Open Future Doors through Succession Planning Principal? Curriculum Supervisor? Assistant Superintendent? Special Services Director?

Overview The Laurel School District has developed a 2- year plan to provide potential administrators with both district administration background and field-specific experiences. The first year of program activities will be known as Cohort I and the second year of program activities will be known as Cohort II. An application and acceptance program will be in place for both years of the program. The Laurel School District has developed a 2- year plan to provide potential administrators with both district administration background and field-specific experiences. The first year of program activities will be known as Cohort I and the second year of program activities will be known as Cohort II. An application and acceptance program will be in place for both years of the program.

Succession Planning Resource Team A team of district administrative professionals has been selected and trained to champion the Succession Planning Process. The resource team will include: A team of district administrative professionals has been selected and trained to champion the Succession Planning Process. The resource team will include: Linda Schenck, Assistant Superintendent Linda Schenck, Assistant Superintendent Gail Fowler, Director of Special Services Gail Fowler, Director of Special Services Sandy Baker, Curriculum Supervisor Sandy Baker, Curriculum Supervisor Jennifer Givens, Principal Jennifer Givens, Principal

Cohort I Cohort I: Each participant in the Succession Planning Program will be paired with a mentor from the resource team. Monthly communication between the mentor and the participant will occur. Each participant in the Succession Planning Program will be paired with a mentor from the resource team. Monthly communication between the mentor and the participant will occur. Participants will engage in monthly activities and guided visitation throughout the district to observe varying district administrative activities. Participants will engage in monthly activities and guided visitation throughout the district to observe varying district administrative activities. Performance activities will be conducted every other month by the participants related to group instruction and assigned reading. Performance activities will be conducted every other month by the participants related to group instruction and assigned reading. Participants will engage in reflective journaling. Journaling experiences/questions can be further explored through on-line chat group discussion, or mentor/participant communication. Participants will engage in reflective journaling. Journaling experiences/questions can be further explored through on-line chat group discussion, or mentor/participant communication. Evaluation and feedback will be conducted by participants and the resource team. Evaluation and feedback will be conducted by participants and the resource team. The members of the resource team will meet once monthly to engage in planning, scheduling and program review. The members of the resource team will meet once monthly to engage in planning, scheduling and program review. Participants will be encouraged to attend School Board meetings. Participants will be encouraged to attend School Board meetings.

Timeline for August 2005 The Succession Planning Resource Team will develop the program brochure, application and application scoring rubrics. The Succession Planning Resource Team will develop the program brochure, application and application scoring rubrics. The Resource Team will present the Succession Plan to the entire Laurel School District Administrative Team. The Resource Team will present the Succession Plan to the entire Laurel School District Administrative Team. September 2005 The Succession Planning Program will be presented to district staff. The Succession Planning Program will be presented to district staff. Applications will be submitted to and reviewed by the Resource Team. Program Participants are selected. Applications will be submitted to and reviewed by the Resource Team. Program Participants are selected. Participants will engage in a program Kick-Off and self-evaluation (DPAS II for Administrators). Participants will engage in a program Kick-Off and self-evaluation (DPAS II for Administrators). Participants will develop professional and personal goals for project participation. Participants will develop professional and personal goals for project participation.continued…

Timeline for October 2005 Instructional Topic: Effective Communication (Facilitated by Mrs. Fowler) Instructional Topic: Effective Communication (Facilitated by Mrs. Fowler) Whole group instruction will be provided. Whole group instruction will be provided. Participation in a variety of settings will occur (example: Muffins & Moms, IEP meeting, parent conference) Participation in a variety of settings will occur (example: Muffins & Moms, IEP meeting, parent conference) A performance task will be assigned related to Effective Communication. A performance task will be assigned related to Effective Communication. Reading materials will be provided for on-line and live discussion. Reading materials will be provided for on-line and live discussion. November 2005 Instructional Topic: Knowing and Using School Board Policy (Facilitated by Mrs. Schenck) Instructional Topic: Knowing and Using School Board Policy (Facilitated by Mrs. Schenck) Whole group instruction will be provided. Whole group instruction will be provided. A performance task will be assigned related to the districts grading policy and school compliance procedures. A performance task will be assigned related to the districts grading policy and school compliance procedures.continued…

Timeline for January 2006 Instructional Topic: Data Decision-Making (Facilitated by Mrs. Baker) Instructional Topic: Data Decision-Making (Facilitated by Mrs. Baker) A variety of data collection instruments will be explored. A variety of data collection instruments will be explored. The correlation between data, instruction and achievement will be explored. The correlation between data, instruction and achievement will be explored. A performance task will be assigned related to data collection and instructional decision-making. A performance task will be assigned related to data collection and instructional decision-making. February 2006 Instructional Topic: Budget Instructional Topic: Budget Group instruction will be provided by the resource team. Group instruction will be provided by the resource team. Participants will engage in at least one school budget process. Participants will engage in at least one school budget process. A mid-year Program Evaluation will be conducted. A mid-year Program Evaluation will be conducted. The Resource Team will conduct a program evaluation review based upon the participants evaluations. The Resource Team will conduct a program evaluation review based upon the participants evaluations.continued…

