DLP Assignment 1.1 October 16, 2012 Tonya M. Little NCSU NELA Cohort II

Riverside Middle School Williamston, NC

Part 1: Assessing & Enhancing Your School’s Identity Area of Assessment Mission Statement The mission of Riverside Middle School's faculty and staff is to enhance the educational process for students, parents, teachers, and all community stakeholders. Not Demonstrated No evidence of a written statement. Developing Early stages or draft of a written statement. Proficient Written statement is in place and used on a periodic basis by the school to lead school improvement ✗ Accomplished A written statement is in place and used on a regular basis by the school to lead school improvement. Distinguished A written statement is in place and used as a central factor in leading school improvement- pervasively known and used throughout the school community.

Area of Assessment Vision Riverside Middle School does not have a vision statement. Not Demonstrated No evidence of a written statement. ✗ Developing Early stages or draft of a written statement. Proficient Written statement is in place and used on a periodic basis by the school to lead school improvement Accomplished A written statement is in place and used on a regular basis by the school to lead school improvement. Distinguished A written statement is in place and used as a central factor in leading school improvement- pervasively known and used throughout the school community.

Area of Assessment Beliefs Riverside Middle School does not have a written statement of beliefs. Not Demonstrated No evidence of a written statement. ✗ Developing Early stages or draft of a written statement. Proficient Written statement is in place and used on a periodic basis by the school to lead school improvement Accomplished A written statement is in place and used on a regular basis by the school to lead school improvement. Distinguished A written statement is in place and used as a central factor in leading school improvement- pervasively known and used throughout the school community.

Part 2: Referencing the resource monograph, “Developing Your School’s Organizational Identity: Foundation of Collaboration learning Communities” and the NCSSE Standards 1.a, 1.b and 1.c, provide a narrative justifying your assessment for each of these three components of your school’s identity.

Part 2: Mission Riverside Middle School has a mission statement that was written with input from staff and the members of the School Improvement Team. The mission was written when the school was Williamston Middle School. The mission is posted on the school website. It is not visible in the school. The mission is referred to mostly by administration in reference to achievement and promotion of positive behavior. It is usually stated in phone messages to parents and stakeholders.

Part 2: Vision and Beliefs Currently, there is not a written vision statement. Currently there is not a written set of beliefs.

Part 3: Using a bulleted format, describe in sequential order from first to last, the 3-5 most important steps you as a school leader would take to improve or enhance your school’s current status of its identity.

1."If you don't know where you are going, you probably aren't going to get there.” – Yogi Berra. Using a small core team of school leaders, parents and students, describe the school you want to become.

2. Have the core team examine existing data such as 1.Student attendance rates. 2.Student tardies. 3.Staff attendance rates and days most often missed. 4.Department or grade-level staff absenteeism. 5.Staff turnover rates. 6.Student enrollment in sports or clubs. 7.Disciplinary incidents (including types of referrals and where they occur among teachers, teams, and departments) and dispositions (including detention, in-school suspension, suspension, and expulsion). 8.State assessment results. 9.Local common assessment results. 10.Standardized achievement test results.

3.The core team along with the school community needs to create a shared vision for the school based on a set of core beliefs to which the school community can commit. The vision will need to reflect the school district vision and goals as well as the state standards.

4.Staff, students and other stakeholders (BOE, parents, guardians, and business community partners, ) identify and share their core beliefs and describe how their ideal school would look.

5.Mission Statement, The Wing Beneath Our Wings Next the core team and school community develops "how-to" statements or action plans that help the school achieve their vision. The mission is the touch point that can help determine whether what should be happening is, in fact, happening.

To determine the core beliefs that would guide a vision and mission statement, I interviewed staff, students and parents for one word that would describe us as knights. The following video shows the results…

Click on knight to link to survey results.

What’s Next? The core team will attempt to blend key words, phrases, and concepts into a viable statement. During this process, they need to ensure that the mission they are crafting aligns with the new vision statement— specifically, that the steps, actions, and values stated in the mission are things that will help them achieve the vision. The relationship between the mission and the vision must be clear.

What’s Next? The vision and mission should be sent home in newsletters and posted in prominent places throughout the school—classrooms, hallways, the cafeteria, and so on—to keep it at the forefront of people's minds.

What’s Next Develop specific SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Frame) goals to carry out the mission.

Assignment 1.3: Personal Reflection on Strategic Leadership Submit a written (No more than 250 words) personal reflection, or other creative product your choice, on why the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principal (NCPAPA) High Performance Model Identifies Strategic Leadership as the “driver” of the seven NCSSE and what you as a school leader will do to advance your current leadership knowledge, skills, or dispositions in this standard to the “Distinguished” level of performance

The Ties that Bind.. Collaboration…data…continuous improvement Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for. Peter Marshall As a school leader, I will seek collaboration with all stakeholders so that all voices are heard and expressed clearly in the vision, mission and beliefs of our school. Synergic decisions will be driven by data to seek continuous improvement and growth of our students. This is exemplary of why Strategic Leadership is the driving factor of the seven NCSSE.

I will continue to observe, reflect and grow in my current administrative internship. I will gain insight into best practices by visiting model school programs and reading current literature about strategic leadership. I will continue to have meaningful conversations with my executive leadership coach, to reflect and grow in my administrative practices. I will seek opportunities to learn how and develop leadership in others, because an effective leader is measured by the leaders he/she leaves behind.