Bob Garneau, EdD Senior Manager Professional Standards Branch Jim McLellan Alberta School Boards Association

1. The Professional Practice Competencies for School Leaders:Implications for Alberta School AuthoritiesPresentation toThe Alberta School Boards AssociationFall General MeetingNovember 22, 2011 Bob Garneau, EdDSenior ManagerProfessional Standards Branch Jim McLellan Alberta School Boards Association

2. I. Wanted: Great School Leaders Alberta need suitable, qualified school leaders who: • ensure that all students are engaged in quality learning • ensure that the school is conducive to learning and teaching • create a learning community – for everyone • lead learning and be learners with teachers • ‘take charge’ while sharing leadership • motivate and resource people to fulfill their roles • commit to career-long effectiveness

3. II. School Leadership Challenges • Workforce Challenges • Loss of expertise due to retirements • A drop in qualified applicants • School leaders with insufficient teaching and leadership experience B. Work Context Challenges • Increased and sometimes contradictory stakeholder expectations • Increasingly onerous workloads • The varied quality and access to school leader development programs and supports

4. II. School Leadership Challenges (cont’d) C. Practice Challenges • Antiquated notion of ‘principal as heroic leader’ • Varying school leader effectiveness • Increased attention to managerial and administrative duties • Need to develop new leadership knowledge and skills • Expanding and sometimes contradictory stakeholder expectations • Leading change and gaining support for it

5. III. Leading in Support of Teaching and Learning • School leaders support student learning by helping teachers build confidence, competencies and capacity to: • engage all students in their learning • collaborate with peers, parents and community • become experts in learning as well as teaching • take collective responsibility for all students • take personal responsibility for career-long professional development to improve practice • support each other, especially beginning teachers • lead

6. III. Leading in Support of Teaching and Learning (cont’d) • School leaders support student learning by establishing and sustaining a learning community that: • embraces and strives for continuous improvement • is based on shared vision, values and principles • identifies members’ roles and responsibilities and builds capacities for success • engages and provides opportunities for everyone to learn • uses technology to enhance learning and teaching • identifies and uses ‘proven’ strategies related to learning, parenting, instruction and leadership • builds everyone’s leadership confidence and capacity and provides opportunities to lead • promotes and facilitates collaboration with positive, productive relationships • identifies and takes advantage of community services for children, youth and families

7. IV. Teaching in a Changed Education System “The role of teachers should involve more collaborative work with students, parents, and the community, as well as teaching that focuses more closely on students’ individualized abilities, interests, and preferences. Teachers should have a more facilitative or mentorship role in their work with students, and undertake to be both highly communicative and technology-savvy in order to meet the needs of 21st century learners and education stakeholders – especially parents…Teachers would need additional supports in order to successfully transition their role.” 2011 Report on the Inspiring Action on Education Consultations

8. V. Leading in a Changed Education System “The role of school leaders needs to evolve in order to support the development of a strong professional workforce – particularly with respect to fostering a setting that values learning and places high quality learning as the top priority… Provision of supports to ensure effective leadership is important as is ensuring that leadership positions are held by appropriate staff .” 2011 Report on the Inspiring Action on Education Consultations

9. VI. Setting Up School Leaders for Success:The School Leadership Framework There are three School Leadership Frameworkelements: • Proposed Alberta Professional Practice Competencies for School Leaders (PPCSL) • Proposed ‘Indicators of Quality’ for programs and activities related to school leader development (i.e., Preparation, Induction and Professional Learning) • Proposed collective and respective education stakeholder roles in supporting, guiding and directing school leaders

10. VI. The Professional Practice Competencies for School Leaders HANDOUT REVIEW

11. VII. Framework Outcomes:Enhanced Quality Practice • Community awareness and familiarity with the Competencies and Indicators will: • raise the status of school leaders • inform stakeholder expectations of school leadership • increase school leaders’ accountability for their practice • Provincial practice requirements will: • create a ‘professional curriculum’ for school leader development programs and activities • promote a province-wide ‘community of learning’ among school leaders • promote collaboration and cooperation among school authorities • facilitate school leader mobility

12. VII. Framework Outcomes (cont’d):Enhanced Support for School Leaders • School authorities support school leaders in their career-long demonstration of the Competencies by: • engaging with them in identifying the measures and evidence of success • promoting their personal responsibility and accountability for career-long professional learning (PL) • providing them with significant input into local PL programs/activities • providing infrastructure for networking and access to research/expertise • facilitating access to formal preparation programs • sponsoring quality professional learning and induction programs and activities • sponsoring local orientation programs • providing ongoing, effective practice supervision

13. VII. Framework Outcomes (cont’d)Effective Succession Planning • School authorities ensure a supply of suitable, qualified school leaders by: • making school leader policies, programs and support transparent • expanding teacher-leadership opportunities • using research-informed recruitment and selection policies and practices • reducing school leaders’ managerial and administrative functions • facilitating sufficient preparation career-phase • diversifying the ranks of school leaders • diversifying leadership opportunities for the most effective practitioners

14. VIII. Supporting Education Stakeholders • The proposed SLF Implementation Plan includes strategies for: • sustained, effective and consistent implementation of the SLF elements • establishing provincial networks and website to create a school leadership learning community • stakeholder collaboration in developing and sharing resources • addressing the essential conditions for successful implementation: • A shared vision • Leadership • Research and Evidence • Resources • Professional Growth and Capacity-building • Time • Community Engagement

15. IX. Next Steps • Jim McLellan, ASBA representative on the School Leadership Framework Working Committee on: • ASBA involvement to date • ASBA endorsement of the PPCSL • Next steps for the PPCSL

16. X. Further Information • Contacts: • The ASBA representative on the School Leadership Framework Working Committee is: • Jim McLellan • E-mail: jmclell@telus.net • The Ministry contact is: • Bob Garneau • Senior Manager • Professional Standards Branch • Phone: 780-422-8233 • E-mail: Bob.Garneau@gov.ab.ca