Administrative Procedure 432

PRINCIPAL GROWTH, SUPERVISION AND EVALUATION

Background

Principals play a vital role in assisting the Superintendent to make the Charter Board’s will a reality.

Procedures

1. Principals are required to assist the Superintendent in fulfilling his/her assigned role, including achievement of the following quality indicators:
1.1 Educational Leadership
1.1.1 Conducts an analysis of student success; uses appropriate data sources and develops action plans to address issues;
1.1.2 Identifies trends and issues related to student achievement to inform the school’s three-year planning (3YEP) process, including recommendations for innovative means to improve measurable student achievement;
1.1.3 Strives to ensure satisfaction with levels of achievement;
1.1.4 Demonstrates measurable improved student achievement over time.
1.2 Fiscal Responsibility
1.2.1 Ensures that the annual internal audit report of School generated funds reveals no deficiencies or deficiencies are remedied in a timely manner;
1.2.2 Expends School based funds as per approved budgets.
1.3 Personnel Management and Growth
1.3.1 Consistently models high ethical standards of conduct;
1.3.2 Consistently models commitment to personal and professional growth;
1.3.3 Develops and effectively implements quality recruitment, orientation, staff development, disciplinary, evaluation and supervisory processes in consultation and collaboration with the Superintendent;
1.3.4 Provides professional growth opportunities for all staff;
1.3.5 Fosters high standards of instruction and professional improvement (Teaching Quality Standard) through approval and monitoring of teacher professional growth plans and the placement of teachers on remediation plans;
1.3.6 Enhances leadership capacity through the training of other school based leaders;
1.3.7 Evaluates staff as required by the Superintendent and provides ongoing supervision to ensure quality performance.
1.4 Policy and Administrative Procedures
1.4.1 Adheres to policy and administrative procedures;
1.4.2 Assists in timely revisions to administrative procedures.
1.5 Superintendent-Principal Relations
1.5.1 Implements Superintendent directions with integrity in a timely fashion;
1.5.2 Provides support to the Superintendent;
1.5.3 Informs the Superintendent about School operations;
1.5.4 Interacts with the Superintendent in an open, honest, ethical, proactive and professional manner.
1.6 Planning and Reporting
1.6.1 Involves appropriate stakeholder input in the School’s continuous improvement plan (Three Year Education Plan) process and that results in high stakeholder satisfaction;
1.6.2 Develops short and long-range plans to meet the needs of the School and to provide for continuous improvement;
1.6.3 Reports key results in the Annual Education Results Review (AERR) as identified by the Three Year Education Plan process.
1.7 Organizational Management
1.7.1 Ensures School compliance with all Alberta Education, Charter Board and Superintendent mandates in terms of meeting timelines and quality expectations;
1.7.2 Manages time and resources effectively.
1.8 Communications and Community Relations
1.8.1 Implements the School communication plan to ensure positive, accurate and timely internal and external communications;
1.8.2 Facilitates effective home-School relations;
1.8.3 Works cooperatively with the media to positively represent the School;
1.8.4 Promotes public engagement in the School and builds positive community relations and partnerships;
1.8.5 Represents the School in a positive, professional manner;
1.8.6 Manages conflict effectively;
1.8.7 Improves the School’s public image.
1.9 Student Well Being
1.9.1 Ensures behavioural expectations for students are known and followed;
1.9.2 Promotes a School culture that is conducive to the achievement of academic goals, and
the development of positive character and work habits;
1.9.3 Establishes a safe and caring environment and fosters and maintains respectful and responsible behaviours.                                                                      2. Professional Growth
2.1 The Charter Board aspires to provide the highest possible quality of education and to ensure that all students have the opportunity to meet the standards set by the Minister. The Superintendent believes that the Superintendency staff and Principal are jointly responsible for making this a reality.
2.2 The Charter Board believes that this objective can best be achieved through a School-wide commitment to continuous improvement.
2.2.1 The Principal is expected to have in place at all times a current professional growth plan approved by the Superintendent.
2.2.2 Such a professional growth plan will identify measurable results to be achieved, strategies to be employed to achieve those results, and specific timelines.
2.2.3 It is understood that the strategies will need to be changed from time to time in order to achieve the desired results. Therefore, the growth process is viewed as one which has fixed results, but variable strategies.
2.3 It is further recognized that the Principal’s growth is closely connected to the Three Year Education Plan and the Annual Education Results Report and these are relevant information to consider in the development of the Principal’s professional growth plan.
2.4 The Superintendent believes that most accountability is affirmation. It is the Principal’s responsibility to provide the Superintendent with measurable progress, or information relative to the lack thereof, so that appropriate feedback can be provided.
2.5 At least twice yearly feedback from the Superintendent will be provided to the Principal regarding the professional growth plan; once at the beginning of the year to approve the plan, and once at the end of the year, to provide accountability regarding achievement of the plan.
2.6 Unless a Principal agrees, the content of a Principal’s annual professional growth plan must not be part of the evaluation process of a Principal.
2.7 Information obtained as a result of the processes involved in Principal growth, supervision and evaluation will be managed in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
2.8 Provision for secure storage shall be made for any document used to prepare a Principal’s evaluation report and for any required copies of the Principal’s evaluation report.
3. Supervision
3.1 Supervisory activity, in most instances, enhances professional growth. Supervision is the ongoing oversight by the Superintendent of the work of the Principal, as defined in Administrative Procedure 430 – Role of the Principal. Such supervisory work entails the review and monitoring of required documentation such as the 3-YEP, AERR, financial audits and professional growth plans.
3.2 Supervisory activity may lead to the identification of exemplary performers to act as mentors, to share best practice or some other form of recognition or celebration.
3.3 Supervisory activity may also result in a requirement for the Principal to undergo increased in-service, address identified deficiencies, undergo an evaluation, and/or take required actions directed by the Superintendent.                                                                        4. Evaluation
4.1 The Principal will be evaluated in relation to her assigned roles and responsibilities and any other duties and responsibilities specifically assigned by the Superintendent.
4.2 The Superintendent’s evaluation of the Principal will take into consideration the evidence brought forward by the Principal to demonstrate that the quality indicators and roles above have been completed to the required standard.
4.2.1 Evaluation reports will be in writing and shall be retained in the Principal’s personnel file.
4.3 Principals new to their position may be evaluated during the first year. In addition, Principals may be evaluated upon written notification by the Superintendent or an evaluation may be requested by a Principal.

References: Section 25, 26, 33, 52, 53, 55, 197, 222 Education Act Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Leadership Quality Practice