Domain I—Leadership of the Educational Community – Competencies 1 - 4
Competency 1 Area:
The superintendent knows how to act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner in order to promote the success of all students.
In reviewing my internship plan, I found five activities that corresponded to competency area one. I believe that completing these activities has made me more aware of the importance of acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner. The first of my activities (30a) involved interviewing a retired educator or elderly community member. I was fortunate enough to find someone who fit both categories. A grandparent of one of our students, who also happened to be a retired teacher, consented to my interview request. During our time together, we talked quite a bit about integrity, fairness, and ethical behavior. Ms. Davis strongly believes that one of the most important characteristics of effective teachers is the ability to be fair. She believes that teachers should be good role models and always exhibit high morals and values. She also believes strongly that all administrators, especially the superintendent, should always promote these values.
Another activity (29a) that corresponds to this competency involved locating a copy of the job description and evaluation instrument for the superintendent. I was not able to locate a written job description, but the district policy manual contains the SBEC Code of Conduct for Educators and several related policies that address the expectations that the superintendent act in an ethical manner at all times. The evaluation instrument contains broad language, but no specific references to integrity, fairness, or ethical behavior. Activity 31a asked for a list of guiding principles. Briefly, I believe in putting children first, telling people the truth, supporting others in their efforts, and trying to follow the Golden Rule. The two interviews that followed reinforced these concepts. My superintendent also believes that these principles are vital to being a good leader. The business leader I interviewed believes that integrity, fairness, and ethical behavior are important in the business world as well. She tries to run her business with those principles in mind.
The fourth activity (32a) asked me to choose a set of interpersonal skills to develop throughout the school year. I chose four including acknowledging the accomplishments of others and attempting to resolve conflicts constructively. In acknowledging others, I worked to be honest and fair in my comments and notes. I do think that false praise is dishonest and not always helpful to others. In resolving conflicts, the same is true. Being honest and also being fair and ethical is important in working with people who are in conflict. It is often easy to side with the person you know the best or like the best, but being ethical requires one to be completely objective. A final activity (33b) involved attending as many board meetings as possible. As a campus administrator, I attend all monthly meetings and also, participate in closed executive sessions. During these sessions, I have observed several actions that I would judge to be somewhat unethical. Occasionally, board members admit things behind closed doors that make me question integrity. On occasion, confidentiality has been breached and things have been repeated that should not have been. Fortunately, these occasions are not frequent.
Overall, aside from the internship activities, I have daily contact with parents, staff members, and students and I try each day to act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner. I do believe that this is an area of strength for me. As a Christian, I believe that I follow a certain code of conduct in my personal life and that these same rules for daily living influence me as a school leader. I think that my parents raised me well and that I am an ethical leader. I hope that I can be a positive role model for my school and all those I have contact with each day.
Competency 2 Area:
The superintendent knows how to shape district culture by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the educational community.
In Activity 1c, I compared the vision statements from Leggett ISD and Livingston ISD. Because the districts are very different in size and history, I found the statements to be very different as well. In preparing for this activity, I also read a number of other vision statements from a variety of schools. I think that what I learned most from this activity is that the vision statement needs to be more than just a cute phrase to put on the letterhead or the website. After completing this activity, I made copies of our district vision/mission statement and our district goals and had them posted throughout our campuses. I was impressed by the response of the staff who asked for additional copies and suggested more places where we could display them. I think they liked the idea of posting these openly where all students and staff could see them daily.
Another activity that corresponds to this competency (2b) involved a review of the district’s strategic plan. This activity allowed me a close look at the development of a plan. Working with the site-based committee, I was involved in the entire process of developing the plan beginning with the district/campus needs assessment and working through the writing of the final draft. I was also able to follow the implementation and evaluation of several of the plan’s most important components. I think what I found most important in the process was the involvement of so many different individuals, including teachers, administrators, parents, business and community leaders. I especially appreciated the input from the parents and community members who brought a somewhat different point of view. I do believe that an effective superintendent will need to be able to work with everyone to bring about a shared vision for the district.
