collect data from the weak areas in
mathematics, literacy, and AP/SAT scores.
After looking at the SAT data for example, I had Mrs. Scott pull up the
SAT scores of one of the students and see if there was a trend in certain
classes juniors were taking that year, if they did better on the SAT that
year. We found out that was the case for a majority, and as one of our
goals, we will aim to get students in certain math classes to take the SAT
that year since there will be a higher chance they will do better.
Reading(s) Davis, J. and Smith, R. (April 2013). Communicator: Seven Timely Tactics
for School Turnaround. National Association of Elementary School
Principals. Volume 36 (8)
This reading talks about the seven strategies for turning around a school;
although all seven are vital, there of them tie into the components that
contributed to the building of our school improvement plan:
- Collect, analyze, and use data as a springboard for positive
change
- Educate teachers about meaningful ways to use formative and
summative assessments
- Cultivate a culturally responsive staff
These three things were not only embedded in our own school
improvement plan, but I feel they should be in everyone else’s. School
improvement plans are meant to do exactly what the title implies, improve
that school. These plans should be tailored accordingly to meet the needs of
the individual school and not seem very generic and basic. To avoid those
to problems I just stated, adhere to the three things at the top in the bold
print.
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Objective 5
Analyze curriculum, pacing charts, and scope and sequence guides for one core area of the SOLs. Reflect on the
value of these to student learning.
STANDARDS: 2.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/14/12 7:30 5:00 9 ½ Worked with Sandy Strayer (Curriculum
specialist) looking over pacing charts and
sequence guides for mathematics matching
them up with the current SOL standards
that have changed.
Reflections
and learning
Paying attention to pacing guides and sequence charts is very important for
teachers and curriculum specialists alike. From a teacher standpoint, you
need to make sure you pay attention to the dates so that you cover all the
material in a timely fashion. From a curriculum specialist point of view
however, it is a tad more complicated than what it appears. Mrs. Strayer
and I reviewed math pacing guides (in particular middle school math) and
looked at ways to alter the days spent on certain units. Since the SOL
standards have changed, we had to tweak the pacing guides to more
accurately match the current standards. We also drafted up a proposal to re-
adjust the math classes taught in middle school and presented it to Mr.
House.
Reading(s) David, J. (October 2008). Educational Leadership: Pacing Guides.
Expecting Excellence. Volume 66 (2), 87-88
According to Jane David, “Pacing guides are created by school district
leaders to help teachers stay on track and to ensure curricular continuity
across schools in the district. These guides serve a purpose similar to that
of traditional scope-and-sequence documents, which lay out expectations
of the material to be covered in each subject at each grade level.” The book
talks about the positives that pacing guides offer and the reality in which
they are used, then deviates to the underlying negatives that also come into
play. The reading help put pacing guides into a better context for me,
explaining their purpose and better ways to utilize them as a educator to
teach the curriculum.
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Objective 6
Examine a textbook series used in the school division. Look for such issues as how the objectives match with
the SOL standards and how the series deals with gender and ethnic diversity issues.

STANDARDS: 2.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/2712 7:30 5:00 9.5 Reviewed the Science textbook used in the
2nd
grade at Drewy Mason Elementary.
Book title: McGraw-Hill, Science, VA
edition
Reflections
and learning
During my internship placement at Drewry Mason, I had the opportunity to
examine and critique the 2nd
grade Science textbooks. It was interesting
seeing the difference between an elementary textbook and a high school
one that I am more accustomed too. After going over the Science book, I
was pleased to find that all of the 2nd
grade VA SOL standards were
present. The one possible exception however was 2.1 Scientific
Investigation and Logic, but after reading through the textbook, I found this
standard to be imbedded in every chapter as an activity. For example, in
Chapter 1: Plants, one of the activities it offers teachers to try is having
students pose the hypothesis, “How do plants grow?,” and then work
through the rest of the steps. The book does not however list the standards
in order, which makes me think teachers can either teach the curriculum at
the pace the book has it, or stick to the pacing guide given to them by
Henry County.
The only references I found pertaining to diversity and ethnicity is in the
models that the book company had in their book. As I flipped through the
pages I would see pictures of Asians, African-Americans, Caucasians, etc. I
doubt students would recognize this, but it is a very interesting way to
show diverse and ethnic backgrounds without even drawing direct attention
to it.

Reading(s) Daniels, H. and Zemelman, S. (January 2004). Educational Leadership:
Out With Textbooks, In With Learning. New Needs, New Curriculum.
Volume 61 (4), 36-40
Out With Textbooks, In With Learning discusses the possibility of
textbooks being irrelevant in today’s school setting. I can’t believe I am
saying this, but the article brought up some really interesting points to
consider which had me pondering on the climate of student reading in my
own classroom. The first point talked about how textbooks are very
unreadable. Many times, they have a lot of factual information that is
written in a way where it is not very appealing. As the authors put it, “Ever
wonder why Algebra II has never topped the New York Times best-seller
list?”
We are in the midst of a huge overhaul of educational practices with many
of the areas stemming around technology. Many school systems are
investing enormous amounts of money into technology and want to see it
implemented in the classroom; causing many teachers to steer away from
the “traditional textbook teaching style,” and move towards more
innovative ways in student learning. In comparison with this objective
however, the article talked about inaccuracies in some textbooks and
teachers frustrations when the textbook does not match up accurately with
standards. Textbook companies are doing their best to stay up to date with
current diversity issues and changes in curriculum, but one can only
wonder how long it might take for textbooks to become completely
obsolete with tools such as I-pads (with wireless connection) and
SmartBoards being assimilated into classrooms.
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Objective 7
Describe and critique your school division’s procedures for identifying and providing for students with
disabilities, including how family members are involved in the process. Make recommendations for change.
STANDARDS: 4.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/5/12 1:45 2:30 45 mins Read through Henry County’s
Policy/Procedures pertaining to students
with disabilities and how schools evaluate
these students.

Reflections
and learning
In Henry County, our policy for identifying students with a disability
matches federal guidelines imposed by Section 504 and IDEA verbatim.
The one thing I noticed we do that might be a tad different from other
school systems is how we use our RTI’s (Response To Intervention). In
Henry County, we have a RTI meeting before any one of the following
processes (IEP or 504) are carried out to make sure we do not diagnose the
student improperly. In a nutshell, our policy is like this: 1st
, the student is
recommended for evaluation (by a teacher, parent, or someone else in the
school); 2nd
, a child-study team is formed; 3rd
, a RTI meeting is held to
determine potential problems and results to ratify the problem (and to see
which plan to possibly implement (504 or IDEA); from there, if the RTI
does not work, then the student is evaluated through one of the two
processes.
Reading(s) White, R., and Calhoun, M. (1987). From referral to placement: Teachers’
perceptions of their responsibilities. Exceptional Children, 53(5), 460-468
and Henry County Policy on Evaluating Students with Disabilities and
Handicaps
The reading highlighted the teacher’s responsibilities and feelings they
have towards identifying their students in the classroom. The passage not
only walked through the processes a teacher must abide by in the 504/IEP
procedure, but also the after affects when the student is placed with
accommodations. When comparing this to our procedures in Henry
County, I thought about how I feel about all the procedures and reflected
on the IEP meetings and accommodations I have had to make for some of
my students this school year.
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Objective 8
Participate from an administrative or supervisory perspective in all phases of implementing federal and state
laws, rules and regulations covering children with disabilities. (Participate in the child study, IEP and other
special education processes in the school.) Write reflections on the effectiveness of these processes in meeting
the needs of the children involved.
STANDARDS: 4.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
4/19/12 10:00 10:30 1/2 Helped revise a student’s revised LEP plan
with my assistant principal, guidance
counselor, and the ELL teacher.
5/4/12 1:50 2:20 1/2 Helped revise a student’s revised LEP plan
5/29/12 2:00 2:30 1/2 Helped set-up a student’s new IEP
transitioning from middle school to high
school. The case manager from the middle
school met with the high school case
manager to swap information.
11/1/12 2:30 3:00 ½ Participated in a child study meeting to

evaluate a student.
4/19/13 8:45 9:15 ½ Helped revise a student’s revised LEP plan
4/24/13 9:00 9:30 ½ Helped revise a student’s revised LEP plan
4/24/13 3:15 4:15 1 Helped set-up a student’s new IEP
transitioning from middle school to high
school. The case manager from the middle
school met with the high school case
manager to swap information.
Reflections
and learning
There are a lot of processes and procedures that go into the implementation
of an effective IEP/LEP. As the administrator, it is extremely important
that you review all of the accommodations recommended by the case
manager, teachers, and parents, and make sure that you can provide these
services at your school before you sign the IEP/LEP into fruition.
Reading(s) Allen, R. (2000). Making Accommodations. Curriculum Update: Learning
Disabilities: At the Assessment Crossroads. Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development
This article helped me understand the importance of listing a student’s
accommodations appropriately and accurately so there is no confusion on
what the student is entitled too. There are a lot of legal complications an
administrator can run into if things are not carried out properly.
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Objective 9
Participate from an administrative or supervisory perspective in all phases of implementing federal and state
laws, rules, and regulations covering children under Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Write reflections on the effectiveness of these processes in meeting the needs of the children involved.
STANDARDS: 4.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/12/12 1:45 2:30 45
minutes
Talked to our 504 Coordinator (Debbie
Strickland) about implementing policies
related to Section 504 by the administrator,
and what all would take place in a meeting
with parents, students & staff.
10/18/12 9:00 9:30 30 mins Sat in a 504 evaluation meeting as a
student/parent setup the accommodations
the student would start receiving.
4/22/13 9:00 9:30 ½ Sat in a 504 evaluation meeting as a
student/parent setup the accommodations
the student would start receiving.