Timeline for April 2006 Instructional Topic: Scheduling (Facilitated by Resource Team) Instructional Topic: Scheduling (Facilitated by Resource Team) Participants will receive a timeline of district scheduling activities. Participants will receive a timeline of district scheduling activities. Participants will work with a district administrator to observe/assist with building scheduling decisions. Participants will work with a district administrator to observe/assist with building scheduling decisions. Group follow-up insights/questions/discussion will occur. Group follow-up insights/questions/discussion will occur. Instructional Topic: Unit Count (Facilitated by Mrs. Schenck) Instructional Topic: Unit Count (Facilitated by Mrs. Schenck) Unit count background information will be provided. Unit count background information will be provided. Staffing decisions related to unit count, grant funding and finances will be explored. Staffing decisions related to unit count, grant funding and finances will be explored.

Timeline for May 2006 Instructional Topic: Staff Evaluation (Facilitated by Mrs. Givens) Group instruction regarding DPAS will be provided. Participants and mentors will participate in a tandem observation activity. Both the mentor and the participant will write a DPAS evaluation. Perspectives will be shared. Post-conference with the teacher will be observed by the participant. June 2006 Instructional Topic: Celebrating Success (Facilitated by all member of the resource team)

Cohort II Year two of the Laurel School District Succession Planning program will continue to provide participants with valuable administrative professional development. The focus for this year, however, will be to match participants with specific activities, observations and professional development directly related to their individual areas of interest, goals and strengths/ weaknesses. Personal activity development will be designed when each participants administration area of study is declared. Year two of the Laurel School District Succession Planning program will continue to provide participants with valuable administrative professional development. The focus for this year, however, will be to match participants with specific activities, observations and professional development directly related to their individual areas of interest, goals and strengths/ weaknesses. Personal activity development will be designed when each participants administration area of study is declared.

Timeline for July 2006 Application for Cohort II Program Participation Application for Cohort II Program Participation Pre-requisite: Participants must be enrolled in, or have completed a Masters Program in School Administration. Pre-requisite: Participants must be enrolled in, or have completed a Masters Program in School Administration. Cohort II Application Review and Selection by the Resource Team Cohort II Application Review and Selection by the Resource Team August 2006 Participants will attend the University of Delaware Assessment Center. Participants will attend the University of Delaware Assessment Center.

Timeline for September 2006 Assessment Center group information will be reviewed by the Resource Team to identify common group strengths and areas of need. Assessment Center group information will be reviewed by the Resource Team to identify common group strengths and areas of need. Participants will meet with mentors to discuss/design monthly observation activities and to set goals for the school year. Participants will meet with mentors to discuss/design monthly observation activities and to set goals for the school year. Instructional Topic: Unit Count (Facilitated by Mrs. Schenck) Instructional Topic: Unit Count (Facilitated by Mrs. Schenck) Participants will observe/participate in unit count data collection and student count reporting. Participants will observe/participate in unit count data collection and student count reporting. Residual unit count staff generation will be explored. Residual unit count staff generation will be explored.

Timeline for January 2007 Instructional Topic: Accessing and Using Data for Targeted School Improvement (Facilitated by Mrs. Baker) Instructional Topic: Accessing and Using Data for Targeted School Improvement (Facilitated by Mrs. Baker) Data Access Through e-School Plus Data Access Through e-School Plus Using Data to Review and Create a School Improvement Plan Using Data to Review and Create a School Improvement Plan Participants will serve as ancillary members of the School Improvement Team in their building and one other building to observe/participate in the School Improvement Plan Process.Participants will serve as ancillary members of the School Improvement Team in their building and one other building to observe/participate in the School Improvement Plan Process.

Timeline for Spring 2007 Participants will observe a building leadership team using school data and the School Improvement Plan to design a building level professional development plan for the school year. Participants will observe a building leadership team using school data and the School Improvement Plan to design a building level professional development plan for the school year. Instructional Topic: DPAS and Performance Appraisals Instructional Topic: DPAS and Performance Appraisals Group Instruction will be provided. Group Instruction will be provided. Mentors and participants will observe the same teacher observed during the school year. Mentors and participants will observe the same teacher observed during the school year. Mentors and participants will conduct the Performance Appraisal Process with the teacher who was observed during both cohort years. Mentors and participants will conduct the Performance Appraisal Process with the teacher who was observed during both cohort years. Conduct a goals review Conduct a goals review Complete a Succession Planning Program evaluation Complete a Succession Planning Program evaluation Celebrate the completion of the Succession Planning Program. Celebrate the completion of the Succession Planning Program.

Thoughts To Remember