Thursday, June 19, 2014

The Astronomical Cost of Comp Time

Every decent school leader recognizes the need to train staff.  And since there is never enough time during the school year, the summer with its glorious span of empty calendar dates always seems like an untapped resource.  I, for one, am a fan of organized summer training.  But there is always the legitimate question of compensation for those attendees who are off contract (generally teachers). There are essentially four answers to the question. 

1. There is the, “They need to be here if they value their job,” intimidation answer.  Usually espoused by those who no longer teach, have longer contracts and are getting paid to work during the summer.  If you catch yourself doing this, it is a moron move, so stop immediately.

2. There is the, “We used the budget to book the great training, so if you are interested please come,” answer. This isn’t the best circumstance, but you will be surprised by how many teachers attend if you actually ask them too and explain the benefits of the training.   If you do this once, OK.  If you make a habit of doing it every summer, you are taking advantage of your staff.

3. There is the, “We booked the training and budgeted a stipend for those who attend,” answer.  This is the best answer.  It recognizes that no matter how valuable the training, it is only fair to compensate your staff for their off contract time and attention.

4. Finally, there is the, “Attend the training and you will earn comp time you can use during the upcoming school year,” answer.  This is a horrible, yet all too common solution that tricks very smart and capable school leaders every year.  On the face of it, it seems to compensate staff for their time at almost no cost.  But that is the lie.  The costs are astronomical.  Let me explain why this is the case through a couple of examples:
  • The teacher earns a comp day by attending an off contract summer training.  Then the teacher takes the comp day on an instructional day.  The school hires a sub for the teacher taking the comp day.  Here is the actual cost of this scenario
          Summer training pay: $0.00
          Teacher pay on comp day: $275.00
          Substitute teacher pay on comp day: $100.00
          Opportunity cost: 1 day of quality instruction, times the number of  students taught by the teacher.
            
Actual Cost: $375.00, plus one day lost of quality instruction for students. A darn expensive solution.

  • The teacher earns a comp day by attending an off contract summer training.  Then the teacher takes the comp day comp day on a non-instructional day.  Here is the actual cost of this scenario.
          Summer training pay: $0.00
          Teacher pay on comp day: $275.00
          Opportunity cost: 1 day of training, planning or collaboration with peers.
          
Actual Cost: $275.00 plus one day lost of quality training, planning or collaboration with teammates and peers. A darn expensive solution.

So the best answer is back to Answer #3.  Here is the math for this scenario.
  • The teacher is paid a training stipend for participating in an off contract summer training.  The training stipend should be at least the amount of a substitute teacher day rate. The teacher does not take a comp day during the school year
          Summer training pay: $100.00 to $275.00
          Teacher pay on a regular contract day: $275.00
          Opportunity cost: $0
         
Actual Cost: $375.00 to $550.00 with no opportunity cost.

That is the affordable solution.

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: NEASP National Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Resume Reminders

Just a couple reminders about your resume.

First, you should update your resume at least once a year.  Add your new accomplishments and cull the experiences that are now ancient history.  You should do this just prior to your annual appraisal. It's a great way to be prepared to discuss the year in a way that showcases your areas of strengths.  If you don’t have to sit for an annual appraisal, updating your resume is still a good practice. Many grants, presentation proposals, requests for testimony, and contracts now require the inclusion of a resume.

Second, if you are looking for a new job or think that you may soon be looking for a new job, update your resume every six months.

Third, if you are searching for a Principal or Assistant Principal job, don’t forget the rule of 100 (first shared with me by one of my mentors, Dr. Richard Hooker).

It takes 100 applications...
To get 10 interviews...
To get 1 job.

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: ESC 11 Summer Conference (Keynote Presentation); NEASP National Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

How Do I Verify What You See?

In a recent presentation, a school board member asked me an excellent question.  He asked, “You have all this classroom instruction data that LYS collects, but how do we verify that it is correct?”

The question illustrates the value of board members.  Board members attack the problems of schools from a different perspective and with a different experience base.  They are often the ones that force the system to think instead of react.  The question should be asked every time I present (we, LYS, ask it of every piece of data we use), but it isn’t.  Here is the answer.

Initially, a district really can’t verify our data.  There is no one on site who has the expertise or the necessary tools (not an indictment, just a function of opportunity and access).  The district could hire employees from other districts that LYS has trained.  But those people usually aren’t immediately available, and if you don’t yet believe LYS, why would you believe a LYSer?  However, when LYS works with a district, we train the staff to collect meaningful, objective data and we provide the district with access to LYS tools.  Verification isn’t immediate but it is forthcoming and it is provided by the district’s own employees. 

The goal of LYS is to create instructional systems that produce increasing student performance and are self-sustaining.  If we can’t train a district’s staff to replicate our observations and results, then we have failed.

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: ESC 14 Sumer Conference (Keynote Presentation); ESC 11 Summer Conference (Keynote Presentation); NEASP National Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Monday, June 16, 2014

Top LYS Tweets From the Week of June 8, 2014

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 8, 2014.

1. Congratulations to LYSer, Helen Smith! She is the new principal at Cedar Ridge Elementary School!! Who will be next? (By @LYSNation)

2. Capacity building is not a one-time event. It is an everyday activity. What are you doing to build capacity within yourself and others? (By @JasonJj7)

3. “Hard work trumps everything.” (By @mike_metz)

4. Diverting from a plan does not mean you had a poor plan. It means you need to be flexible and adjust to meet the goal. (By @TinneyTroy)

5. Great rule for teaching AND coaching - Teach the right thing, teach it better, and teach it longer.  (By @coachwommack)

6. Pacing is extremely important.  If students never see the material, they have no chance of success on the assessment.  (By @breckq)

7. Having a Scope & Sequence and not using it is the same as not having one.  Must implement the Scope & Sequence with fidelity. (By @breckq)

8. Talk and write.  Write and talk.  (By @scot_wright)

9. We must TEACH appropriate behavior, not just expect that our kids know how to behave. (By @cheryljhunt)

10. A leader's principles are best articulated through his/her actions. (By @TinneyTroy)

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 ASCD Summer Conference; ESC 14 Sumer Conference (Keynote Presentation); ESC 11 Summer Conference (Keynote Presentation); NEASP National Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote Presentation) 
  • Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook