#29 Happiness Advantage, Evaluation - Yours & Staff, Visit Schedule, Superintendent Search

Welcome Back!

I hope each of you had some time away to recharge before the very busy final months of school with testing, closing celebrations, preparing for next year, and closeout. In my visits, I have been continually impressed by the focus on teaching and learning even amidst testing season. Thank you.

Which comes first: Happiness or Success?

I just finished reading The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor, who has worked all over the world to rewire mindsets to promote success starting with how we view adversity, set backs, and challenge. It led me to this 12-minute TedTalk that may be useful for you and your staff. Our approach, the mindset we exude to colleagues, staff, and students can make a real difference in outcomes for individuals, our schools, and district. 

Remain steadfast through this transition

With a new superintendent being appointed in the very near future, our Interim Superintendent Perille wrote central office leadership her expectation that we maintain a "steadfast focus... in the coming weeks and months" and also "execute a leadership transition [to] ensure [we are ready for] a productive summer and successful start of the 2019-2020 school year." She asked that we close this year with "focus, poise, and an unyielding commitment to serving the best interests of BPS students... [and to] finish strong." Her words ring true for me, and I thought it appropriate to share them with you as well.

Here is information about the three finalists and schedule of events.

Visit Schedule

I need to make some changes to my calendar due to missing a few days because of illness and due to some unanticipated meetings that have popped up. I may have to collapse the amount of time or switch out dates so I can make up visits. When/If you receive changes that don't work, please let me know, and I will do my best to adjust. I waited until Sunday night to make calendar changes in an effort to minimize emails during vacation week. I apologize for disruption this may cause and as always, appreciate your flexibility.

Teacher Evaluation Deadlines

Just a reminder - all developing educator and one/two-year plan summatives are due May 15. Teachers should have submitted their artifacts by now. Formatives are due on June 1 for staff in first year of two-year plan.

Principal Evaluation Deadlines

On January 2, 2019, I sent each of you a personalized message subject Principal Evaluation notifying you of your plan type, priority indicators, dates, and templates. Align your artifacts to the priority indicators of: I-A Curriculum, I-D Evaluation, II-A Environment, II-B Human Resource Management and Development, III-B Sharing Responsibility, and IV-D Continuous Learning.

I am in the process of writing formative assessments for principals in year one of two-year plans. Artifacts are due on May 1 for those of you on self-directed plans and May 15 for developing educators. You may submit your artifacts in three ways listed below; choose the method that works for you. They all work fine for me. 

• Use this template
• Upload artifacts into TeachPoint
• Use your Quality School Plan and provide documentation and/or links there

Looking ahead to next year: 

• Calendar - The final 2019-2020 school calendar can be found here.
• CPT Scheduling - If you don't have it already, try to hold all CPTs on one day of the week or at minimum cluster certain grades on days (e.g. K-2 Mondays, 3-5 Wednesdays, etc.).
• ILT Selection - [Examples from Christine Landry in Network 1] Set a deadline to decide on your ILT for next year before (or very soon after) April break. Make sure to plan for them to meet several times as a team before the beginning of next year.
• Link to Condon ILT Application - Robby and his team created this great application and process for choosing ILT members and setting clear expectations for the work
• Link to Other Sample ILT Role Descriptions
• ILT Retreats - Consider building in an ILT retreat in August or since we get out early this year...in late June.
• School Leader PD will very likely be on Thursdays - please plan your PD and/or ILTs around Thursdays.

Next Year's PLCs

👀 In preparation for next year's PLC, watch for a survey asking you to assess where you and your school are along a cyclical continuum. This survey is for reflection purposes and NOT evaluative. Thanks in advance for helping us plan for next year. 

Focus Updates

Updates to Focus on First for SY20

Links to Materials Lists for SY20

• Focus on K1 Consumables Checklist
• Focus on K2 Consumables Checklist
• Focus on First Consumables Checklist
• Focus on Second Consumables Checklist

Reminder: Set Dates for Welcome Sessions

Welcome Sessions Memo with resource links for incoming Kindergartners, Sixth Graders, and Ninth Graders. Please enter dates of your welcome sessions at this link to ensure the dates and times are published accurately.