An effective leader must create and embark on an intentional plan that serves as a guide in thier first year in their leadership position. Often these plans are referred to as a Leadership or Entry Plan. I am sharing the major elements of the Plan I used when I began my position as principal, however, now that I am finishing my third year as principal, I believe that I must transition this plan to a Professional Growth Plan. This Professional Growth Plan is outlined below and will provide me with the guidance I need to continue on the path of success as a school leader.
Professional Growth Plan
When I was awarded the position of principal, three years ago, I knew there were things that I wanted to accomplish, change, and put in place. I was fortunate to have been a teacher in the same school for many years and as I made my transition, I was clear on what my vision, focus and philosophy would be as a principal. It was essential to create a plan that served as a promise to the staff and students of Madison Preparatory that I would observe, listen and respond to the needs of our school. As a result, I developed an Leadership Plan that addressed the following:
- School climate and culture
- Student achievement and performance
- Staff support for professional education and resources
- Parent and community involvement
Now, as I finish my third year as principal of Madison Preparatory, I am pleased with the results of my plan. I find, however, that my work is far from done. I believe I have accomplished much through my plans, however, I know that as a leader I must continue to stretch, challenge and grow in order to continue to provide an atmosphere that promotes 21st century skills, rigorous academics and a secure and collaborative environment. I have created a plan that will enable me to broaden my leadership work. Therefore, my professional growth plan includes the following goals and intentions:
1. Become more involved in technology based work/initiatives
I believe I must stay current with the world of technology and be keenly aware of the benefits to our staff and students. I wish to prepare our students for the ever-changing and competitive technological world. I will assure that I am providing 21st centure skills to our students in their classroom instruction and in their use of technology, thus, I will continue to learn more about how I can enhance my knowledge and assessment of current technology. I will work with our district technology director to bring additional and enhanced technology into all of our classrooms.
I will work with our district technology director to update our school webpage on the district website. I will use our webpage to share current events, activities and updates as well as any other communication that offers information to parents and stakeholders.
2. Provide more relevant and meaningful Professional Learning for staff
I want to provide my staff continued growth and development in best practice strategies and assessments. I will offer the most current and well-trained staff to our students, thus, I will plan and develop current and meaningful Professional Learning for my staff using Job Embedded Prof. Learning. I will offer opportunities for modeling and partnering of instruction as a vehicle for learning and growing as educators. I will seek support from Oakland Schools to develop and provide rewarding, relevant and challenging Professional Learning. I will offer relevant PL as a response to teacher input so I can meet the specific needs of our professional staff.
3. Establish high expectations that are defined and communicated
I believe we offer highly qualified and talented staff at Madison Prep, however, I believe that we can continue to challenge ourselves to always work collaboratively and with continued consistency and rigor.
I will work with and coach teacher staff to develop instructional goals and improvement plans. I will meet with teachers regularly and inspire Professional Learning Committees to develop strategies and goals for instructional improvement. I believe we can offer 21st century learning and teachers can strive to continue to elevate instruction to meet the academic needs of our students along with this ever changing and challenging world.
We will meet bi-weekly to discuss challenges, problems and solutions. I will reinforce consistency with policies and lead by example with consequences for students that are logical and equitable.
I will model a work ethic that demonstrates a commitment to the entire educational process. I will expect that all teachers are committed to working at a 100% level each day by being visible in the hallways, handling student concerns and offering strong and rigorous instruction.
Professional Plan - Goal Summary
I began my teaching career with a strong passion and desire to make a difference in the lives of children. As a school leader it is my job to continue to be sure that we are making a difference with children; socially, emotionally and academically. I believe that with my leadership skills, my teaching experience, my conviction to create a strong academic and safe community, and my continued desire to grow and learn, I will be successful. As educators and leaders, I believe we must do whatever it takes to ensure that all students have the best opportunity to be success learners!