Activity 3c involved examining how assessment data is used by different people throughout the district. The most important aspect of using data, to me, is the fact that we make data available to all who can benefit from the information. As administrators, I believe that we control access and when we do so freely, we allow it to be used wisely. When we block access or make it difficult for others to get the information they need, we sometimes hinder our own district efforts. I think that a wise superintendent knows how to effectively share important data to the benefit of the district. Activity 5c provided an opportunity for me to observe the key concepts of implementation, stewardship, and shared vision. Looking at the issue of our elementary computer lab, I was able to consider each of these concepts. Despite an obvious need and a plan that fit our shared vision, we had to wait on available funds. The superintendent as a steward of the district’s money had to prioritize and as a result, we had to wait for our opportunity. When funds did become available, the superintendent made sure that they were spent on implementing our shared plan. This was a good lesson for all in several ways.
Finally, Activity 6c gave me input from both the superintendent and teachers regarding decision making processes. There was actually more agreement than I expected. At least on paper, the superintendents and most teachers agreed on the most appropriate times to reach collaborative decisions. All agreed that there were times when quick and authoritative decisions were appropriate, but decisions involving school policies and curriculum decisions that had more daily impact on teachers and students should be made collaboratively. I think most teachers need to feel included in these decisions and a wise superintendent will allow them to have input. Overall, the activities in this part of my internship plan were good for directing my attention to the importance of this competency.
Competency 3 Area:
The superintendent knows how to communicate and collaborate with families and community members, respond to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilize community resources to ensure educational success for all students.
This is another area where I believe I am fairly strong. I think that I am an effective communicator and relate well to the students, parents, and community members in my district. My internship plan contains several good activities that correspond to this competency. The first activity (4a) was a review of the district’s policies on managing communications. Because of our size, the superintendent has great responsibility in this regard. The superintendent, by policy, is responsible for ensuring solid communications with the public. Realistically though, it is the campus principal who has more daily communication with the parents and community members. The principal is also responsible for encouraging teachers to maintain good contact with parents.
Activity 25b involved preparing a written communication to be sent out to the public. One of the biggest of our new initiatives this year was the Optional Flexible Year Program. As campus principal, I was responsible for informing the public about the program and how we would be implementing the program this year. Over the course of the year, we sent out a series of letters to parents explaining the program. These communications were posted on the website and shared with the local newspaper as well. We had the letters translated in Spanish as well and had a designated staff member available to answer any questions from our Spanish speaking parents and community members. A good superintendent will be able to explain new programs effectively. Activity 27a was enjoyable and informative. I spoke with our district librarian about the resources that would address the heritage and values of culturally diverse populations. We had a very pleasant visit because this is a favorite topic of our librarian. (She has been with us for three years and has done a phenomenal job!) One of her first priorities when she became our librarian was to start improving the quality and diversity of the available materials. She has intentionally set aside funds each year to purchase materials that would reflect the racial and cultural makeup of our community. Because of her, and with the support of the superintendent, our library has many resources available and more to come.
In Activity 26b, I was required to examine the current policies and procedures for parent involvement in our district. I found that we have a fairly generic policy that includes all the standard components. In addition, we do send home a parent compact each year. The compacts are also fairly generic, but I think that we do make efforts to communicate our policies to the parents. Because of our small size, most parents know that they can reach us pretty easily. One of our plans for next year is to revise the Parent Involvement policy and send it out separately from our Student Handbook and other beginning of the year documents. Finally, Activity 28a involved compiling a list of social agencies available in our community. I was surprised to see that we have so few resources available in our local area. Our counselor shared with me that even the agencies that are available are not always eager to help our community. We are a small rural district and our community members frequently have transportation problems that make it difficult for them to get to the places that provide the needed services. This has been a problem historically for our community.
Overall, I believe that as superintendent, I could make a positive impact in this competency. I think that I communicate well with all of our district’s populations and have worked to improve the school’s image with several of our community groups. I do believe that effective superintendents are able to reach all stakeholders and forge positive connections.
Competency 4 Area:
The superintendent knows how to respond to and influence the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context, including working with the board of trustees, to achieve the district's educational vision.
This competency is somewhat intimidating to me. Responding to political, social, economic, legal, and cultural factors throughout the district can be a daunting task. The activities from my internship that address this competency gave me the opportunity to examine these issues and gain some new perspectives. Activity 30a allowed me the chance to compare my views with a retired educator who agreed that we are frequently put into positions where we must respond to outside influences that affect our schools. Although we would like to be able to “close our doors and just do our jobs,” there are always things in our communities that impact our students and cause us to have to adjust and adapt. Ms. Davis said that at times all of the things listed – political, social, economic, legal, and cultural issues – have impacted her classroom. One example we discussed was the 9-11 tragedies. Any school district with even a tiny Muslim population had no choice but to immediately plan and prepare for dealing with all these issues. Our culture and our society have a great impact on our schools and a wise superintendent will be able to confront these issues in a positive manner, so that the school district’s vision will encompass the entire community, warts and all.
Activity 29a touched on several aspects of this competency. In looking at the job description and evaluation instrument for the superintendent, it is obvious that economics and legal issues are involved. As superintendent, the budget and financial issues are major components of the job and major indicators of the performance evaluation. The superintendent must be able to respond to economic issues, for example, the statewide education cuts currently being discussed in our district and many others. Another component is the legal aspects of the job. A superintendent must keep up with changes in school law, in order to prevent unnecessary legal challenges that affect the district. My interviews in Activity 31a, made this clear, as well. The business leader I interviewed, also mentioned these issues. She believes that schools and businesses must be aware of all of these factors in today’s world.
In Activity 32a, one of the skills I chose to develop was encouraging the participation of others. One of the major challenges in our district is getting the Hispanic community more involved in the schools. Beyond the obvious step of ensuring that all communications are published in Spanish, I have worked to develop good working relationships with the parents of our Hispanic students. I make every effort to spend a few minutes speaking with these parents whenever I see them on campus. I believe that most feel very welcome on campus and much more comfortable than in previous years. This is something that we will continue to work on in the coming years. Finally, Activity 33b, involved me attending board meetings. Over the course of this past school year, I have tried to pay close attention to the interaction of the superintendent and the board. One of the problems I have observed is that our superintendent has a close relation with some board members and a somewhat strained relationship with others. Our African-American board members tend to be in conflict with the superintendent on a regular basis which, I believe, contributes to many of the racial tensions present in our district at this time.
Overall, I think that the superintendent plays a vital role in ensuring that these outside influences support, rather than hinder, the district’s educational vision. If we respond only out of necessity and try to avoid dealing with these issues, the district suffers. If we respond proactively and work to ensure that every outside influence is expected and even welcomed, then the district will be able to accomplish our educational mission.
DOMAIN II—INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP – COMPETENCIES 5 - 7
Competency 5 Area:
The superintendent knows how to facilitate the planning and implementation of strategic plans that enhance teaching and learning; ensure alignment among curriculum, curriculum resources, and assessment; use the current accountability system; and promote the use of varied assessments to measure student performance.
There are many activities in my internship plan that correspond to competency 5. Beyond these activities, I have worked countless hours dealing with accountability and assessment this year. I have also worked with the site-based committee to plan and implement the District Improvement Plan.
Activity 7d involved interviewing people involved in the implementation of curriculum. Working with teachers, I have had a lot of involvement in the last several years as we have implemented the CScope curriculum in our district. One of the great frustrations has been the handling of the curriculum by the superintendent. Inconsistency in expectations and in communications has caused much confusion on the part of campus administration and teachers. Funding has also been an issue, as only specific components of the curriculum were purchased and staff development on the curriculum has been sparse. Certain curriculum resources, particularly assessment pieces, have not been available, as requested by campus staff. I believe that the superintendent needs to be more actively involved in curriculum matters in our district.
Another activity that corresponds to this competency is Activity 9d. In observing an instructional aide on my campus, I was able to see some of the elements of our campus plan in action. In particular, I observed the RTI program which is still a “work in progress.” The ongoing assessment of students is an important part of the program and still needs some work. Although the aide does an excellent job, there are some adjustments to the scheduling that would make her more effective, in my opinion. For Activity 13d, I met with students involved in One Act Play. Most believed that the co-curricular activity was worthwhile, but some believed that the district could do more to support the program. Overall, the students would like to see the school do more to support the Theater Arts program financially. They would also like to see the classes scheduled to allow more students to participate. I was surprised to see that the superintendent was very unaware of the number of students participating and the relatively small amount of funding available.