Reflections
and
learning
The Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil
rights act that no one can be discriminated on based on their physical/mental
disability or handicap. The 504 plan has the accommodations that the
individual needs to perform at the same level like everyone else. Mrs.
Strickland walked me through the processes that an administrator would
have to do during a 504 plan meeting. The most important thing she stressed
was that an administrator should always be present at these meetings, and
never sign off on an accommodation or process they are unaware of, or do
not full understand. Once everything has been approved, it must be carried
out; if unable to do so then the school is in violation of the law.
The other important note for school administrators to remember is that a
manifestation plan is written up if the student has been suspended for ten
days or faces out-of-school suspension. If the offense is due to the child’s
disability, then the 504 plan must be reviewed and altered. of the student’s
If the offense has nothing to do with the disability, then the student will
receive disciplinary action like any other student would get for doing that
same violation.
Reading(s) Zirkel, P. (October 2011). It’s the Law: The “New” Section 504. Principal
September/October: The Healthy Child.
Dr. Romano taught us the importance of distinguishing the differences
between an IEP and a 504 plan, and knowing which one is appropriate for
the given situation at hand. This reading however drew light on this issue;
stating how educators often view the 504 plan as a “light version of the IEP”
when that is not its purpose in the first place. The article taught me the
importance of accurately evaluating a student to provide them with the
necessary accommodations they need to perform at a level equal to their
classmates.
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Objective 10
Write or revise a plan for identifying at-risk students and for helping them to increase their academic
achievement and aspirations. Make recommendations for adding or changing relevant policies.
STANDARDS: 4.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/11/12 7:30 5:00 9.5 Reviewed the Henry County “Local Plan
for the Education of the Gifted & at-Risk
Children” going over the procedures for
identifying and providing instruction to
these students/ attended a meeting at
central office proposing ways to inspire
these students.

Reflections
and learning
Henry County has one of the lowest economic status’ in the country. Due
to this, the school personal in central office tries and develops ways to get
the students in this area motivated. I read the procedures that Henry County
uses to identify not only their at-risk students, but also their gifted students
as well. Henry County public schools provide a vast amount of programs to
get children involve using outside resources such as MHC and the local
YMCA’s. Using these connections, they seek to strengthen the importance
that academics can have on one’s life.
When I sat in the meeting at central office, I found out that they use a
multitude of ways to identify children they feel are at-risk (with it
constantly changing all the time). The most common way they identify
students at the high school level is to take a grade level/age group, and put
together a list of a cut-off gpa score and the verified credits they have
earned to date. Typically when you look at these two items, most of your
behavior problems pop up and students who most likely will not graduate
on time without some assistance. The only recommendation I would make
to this process is having a plan that is more-detailed. Most of what I was
told was just “word of mouth.” Even though there is a plan on the website,
it constantly is changed so much that many do not even reference it.
Reading(s) Jorgenson, O. (June 2012). What We Lose in Winning the Test Score Race.
National Association of Elementary School Principals, 13-15.
The journal article centered on the many pitfalls schools when they place
all of their “eggs into one basket.” It is important to strive for high SOL
scores but don’t forget about teaching students skills they need to take
outside of the classroom into the real world which can’t be evaluated by
standardized testing. Adding substance to what you are teaching can help
students take skills such as moral standards and common sense rationale,
and allow them to apply it to a multitude of things they are interested in.
When educators just focus on looking good and posting great test scores,
we forget that there is more to teaching children than just the content of our
subject.
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Objective 11
Participate in, monitor, and observe the preparation of the school’s schedule (elementary and middle) or assist
with scheduling activities (high school) for the following year. Use available software to do the schedule. Write
a brief reflective piece on how the schedule contributes to student learning.
STANDARDS: 3.3
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
4/30/12 3:30 4:30 1 Meeting with department heads in the
school to discuss scheduling for next year
& any problems that occurred with the
master schedule.
6/6/12 8:00 4:30 8 ½ Worked with Mrs. Scott on preparing the
master schedule for the upcoming school

year (Fall 2012- Spring 2013)
6/7/12 8:00 4:00 8 Worked with Mrs. Scott on preparing the
year (Fall 2012- Spring 2013)
6/28/12 7:30 5:00 9 ½ Assisted Mrs. Wendy Durham (Drewry
Mason Elementary Principal) in making her
year.
7/2/12 9:30 5:00 7 ½ Put together a list of students that need to
be called about AP Statistics and offering it
year round instead of only a semester.
7/3/12 8:00 4:30 8 ½ Called students and asked about AP
Statistics and found it if they still wanted to
take it now that it is year-long, or wanted to
adjust their schedule.
7/17/12 12:00 5:00 5 Discussed the middle school schedule for
the upcoming year with Mr. Gravely, and
talked about potential problems concerning
the middle school math pacing.
1/23/12 3:30 4:30 1 Sat in a meeting between the
administrators, guidance counselors, and
departmental heads about scheduling
concerns this year and for the upcoming
school year.

Reflections
and learning
One of the first things my mentor and I worked on this summer was the
master schedule. I was pleased to find out this was one of her assigned
duties (by Mr. Dillard), so I would be able to see a lot of what it takes for
the schedule to be completed. We first made multi-colored flash cards with
all of the teacher’s names and class assignments, separating them by
subject. After we finished all of the cards, we got on PowerSchool made
sure we had all of the teacher’s class subjects, class sizes, and room
numbers uploaded accurately. Mrs. Scott is more of a visual person, so we
taped the classes (flashcards) up on the wall in the conference room and
arranged them so that certain classes would not overlap; such as AP classes
and governor school students in the mornings.
The schedule contributes heavily to how well a student performs, because it
can dictate what type of classes they will be able to request for the
upcoming school year. For example, Mrs. Scott tried to make sure certain
AP classes were offered during the evening blocks (3rd
and 4th
) so governor
school and ACE academy students would be able to take them when they
returned to school. If we offered majority of them during the morning
blocks (1st
and 2nd
) and we know a huge portion of our AP students are also
governor school or ACE academy students, then we would be hurting
ourselves.
One of the key aspects that Mrs. Scott shared with me during this process is
that you need to make sure the schedule adheres to your student population.
Try to address problems that you had with the schedule from last year as
you make the new one so you can “nip it” before it becomes a problem
again. You cannot always make the schedule workout perfectly, but try and
make it as perfect as possible to minimize potential issues. When you have
a functioning master schedule, it allows more options for students to take
class’s that- 1: interest them (potentially leading them into a career after
they graduate) and 2: allows them flexibility when they have to take a
required course for graduation purposes.
Reading(s) Danielson, C. (2002). Enhancing Student Achievement: Chapter 5. School
Organization. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development,
(5) and Meador, N. (February 2012). Ten to Teen: Moving to the Middle:
Keys for Success. National Association of Elementary School Principals,
38.
Both of these readings reiterated the significance of student learning linked
with scheduling events. Anything ranging from the master schedule
(classes for the entire year), sporting activities, clubs etc. all play into
student’s performance for the year. For example, both readings proposed
different scenarios of how a student grades could fluctuate depending on
what type of extra-curricular activity they are involved in, and when the
class they want to take is being offered. Effective administrators should
take this into account when they are making a school’s schedule and strive
to ensure that the schedule has minimal (if any) conflicts that can be
foreseen.
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Objective 12

Using the locally adopted policy for professional staff evaluation, conduct a comprehensive performance
evaluation with appropriate pre and post conferences.
STANDARDS: 3.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
2/26/13 4:00 4:30 ½ Had a pre-conference with Mr. Eanes today
about the upcoming formal observation.
3/7/13 1:30 3:30 2 Conducted a formal evaluation for Mr.
Eanes; followed up with Mrs. Scott.
3/9/13 9:00 9:30 1/2 Held Mr. Eanes’ post-conference (w/ Mrs.
Scott being present); followed up with her
afterwards for suggestions.
3/22/13 4:00 4:30 ½ Had a pre-conference with Mrs. Morris
today about the upcoming formal
observation.
3/27/13 9:15 9:45 ½ Conducted a formal evaluation for Mrs.
Morris; followed up with Mrs. Scott.
4/9/13 8:00 8:30 ½ Held Mrs. Morris’ post-conference (w/
Mrs. Scott being present); followed up with
her afterwards for suggestions.
Reflections
and
learning
A lot of time goes into conducting a successful observation. An
administrator needs to go into every observation (pre/post-conferences) as
the “helper.” Many times, teachers will become very defensive during these
conversations because they will be prone to think that you are looking for
things they do wrong. Although that is partly true, that does not encompass
all of what you are doing. You are there mostly to provide support to the
teacher and assist them in growing in their profession. If you are able to
deliver the purpose of the evaluation like this, you can possibly avoid
confrontation and make this experience reward-able for both you and the
teacher.
Reading(s) Untitled author. (November 2012). Communicator: Meaningful Evaluations
Inform Principals’ Practice. National Association of Elementary School
Principals. Volume 36 (3) and Marshall, K. (November 2012). Educational
Leadership: Teacher Evaluation: What's Fair? What's Effective?
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Fine-Tuning
Teacher Evaluation. Volume 70, (3), pg.50-53.
Both readings talk about the applications of teacher evaluations; from their
overall purpose, to the need for improved rubrics for administrators to go
by. Not only do these evaluations provide feedback to the administrator
about the teacher, but they can be used as reflection pieces for the
administrator to address a problem that might be common among all of the
teachers on their staff. For example, if the administrator reviews his notes,
and realizes that only 2/12 teachers evaluated had some form of writing
incorporated in their daily lesson, maybe that administrator will address the
need for more writing in assignments as his next faculty meeting.

Back to Top
Objective 13
Work with a principal in developing a plan of action or an improvement plan for a teacher who has deficiencies.
STANDARDS: 3.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
7/10/12 7:30 5:00 9 ½ Talked with Mr. Gravely about developing
a plan of action for a teacher who was not
performing “up to par” (not turning in end
of the year reflection paper, not checking
email, not following school procedures,
etc.). Participated in the write-up of the
plan of action.
Reflections
and learning
It can be a “hard pill to swallow” for some when it comes to developing a
plan of action for a teacher who has deficiencies. A lot of people have a
difficult time when it comes to addressing someone who is having issues in
their profession, but as an administrator it is a duty that one must be
prepared to do when the time arises. While at my middle school placement,
I worked with Mr. Gravely on preparing a plan of action for a teacher who
he was having some issues out of during the school year.
The teacher would continuously disregard important emails pertaining to
feedback and staff meetings at the school, routinely break established
school procedures, and other things of that nature. Although none of her
infractions were classroom oriented (instructional practices, classroom
management, etc.), the fact she was being unprofessional in the previous
examples mentioned warranted a response from Mr. Gravely. He made sure
to point out to me the importance of having all of your staff in order
because one “crow” can mess up your staff’s chemistry.
Reading(s) Boynton, C. and Boynton, M. (2007). Educator's Guide to Assessing and
Improving School Discipline Programs: Chapter 7. Improvement Plans for
Teachers Struggling with Discipline Issues. Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development, (7).
The authors start off by saying, “…many teachers who need to improve
their classroom management have neither the capability nor the motivation
to analyze their weaknesses honestly and make a plan for improvement on
their own.” This is where administrators step in to make the necessary steps
for improvement. I do not view it as passing judgment, more like honest
criticism. The article points out an administrator should “be able to tell the
difference between fundamentally unsatisfactory teachers and those who
are merely inexperienced and thus have the potential to improve.” The
importance between the two is it will dictate what type of plan an
administrator will setup to help the teacher, or unfortunately seek to move
the teacher out of their building.

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Objective 14
Assess staff development needs and prepare a multi-year plan to meet those needs. Include annual assessments
of progress.
STANDARDS: 2.4
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
8/10/12 10:30 11:30 1 Sat in with my mentor Mrs. Renee Scott
and the lead teachers (from different
departments) to prepare the new school
improvement plan for the upcoming school
year.
4/8/13 12:45 1:15 ½ Put together an action plan to help improve
mathematics test results for the upcoming
year since they took a dip from last year
(because of the technology-enhanced
questions)
4/8/13 4:00 8:00 4 Put together an action plan to help improve
mathematics test results for the upcoming
year since they took a dip from last year
(because of the technology-enhanced
questions)
Reflections
and learning
Reviewing data can be very tiresome and in some ways completely boring.
Even though it can fill mind-numbing sometimes, it can reap a lot of
rewards when analyzing the data correctly. Assessing staff development,
students test scores, complaints, etc. can help take a school move from
average to great.
When creating these plans however, I learned the importance of checking
on these plans in intervals to make sure they are being carried out correctly.
Having benchmarks/checkpoints can help administrators view the success
(or lack thereof) of whatever they have instituted.
Reading(s) Lipton L. and Wellman B. (2001). Developing Minds: A Resource Book
for Teaching Thinking, 3rd Edition. Chapter 21. From Staff Development
to Professional Development: Supporting Thoughtful Adults for Thinking
Schools. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Chapter 21 from this book discussed the importance of providing helpful
feedback to staff members to help them grow in their profession. As you
help them grow as an individuals that helps your school grow as well. They
are the “food” to your “body.”
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Objective 15

Participate in screening and interviewing both faculty and classified staff to fill vacant positions. Prepare a one-
page guide of principles that you will use in hiring professional and classified staff for your school or district.
STANDARDS: 3.3
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/7/12 10:00 10:30 1/2 Served on an interview committee
screening an individual for an English
position open at Bassett High School.
7/9/12 8:00 5:00 9 Served on an interview committee
screening an individual for a Math position
open at Bassett High School.
7/10/12 7:30 5:00 9 ½ Helped interview candidates at Laurel Park
Middle School for the Business/Marketing
teaching position.
Reflections
and learning
Below are the questions (or categories) I would address during the
interview. I would have my administration team ask things such as these to
the potential candidate, proceeding in a “round-robin” array of questioning.
I would want personal who are hired to be qualified, have good moral
standing, and who can operate at an efficient level to keep pace with the
cohesiveness I have established at my school.
1. Discuss job expectations, department, goals, etc.
2. Tell me about you and your experience/education in the position
you are applying for in our school.
3. How do you get students to buy into your subject material?
4. Describe a typical day in your classroom.
5. How do you rate your classroom management skills?
6. How do you handle the disruptive student vs. the apathetic student?
7. What valuable or unique assets or experiences do you bring to your
department?
8. (School name) is a diverse school (economically, academically and
ethnically) - how would you connect to each student regardless of
their background?
9. How do you insure that your lessons are rigorous regardless of the
level of students you teach?
10. What would be your number 1 goal in your 1st
year at (School
Name)?
11. Interviewee questions/comments/concerns

Reading(s) McCoy, R. (May 1972). Ingredients of Leadership. Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, 672-673,.
Having proper guidelines and procedures in place for filling positions is
vital to a schools performance. The article discussed how the questions one
asks a potential candidate can factor in on the type of response you get. As
staff members move on (either for personal reasons or professional ones),
administrators must make sure they can transition a new person in who can
best fit the position available. In closing, this quote from the article sums it
up perfectly. “In order to legitimize their subjective selection, they must
ask peculiar questions and the candidate must be prepared for them.”
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Objective 16
Review the vocational (career and technical) education plan for the school division with the career and technical
director. Write reflections on the place of career and technical education in PK-12 education, including an
assessment of the adequacy of the career and technical program in your school system to meet the needs of all
children.
STANDARDS: 2.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/11/12 7:30 5:00 9.5 Talked to Mrs. Sandy Strayer and Donna
Hicks about the implementation of the
Career & Technical Instruction (CTI) in
PK-12; examining the impact it is having
on altering pacing guides/diploma
requirements. Assisted them on breaking
down the data results from last year.

