Reflection

1. Reflection • What do you think are some potential benefits of a structured mentoring program for new principals? • What role could you play in helping to realize these benefits?

2. WELCOMETO THEAlabama New Principal Mentoring Program A Workshop for District Liaisons

3. Angela Mangum, Ph.D. Leadership and Evaluation Alabama New Principal Mentoring Program Torchbearer Schools • Alabama Leadership Academy Tele: (334) 242-9962 Fax: (334) 353-9204 Email: amangum@alsde.edu Website: http://www.alex.state.al.us/leadership

4. Introductions • Name • District • Why you are here

5. Agenda • Welcome • Overview of the ANPM Program • Key Roles in the ANPM Program • Lunch • Deeper Dive into the Four Steps • Creative Ways to Overcome Time Limitations and Other Barriers • Wrap Up

6. What are some of the challenges that new principals experience during their first years in the principalship?

7. Twenty-six (26) percent of new administrators consider leaving the job after the first year. (Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 1999)

8. Overview of the ANPM Program

9. Standards and Evaluation

10. Standard 1: Planning for Continuous Improvement. Engages the school community in developing and maintaining a shared vision; plans effectively; uses critical thinking and problem-solving techniques; collects, analyzes, and interprets data; allocates resources; and evaluates results for the purpose of continuous school improvement.

11. Outcomes for the Mentoring Program • Support for new principals •  successful beginnings •  rookie mistakes • Modeling, guidance, coaching, and encouragement in a one-on-one relationship. • New principals have a clear set of priorities, focused on instructional leadership.

12. Outcomes/Goals for New Principals Create and implement a focused Professional Learning Plan… • The person’s status as a new principal • The new principal’s developmental strengths and weaknesses • The Alabama Continuum for Instructional Leader Development • The school’s needs and district and state requirements

13. Outcomes/Goals for New Principals Create and implement a focused Professional Learning Plan… …so that the new principal: • Makes progress on the continuum • Becomes more comfortable in the role of school principal • Begins to make a difference as an instructional leader.

14. Big Ideas • Investing in their own personal professional development is a high priority for new principals. • A mentoring program should have a degree of structure. • The Leadership Continuum provides a solid framework for the program. • Mentors and new principals should have latitude in creating an individualized learning plan. • There should be an expectation of complete confidentiality in the new principal/mentor relationship.

15. PLU Opportunity Offered by CLAS See Handout Standard III: Human Resource Development PLU Requirements

16. Mentor Stipend • Mentors will receive a $1,000 stipend (pending the availability of fund) for each year spent mentoring a new principal. • Stipends will be paid in three installments. • After confirmation is received that a mentor has made adequate progress toward the 72 hour requirement, the second and third payments will be available for disbursement. • The superintendent and chief school financial officer are required to file all necessary paperwork so that stipend payments will not be delayed.

17. How ANPM Came to Be • GCSL Recommendation • Design team • Torchbearer principals • Expert input and review • Small-scale pilot (Spring 2010) • Statewide pilot (2010-2011) • Program Evaluation (Spring 2011)

18. Heart of the Program Cognitive Coaching Model Mentor/New Principal Relationship NAESP’s National Principals Mentoring Certification Program

19. Mentor Training • National Principals Mentoring Certification Program (NPMCP) mentor training* • Three days (June 27-29, 2011 at the CLAS Building in Montgomery) • Required for all mentors • Provided by ALSDE and CLAS • Mentors will be reimbursed for their travel expenses based upon state guidelines * Formerly known as the Peer Assisted Leadership Services (PALS) training

20. Purpose of Program Materials • Communicate policy • Provide directions to mentor and new principal • Provide forms to help document process • Give a variety of development ideas • Serve as a reference during the process

21. ANPM Program Guide • Describes the program to all stakeholders • Describes program philosophy • Sets out program requirements (mandatory) • Makes recommendations to districts (optional)

22. Expectations: Roles and Responsibilities

23. Role of the New Principal • Place priority on own professional development and make an effort toward improving their level of leadership. • Engage in 72 hours of contact with a mentor. • Complete self assessment. • Collaborate in choosing development activities. • Seek support from mentor while completing development activities. • Track progress.

24. Role of the Mentor • Use a cognitive coaching approach to mentoring, as learned during the three-day mentor training. • Maintain CONFIDENTIALITY. • Document 72 contact hours annually via mentoring logs. • Take time to work the process around the new principal’s schedule. • Simplify the process for the new principals (e.g., give them only the Learning Activities Guides they need). • Help new principal select and implement a Professional Learning Plan.

25. Role of the District Liaison • Oversee local implementation of the program. • Provide program training/orientation for central office staff, principals, and mentors. • Serve as a communications hub among the new principal, mentor, district, and state. • Provide program support to ensure that: • A pipeline of trained mentors is maintained in the district. • New principals are matched with mentors in a timely way. • Monitor and keep an electronic or hard copy of mentor logs. • New principals are making adequate progress in the program. • Mentors are providing adequate support and coaching.

26. Role of the ALSDE • Provide ANPM program materials and guidelines. • Train and support district liaisons. • In conjunction with CLAS, provide three-day mentor training. • Provide mentor stipends base upon the available of funds. • Oversee formative and summative program evaluation.

27. ANPM Planning & Reflections Guide • Guiding document for new principal: Step 1: Complete self assessment Step 2: Prioritize learning needs Step 3: Create a plan with learning activities for priority area(s) Step 4: Track progress Core Process

28. The Core Process

29. ANPM Learning Activities Guides • Self Assessment • Determine new principal’s current level of skill on each standard and indicator; determine development needs. • Looks like the LeadershipContinuum.

