Competencies
A competency is a combination of knowledge and skills that one needs to do something successfully and efficiently. The reflections and artifacts provided below demonstrate my proficiency towards the North Carolina School Executive Competencies.
Communication
Effectively listens to others; clearly and effectively presents and understands information orally and in writing; acquires, organizes, analyzes, interprets, and maintains information needed to achieve school or team 21st century objectives.
Evidence: Serving as a Principal Resident required me to use various forms of formal and informal communication to provide feedback, share thoughts/ideas, and make stakeholders aware of necessary information. This included emails, phone calls, handwritten notes, meetings, one-on-one conversations, and professional development sessions. Access further evidence and artifacts for this competency in the links to standards below.
Change Management
Effectively engages staff and community in the change process in a manner that ensures their support of the change and its successful implementation.
Evidence: During my residency, I served on our school's Resilience Team. This was a new initiative for our school that was birthed out of the realization that many of our students deal with trauma and its effects. In February, I implemented a new strategy of having students complete Behavior Reflection Forms if they were sent out of class. I was responsible for communicating this change and expected outcomes to our staff.
Conflict Management
Anticipates or seeks to resolve confrontations, disagreements, or complaints in a constructive manner.
Evidence: As part of the administrative team at Pattillo, I engaged in multiple instances of conflict management and resolution. I addressed several cases of student discipline. This included holding a conference with the student, issuing a consequence (if warranted), and making a parent/guardian contact. Moreover, I facilitated multiple restorative conversations between students and staff members; engaged in parent-teacher meetings; and resolved concerns and disagreements between staff members. Access further evidence and artifacts for this competency in the links to standards below.
Creative Thinking
Engages in and fosters an environment for others to engage in innovative thinking.
Evidence: One of my roles this year was to serve as Global School Coordinator. In this role, I was responsible for coordinating global professional development for teachers utilizing the Participate Learning platform. Teachers were then tasked with creating engaging and innovate lessons that incorporated global concepts.
Customer Focus
Understands the students as customers of the work of schooling and the servant nature of leadership and acts accordingly.
Evidence: The vision of Pattillo is "learning for all...whatever it takes." I sought to make this vision reality throughout my residency by displaying servant leadership as well as prioritizing ways that our school could further meet the needs of our students. One of the ways I accomplished this was by creating a student climate survey that gauged student perceptions of their learning environment and how many adults in our building they trust. The results of this survey was shared in a staff meeting where we engaged in discussions about how we could make Pattillo a more positive place for our students.
Delegation
Effectively assigns work tasks to others in ways that provide learning experiences for them and in ways that ensure the efficient operation of the school.
Evidence: One of my morning duties is bus check-ins. Unfortunately, there were days when I was unable to complete this task due to being off campus for classes, having a meeting to attend, or needing to provide coverage/supervision in another part of the building. On such days, I would ask one of our staff members who was familiar with the process of checking in buses to provide coverage for this duty.
Dialogue/Inquiry
Is skilled in creating a risk-free environment for engaging people in conversations that explore issues, challenges or bad relationships that are hindering school performance.
Evidence: During my residency I had the opportunity to complete several observations of teachers. Whenever planning for a formal post-conference, I would share the guiding questions for our discussion with the teacher beforehand so that she or he could have ample time to gather their thoughts and engage in a productive discussion.
Emotional Intelligence
Is able to manage oneself through self awareness and self management and is able to manage relationships through empathy, social awareness and relationship management. This competency is critical to building strong, transparent, trusting relationships throughout the school community.
Evidence: Through my participation in the North Carolina Leadership Academy, I have completed various specialized training and coursework that have made me a more self-aware person as well as strengthened my emotional intelligence skills. These activities included: the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Total Strength Deployment Inventory (SDI) assessment, John C. Maxwell's Leadership Gold, Conscious Leadership through the BB&T Leadership Institute, and How to Talk so Kids Will Listen. The increased self-awareness and knowledge of effective strategies gained from these experiences allowed me to be more intentional in being a supportive leader.
Environmental Awareness
Becomes aware and remains informed of external and internal trends, interests and issues with potential impacts on school policies, practices, procedures and positions.
Evidence: Throughout my residency, I have taken the opportunity to be active member of our School Improvement Team (SIT) and our administrative team met regularly to discuss data, reflections, and strategic goals. Also, I attended School Board and Blue Ribbon Commission meetings to stay aware of external interests and developments. However, I believe the greatest source for environmental awareness came from providing a listening ear to hear the concerns of staff and students. Access further evidence and artifacts for this competency in the links to standards below.
Global Perspective
Understands the competitive nature of the new global economy and is clear about the knowledge and skills students will need to be successful in this economy.
Evidence: I served as the Global School Coordinator while at Pattillo. In this role, I coordinated teacher professional development around incorporating global concepts into their curriculum as well as provided teachers with instructional resources that engaged students in global thinking. I also attended the 2018 Global Leadership Summit hosted by Participate at the 2018 ASCD Empower18 Conference in Boston, Massachusetts where I was able to further learn about global education.
Judgement
Effectively reaching logical conclusions and making high quality decisions based on available information. Giving priority and caution to significant issues. Analyzing and interpreting complex information.
Evidence: Good judgement is a key to effective school leadership. Throughout my residency, I had to utilize judgement in investigating and resolving discipline issues. I tried to always maintain an objective view and communicate decisions with parents in a way where they understood that despite the consequence I was issuing, I was still an advocate for their child's success. Access further evidence and artifacts for this competency in the links to standards below.
Organizational Ability
Effectively plans and schedules one’s own and the work of others so that resources are used appropriately, such as scheduling the flow of activities and establishing procedures to monitor projects.
Evidence: I was responsible for conducting the fourth round of observations for all of Pattillo's comprehensive and standard teachers as well as our counselor and digital learning coach (media coordinatr). In order to accomplish this, I created a calendar and asked teachers to sign up for their first and second choices for their preferred classes. I then juxtaposed these preferences with my own schedule. I was then able to coordinate observations and post-conferences for each teacher.
Personal Ethics and Values
Consistently exhibits high standards in the areas of honesty, integrity, fairness, stewardship, trust, respect, and confidentiality.
Evidence: I believe that knowing your "why" and having a "vision" rooted in ethics and values is important to being a transformational school leader. As part of my coursework in the North Carolina Leadership Academy, I developed a vision statement that was rooted in ethics and my personal values. Throughout my residency, I have continually reflected on this vision and ways that I can achieve it in my residency school.
Personal Responsibility for Performance
Proactively and continuously improves performance by focusing on needed areas of improvement and enhancement of strengths; actively seeks and effectively applies feedback from others; takes full responsibility for one’s own achievements.
Evidence: I think it is important to be a leader who seeks to learn and grow. My principal mentor and I began to have regular meetings to review important action items and talk through any questions or concerns I might have. Additionally, I met in-person or virtually with my Executive Coach Dr. Mike Ward (former NC State Superintendent) at least twice a month and had access to NCSU staff from which I received feedback.
Responsiveness
Does not leave issues, inquiries or requirements for information go unattended. Creates a clearly delineated structure for responding to requests/situations in an expedient manner.
Evidence: Following-up with a student, teacher, or parent when they have requested information or shared an issue with me is an important part of my role as a school leader. Throughout my residency, I have had many opportunities to respond to an inquiry or request. One such example, was a follow-up I made to a teacher who requested that I speak with a student who shared with her that he was being bullied.
Another way that I achieved this competency was by setting up my email inbox to display "unread" messages first. That way, I had quick easy access to the messages that needed my attention.
Another way that I achieved this competency was by setting up my email inbox to display "unread" messages first. That way, I had quick easy access to the messages that needed my attention.
Results Orientation
Effectively assumes responsibility. Recognizes when a decision is required. Takes prompt action as issues emerge. Resolves short-term issues while balancing them against long-term goals.
Evidence: After reviewing the results of a staff-wide survey with our school's Resilience Team, I found that many staff members expressed feelings of burnout. As a result, I took it upon my self to sit down with staff for one-on-one meetings to gain a more detailed understanding of what was the root of these sentiments.
Sensitivity
Effectively perceives the needs and concerns of others; deals tactfully with others in emotionally stressful situations or in conflict. Knows what information to communicate and to whom. Relates to people of varying ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds.
Evidence: I have had a myriad of experiences centered around being sensitive to the needs of students, staff, and my school. During my residency, I completed a Holistic Needs Assessment on Pattillo. This assigned allowed me assess the most pressing challenges and needs of the school; identify student performance and teacher working conditions survey trends; and provide context on the barriers that need to be addressed that hinder innovation and improvement.
Systems Thinking
Understands the interrelationships and impacts of school and district influences, systems and external stakeholders, and applies that understanding to advancing the achievement of the school or team.
Evidence: As a component of my Problem of Practice for my residency school, I was tasked with tracking the progress Pattillo made in becoming a more trauma-informed school. I created a logic model to show the connections between the implemented strategies, expected outcomes, and desired ultimate goals.
Technology
Effectively utilizes the latest technologies to continuously improve the management of the school and enhance student instruction.
Evidence: I utilized various forms of technology to engage stakeholders and share information, including Google Suit, Padlet, iMovie, etc. Additionally, I completed professional development on "Leading Personalized and Digital Learning for Administrators" through the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at NC State University.
Time Management
Effectively uses available time to complete work tasks and activities that lead to the achievement of desired work or school results. Runs effective meetings.
Evidence: In addition to using Google Calender, I utilized a document my mentor principal shared with me to help me more effectively manage my time. This document included a space for me to schedule out my day, record my top 3 priorities, note any phone calls or emails I needed to attend to, as well as jot down any questions or other reminders that came up.
Visionary
Encourages imagineering by creating an environment and structure to capture stakeholder dreams of what the school could become for all the students.
Evidence: During my residency, I served on the Resilience Team which was responsible for brainstorming and implementing strategies/initiatives to help Pattillo be a more trauma-informed school. One of the realizations I had after some time was that we had not truly captured our "why." Thus, I created a padlet where members could share their thoughts on what our mission statement should be.