Activity 8b consisted of participating in the process of student class scheduling. With the help of the counselor, I was able to be involved from start to finish. Scheduling is very difficult due to our small size and resolving conflicts is virtually impossible. I do believe that the superintendent needs to have a firm grasp on scheduling and understand the problems that may exist in the master schedule. Often, the superintendent has been unaware of many of the situations affecting the master schedule which has made it hard for her to explain it to others. Activity 34b was to attend an initial or annual review ARD meeting. Attending the meeting made me very aware of the curriculum and assessment issues that must be addressed for each Special Education student. Administrators need to be knowledgeable about curriculum, class schedules, and assessment guidelines, if they are to make appropriate decisions in ARD meetings.
Beyond the internship activities, I have worked with the site-based committee to plan and implement the District Improvement Plan. I have worked with teachers, parents, and community members to ensure that the plan addresses the needs of our students. I have also spent a great deal of time working with accountability data. I have found that there are many teachers and others (including board members) who do not understand the accountability system at all. In addition to collecting and sorting the data myself, I have worked hard to find new ways to present the data in clear and concise ways that can be understood by non-school personnel.
Competency 6 Area:
The superintendent knows how to advocate, promote, and sustain an instructional program and a district culture that are conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
I believe that this is an important area that superintendents should never neglect. It is sometimes left to campus level staff to deal with instructional matters, but I do believe that effective superintendents know how to advocate and promote programs, not just sustain or maintain. I also believe that the superintendent, as the overall district leader, has a responsibility to ensure that the district culture supports both student learning and staff development.
Because of the importance of technology in today’s schools, I found Activity 11a very interesting. Our board policy has much less policy on technology than I expected to find. District and campus technology plans were much more detailed. One of our superintendent’s admitted weak areas is her lack of technology expertise. I try hard to keep current on all new technology. I do think that today’s school leaders must be technologically proficient. In completing Activity 36a, I found technology to be one of the most important current issues in education. Because of its importance, I believe that smart superintendents invest time and money in staff development centered around technology. I think effective superintendents also recognize that the district culture must involve technology, as well.
Activity 12d involved developing a plan to improve test scores. In our district, we have developed a school improvement plan that directly addresses elementary math scores. I have worked with elementary math teachers throughout this year to improve in this area. More importantly than developing the plan, we have worked together to implement the plan, evaluate, revise, and continue. I think that we are making progress and will continue to improve in the next several years. To complete Activity 16c, I reviewed a summary of discipline referrals for the first semester of this school year. On a positive note, the total number of referrals has decreased in each of the last two years. An obvious problem, and one that is being addressed, is the number of special education students being referred for discipline. In regard to this competency, student discipline, particularly removal from the classroom, affects student learning. A superintendent needs to be aware that discipline will always impact the instructional program in a negative way.
In Activity 10a, I examined student motivation. There are many factors that influence student motivation and a superintendent should be aware of the impact motivation has on the overall instructional program. In our district, extracurricular programs provide much of the motivation for our secondary students. Support and acknowledgement from the superintendent is important. Awards ceremonies provide motivation for many students and providing time and funding for these programs is crucial to their success. At the campus level, reward systems are often dependent on the support of the administration.
Overall, I have worked to build a strong instructional program and provide necessary staff development to ensure that teachers are prepared to implement the program successfully. As superintendent, it is important to remember that your leadership is vital to the success of the instructional program. The principal may be the instructional leader for the campus, but successful districts also have strong instructional leaders in their superintendents.
Competency 7 Area:
The superintendent knows how to implement a staff evaluation and development system and select appropriate models for supervision and staff development to improve the performance of all staff members.
Although there were only two activities in my internship plan that corresponded with this competency, I have done quite a bit this year in this area. In addition to those two activities, I have been the primary appraiser for the teachers on my campus. I have also worked with individual teachers on professional development plans and activities that would help them improve their performance in the classroom. I also learned a lot in completing the signature assignment in EDLD 5387, the professional growth plan for the district.
The first activity (14b) required me to analyze the staff development plan for our district for the current school year. One of the problems noted was the lack of input from teachers in the development of the plan. There was a definite feeling that everything in the plan was something either required by the state or chosen by the superintendent, rather than the staff. I do believe that most of the activities were targeted at our identified needs and that some of the complaints are unwarranted. I think that the superintendent has to be able to balance statewide initiatives against the needs of the individual teachers in the district. In Activity 23b, I participated in an interview for a teacher for our district. Although I do believe personnel decisions should be made at the campus level, I also believe that a superintendent should create an atmosphere and a climate for success and that philosophy should influence the kinds of teachers that are hired within the district. In our district, principals make recommendations to the superintendent who then meets the candidate for an informal follow-up visit. Unless there are concerns, the superintendent then recommends the candidate to the board.