30. Levels of Instructional Leadership

31. ANPM Learning Activities Guides • Learning and developmental activities (starters) • One guide per standard • Within the context of daily work • Thoughtful school-based activities • A chance to reflect on new learning • Multiple opportunities to apply principles and receive feedback from mentors and others

32. Specific Learning Activities: Examples • Reflection • Modeling • Observation • Prioritization • Recognition and praise • Problem finding and problem solving • Networking • Technology use • Training • Reading • Leading • Walkthroughs • Dialog • Feedback • Consultation NOTE: Activities can be modified to fit the needs of the new principal or learning activities can be created from scratch.

33. ANPM (PLP) and PEPE (PDP) • To prevent duplication of work by new principals, the PLP may be used in the place of the PDP providing the two conditions below are met: • The new principal’s superintendent and the new principal’s PEPE evaluator must both approve of the use of the ANPM (PLP) as a replacement for the PEPE (PDP). • The new principal’s evaluator must have input in determining what indicators and learning activities that will be a part of the new principal’s PLP.

34. Let’s Summarize Use one sticky for each idea (three to six sticky notes in all): • One or two key messages • One or two questions • One or two suggestions

35. Deeper Dive Into the Process

36. Steps in the Mentoring Program • Based on the Alabama Continuum for Instructional Leader Development • New principals self assess by checking off the knowledge and behaviors that they currently demonstrate • See Self Assessment document • See Self Assessment Summary on page 8 of the Planning Guide.

37. Self Assessment: Alabama Continuum for Instructional Leader Development Directions: Each descriptor statement below describes what a leader knows or is able to do with regard to the indicator and standard above it. Check all of those boxes which apply to you. Update this self assessment each semester. Standard 1: Planning for Continuous Improvement. Engages the school community in developing and maintaining a shared vision; plans effectively; uses critical thinking and problem-solving techniques; collects, analyzes, and interprets data; allocates resources; and evaluates results for the purpose of continuous school improvement.

38. Self Assessment Summary • Write the date in the “1st semester” column. • Look back at your self assessment (separate document). Based on that assessment, determine your overall development level for each indicator—developing, collaborative, • accomplished, or distinguished leadership (see definitions on page 7). To identify your current level, choose the highest level for which you can check most of the descriptors • as part of your current practice. For example, if you check all descriptors under developing, all but three descriptors under collaborative, and five descriptors under • accomplished, you would give yourself an overall rating of collaborative for that indicator. • Place checkmarks in the appropriate boxes under “1st semester” below. Use your best judgment in determining your current level, and remember that this is a career-long • journey, so you are not expected to be at the highest levels in your first year. • Update this chart each semester.

39. Steps in the Mentoring Program • Consider your strengths and areas for improvement,your interests, and the district/school needs. • Share your assessment results with your mentor, along with your ideas regarding priorities. • Select 1-2 indicators for this semester’s focus. • See Priorities Plan on page 12 of the Planning Guide.

40. Priorities Plan Directions: To prioritize your areas of development, consider your own strengths and areas for improvement, along with district and school needs. Then, work with your mentor to choose one or two indicators as the immediate focus for your professional development. (You can choose more or different ones later, but stay focused on just a couple things at a time.) Each semester, record indicator numbers (e.g., “5A, 1B”) to answer each question in the first column below. The questions ask you to best represent your development priorities. Repeat this exercise each semester.

41. Steps in the Mentoring Program • Review learning activity choices in the Learning Activity Guides. • Work collaboratively to choose a limited number of realistic and meaningful activities. • Select some observing, some participating, and some leading activities. • Complete the Professional Learning Plan. • See Professional Learning Plan on page 15 of the Planning Guide.

42. Professional Learning Plan Directions: Select one or two indicators at a time to develop (see previous worksheet, last row). For each indicator, select some observing, some participating, and some leading activities to help build your strengths and develop your areas for improvement. Keep in mind that activities can be tailored to suite your individual needs. Record these activities in abbreviated form below, referencing their standard/indicator (e.g., 2B), as given in the Learning Activity Guides. You can also plan action steps (to-do’s) that will help you prepare for and complete each activity. Include target dates for completing each activity as well. Discuss this plan with your mentor, and get his or her suggestions and support. Revisit this Plan frequently throughout the year and revise as needs arise. Review with your mentor at least twice per semester.

43. Steps in the Mentoring Program • Carry out the activities on the Professional Learning Plan. • Record all efforts to complete activities and keep a reflective diary of experiences. • Meet at least once a quarter to review progress. • Revise plan each semester. • See the Progress Tracker on page 19.

44. Progress Tracker Directions: This log will serve as a running diary of your work, which you can then discuss with your mentor at least once per quarter. As you work on your activities, keep track of your actions and reflect upon your experiences below. In order for this log to be most effective for you, use it regularly and frequently. This log will prompt you to stay focused on meeting the standards for principals even as events in daily school life occupy you, provide you with thought joggers for reflection activities, provide you with “talking points” as you discuss your progress with your mentor,. * This column only needs to be completed if you are trying to earn a Professional Learning Unit (PLU) for completing this program.

45. Carousel Activity • Four steps, four small groups • Self Assess • Prioritize • Plan • Track • Create a poster presentation: • What, where, when, why, how • Tips for district liaisons

46. Suggested Timeline

47. Suggested Timeline

48. Key Roles in the ANPM Program

49. Creative Ways to Overcome Time Limitations and Other Barriers

50. But new principals are so busy… • Time • Other barriers? Brainstorm situations