Post SBEC Reflection Avance 
Posted by Brenda Avance at Saturday, August 25, 2012 3:54:21 PM CDT
EDLD 5399 Week One Post SBEC Reflection Avance 8-25-2012 SU3003 Cohort 5
As I completed the Post SBEC Superintendent Competencies Self Assessment, reviewed my responses today and compare the post responses with my answers in the first course, EDLD 5396 I have gained great respect for good long tenure superintendents, like mine in my present district, that have all of the knowledge and skills defined in these competencies and indicators. I was excited to see how many areas I already had knowledge and skills in and how many need work but I truly believe that sitting in the hot seat would tell the real tale. Research states that superintendents’ average tenure is 3.6 years (Retrieved from internet, August 25, 2012,http://www.districtadministration.com/article/superintendent-staying-power). In January in Domain 1, Leadership of the Educational Community, I felt I was pretty strong with 12 areas that I could lead in and 16 areas that I felt competent with the knowledge base and skills but not comfortable to lead in the sixteen. In those sixteen categories I raised thirteen of those to strengths through this program teaching and learning process. I had seven categories in Domain that I needed the most work in and they were as follows; (1) using formal and informal techniques to monitor and assess district/school climate for effective, responsive decision making; (2) facilitating the development, use, and allocation of all available resources, including human resources, to support implementation of the district's vision and goals; (3)articulate the district's vision and priorities to the community and to the media; (4) influencing the media by using proactive communication strategies that serve to enhance and promote the district's vision; (5) communicating effectively about positions on educational issues using effective writing, speaking, and active listening skills to ensure educational success for all students; and (6) analyze and respond to political, social, economic, and cultural factors affecting students and education; (7) access and work with local, state, and national political systems and organizations to elicit input on critical educational issues. (State Board of EducatorCertification, Certificate and Renewal Information, retrieved 12 30, 2008, from internetwww.sbec.state.tx.us:http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECOnline/certinfo/certren.asp?width=1280&height=800) Of these seven categories I was able to raise my knowledge level to competent in five of the areas and in two of them, numbers three and four, they became strengths.
In Domain II, Instructional Leadership, out of the 30 knowledge and skills that a superintendent is expected to be accomplished in I have gained strength in twenty one of the areas from four in the first class. Out of the original 2 skills and knowledge areas, Competency 5 and 6, that I needed the most work on are the areas I still feel weakest in due to my lack of work in the general curriculum area with more emphasis in the special education area. The indicators I feel I need the most work in are two out of Competency 5 and they are as follows: 1. evaluating district curricula and provide direction for improving curricula based on sound, research-based practices and 2. ensuring that staff members have a working knowledge of the accountability system and are monitoring its components to increase student performance. In Competency 6 Area the indicator the superintendent knows how to establish a comprehensive school district program of student assessment, interpretation of data, and reporting of state and national data results for improvement of student learning. I consider my self strong in Competency 6 and 7 except for the one indicator mentioned above.
In Domain III, Administrative Leadership, there were twenty-four statements that a superintendent should know how to accomplish. Out of the twenty-four, I considered five of them strengths for me back in the first course but have through the studies gained confidence and strength in six more. Domain III was my biggest growth area of knowledge and still the area of greatest concern because of the enormity of the responsibility of these areas of skills and knowledge. One of my biggest strengths is “managing one's own time and the time of others to enhance district operations” in Competency 8 Area while at the same time the indicator budget planning and management, revenue forecasting and enrollment forecasting for needs seems heavy. (State Board of Educator Certification, Certificate and RenewalInformation, retrieved 12 30, 2008, from internetwww.sbec.state.tx.us:http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECOnline/certinfo/certren.asp?width=1280&height=800). Two of my strengths are in the Competency 9 Area and they are applying strategies for ensuring the safety of students and personnel and for addressing emergencies and security concerns and developing and implementing procedures for emergency planning and for responding to crises. The other two strengths are in Competency 10 Area which are implementing appropriate leadership skills, techniques, and group process skills to define roles, assign functions, delegate effectively, and determining accountability for goal attainment and using strategies for working with others, including the board of trustees, to promote collaborative decision making and problem solving, facilitating team building, and developing consensus. All of these strengths along with my desire to learn and lead will continue to benefit my districts and me as a leader in my future roles.