Reflections
of learning
From talking with Mrs. Strayer and Mrs. Hicks, I have learned that there
has been a tremendous push in Henry County to incorporate career and
technical programs into the curriculum. Let’s face reality, not every child
will go to college, but does that mean they cannot be successful? Certainly
that is untrue; students can get certification to become plumbers,
electricians, hair stylists, etc. and still be successful and competitive in
today’s struggling economy. For a time period (mainly due to budget cuts)
programs like these were cut out of schools leaving many students at a
disadvantage. Thankfully, the trend has started to reverse itself and Henry
County prides itself on the money and effort they put into building their
career and technical programs back up.
Starting next year, career and technical certification will help count
towards graduation requirements, allowing students to graduate with one or
more certifications/licenses such as: hair stylist, criminal justice, word
processing and many more. Assessments like these will help to diversify
education to a wider populace to show their hidden talents and see their
dreams manifest into a positive outlet.
Reading(s) Franklin, J. (Winter 2001). Curriculum Technology Quartely (Career and
Technical Education): Setting the Standards for Meeting Standards.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Volume 11,
number 2 and Senate Hearing to Examine Cuts and Education, email
submitted by advocacy@naesp.org on Wed, 2012-07-25 12:26, National
Association of Elementary School Principals.
Mr. Franklin speaks about how times are changing and we as educators
must keep pace with the ever-evolving job market. Preparing students for
the “real world” is one of our main objectives and to do so, the author
states we need look beyond test scores and make sure students can
practically apply the knowledge they are learning. The best way to do this
is to partner with career and technical professions, allowing them to work
with our teachers to collaborate on lessons and activities.
As I alluded to however in my reflection, budgets are getting tighter and
tighter every year. The email I read had Senator Tom Harkin calling a
meeting to talk about the possible disadvantages that might arise if money
for career and technical programs is cut.
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Objective 17
Write a research-based plan for identifying and providing assistance to students not reading at grade level or
review current reading remediation plans. Critique the plans and offer research-based recommendations for
change.
STANDARDS: 2.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
2/11/13 4:00 6:00 2 Reviewed the Read 180 program that is
used in Henry County and provided input

about potential problems that could arise.
Reflections
and learning
Reading (English) is the most important concept that schools should focus
their attention on. Essentially everything we do in school (and life) requires
the ability to read and comprehend what someone has written down. It has
been proven time and time again that most students, who struggle with
SOL testing, typically struggle with their reading skills.
In Henry County, we use Read 180 in our schools to help address these
deficiencies. The big problem however is that it was designed for states
that follow the common core standards; since Virginia does not, it causes
the implementation of this program to be compromised. Recommendations
I suggested, are mapping out common vocabulary that can be tied into all
English classes (regardless of grade level) and PLC meetings.
Reading(s) Colbert, N. (2012). Phonics, Fluency, Focus: Tactics for Teaching Reading.
Communicator, 36 (2).
This reading was very interesting that it talked about the fact that people
who can read well often take for granted the processing skills that go into
reading once we get older; in turn, we forget how difficult it can be to teach
someone the proper ways on how to read. I reflected on my own teaching
and how sometimes I have fell guilty to this and just expect students to be
able to read something I give them. This book is “a tool that helps you
elevate the teaching of reading in your school, not just a book about
reading.”
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Objective 18
Review and evaluate the five-year technology plan for hardware, software, technical support, staff development,
instructional and administrative uses of technology, and connectivity, including internal and external
networking and filtering. Make recommendations for change.
STANDARDS: 3.3
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
5/11/13 3:00 6:00 3 Reviewed the technology plan for Henry
County and the Acceptable Use Policy.

Reflections
and learning
All staff members are emailed a copy of the Acceptable Use Policy for
Technology and are expected to follow it at all times. Not only are we
given that, but there are different types of measures set up to ensure that it
is followed by staff and students alike. Firewalls, computer monitoring, etc.
insure that the technology is used strictly for instructional and work
purposes only. Staff are given some flexibility however since are
passwords can override some websites to get to if we need something; for
example, you can bypass YouTube blocks to get a clip to show your class
if it is related to the lesson you are teaching.
Reading(s) Hatzigeorgiou, C. (2011). Technology Training Tips. Curriculum Update.
This reading suggested different strategies on how to improve technology
usage in your school building. It gave examples of increased technology
usage in the school that followed some of these examples. Also, it provides
innovative ways of using the technology that maybe already present in your
schools.
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Objective 19
Analyze the communications system at the site, including how the school or district communicates with internal
and external constituencies. Make recommendations for change as needed.
STANDARDS: 4.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
5/12/13 2:00 4:00 2 Examined the ways staff/personal
communicates internally and externally
with each other.
Reflections
and
learning
In Henry County, we utilize a lot of different ways to communicate with
each other during the school day. For example, we utilize email a lot to send
and receive announcements throughout the day to limit the intrusion it can
cause into instructional time. Mr. Dillard (the head administrator) sends out
weekly newsletters via email as an attachment informing us of upcoming
events for the week.
I could go on and on about other examples about how we utilize technology,
but the key I have learned from all of this is the importance of using it in an
acceptable manner, and making sure the staff understands how it works as
well.

Reading(s) Gibbs, G. (1998, May). Building Support Through Communication.
Classroom Leadership, 1.
This reading provided strategies on successful communication with people
in and outside of your school. Also, it talks about the importance of building
relationships in a positive manner that can be used to your advantage in the
future. Schools are extensions of the community so administrators have to
keep them in the loop when it comes to things to help their school grow and
be successful.
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Objective 20
Review the ways in which the school or district involves constituents in managerial or instructional operations.
Assess the effectiveness of this involvement. Create a plan to increase the involvement of these constituents and
the effectiveness of this involvement. Implement one of your proposals.
STANDARDS: 4.3
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
3/13/13 3:30 5:00 1 ½ Sat down with the lead teachers; discussed
upcoming activities to get teachers and
students involved in the school. Also
discussed strategies to get more community
involvement.
4/22/13 4:00 4:30 ½ Reviewed some of the constituents that we
involve in operations in the school setting
(Service Solutions).
Reflections
and learning
It can be incredibly hard to get constituents involved in school operations
in a rural setting. Not only do I work in a rural area, but I grew up in one as
well and I know first-hand that schools have a tough time getting a lot of
input from the community/parents. Many times, this is due to the fact that
historically education is not reinforced here like it would in a more urban
setting. Administrators have to be very creative in how they reach out to
these constituents to gain feedback and generate a “buzz” for the school.
Our school does a good job by working with some of the many
organizations that we have at our disposal: MHC after 3, Patrick Henry
Community College, etc. There is no definite plan setup in our county for
how to actually do this which I feel is a positive because then
administrators can tailor their responses eventually for each constituent that
they reach out too.

Reading(s) Rasmussen, K. (January 1998). Educational Update: Making Parent
Involvement Meaningful. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, Volume 40, (1).
The reading talks about innovative ways to involve parents/constituents in
the school setting. “In the past, schools relied on parents primarily to raise
money for the school and to bake cookies and cupcakes for school parties,”
according to one administrator, parents need to feel their “their input is a
valuable resource.” Many times however, schools go to constituents with
demands instead of incorporating feedback from them causing a wedge to
form between the two. Both sides should be able to provide input in ways
to improve the school and help it become more successful.
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Objective 21
Work with the news media to have a school activity or program featured in some way. Develop a set of
principles for assessing your effectiveness with working with the media and apply those principles to your
experience in this case.
STANDARDS: 4.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
5/12/11 3:30 4:30 1 Helped Mrs. Jarrett (National Honor
Society Chairman at Bassett High School)
put together a “write-up” to forward to
Melanie Stowe at Central Office to be
reviewed and then hopefully shown in the
Martinsville Bulletin.
2/28/13 6:00 7:00 1 Sent Melanie Stowe (at Central Office) a
write-up and pictures from the Black
History Program the M.S.A. had
afterschool at Bassett.

Reflections
and learning
Last night, I got to attend the National Honor Societies Induction
Ceremony for our students at Bassett High School and it was truly a treat.
Parents, friends, and other people in the community came out to support the
students. Not only did I meet a lot of people who have connections to the
school that I was unaware of, I learned the valuable importance of
establishing a positive impression with the local media outlets.
In Henry County, they already have established a set of principles to follow
when interacting with the media. In my case, I wanted to have pictures and
a write-up included in the local paper (Martinsville Bulletin).
Unfortunately, the local photographer was not able to be there that night
but a teacher who was present took make pictures. Working with Mrs.
Jarrett (National Honor Society Chairman at Bassett High School), we
wrote up a nice summary of what happened last night and proceeded to
send it to Melanie Stowe at Central Office to be review it. Before anything
can be sent into the media outlets by any school in Henry County, Mrs.
Stowe must look over it to make sure everything is “aligned with Henry
County’s standards.”
When working with the media, the only major principles I would also
apply to what Henry County does is just create a positive working
environment with the community and its constituents. Making these
connections can help other things get done within the school because you
have made these prior connections already.
Reading(s) Ferriter, W., Ramsden, J. and Sheninger, E. (February 2012). Building
Social Media Connections: By following these five steps, you can transform
communication practices and reach out to the community. National
Association of Elementary School Principals., 18-19.
The article stated five reasons that the authors fill are important to gain
positive interactions with the community. All of them were very insightful,
but the one that stood at to me the most was the very first one: building
your own network. Utilize the resources that you have at your disposal and
make changes that way by reaching out to local media outlets and using the
talents of your individuals in your building. For example, have your art
teacher display some of the students work at the local YMCA showcasing
what students are learning. This can bring awareness to activities you are
conducting in your school with your students. Something as simple as this
can spark peoples interest into “lending a helping hand” in future events at
the school.
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Objective 22
Work with the principal and faculty with a new or existing community partnership that is designed to enhance
student achievement. Assess the effectiveness of this partnership, and write a reflective statement on how you
would work with this partnership to enhance student achievement.
STANDARDS: 4.3
Date Time Time Number Description of activities

started ended of hours
4/27/13 9:00 5:00 8 Worked with the administrator and the
pastor (of a local church) to allow the
students to use gym equipment for P.E.
class at the Alternative school.
Reflections
and learning
Collaborating with stakeholders in the community can be a key investment
for administrators. As I have stated in previous reflections, outside
constituents play a vital role in what happens inside the school setting.
Many times, they want to help the school succeed but do not know how
too. This is where the administrator needs to step up and have some type of
plan in place to forge a partnership with an outside source which can help
the school.
Reading(s) (2009). Building and Sustaining Partnerships. National Association of
Elementary School Principals (1), Retrieved May. 2, 2013, from
http://www.naesp.org/building-and-sustaining-partnerships-0.
Provides ways to enhance partnerships between outside constituents and
school leaders. The examples provided are very generic so they can be used
in a lot of different school systems regardless of demographics, school
setting, etc.
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Objective 23
Assist your mentor with opening and closing the school year. (This activity may include summer school
provided the program is a comprehensive one.)
STANDARDS: None
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/4/12-
8/1/12
Helped w/ procedures opening school.
4/27/13-
5/13/13 (and
into the end
of May)
Helped w/ procedures closing the school
down.

Reflections
and learning
Opening and closing a school are two of the most important functions of a
school administrator. Some of the tasks with opening a school include:
setting up the new schedule, passing out the new schedules, make sure all
vacancies, check emergency procedures, have the correct number of
books/supplies, etc.
For closing a school, these tasks include things such as: make sure teachers
have completed non-contract days, graduation prep., hold a scholarship
assembly, collect teacher’s keys, have copies of teachers exams, confirm
grades have been finalized, etc. All of these things together can be very
overwhelming, so it is best if an administrator can divvy these out to their
assistants to help them complete these tasks.
Reading(s) Skeeters, B, & S. Lumley. (2011). The ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Principal's Guide to a Successful Opening and Closing of the School Year.
Minneapolis, MN: Two Harbors Press.
Opening and closing a school is one of the most important functions of an
administrator. They are responsible for making sure everything is in order;
this guide provides a checklist for new administrators to go by to make sure
they are successful. Even though it is tailored specifically for elementary
schools, it can be modified to meet secondary schools as well.
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Objective 24
Work with the principal to develop a school budget. Complete this at one level (school or district) and review
the budgets for the other levels and types of schooling (elementary, middle, high, vocational, district, special
education).
STANDARDS: 3.3
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
3/12/13 12:45 1:15 ½ Went over the processes of setting up the
budget and how money is allocated to
Bassett High School.
3/12/13 3:30 4:30 1 Reviewed the ways other schools receive
money and develop their budget.
Reflections
and learning
In Henry County, schools are allocated their money from central office.
The money is assigned to different line items that principals may move
around if they get permission from central office. At the high school level,
the only control administrators really have over the budget is the athletic
fund which they may deviate and use in any matter they see fit (for
example, what type of jerseys and equipment to purchase).

Reading(s) Lilley, E. (2010, 08 12). Principals share how financial constraints are
affecting schools [Web log comment]. Retrieved from
http://www.naesp.org/blog/principals-share-how-financial-constraints-are-
affecting-schools
Ernest Lilley submitted this response to a forum question presented in the
Principal about the effects cutting the budget can have on a school/school
system. The response was very heart-felt and talked about some of the
possible programs that would be cut in the school where she was at. The
author lets it be known that all of these cuts will have deep ramifications on
how well the school can perform since it will be missing “key ingredients”
it needs to be successful: such as staff personal, programs, school supplies,
etc.
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Objective 25
Review a school’s or district’s accounting procedures, the monthly (or other interval) financial statements, and
the annual financial audit. Note any concerns raised by the auditors, discuss the remedies implemented, and
record your learning from these experiences.
STANDARDS: None
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
7/11/12 7:30 5:00 9.5 Worked with Mrs. Wendy Durham and her
secretary, Trish Spaugh, on reviewing their
school’s (Drewry Mason Elementary)
financial reports in preparation of the
annual financial audit. All of the financial
records for her school must be turned in by
July 16th
.

Reflections
and learning
Sitting down with Mrs. Durham and Mrs. Spaugh, we went through
Drewry Mason’s financial reports for the entire school year. Mrs. Spaugh
brought binders and manila folders which contained monthly financial
reports and check statements for Mrs. Durham to review. As they reviewed
each month, Mrs. Durham made sure she had signed all of the bank
statements, monthly financial reports, purchase orders, and reimbursement
papers. They let me look over the reports myself to make sure the
expenditures and remaining balance matched up with the total balance.
Mrs. Spaugh let explained to me how anything that costs 5,000 or more,
needs to have three written statements of the amount. If anything costs
10,000 or more, it has to be sent out for bids from the different companies.
Mrs. Durham and her secretary both expressed the importance of
maintaining financial records accurately and to ensure your bookkeeper
and administrator work together. The best tip they advised me on is to
make sure you have multiple signatures on reports and checks; this ensures
that you have someone double checking behind you to make sure
everything is in order correctly.
Reading(s) Affiliate Board Leadership Handbook (February 2012). ASCD, Constituent
Services. pg 30-31, Retrieved July 30th
, 2012, from
http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/affiliates/Affiliate-Board-
Leadership-Handbook-Apr12.pdf
The leadership handbook gives a basic definition of what a financial audit
should look like and how it should take place. As stated in the handbook,
“The committee (or agency being audited) should guarantee that an
adequate internal control mechanism is in place to ensure that the
organization is:
• Using generally accepted accounting methods;
• Complying with applicable laws and regulations;
• Providing reliable financial information; and
• Operating effectively and efficiently.”
Historically, people have mixed emotions about public agencies because of
different scams they have read about in the news. The handbook points out
that the more willing you are to show your finances to the public the less
watchful the community is in your financial practices because they know
you are handling things properly. I will keep this in the back of my mind
when I have to get things in order for my own financial audit; viewing it
more as a positive than a negative.
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Objective 26
Using knowledge of law and school board policies, handle one serious disciplinary problem. The problem
resolution should include the initial investigation, student conference(s), parent conference(s), as well as any
appeal procedures. Write a brief reflective piece analyzing the social, psychological, economic, health, or other
conditions involved in this situation.
STANDARDS: 3.2
Date Time Time Number Description of activities

started ended of hours
5/3/12 2:45 3:15 1/2 Called in a high-school student to discuss
reports two other students made pertaining
to her “bullying” a middle-school student
on the bus. After reading through some
statements, Mrs. Scott called the young
lady down and we spoke, then the girl’s
mother showed up and I sat in as Mrs. Scott
talked to her mother and her daughter.
6/21/12 8:00 3:00 7 Went to a DRC (Discipline Review
Committee) meeting with Mrs. Scott where
she presented the case involving two
students having sex in one of the bathrooms
to Mrs. Amy Scott (Director of Student
Services).
8/18/12 2:00 3:30 1.5 Called down a student to the office and
suspended him for sticking his arm out of
the bus window; also sat in a conference
Mr. Dillard and Mrs. Scott had with a
student for cursing at a teacher.
9/25/12 3:30 4:30 1 Watched a bus recording involving a
situation with a bus driver and a student.
10/26/12 2:30 3:30 1 Watched a bus recording of a student
“mooning” a civilian on the bus; also sat in
the interrogation process of one of the
students who was involved in the incident.
11/20/12 2:00 2:30 ½ Assisted Mrs. Martin with a search of a
student.
11/20/12 2:30 3:30 1 Sat in on questioning of a student who was
involved in making threats to another
student.
12/4/12 2:00 3:30 1 ½ Questioned students about the vandalizing
of the bathrooms; watched the video
cameras to find out who did it.
2/19/13 8:30 10:00 1 ½ Suspended students for excessive tardies;
logged offenses into the computer and
contacted guardians
4/15/13 8:30 9:30 1 Processed some referrals; tardies, talking
back to teachers in class, walked out of
class, and students using vulgar language.
Reflections
and
learning
Handling disciplinary offenses is one of the most important functions a
school administrator has (besides financial responsibilities). The first
incident above involved a girl bullying another student on her bus. Mrs.
Scott got reports from two other students who were on the bus and called
the young lady in to talk too about these accusations in her office. Mrs.
Scott let me do all the talking at first and walked me through a brief scenario
before the girl showed up. The best advice she gave me was to make sure I
took notes from whatever the girl said, and to start the conversation off on a
positive note. For example, I pulled up her grades and asked her how the

school year was going so far and proceeded to ask her how everything else
was going.
From there I transitioned into asking her about the offense at hand and asked
her for her side of the story. Due to her mother coming in the middle of me
questioning her, I let Mrs. Scott take back over but observed the rest. Mrs.
Scott explained to her mother what happened and finished questioning her.
Mrs. Scott got her to write her version of the story down on paper, date it
and sign it. She instructed the student to stay away from the other girls in
question and that anything else that happens will result in disciplinary
action.
The second offense involved two students having sex in one of the
bathrooms. A DRC (Discipline Review Committee) meeting was held with
Mrs. Scott presenting the case to Mrs. Amy Scott (Director of Student
Services) and two other administrators; from there, the three of them
determine the punishment for the students. Whenever a student commits a
serious violation, this is the step they face if it is a maximum of ten days
suspension or possible expulsion.
The social, psychological, economic, health, and other similar conditions
were raised during the second incident since it involved possibly expelling
the students. Their Behavior manifestation plans were brought into account
and viewed to see if there was a possible relation which is what not. From
there, the rest of the disciplinary action took place.
Reading(s) Ridnouer, K. (2006). Managing Your Classroom with Heart: Chapter 3.
Balancing Care and Discipline. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, (3).
Although this book is mostly intended for a classroom teacher, there were
aspects that can apply to someone becoming an administrator. The two
biggest parts were “Helping a Student Change His or Her Behavior and
Choosing Your Battles.” Helping a student change their behavior should
always be a main function, because punishing someone for an action
without explain to them will only result in the same infraction happening
again. Understanding why the offence is taking place can help to change the
child’s behavior.
Choosing your battles should make sense to everyone. As an administrator,
you will have to know how to budget your time and be flexible about issues.
The reading said it is smart to set a precedent for as many offences as you
can so your entire school will know how you like to handle certain problems
and lets everyone know you are treating them equally.
Back to Top
Objective 27
Evaluate the custodial operations and maintenance procedures for a school. Make recommendations for
improving the procedures for getting work done.
STANDARDS: 3.1

Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
12/6/12 4:00 5:30 1 ½ Interviewed two of the custodial staff
(“Honest Bill” & John) about their daily
duties.
5/1/13 3:30 5:00 1 ½ Talked to custodial staff about Service
Solutions (the company they work for);
also talked to maintenance staff about their
duties.
Reflections
and learning
Service Solutions is the name of the company that cleans the school
buildings for Henry County. They are an outside agency that the school
system employs to handle the cleaning duties. Since they are technically
contracted by an outside agency, if there ever is a problem that arises with
them, the agency must be contacted to handle it.
Maintenance employees work for the school system, so they are treated like
other staff members that work for the school system. When they go to a
school to fix/repair something, they must have a work order in place to do
so before they can proceed.
Reading(s) Daresh , J. & Lynch, J. (2011, 02). Pulling together. Principal, Retrieved
from http://www.naesp.org/prinicpal-janfeb-2011-forging-
relationships/pulling-together
Administrators can maximize their school's learning environment by
valuing each staff member's contributions, and custodial/maintenance staff
are no exceptions. These people are valuable members of the team and help
keep the school functioning just like the teachers in your building. It can be
easy to overlook them sometime, but this article talks about ways to not let
you unmistakably do that. Not only does it refer to tips about
acknowledging the work custodians/maintenance staffs do, but also
includes a section about office workers and food service workers.
Back to Top
Objective 28
Conduct a complete safety audit, including a fire inspection. Make recommendations to remedy any
deficiencies.
STANDARDS: 3.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
5/13/13 7:00 9:00 2 Talked with Mr. Dillard about the safety
audit that he has to fill out in reviewed it.

Reflections
and learning
The Energy Education Specialist, Ken Adkins, sends out an email
attachment for administrators to fill out at the different schools. The
questions range around things such as: are the doors secured, are certain
areas designated by proper signs, is the school debris free, etc. The one
thing I wish the audit had was a place where administrators could voice
concerns about specific things they have at their school they want to
address.
Reading(s) (1997). Resources on school safety. Classroom Leadership, 1(2), Retrieved
from http://www.ascd.org/publications/classroom-
leadership/oct1997/Resources-on-School-Safety.aspx
Before you can expect students to learn in your school building, you must
first provide a safe haven for them. This article talks about the steps you
can do to provide a safe facility so students can strive to reach their full
potential. Not only does it provide you with a step-by-step guide, it comes
with a questionnaire and multiple examples for you to test your knowledge
to see if you would make the right decision if that event happened at your
school building.
Back to Top
Objective 29
Review and recommend improvements in the crisis plan for the school.
STANDARDS: 3.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
7/16/12 9:00 1:00 4 Reviewed Bassett High School’s Crisis
Plan.
7/17/12 9:00 11:00 2 Reviewed Drewry Mason Elementary
School’s Crisis Plan.
9/6/12 2:30 3:00 ½ Talk with Mrs. Martin about my duty as
being part of the Bassett High School Crisis
Plan Team.
4/13/13 9:00 5:00 8 Reviewed the crisis plan for the Alternative
school.
Reflections
and learning
I got the opportunity to review two crisis plans (one at Drewry Mason
Elementary School and Bassett High School). They were extremely similar
do to both schools being in the same school district. The only difference I
found in them was the areas where teachers take students and things such
as that since they were outlined for the layout of the specific school. After
going over both of them, I would recommend a section about technology
(such as a computer virus or something pertaining to that). I say this
because more things in schools are becoming reliant on computers; it is
only a matter of time before a student/s figure out a way to mess up
PowerSchool (the program we use to enter all of our grades and
attendance).

Reading(s) Schonfeld, D., Lichtenstein, R., Pruett, M. and Speese-Linehan, D. (2002).
How to Prepare for and Respond to a Crisis, 2nd Edition: Chapter 1.
Preparing for a Crisis. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, (1).
Chapter one of this book talks extensively about preparation. The better
prepared you are for a situation, the greater chance the outcome will turn
out in your favor. Of course it is impossible to prepare for everything that
could possibly happen (when dealing with people), so the chapter talks
about finding “nuggets” from other situations to help you with the possible
predicament you could find yourself in.
Back to Top
Objective 30
Conduct and evaluate a school emergency drill; i.e., fire drill, tornado drill, lockdown. Make recommendations
for improvements.
STANDARDS: 3.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
8/15/12 2:00 2:30 ½ Got to observe the procedures we use at
Bassett High School for performing a fire
drill.
1/23/13 8:45 9:15 ½ Helped perform a fire drill w/ the
administrators at BHS; all students/staff were
out of the building in roughly 1 minute and
45 seconds.
Reflections
and learning
After reviewing the procedures for conducting a tornado and fire drill, I was
able to help assist one at Bassett High School. I called security central and let
them know we were going to have a practice fire drill. This would insure that
no firefighters and emergency personal would come to our school by
mistake. When I went upfront, Mrs. Martin (assistant administrator) showed
me where to activate the test-mode for the fire drill. I walked around with
Mr. Dillard and filled out a check list form making sure everything was in
order after completing the fire drill.

Reading(s) Schonfeld, D. & Quackenbush, M. (2012, 12). Coping with loss. Principal,
42-45. Retrieved from
https://www.naesp.org/sites/default/files/Schonfeld_Quakenbush_ND12.pdf
After any type of tragedy, a school must prepare for the coping process that
comes after such an event. Although we practice many types of drill in
schools (fire, tornado, lockdowns, etc.), someone can still very much get hurt
during one of these events if it was real and not a simple drill. Not only does
this article talk about these events, but it also make references to parents
dying and the deaths of individuals due to drugs and the mental impact that
can have on students in your school building.
**I used the same reading for #31 because they both talk about
responses and measures to different tragedies/accidents that can happen
at school.**
Back to Top
Objective 31
Conduct and evaluate a bus evacuation. Make recommendations for improvements.
STANDARDS: 3.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
9/10/12 7:30 8:30 1 Helped Mrs. Scott conduct bus evacuation
drills for 1/5th
of the school buses at Bassett
High School.
drills for 1/5th of the school buses at
4/18/13 7:30 8:30 1 Helped Mrs. Martin conduct bus
evacuation drills for 1/5th of the school
buses at Bassett High School.
Reflections
and learning
Performing bus evacuation drills takes a lot of planning and resources. You
must have an area that is secure enough to perform this drill, and also have
a schedule for when each bus will perform it. The final obstacle is getting
the students to perform it correctly because it could possibly be a drill they
will have to perform if there was an accident.

