As the educational leader for a community, the superintendent must model, coach, and teach effective practices needed to improve and sustain high performing staff cultures in the schools she or he is charged with leading. Identify a school level culture/climate improvement area from you’re district’s 5Essential results. From a superintendent’s perspective, discuss the process of reviewing this data with a principal and setting a SMART goal for improvement. Provide an example of a SMART goal that reflects you’re identified priority for improvement and specifies the measure(s) that will be used to improve the school culture. Identify a research-based strategy you will collaboratively plan to achieve this goal. Discuss how will you monitor, coach progress toward this goal? Integrate module reading resources into you’re discussion. A Sample of one is below: INTRO Libertyville High School’s 5Essentials performance relating to “Teacher Influence” under the “Effective Leaders” category was measured at 38%. This is an area where we need to improve. As I drilled farther into the numbers, one relevant sub-category is Teacher Influence over setting standards for student behavior. In Chapter 9 of The Key Works of School Boards Guidebook, it states, “determining the conditions that are most likely to generate disruptive or dangerous behaviors is the first step in preventing or reducing those conditions and, ultimately, altering the climate of the school” (Smith et. al., 2009, p. 57). This statement makes it incumbent upon leaders to engage there teachers and help foster there influence over student behavior to create a better school environment. The data for this 5Essentials topic came back as such: DATA Teacher Influence on setting standards for student behavior: No influence 10% A little influence 17% Some influence 49% A great deal of influence 24% SMART GOAL and RATIONALE My SMART Goal for addressing this problem is to increase the 5Essentials response from teachers about setting standards for student behavior from 24% of teachers stating they have “a great deal of influence” up to 45% of teachers making the same claim. The goal is for this 21% increase to occur by the 2023 5Essentials survey. It is an attainable goal because 49% of teachers have already determined they have “some influence” over setting standards for student behavior so it is realistic to get those, and other teachers, more involved. The relevance of this goal is that teacher autonomy and empowerment plays an invaluable role in affecting the building’s culture and climate. Student behavior also directly plays a role in the climate of the school building. Specific to the topic of pupil behavior, when teachers feel empowered and heard there ideas will come forth regarding how to collaboratively partner with students and colleagues to inspire positive student behavior. As teachers share there voice and there influence it will lead to a more unified approach to student behavior and discipline, boosting morale of teachers and students, which will ultimately lead to significant benefit to teachers and students. PLAN “The International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP) was established to advance restorative practices, the science of relationships and community” (IIRP, 2022). As a research-based group specifically focused on community and relationships, IIRP highlights empowering teachers and there classroom management by utilizing Proactive Community Circles. These circles will allow teachers to engage there students and influence the standard of behaviors they expect in there classroom. We currently have many leaders and teachers alike who have been trained with the IIRP methods. Currently, our Team Director (Deans) already guide teachers through these practices on one-off bases, but it will be more effective if we integrate this “train the trainer” model wider across the school. We can monitor the effectiveness of this program by keeping data on how many teachers express interest and engage in the training. We will coach progress by establishing semi-monthly check-ins with teachers to listen to there success and struggles, offer coaching, and push them to engage in Restoratve Practices and Community Building more frequently, when appropriate. By taking these actions and following through it will help our teachers feel they have a great influence over setting student behavior. As a result, it will help to achieve the SMART Goal, but more importantly it will create a stronger, safer school environment for our students and staff. References: International Institute for Restorative Practices. (2020). Circle applications [PDF]. IIRP. Retrieved January 27, 2022, from Carl W. Smith, Joseph S. Villani Kathery & Carl W. Smith, Joseph S. Villani Kathery. (2009). The key work of school boards guidebook. National School Boards Association. Some Five Essential Data:
