New LYS Assistant Principal Search - High School, Texas Gulf Coast Area

 LYS Executive Search

~ High School Assistant Principal ~

A small, Gulf Coast Texas High School is searching for its next Assistant Principal

The successful candidate will have

• Demonstrated success educating at-risk student populations, at any grade level
• Texas school administrator certification
• LYS training and experience, preferred

Information of note

• Small 1A/2A high school campus
• Enrollment increasing
• Student performance increasing
• Rural setting, yet close to the Houston area
• Diverse student population
• Competitive salary and benefits

Qualified and interested candidates submit the following to Search@LeadYourSchool.com

•  Letter of interest
• Resume
• Administrator’s certifications
• Two letters of reference

Application Deadline: June 20, 2013

LYS Executive Search

(832) 477-5323

LYS Nation, once again a school district is targeting you to be its next campus leader. Time to step up again!

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

The Hidden Agenda of Choice (Continued, 2)

In response to the 5/1/13 post, “The Hidden Agenda of Choice (7:1),” a teacher writes:

SC,

I think public education is very important. BUT, I think that our over-zealous testing has resulted in making education worse for students.  Just look at the dropout rate (which is really higher than our stats reflect).  It is horrible--and self-defeating. 

Those who have guided us into testing have dug deep holes for all of us in public education.  It is a waste of tax money, and it has caused more student depression, student failure, student hatred of schools (after about the 7th grade), and, ultimately the high, unacceptable drop out rate.  

Testing affects students in all facets of their lives. Is there anything more depressing than a stress-test-fail cycle occurring on a daily basis AT SCHOOL. Unless you love taking tests, instructional relevancy is a pipe dream.  I wish I could make are elected leaders who think testing is so important, take ALL the tests they have mandated.  AT least we would know who is qualified to make our policies. 

SC Response

First, I agree that poorly thought out and amateurishly implemented testing programs are good for no one (I’m looking at you, Texas).  But I will go out on a limb and say that questionable instruction and review practices that can only be described as superstitious behavior are just as detrimental.  

As far as the current testing/accountability train wreck that we are dealing with, there is plenty of blame to go around.  From the far right, to corporate interest, to the far left, to practicing educators.  Each arguing for their own agenda and interests, kids be damned.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Reader Writes... The Hidden Agenda of Choice (Continued)

In response to the 5/1/13 post, “The Hidden Agenda of Choice (7:1),” a LYS Teacher writes:

SC,

I am concerned about the high drop out rate in our schools.  Enough testing.  Let students pass their courses, earn their credits (in appropriate, required courses) and GRADUATE. 

Could this be any worse than what we are doing right now? Look at how many students require college "remediation" classes! 

Every student who drops out reproduces more of the same.   Many students drop out because they can't pass all their STAAR tests.  Pass your classes, get your credits, GRADUATE.  I personally believe that 95% of our state legislators cannot pass all of the EOC tests. Let those in power take the same STAAR tests that high school students must take and PASS ALL of them. Until then, stop this crazy testing (expensive) business.

SC Response

Yes, it could be worse. Part of what created the impetus for testing was the simple fact that a student receiving a HS diploma did not mean that the student received a satisfactory education. Colleges knew this and it was an open secret that attending a certain high schools could either help or hurt your chances of being accepted to certain Universities.

Now I don’t know if we can attribute any dropouts to the STAAR test... yet.  And with the legislature in session, who knows what will happen.  But there were students who did not graduate due to not passing the TAKS.  Is that an automatic bad? I won’t go that far, but I will agree that it is not good.  My concern is focused on improved instruction, support and intervention to prevent both class and accountability test failure. To my constant amazement I find that this concern is not universal.

I like your “Practice what you preach,” testing requirement for our legislature.  That is a plan I could get behind.  But in all seriousness, and I say this as an accountability proponent, what Texas has done is a train wreck.  A near perfect model on how to screw up school accountability.  I don’t think they could create a worse program, even if that was the overriding intent. Sad...

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
• Upcoming Presentations: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

A Principal Writes... Mission vs. Vision - Part 1

In response to the 4/26/2013 post, “Mission vs. Vision,” a LYS Principal writes:

LYS Nation,

Cain is dead on with this post.  My campus went thru the motions for years, every positive active was open for debate and though we stayed busy it never felt like we were accomplishing anything.

Then we spent two days working with Cain on creating a tangible mission.  Suddenly our work was focused and the daily wasted effort considering unrelated, yet positive actions has evaporated.  Do it and do it with Cain.  Because for this, if you want something truly meaningful you need a facilitator who knows what the heck he is doing.

SC Response.

Thanks for the kind words. But it is the continued success of your campus that is the true testimonial.  As always, call when you need anything.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of June 2, 2013

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now Twitter users.  If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us.  To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of June 2, 2013.

1. Congratulations to LYSer, Dr. Brett Jimmerson! He is the new Superintendent in Burleson ISD. Who will be next? (By @LYSNation)

2. Congratulations to LYSer, Tra Hall! He is the new principal at Hines ES. Who will be next? (By @LYSNation)

3. A great resource for planning powerful TIER 1 instruction for next year is The Fundamental 5. Just sayin’. (By @Snowmanlearning)

4. Part of good teaching is identifying and eliminating your own bad practices in order to make room to expand what works. (By @STAARtest)

5. Learning should be designed with several breaks to allow time for discussion, reflection and application. (By @sjunkins)

6. As a high school administrator, I am now starting to think the most gains can be made in elementary schools. (By @txschoolsupe)

7. Sometimes I wonder why in a state that is so prosperous we wouldn't invest in education. What gets me is that people seem OK with this! (By @ONeilCHSprincip)

8. Next year I'm gonna quit assigning homework. Too many dogs are eating it... not my job to feed the neighborhood pet population. (By @sjunkins)

9. Never underestimate the power of believing in someone and the power of passion. Together, these two things can positively change education. (By @LaurieBarron)

10. Shout out to slugs for doing everything a snail does without a helmet! (By @WorkaholicsDers)

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
• Upcoming Presentations: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations)
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

LYS Middle School Principal Search - Last Days to Apply

LYS Executive Search

~ Middle School Principal ~

A large, Northeast Texas school district is searching for its next middle school principal

The successful candidate will have

•  Demonstrated leadership success as a campus administrator
•  Principal experience preferred
•  Secondary experience preferred
•  Demonstrated success educating at-risk student populations
•  LYS training and experience, preferred

Information of note

• Mid-sized middle school campus
• Urban, suburban setting
• Diverse student population
• Competitive salary and benefits

Qualified and interested candidates submit the following to Search@LeadYourSchool.com

• Letter of interest
• Resume
• Administrator’s certifications
• Two letters of reference
• Recent campus performance data 

Application Deadline: June 12, 2013

Search Consultant: E. Don Brown

LYS Executive Search

(832) 477-5323

LYS Nation, once again a school district is targeting you to be its next campus leader. Time to step up again!

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: Texas Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook