Superintendents Statewide Mentoring Meeting Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Name & District

Outcomes: Cultivate a professional learning network; Ensure familiarity with SAI’s Mentoring and Induction program resources and expectations; Develop the mentoring relationship; Identify resources/tools to improve leadership-life fit; Gain insight to effective strategies for working effectively with the board; Discuss pertinent legal issues; Consult with colleagues regarding a leadership challenge; and Deepen understanding of effective principal support and development.

Links Resources: https://sai-iowa.site- ym.com/page/sept17suptmentoring Evaluation: http://bit.ly/supt91917 Mentoring Matters: http://www.sai- iowa.org/mentoring-and-induction.cfm

What challenges and successes have you experienced in your first 100 days?

Mentor-Mentee Time Process each other’s questions Set dates for monthly meetings and building visit/s Explore Mentoring Matters Resources Review the October calendar together

Leadership-life Fit: Stress and Peak Performance Dana Schon, SAI

The Yerkes-Dodson Law How anxiety affects performance Optimal arousal and optimal performance Keep colleagues at this level!! Strong Energized Impaired performance because of strong anxiety Increasing attention and interest Fatigued Focused Performance performance increases with physiological or mental arousal (stress) but only up to a point. When the level of stress becomes too high, performance decreases. “Whether self-generated or externally imposed, you need some stress (often in the form of positive incentives or consequences from inaction) to be productive. Without it, not much happens – you stay in bed munching chocolates. As you begin to experience pressure, your performance improves, at least at first. Eventually you reach a point (which varies from person to person) at which further demands, in the form of too many balls to juggle or too heavy an emotional load, start to undermine performance. This dynamic creates more stress, further reducing your performance and creating a vicious cycle as you go over the top of your stress curve. Rarely, outright exhaustion sets in and the new leader burns out. Much more common is chronic underperformance. You work harder and achieve less.” Exhausted Bored Broken down & Burned out Weak Low Arousal/Stress High

Performance Arousal/Stress Strong Zone of optimal performance for easy task Easy Task Performance Zone of optimal performance for hard task Hard Task More complex task, lower level arousal tolerated Weak Low Arousal/Stress High

Mentor Mentee

Moving toward optimal stress Where can you establish more control in your life? What routines support you? What does your morning routine include (e.g. reading, writing, meditation, exercise, prayer)? What habits or routines are not serving you well? How are you managing your energy? Cognitive demand of “little decisions” – routines or opportunities to eliminate some decision-making can open up cognitive space for the more important decisions

Setting the Stage: Legal Updates http://bit.ly/LEGAL919

Modified Discussion Panel--Working Effectively with Your Board

Welcome, Panelists!! John Speer, College Community Kerri Nelson, Shennandoah Mike Pardun, Denison & Schleswig

Working Effectively with Your Board How do you keep you board focused on the “right” work (i.e. education and student achievement)? How do you educate your board around key issues? How do you ensure your board members are familiar with district policy? Turn and Talk

Working Effectively with Your Board What do you do when a board member/s crosses the line into micromanagement? What if a board members wants a principal (or staff member) fired, for example? How do you reinforce what role the board plays and your role? What is the greatest challenge you face in navigating board relationships and how have you approached that? Turn and Talk

Working Effectively with Your Board How do you keep your goals and the board goals at the forefront? How do you maintain the appropriate distance between your board and your staff? Turn and Talk

Legal Reminders and Updates Matt Carver, SAI

Learning Community: Leadership Dilemma Consultancy

Protocol- STEP 1 Leader who drives the oldest car will be the first presenter Timekeeper/facilitator will be the person to the left of the presenter Presenter shares an overview of the dilemma and poses his/her focus question. 3 MINUTES

Protocol- STEP 2 Consultancy Group asks questions Help presenter clarify and expand his/her thinking about the dilemma presented to the group. Help presenter analyze the dilemma. 2 MINUTES

Protocol- STEP 3 Consultancy Group talks with each other about the dilemma presented while the presenter listens and takes notes: What did we hear? What didn’t we hear that might be relevant? What assumptions seem to be operating? What questions does the dilemma raise for us? What do we think about the dilemma? What might we do or try if faced with a similar dilemma? What have we done in similar situations? 5 MINUTES

Protocol – STEP 4 Presenter reflects on what he/she heard and on what he/she is now thinking, sharing with the group anything that particularly resonated during the consultancy. 5 MINUTES Rotate to next presenter.

Principal Growth, Development, and Evaluation Chad Garber, Williamsburg

Final Thoughts & Evaluation Upcoming learning opportunities: http://www.sai-iowa.org/events.cfm Evaluation: http://bit.ly/supt91917