As the primary PDAS appraiser on my campus, I have worked to evaluate teachers and develop individual professional development plans to help them improve. I complete regular walkthroughs and spend a lot of time in classrooms, evaluating formally and informally. Whenever possible, I recommend workshops and conferences for teachers that directly correspond to areas we have discussed previously or areas in which the teacher has expressed a need or desire to grow or improve. In the past several years, I have made arrangements for teachers to visit other campuses or districts to observe other teachers. I have arranged summer trainings for individual teachers seeking ways to teach specific topics more effectively. This summer, I have several teachers who are attending workshops to prepare for the new STAAR tests. I think that as a superintendent, I will continue to seek ways to help all teachers improve and be successful in the classroom.
In EDLD 5387, our signature assignment was to develop a professional growth plan for our district. I learned quite a bit from this assignment, in particular, learning to focus on the entire district, rather than just my campus. I think that the superintendent must always be able to see the big picture and consider all teachers, not just the ones who have the most obvious needs. It was also interesting to think about all the different elements of the total plan. Costs, methods of delivery, and other considerations are not always thoroughly examined. As superintendent, the overall professional development needs of the district should always be a priority.
DOMAIN III—ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP – COMPETENCIES 8 – 10
Competency 8 Area:
The superintendent knows how to apply principles of effective leadership and management in relation to district budgeting, personnel, resource utilization, financial management, and technology application.
I think this competency is very appropriately written. I like the emphasis on the superintendent applying leadership and management skills to these very important areas. I do believe that these are areas that require effective leadership. I think that effective superintendents need to be knowledgeable in all of these areas. Over the last school year, I have worked to become more proficient in this competency.
Activity 11a required me to spend time with the board policy on technology and also the district technology plan. Technology is a strong area for me, but only because I have worked to stay current in this field. This is an area of tremendous potential, but also an area where a superintendent must tread carefully. Changes in technology are occurring so rapidly that plans must be reviewed and revised very frequently. Each day seems to bring new challenges on the use of technology. The superintendent must be prepared to make decisions and provide leadership in this area. Activity 18c allowed me to gain great insight into the job of the office secretary. I think effective superintendents must be able to lead and manage teachers, but not neglect the other non-teaching personnel in the district. Often, these are some of the hardest working individuals in your organization. A wise superintendent will recognize the value of these people.
Another key person in the district is the attendance officer. In Activity 19b, I spent time with our attendance officer and we discussed the importance of attendance and how it affects school funding. At the campus level, certain actions are taken to address attendance, but overall it is the superintendent who must lead and manage in this area. If the superintendent does not support the decisions made at the campus level, (for example, the filing of truancy charges against parents and students), the message conveyed is that attendance is not that important. To be effective, campus personnel, like the attendance officer, must be supported by the superintendent. Activity 24b involved interviewing the district business manager. It was obvious that the district budget is a complicated document, but the superintendent must understand, at least the basics, in order to lead and manage in the area of finance. Despite my original weaknesses, I have learned a lot about school finance over the year, especially in EDLD 5342!
Activity 37b required me to visit the websites of the NAESP and NASSP. As a member of TASSP and a former member of TEPSA, I recognize the value of professional organizations. It is vitally important for administrators to stay current and remain involved in these organizations. Throughout my career, I have always maintained professional contacts through my participation in various professional organizations. Whether dealing with budget, personnel, resources, or technology, a superintendent should always be able to find information through these professional connections.
Competency 9 Area:
The superintendent knows how to apply principles of leadership and management to the district's physical plant and support systems to ensure a safe and effective learning environment.
This is an area that I really spend a lot of time thinking about. Because our district is so small, I literally walk the entire district several times a day. This allows me to closely monitor the condition of the facilities. It is also easy for me to have frequent contact with the people responsible for the district’s physical plant and support systems. The three internship activities corresponding to this competency involved interview three of these key people. As superintendent, I think it is critical that close working relationships are built with these important personnel.
Activity 20b involved an interview and shadowing of our director of maintenance and custodial services. In our district, these are actually two different individuals. The custodial director and I visited and discussed several topics. Primarily, she believes that communication is the most important part of her job. She believes that she is supported by the superintendent and that all administrators communicate their expectations well and that makes her job easier. She also believes that the administration shows its support by providing the necessary supplies requested. By budgeting effectively, the superintendent demonstrates support and provides leadership in this area. The next interview (Activity 21a) was with the director of maintenance and transportation. He agreed with the previous director, except that he believed communication was not being effective. Although the budget allows him to keep up with repairs and keep the campuses running, he does think that more money should be available. Many times replacement might be more effective than repair, but he is forced to do the best he can with limited resources. He also believes that communication between central office and himself could be much better. As transportation director, he has a huge positive impact on the learning environment. As a bus driver, he is an excellent disciplinarian and students always arrive ready to start the day. Conflicts are handled quickly and students appreciate knowing that their driver cares about them.
The third interview (Activity 22a) was with the food services director. This director is not very pleased with the level of support and leadership provided by the superintendent. Financially, our food services department loses money each year and has been heavily criticized by the superintendent and the school board. In my opinion, the central office does a poor job communicating with this department. The director feels uninformed, untrained, and unprepared. She believes that the superintendent and business manager do not give her enough information to operate effectively. She believes that with clearer expectations, she would be more successful.
One of the other important aspects of the physical plant is the issue of safety and security. After a long delay, I have finally been able to get our security camera system operational again. For most of the year, the system has not worked. The superintendent and business manager had been unable to fund the necessary repairs, until several acts of vandalism got the attention of the school board president. Leadership and management in the areas of the physical plant and support systems are very important in my opinion. When this leadership is not seen or perceived to be lacking, morale tends to drop. Directors who are under-budgeted or out of the communication loop, do not feel appreciated or supported by central administration and their dissatisfaction has a negative impact on the learning environment.
Competency 10 Area:
The superintendent knows how to apply organizational, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to comply with federal and state requirements and facilitate positive change in varied contexts.
My internship plan contains three activities that correspond to this competency. In addition, I have experienced my fair share of conflicts this year that have required careful decision-making and problem-solving. In all of these situations, the effective superintendent is always compliant with federal and state requirements and laws and works to achieve the ultimate goal of positive change for the good of the district.
Activity 17c required me to interview the school nurse. She was very eager to share her thoughts on the issue. Currently, she is faced with a number of federal and state requirements and believes that more support from the central office would make her job much easier. She wishes her budget was more sufficient and that the superintendent had a better idea of her job and its growing requirements. In particular, the School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) takes more and more time each year and she feels a bit overwhelmed. She believes that the work could have a very significant and positive effect on our district, but that with no budget and only minimal support from district administration, she is facing an impossible task. I could see the frustration.
For Activity 15c, I examined the district’s Character Education program and how it impacted specific individuals on the campus. I was involved in the original decision-making process in selecting the program and we did consider it to be an important and positive change for our district. In implementing the program, I did have the chance to use some problem-solving skills, as well. As with most new programs, there were some conflicts at the campus level regarding what exactly was required by individual teachers. Over several staff meetings, we arrived at a consensus decision on what would be required and what would be optional in our program. In the end, all parties were satisfied with the decisions we made. I can see how a superintendent would need to have good decision-making and problem-solving skills. The same applied to my third activity (35a) involving the use of our elementary computer lab. Again, we met and discussed the issue until we could reach a plan that all teachers could support.
One of my admitted weaknesses is in the area of organizational skills. I do believe that this is a critical skill for superintendents and I will continue to work on developing this skill. One of the problems I have is my reluctance to rely on my secretary, even though she is very organized and tries to keep me organized. A key step I have taken this year is my goal of using my printer less and my computer more. For a long time, I had a bad habit of printing out documents that I could easily save to my desktop, (rather than piling up on my real desktop!) This year, I made it a habit to examine carefully if the document or file was something that had to be printed or whether it was something I could save to a file and read or keep for later. I have seen much progress in this attempt and I have been able to keep my desk much less cluttered this year.
Finally, I do believe that using these skills to comply with federal and state requirements is crucial. Also, using these skills to bring about positive change in your district is the final goal. Being able to make decisions or resolve conflicts or having organizational skills will only benefit your district if applied in the correct situations and with the right goal in mind.
