LYS Executive Search

~ Junior High School Principal ~

Spring Hill Independent School District

A LYS Superintendent in East Texas seeks a like-minded principal to turn a good neighborhood school into THE showcase for public education. 

The successful candidate will have

• Demonstrated leadership success as a campus administrator.
• Demonstrated success in increasing staff effectiveness and student performance.
• LYS training and experience, preferred. 

Information of note

• Enrollment - 450 students
• Beautiful East Texas suburban setting
• Competitive salary and benefits

If you are ready to lead from the front and work to win, submit the following to Search@LeadYourSchool.com

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

Application Deadline: April 27, 2015

Search Consultant: E. Don Brown

LYS Executive Search

(832) 477-5323

LYS Nation, once again a school district wants YOU!

Think. Work. Achieve.

A Reader Asks... Sharing the Results of a Single, Quick Observation

A new LYSer asks the following:

SC,

I have begun utilizing the PowerWalks Instructional Observation System. I like it... a lot. I do have a quick question... How does the teacher view the survey?  When an email is sent, they only seem to have access to the Notes section not the entire survey.

Thank you.

SC Response

Not sending a completed observation form to the teacher is by design.

A single, three-minute walk-thru is too short of a time frame for in-depth feedback.  Even the best observation will have more unchecked items on the observation form than checked items.  Additionally, there are some items, if only checked 10% of the time, would represent exemplar performance.  Due to this understanding, PowerWalks is not designed to overwhelm teachers with minutiae.  It is designed for coaching and trend-based adjustments.

How this is done: 

1. The report building feature of PowerWalks allows the coaching team to build, for teachers, trend reports that illustrate observed instructional practices.  It takes 15-20 observations to have a relevant sample size of practice to share with an individual teacher.

2. If the observer witnesses exceptional practice during the observation, the system will alert the observer and generate a “Powerful Practice” notice.

3. The observer can send an email note to the teacher.  However, it is never appropriate to send a negative comment or pointed question by email.

Finally, just sending teachers a copy of their observations and not actually talking to them is not efficient practice.  It is lazy practice. I hope this provides some clarification.  We do recommend a training day that addresses appropriate use and the power and versatility of the PowerWalks system.

I hope this helps.

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
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Locus of Control

Do you have an external or internal locus of control? Meaning, do you see what happens be driven more by what is done to you or what you do?  This has nothing to do with intelligence. Your locus of control drives how you see the world and how you react to it.  Let’s look at school performance and locus of control for educators

Educators with an external locus of control look at schools and reach the conclusion that it is unfair to hold schools accountable due to all the factors schools cannot control.  Poverty, divorce, abuse, language difficulties, disabilities, lack of funding, etc.  And do you know what?  They are right. And they are wrong.

Educators with an internal locus of control look at schools and reach the conclusions that we must hold schools accountable due to all the factors schools control.  Instructional practices, schedules, content, direct student contact, etc. And do you know what? They are right. And they are wrong.

So on a practical level what does this mean? It means that education is a calling that forces educators to face the highest highs and lowest lows.  Sometimes on a daily basis.  It also means that for every educator who subscribes that we can and should do more there is one who subscribes to there is nothing else we can do.  Which means as an instructional leader it is important to chart a course of reality based optimism. This will build your credibity with every teacher on your staff.   

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
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Readers Write... The Attrition Plan Doom Loop - Part 1

In response to the 2/27/15 post, “The Attrition Plan Doom Loop,” some LYS campus and district leaders write:

SC,

Thank you for this insightful post. I have found this to be true in the districts I have worked in.

And,

SC,

Outstanding post! I really appreciate your insight.  It also makes me rethink some recent leadership decisions in a different light.

SC Response

Again, on paper the logic of an attrition plan works.  Pare down the budget by not replacing staff that leave.  Be in charge long enough and nearly every budget manager will use this strategy.  And in the short run, the effect on the organization can be neutral, or when the stars align, positive. 

My warning is based on a district that is using attrition as a long-term strategy to meet budget parameters. Because in the long run, attrition plans can create and/or accelerate a doom loop.  A doom loop is when a superficial solution undermines the foundations of the organization. 

