by Brian Whiston , Superintendent, State of Michigan, M.A.

1. How to Build a Collaborative Approach as a School Superintendent with the Implementation of Effective Evaluations and Staff Accountability

2. by Brian Whiston, Superintendent, State of Michigan, M.A. Glenn Maleyko, Superintendent, Dearborn Public Schools, Ph.D AASA Superintendent Conference February 11, 2016

3. Presentation Outline • Relationships and Union Collaboration • Routine PLC meetings • A good sense of humor • Evaluations and District Policy- A collaborative approach • Accountability- • Employee Performance • Teacher • Budget • Community Relations an Visibility • Public Relations and Use of Electronic Media

4. Dearborn Demographics • 19,800 students • Over 58% ELL • 73% Free and Reduced Lunch • Over 2400 Staff members • Over 1300 staff in the teacher’s union

5. In order to be successful, professional learning communities must be embedded in the culture of our school. Teamwork and collaboration at Dearborn Public Schools is not an option, it is who we are and what we do as a part of our daily routine. Brian Whiston and Glenn Maleyko

6. Team Collaboration We can achieve our fundamental purpose of high levels of learning for all students only if we work together. We cultivate this collaborative culture through the development of high performing teams. Dufour & Eaker

7. Strong Labor/Management Collaboration • Teacher Eval Committee • Assessment Committee • PD Committees • District Curriculum Committees • Meetings Between Union Heads HR/Superintendent • Participation at Gen Admin and Eval Training

8. Monthly Union Meetings • 1 pm. Dearborn Federation of School Employees – Support Staff • 2pm Dearborn Federation of Teachers (DFT) instructional • 3pm All union heads and exempt employee representatives • 4pm Association of Dearborn Schools Administrators (ADSA)

9. Relationships, Relationships, Relationships • Give Union heads a seat at the table • Sometimes do favors to build a greater relationship-- Stephen Covey- Deposit philosophy • Greater Buy-in with implementing educational programs and initiatives • Open Door Philosophy and Willingness to listen. Does not mean that there is always a 100% agreement. • Keeps us apprised of rumors and other issues out there. • Sometimes go to local restaurant/bar for meetings

10. Joint Leadership Collaboration with unions • Cabinet Members attend an annual out of town conference with the DFT leadership to build relationship and joint leadership capacity. • All about Buy-in and a Better Product/Performance • Joint Presentations with HR and DFT president

11. Negotiations 2013 Dearborn Federation of Teachers • Interest Based Modified Model • Developed some innovative ideas elementary prep, $ savings tied to foundation • Relationships were Key. • Superintendent Participated Directly • Had Fun and Celebrated upon getting a TA

12. Prohibited Subjects • The union has a seat at the table to discuss non-negotiable items including prohibited subjects of bargaining in some cases • As a result: Greater Buy-in from faculty with the implementation of those policies. • Better product due to ideas and suggestions from the union

13. DFT Layoff and Recall Formula (A new policy that we developed) • There is a sequential order to the ranking system • 1.  Evaluation ratings. (Ineffective, minimally effective, effective and highly effective).

14. Layoff and Recall Formula Continued • 2. For Plan III teachers Ineffective rating broken down into different phases. - Awareness, Assistance, Discipline • 3. Discipline-suspension over 5 days. • 4. Employees with severe attendance problems on step 6 of the absence verification procedure.

15. 5. Attendance calculation over a two-year period.   • 6.  Attendance at Professional development.  • 7.  Discipline involving less than five days of suspension. • 8. Seniority

16. Cultural Shifts Becoming a Professional Learning Community 0 • “To put it as succinctly as possible, if you want to change and improve the climate and outcomes of schooling both for students and teachers, there are features of the school culture that have to be changed, and if they are not changed your well-intentioned efforts will be defeated” Seymour Sarason: Taken From Robert Eaker PLC presentation.

17. A Traditional School Focuses on Teaching and a Professional Learning Community Focuses on Student Learning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3PhJDxvgJM&safe=active

18. 0 The history of a free man is never written by chance but by choice– their choice. Dwight D. Eisenhower

19. If you were on a Walkthrough and Discovered this. What would you do? • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbdWD_uZZN0&safe=active

20. We like to Have Fun! Thanks to the Boss. He was out at on vacation this week

21. Team Building and Stress Reliever • Having Fun at work helps us to deal with tough situations like staff accountability. - budget and job reduction - terminations - Calling Snow Days - Other controversial issues

22. Anthony MuhammedThe Will to Lead the Skill to Teach: 2012 • Creating highly effective schools requires more than will -- it requires specific action to bring vision into reality.

23. Staff Accountability • Over 90 forced resignation/retirements since 2009. Most Tenured Teacher or Administrators. • Over 70 since 2011. • How do we do it. • Relationships with union are huge. We have saved a lot of $ and Time. • Following through and Superintendent Support • Training For Administrators and High Expectations for all

24. Teachscape We have over 90 Administrators that have passed the assessment. We are now starting the third cohort In order to pass it requires between 20-40 hours of training in addition to group meetings. Time Given at Monthly Trainings We also provided a small $300 stipend of one personal business day to administrators who passed showing good faith with the admin union

25. Evaluation Committees -Executive Director and DFT president co-chair teacher evaluation committee. Wide variety of representation from teachers principals and central office administrators. -Greater Buy-in from Teachers when implementing new processes or components

26. Evaluation Committees • All Employees – established a committee with non-instructional support staff • Administrator Evaluation Committee – Executive Director Co-Chairs with ADSA president • We have conducted Joint Presentations before the board of education regarding each evaluation tool.

27. Danielson Training Consultant Came to our district to Provide Training Union heads and teachers participated alongside administrators. Student Engagement Learner Focused Conversations Executive Director In-Turn Continues to Provide Training

28. Danielson Framework and Evaluation Plans for Teachers Plan I -Probationary Teachers Plan II - Effective or Highly Effective Teachers Plan III - Ineffective or Minimally Effective Tenured Teachers. Executive Director Completes Walkthroughs and Conducts Observations when needed to support building principals.

29. Plan III (IDP) • Plan III a. Awareness Phase (30 days) b. Assistance Phase (90 days) c. Discipline Phase (30 days) • No one can be placed on the Assistance Phase of Plan III without a central office administrator observation. (Provides Safeguards for all. • Superintendent observes anyone up for potential termination.

30. Student Achievement Related to Accountability • Test Score increases across the board • Recognized by the Mackinaw Center and the Chamber of Commerce • 5 year Plan Implementation and Recognition • District Literacy Model. • Consolidated Testing with NWEA and moving towards a growth model

31. Winston Churchill True genius resides in the capacity for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous, and conflicting information.

32. Student Growth

33. Dearborn Teacher Evaluation Weights “Weighting is the process of assigning different values to portions of an evaluation to reflect their relative importance in determining overall performance” MCEE (Michigan Council for Educator Effectiveness )

34. 2014-15 Teacher Evaluation Weights to Comply with State Legislation 75% will be based on Observation Protocol and the 5 Standards for Effective Teaching. This includes observations (formal and not formal), walkthroughs, other performance measures that are related to the teacher evaluation rubric which includes all 5 standards. Professional Responsibilities are included as one of the standards.

35. Growth Data Formula Measures – 25% 5% District growth based on state accountability measures 10% Building Growth based on state or building or district common assessments 10% Classroom Growth based on State Assessments, District Common Assessments or Classroom Assessments

36. 10% Building Growth Data Based on multiple measures which must include NWEA (reading, Language Usage, math and science), Explore, Plan, MME and State Accountability growth measures (when state data is made available).

37. 10% Classroom Growth Data Based on NWEA for the specific subject area, State Assessments, Classroom Assessments, DRA, Performance or product measures, other formative assessments, pre and post tests (specific % proficient) are required.

38. A Quote from Maya Angelou “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel” Commencement Address, 2002

39. Maria Montessori One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.

40. Budget Accountability • The Superintendent Works closely with the Executive Director of Business Services • Budgetary issues are a top priority and related to student achievement • Important Budgetary areas • Class Size • 5 Year Plan • Student Achievement

41. “People want to be part of something larger than themselves. They want to be part of something they’re really proud of, that they’ll fight for, sacrifice for , trust.”— Howard Schultz

42. Visionary leaders • Effective visions help individuals understand that they are part of a larger world and also reassure them of their individual importance to the organization. • Reeves, Douglas (2006). The learning Leader.

43. Communication is the Key • DPS Website is a Pot of Gold • http://dearbornschools.org/ • HR Blog Site http://humanresources.dearbornschools.org/ • Link to DPS Vision http://dearbornschools.org/articles/282-vision-mission-objectives • Follow me on twitter @DrMaleyko

44. Community Involvement and Visibility • Member of Organizations, Rotary, Kiwanis Club, Optimist, Foundations, PTA etc. • Important Dinners • Golf Outings and Events • Political Connections • Involved with Foundations • Twitter to Promote, just started.

45. Public Relations and Transparency • Board Meetings • Data and Documents • Website • Dearborn TV network • School Life Publications • Other local media

46. Team Collaboration Effective collaborative teams share knowledge, define learning standards, agree on pacing, build knowledge of best practice, and focus on issues that MOST impact student achievement.

47. All of us can consciously decide to leave behind a life of mediocrity and to live a life of greatness---at home, at work and in the community. No matter what our circumstances may be, such a decision can be made by everyone of us. Stephen Covey the 8th Habit

48. The Power of Professional Learning Communities • The most promising strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement is building the capacity of school personnel to function as a professional learning community. The path to change in the classroom lies within and through professional learning communities. Dufour & Eaker

49. Marzano, Waters and McNulty (2005) 1st order change vs. 2nd order change • 1st order change is incremental. It can be thought of as the next most obvious step to take. • 2nd order change is anything but incremental. It involves dramatic departures from the expected, both in defining a given problem and in finding a solution

50. Fullan (2008) The Six Secrets of Change • Secret One Love your employees • Secret Two Connect peers with purpose • Secret Three Capacity Building Prevails • Secret Four Learning is the work • Secret Five Transparency • Secret Six Systems Learn