1) Do we clearly communicate that we are committed to continuous improvement?
The Board President said that he believes the Superintendent has his principals working hard at a providing direction towards continuous improvement but we could do a much better job at communicating this. He said we are committed to improvement however resources are limited and often slows down the process of improvement.
2) Is continuous improvement built into the planning processes?
There isn't a set plan in place for continuous improvement to happen, but believes our staff and administration do a great job at moving the district forward.
3) Are the programs and initiatives being assessed linked to short and long-term strategic objectives?
This is an area that is left up to the principals and their assessment of the programs in place. We currently do not have any long or short term goals set for the district and will look forward to putting some in place....soon.
4) Is there community participation in continuous improvement discussions and plan reviews?
There is community participation at the annual meeting and at every board meeting. Very seldom, if any are there any discussions about a continuous improvement or plan. In all his years as a board member the public have never taken part in any type of discussions.
5) Do we focus on solutions to problems instead of blaming?
There is very little blaming going on in our district. We seem to always focus on finding a solution or an alternate plan to fix the problems. In the event there is any blaming going on we quickly find a solution to the problem and move forward.
6) Are adjustments made and resources reallocated in a timely manner?
We make adjustment throughout the year, however the majority of the time things/programs are set. When adjustments need to be made things do tend to linger on. Decisions could be made much faster.
7) Do school board members, administrators, teachers, and other staff need continuous improvement training?
I would say yes....this is an area that has not been focused on. I do believe that our district does move forward, however wonder if there was something in place and consistently reviewed, if we would move forward faster and more efficiently.
After this discussion with the Board President I realized if given the opportunity to be Superintendent where I would need to focus some of guidance and direction. This district is in need of an improvement plan and something to work towards. I have spoken to a few board members about a one year plan, three year and five year plan. I also asked them how do they see this happening or taking place in this district, along with who do they involve? They (board members) really didn't have a clue on how to begin this process. So in the event I were to become Superintendent in this district I can see where my first order of business will need to be.
John, It seems, as you mentioned, that your district could probably benefit from some structured improvement planning via one of the models, such as the Studer Education framework. It may take some convincing of the board members, however, it seems that not only would the students and their achievement benefit, but if your board could instill the "culture of continuous improvement" that is discussed in chapter 12 of the "Key Work of School Board Book", you whole staff and board would benefit with clearer directions, more focused goals and measurable standards and data with which to draw conclusions and make decisions.
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteI feel your experience within your district is not uncommon in districts across the state. I don't feel many superintendents are equipped with the skill set to lead their board through the process of continuous improvement, or maybe don't see the value in the process. It sounds like your board president is leaving much of the work up to your building administrators and staff. While this autonomy from the board is helpful in many cases, your board needs to realize that continuous improvement at the district level needs to begin in the board room. I agree with Tom's comment that your board would benefit from having a structure in place, such as Studer or Carver.