Reading(s) Schonfeld, D. & Quackenbush, M. (2012, 12). Coping with loss. Principal,
42-45. Retrieved from
https://www.naesp.org/sites/default/files/Schonfeld_Quakenbush_ND12.pd
f
After any type of tragedy, a school must prepare for the coping process that
comes after such an event. Although we practice many types of drill in
schools (fire, tornado, lockdowns, bus, etc.), someone can still very much
get hurt during one of these events if it was real and not a simple drill. Not
only does this article talk about these events, but it also make references to
parents dying and the deaths of individuals due to drugs and the mental
impact that can have on students in your school building.
**I used the same reading for #30 because they both talk about
responses and measures to different tragedies/accidents that can
happen at school.**
Back to Top
Objective 32
Complete an audit of how teachers at your mentor’s school incorporate differentiated and effective instruction
to respond to the individual needs of learners from diverse cultural, economic, ethnic, and linguistic heritages.
Develop plans for communicating your findings to the appropriate community groups.
STANDARDS: 6.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
12/13/12 2:00 3:00 1 Completed a walk-through of some classes
with Mrs. Scott; looking at different
strategies that were (and were not)
effective. Helped guide feedback to the
teachers.
2/26/13 4:00 4:30 ½ Had a pre-conference with Mr. Eanes today
about the upcoming formal observation.
3/7/13 2:30 3:30 1 Conducted a formal evaluation for Mr.
Eanes; followed up with Mrs. Scott.
3/9/13 9:00 9:30 1/2 Held Mr. Eanes’ post-conference (w/ Mrs.
Scott being present); followed up with her
afterwards for suggestions.
3/22/13 4:00 4:30 ½ Had a pre-conference with Mrs. Morris
today about the upcoming formal
observation.
3/27/13 9:15 9:45 ½ Conducted a formal evaluation for Mrs.
Morris; followed up with Mrs. Scott.
4/9/13 8:00 8:30 ½ Held Mrs. Morris’ post-conference (w/
Mrs. Scott being present); followed up with
her afterwards for suggestions.

Reflections
and
learning
As we move further and further away from the industrialized style of
teaching and more into the technology age, our teachers must keep up with
the changing times. It can be hard for teachers to start teaching in a style that
they themselves were not taught in since that is taking them out of their
comfort zone. Administrators have to do everything they can to encourage
professional development in these areas so teachers can be accustomed to
recognizing different learning styles and being able to address those
students’ needs in their classrooms.
Reading(s) Davis, J. and Smith, R. (April 2013). Communicator: Seven Timely Tactics
for School Turnaround. National Association of Elementary School
Principals. Volume 36 (8)
This reading talks about the seven strategies for turning around a school. It
includes ways to promote differentiation in teacher’s classrooms within your
school. Some of the ways it talks about doing this is by having professional
development that talks about cultural responsive teaching and new
formative/summative assessments to track students growth.
Back to Top
Objective 33
Find a situation in which you will feel entirely out of place, but not unsafe. The situation should be one you
have not experienced before and that places you in conditions that cause you to feel like a minority and to think
about how others who may be very different from those in the majority feel in comparable situations. Write
about your feelings and thoughts related to your experience. Reflect on what you learned about yourself, what it
means to live in a diverse social order, and how diversity affects public schooling.
STANDARDS: DISPOSITION
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
7/11/12 7:30 5:00 9.5 Got to walkthrough a 1st
/2nd
grade and
4th
/5th
grade classrooms during summer
school. Helped a little bit with instruction
in the classes after I got more comfortable.
5/4/13 9:00 5:00 8 Observed the operational set-up of the
Alternative school; talked about the
differences between “regular” schools and
alternative schools.

Reflections
and learning
Today was a very interesting day, due to the fact this was my first time
being at my elementary school placement with the students being present. I
was initially excited at the fact students were going to be present and I can
get to have contact with them, but then soon realized I was totally out of
my comfort zone. While I was working on my Bachelor’s degree, I never
did any type of internship placements at an elementary school. All of my
placements were either at a middle school or high school. The more I
started to think about it, the more nervous I got as Mrs. Durham gave me a
list of classrooms she wanted me to visit today and sit in for a while.
The first class I walked into was a 1st
/2nd
grade class (the classes were
combined due to the low enrollment of students for summer school). I felt
like the big green giant in the refrigerator isle when I walked in the
classroom at first because all the children were so tiny. After a few minutes
however, I fell in love with all of them because they were so sweet. I am
far from being the cheesy emotional type, but the kids were just so
wonderful. As I walked around, I would ask the students what they were
working on and if I could help. Before I knew it, I had a student teaching
me things on an I-pad that I did not even realize. The class were making
pictographs; first using skittles and paper. Next, the students uploaded their
totals into a bar graph program on the I-pads.
After being in the 1st
/2nd
grade classroom for roughly thirty minutes, I went
upstairs to the 4th
/5th
grade classroom and observed a lesson on Dr. Seuss’
Butter book and watched the students make butter using whipping cream.
The students were engaged tremendously by the lesson because of the
hands-on approach the lesson entailed.
Today was a real eye opener for me because this experience will definitely
help me become a better administrator and educator. Although I was
initially nervous at the fact that I have never had experience around
children at this age, I realized that they are not different from middle/high
schoolers. I have always believed that all children just want to know you
care about them, and today really strengthen this belief for me. It was
interesting to feel as if I was the minority in the class, even though the
students probably viewed me as one of the “teachers.”
Reading(s) Frank, L. (April 1944). Reorganizing Our Prejudices. Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, 389-392.
Mr. Frank’s book talks about prejudices in our society and how we use
them to perceive things we are not certain about. I related to this notion in
regards to the elementary students before I even did my walk-through,
because I was going by things I had heard about them; short, immature,
impatient, etc. Although some of those things were true, the children that
age reminded me a lot of the high schoolers I work with on a daily basis. In
line with the points the book was making, the more we try to learn about
whatever it is we are prejudging the more we will better understand it and
tear down false pretenses.
Back to Top
Objective 34

Identify three leadership objectives related to the operation of the school or setting. These objectives must be
approved by your mentor, and you must do the planning and necessary implementation to achieve them. You
must involve constituents in planning and implementing changes in current programs or procedures or in
planning and implementing new programs or procedures.
STANDARDS: None
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
8/2/12 7:00 8:00 1 Created a list of tips to go over with new
teachers in preparation for the upcoming
school year.
8/3/12 8:30 10:00 1 ½ Made a list of locker combinations for
teachers to give out the first day of school.
8/15/12 2:30 3:30 1 Looked through free/reduced lunch forms
and wrote in student’s id numbers.
9/14/12 2:00 3:30 1 ½ Called students to the guidance office and
handed out free/reduced lunch forms to the
children who qualified for it from last year.
Reflections
and learning
These objectives were some my mentor issued out to me because she felt
these were some duties I needed to know how to perform even though they
were not a part of the objective list. It was a nice mixture of things that
were far opposites of each other. Each one served a vital purpose in helping
the school function properly.
Reading(s) Mosher, E. (November 1980). Politics and Pedagogy: A New Mix.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 110-111.
It is important to know the “political” guidelines one must follow to get
certain things done within their school. The author talks about how many
times educators in all positions get frustrated when they do not fully
understand the guidelines in getting policies and rules established; in turn,
hindering them from things they want to get accomplished.
Back to Top
Objective 35
Attend at least one grade-level or departmental planning session at each level (elementary, middle, high school)
and write a brief reflective statement on teacher leadership in these sessions, including how you would work
with these leaders to facilitate student learning.
STANDARDS: None
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/5/12 2:00 2:30 ½ Attended a high school Social Studies
department meeting to discuss the success’
of this school year and things that can be
addressed for the following year.
7/19/12 12:00 5:00 5 Observed Mr. Gravely meet with

department heads of his respective
departments in his school to go over
procedures for the upcoming school year.
1/22/13 12:45 1:15 ½ PLC meeting w/ the Social Studies
department to discuss the following:
upcoming schedule for other PLC’s, SOL
data, and SMARTGoals.
2/7/13 8:00 10:00 2 Attended a department meeting for an
elementary school.
Reflections
and learning
The department meetings I have observed all took place with the lead
teacher and administrative staff out in front and center. Both meetings
focused on student learning development and what could be done to
improve the instructional process. With the administrative staff facilitating
the meetings (and documenting events), lead teachers would share
information they got from teacher development meetings and other
strategies they have found.
I would do the same thing our administrative staff does, and that is
facilitate these meetings. Fortunately we have never had an argument in
one of these, but you never know what can happen. Tempers could possibly
flare over someone’s suggestion and it would be the administrator’s job to
step in to relieve the tension.
Reading(s) Dods, S. (May 1999). Classroom Leadership: New Teachers: The
Department Chair's Role. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, volume 2, (8).
The reading talked about the significance an effective lead teacher and
administrative staff on department meetings. Since they are viewed by the
rest of the faculty as leaders, they must make sure the meetings run
according to plan. The same way teachers make detailed lessons knowing
what they are going to cover in class, lead teachers should apply that same
concept to department meetings. I took away the importance of being well-
prepared when addressing the rest of the staff about something.
Back to Top
Objective 36
Observe and describe the leadership of the primary administrators of the community agency selected for the
outside experience. Compare and contrast it to the leaders you have observed in school settings.
STANDARDS: 6.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
4/19/13 4:00 8:00 4 Shadowed the assistant supervisor at the
Franklin County YMCA; reflected on the
similarities and differences between my
mentor and him.
5/11/13 6:30 8:30 2 Shadowed the assistant supervisor at the
Franklin County YMCA; reflected on the
similarities and differences between my

mentor and him.
Reflections
and learning
There are more similarities between administrators in schools and other
agencies than I ever realized. Not only do they seek to promote the success
of their agencies just like a principal does in their school, but these
administrators seek out collaboration between other businesses so they can
grow. This reminded me of the isllc standard that refers to “community”
since they are trying to extend their reach into other avenues within thee
community they are present in.
Reading(s) Abt-Perkins, D., Hauschildt , P., & Dale, H. (2000). Becoming
multicultural supervisors: Lessons from a collaborative field study. Journal
of Curriculum and Supervision, 16(1), Retrieved from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/jcs/fall2000/Becoming-Multicultural-
Supervisors@-Lessons-from-a-Collaborative-Field-Study.aspx
This article ties directly into the conclusions I spoke about in my reflection
above; in reference to the similarities between administrators in a school
setting and administrators of an outside community agency. Both utilize
similar techniques to help promote the success of their respective
buildings/agencies.
Back to Top
Objective 37
Observe and describe any collaborative relationships in which the community agency is engaged, especially
those with public or private schools. Assess the effectiveness of these collaborations in supporting student
achievement, solving school problems, or achieving school goals.
STANDARDS: 6.2
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
4/20/13 10:00 6:00 8 Observed Piedmont Community Center
officials working with constituents in
Franklin County Public Schools.
4/28/13 9:00 5:00 8 Observed Piedmont Community Center
officials working with constituents in
Franklin County Public Schools.

Reflections
and learning
Depending on the school systems guidelines for working with outside
agencies, the way places such as PCC operate can differ. In Franklin
County, the school system has a contract with the PCC to come into the
school and work with students when they feel there is a concern. For this
same agency to operate in Henry County schools, students are only referred
to PCC. These officials work with students outside the school setting,
unless requested to come to the school to work with a student.
Reading(s) Gibbs, G. (1998, May). Building Support Through Communication.
Classroom Leadership, 1.
Communication for these functions and guidelines to be upheld properly is
extremely important. An administrator needs to be well aware of the
protocol for such things. If they do not know, they need to know who they
need to contact to remain in compliance.
Back to Top
Objective 38
Observe and describe the work of the community agency with children and families. Describe how your school
could work with this agency to encourage the development of community collaborative efforts to provide
resources to address family and student problems.
STANDARDS: 6.3
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
4/20/13 10:00 6:00 8 Observed PCC and the YMCA work with
families and children within Franklin
County.
4/21/13 1:00 9:00 8 Observed PCC and the YMCA work with
families and children within Franklin
County.
Reflections
and learning
Collaborating with stakeholders in the community can be a key investment
for agencies such as these since they need them to help them flourish.
These agencies are measured by the success of how well the community
does, so there is a direct correlation in this goal for them and schools alike.
In Henry County, we could promote more afterschool programs at the
YMCA to keep students out of trouble. Possibly provide a “YMCA bus”
over to the YMCA every afternoon to keep students out of trouble and have
them in a safe environment instead of being at home by themselves if their
parents are working.

When working with different children and families, people need to
understand that everyone views things differently. That does not make one
way better than the other, but people need to see things through other
people’s eyes so they can make a rational and fair decision when creating
or changing something.
Back to Top
Objective 39
Describe how you or the schools can work with the agency. Identify barriers that may have to be overcome.
STANDARDS: 4.1
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
4/27/13 10:00 8:00 10 Asked opinions from PCC and YMCA
officials.
4/28/13 1:00 6:00 5 Asked opinions from school officials.
Reflections
and learning
Collaboration, Collaboration, and Collaboration!!!! That is the big key for
agencies to work with one another to prosper and grow. Also, you must be
open to others opinions and input. The more flexible you can be the more
agencies will be willing to add their fair share in the success of their local
schools within the community. Some of the obstacles to this include:
cultural differences, price cost (of different things), time restraints, etc. As
stated before, if these issues come up be flexible and weigh your options.
When working with different children and families, people need to
understand that everyone views things differently. That does not make one
way better than the other, but people need to see things through other
people’s eyes so they can make a rational and fair decision when creating
or changing something.
Back to Top
Objective 40

Attend at least one school board meeting and record actions taken and reasons for the actions. Describe the roles
of the school administrators at the meeting.
STANDARDS: None
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
7/12/12 8:00 12:00 4 Attended the School Board meeting at
central office. Took notes of everything
that took place for future reference.
Reflections
and learning
Attending the school board meeting was truly a learning experience. When
I walked in I was given an agenda which outlined the procedures of the
meeting and the subjects the school board was going to address today.
Since this meeting was held in the summer, there were not any school
administrators present, only senior personal. Mr. House (Superintendent of
Curriculum and Instruction), Sandy Strayer (Curriculum specialist), Dr.
Cotton (Superintendent), and others with similar positions were present,
along with a few students and other community members.
After the opening ceremony (call to order, roll call, pledge of allegiance,
etc.), the school board recognized the students who were present for
winning the HCPS First Generation College Scholarship. Once that was
over, then the school board started to address the agenda (mostly approving
spending on certain items, and awarding bids to different agencies). The
senior members mostly observed at the meeting I was at with the exception
of Mr. House and Dr. Cotton who both addressed the board. Mr. House
was asking for money to pay for courses he wanted all teachers in the
county to take for renewal purposes (for their teaching licenses), and Dr.
Cotton addressed the school board with his on section (Superintendent’s
reports). After the meeting, Mrs. Strayer made sure to point out that this
meeting went by a whole lot quicker compared to most since it was during
the summer and not much activity was taking place at the schools.
Reading(s) Meier, D. (June 2001). Education Update: A School Board for Each
School. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Mrs. Meier’s article talks about the functions an effective school board
plays in the community. Unfortunately due to budget cuts, school districts
are being combined making school boards responsible for larger numbers
of people than what they were originally meant to do. As Mrs. Meir points
out, “Not only do we need more school boards, but those that exist need
more—not less—power to say things that count about curriculum,
scheduling, pedagogy, assessment, hiring, etc. Schools with lively public
involvement are good not only for democracy but also for serious
intellectual work.” The responsibilities that school boards handle should
not be taken for granted.
Back to Top
Objective 41

Attend at least one administrative staff meeting at which the superintendent (or a designee) presides. Briefly
describe the vision that the administrative staff holds for the school division. (This may have to be inferred from
the discussion at the meeting.) Compare the district’s vision with that of your mentor’s school or department.
Assess the compatibility of the two.
STANDARDS: None
Date Time
started
Time
ended
Number
of hours
6/11/12 7:30 5:00 9.5 Mr. House (Assistant Superintendent of
Curriculum and Instruction) met with his
staff (other curriculum personal) to discuss
the weekly agenda.
6/13/12 7:30 5:00 9.5 Dr. Cotton (Superintendent of Henry
County) met with both of his Assistant
Superintendents to talk about the
Administrative retreat and discuss the new
Teacher Evaluation Process for next year.
Reflections
and learning
Both meetings held huge repercussions for the county’s school system. The
first one with Mr. House being the head went over the weekly agenda for
the curriculum personal and he designated out duties to them (such as, who
is in charge of the new reading program, Read 180, who has to go to the
next curriculum conference coming up, etc.). The second meeting had Dr.
Cotton reviewing the Teacher Evaluation Process presentation Mr. House
and Mrs. Dorr were going to give to the administrators at their principal’s
retreat. Dr. Cotton made sure to emphasize the importance of making sure
the evaluation process was explained thoroughly to the administrators so
that it can start off as smooth as possible.
I learned that the vision instituted by the top three personal (Dr. Cotton,
Mrs. Dorr, and Mr. House) has a trickle down affect for every other staff
member in the school system. It started to make sense why my principal
(Mr. Dillard) would have so many meetings about the new evaluation
process and upcoming SmartGoals because this is what his bosses want to
institute. Today showed me that even though you have the title of
administrator, there are still many levels ahead of you that make decisions
that can affect your school.
Reading(s) Smith, F. (December 1962). A System Prepares Leaders. Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development, 175-178.
The article spoke about preparing future leaders by including all personal
in developing solutions to problems then having them repeat it back to the
people under them. This can help distribute information more clearly to
everyone. Also, it allows people to better take in the information when they
hear it from “one of their own,” instead of a boss they rarely see. I liked
how the article also talks about finding future leaders in the system you
already work in; cultivating talent and molding it in the image the school
system wants to portray.
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