Schools are learning organizations and the foundation of a learning organization is high capacity brainpower.  When a school begins to implement an attrition plan, it quickly begin to lose its most experienced brains (due to retirement) and its most capable brains (due to promotions and other options available to the most capable).  Since the school is not replacing those who leave, in a short time it is manned by a staff with less experience and less capability.  This significantly compromises the school's ability to adapt and perform at an acceptable level.  In other words, the school enters into a self-inflicted doom loop.

What this means to district/school leaders is this: If you are considering implementing an attrition plan, find a better 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 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Texas Senate Bill 4 (The Sheriff of Nottingham Plan)

Come Hell or high water, the Texas Senate is bent on taking public money and disbursing it to private entities.  Think of this as the Anti-Robin Hood Plan.   Here’s how it works.

First the Senate proposes a budget that that reduces tax revenue by about $4 billion dollars.  This means less money for infrastructure, maintenance and social services... statewide.

Then the Senate proposes creating a line item business tax deduction of $100 million to fund private school scholarships.  Which means that the cut to the state budget would actually be $4.1 billion. 

So I’ll subtract all the pretty political language and smoke and mirrors and tell you what this really means.

The Texas Senate believes that it is more important to subsidize private schools for the few than to provide for better roads, hospitals, medical care, public higher education, public schools and law enforcement for the state as a whole.

The Texas Senate believes that it is better to take from the public to enrich and support private entities.  I don’t know what you call this, but my Momma taught me that this is tantamount to stealing.

If it sounds like stealing to you, call your State Senator, Governor Abbott and Lt. Gov. Patrick and tell them that you oppose Senate Bill 4 (which should be known as The Sheriff of Nottingham Plan), you have a long memory, and most importantly... You Vote!

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 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall 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 April 5, 2015

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 April 5, 2015.

1. Pastors know a church budget is not a financial statement, but a moral document reflecting values and beliefs. Texas Legislature, so is a state budget. (By @pastors4txkids)

2. How can we possibly expect young adults to answer the call of teaching when so many of our political leaders have such disdain for it? (By @pastors4txkids)

3. School choice means we give up on our capacity to be just people who gladly provide free schools of equitable quality to all our children. (By @johnkuhntx)

4. Let us make one thing clear, Texas Legislators: You cannot love Texas school children without loving their teachers and giving their schools the funding they need. (By @pastors4txkids)

5. Asking voters if they want lower taxes is like asking children if they want more candy. We all know the answer but we still need to make the adult decision. (By @LYSNation)

6. If we prioritized education and our schools above all else we wouldn't need worry about prisons or economic development. (By @Snowmanlearning)

7. If your people aren't learning...neither is your organization. (By @DCulberhouse)

8. Leading your schools is about keeping the focus on students and their needs and not the needs and wants of adults. (By @DavidPennid)

9. Unruly, loud, boisterous, out of their desks, bored, nodding off, walking around, cursing, calling names. A Texas classroom? No. The Texas Legislature. (By @pastors4txkids)

10. If the budget's truly the moral document of our state, the Texas legislature has some real soul searching to do. (By @joethepleb)

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 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Upcoming Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); TEPSA Summer Conference (Multiple Presentations); NAESP National Conference; Illinois ASCD Fall Conference (Multiple Presentations) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Junior High School Principal Search

LYS Executive Search

~ Junior High School Principal ~

Spring Hill Independent School District

A LYS Superintendent in East Texas seeks a like-minded principal to turn a good neighborhood school into THE showcase for public education. 

The successful candidate will have

• Demonstrated leadership success as a campus administrator.
• Demonstrated success in increasing staff effectiveness and student performance.
• LYS training and experience, preferred. 

Information of note

• Enrollment - 450 students
• Beautiful East Texas suburban setting
• Competitive salary and benefits

If you are ready to lead from the front and work to win, submit the following to Search@LeadYourSchool.com

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

Application Deadline: April 27, 2015

Search Consultant: E. Don Brown

LYS Executive Search

(832) 477-5323

LYS Nation, once again a school district wants YOU!

Think. Work. Achieve.