Classroom Reflection

The agenda was precise and followed routine procedures regarding presentation of information. As usual the local school board of Cullman City Schools was very clear and methodical in the presentation of the agenda and maintained a strong sense of professionalism throughout the meeting. The groups that asked questions and had concerns seemed to very pleased with the responses that they received from the school board. The information that was provided to the various groups and parents helped the various groups gain a better understanding of the school board’s position on specific topics all while providing a clear understanding of the overall outcome that the school is wishing to achieve. The announcement of another special called board meeting on October 9th, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. was made. This announcement was made to inform all individuals who wish to attend, the opportunity to once again be a part of the ongoing discussion and search for the next superintendent of Cullman City

The Wilson School District Board of Directors meets on the first and third Monday of each month to guide the operations of the district through six strategic vision planks. These planks seek to: improve upon or expand Wilson’s portfolio, grow Wilson regionally and nationally, increase organizational agility and capacity, engage in creative development of new and existing infrastructure, create a flatter organizational structure, and control for fiscal accountability. The following is a summary of the meeting which occurred on September 18, 2017, along with observations and conclusions from the perspective of a future district administrator.

For the example in this memo, I will be focusing on the funding of educational programs. As you are aware, 38% of the property taxes fund school programs such as athletics, arts, and all day kindergarten. Due to the great recession, property values here in the Knoxtown area were greatly affected and a majority of properties lost nearly 50% of their assessed value. A significant portion of our constituents also lost their homes. Due in some part to these two factors, our projected revenue was not met. The overall revenue for the city was down 42% resulting in a serious budget shortfall. The loss of these property taxes resulted in the cutting of many school programs. The children of our constituents not have fewer athletic and arts programs to choose from as well as eliminating full day kindergarten for the next term. If corrections to the budget are not made, some bus services and reduced lunch programs will also be eliminated.

The plan outlines five goals that we have found for our school district. These goals show our commitment to provide the highest possible standards of education for all students in our district and to ensure the fair and equitable treatment of all members of our community. We consider understanding individual differences in each student and teacher so that we can adopt the appropriate programs of study for them of the utmost importance.

The principal conducted several meetings with stakeholders during the summer months to collect data and feedback to assess needs of the school. Our professional learning community team and principal participated in district training throughout the year over the summer.

The text states that it is essential that superintendents and school board members communicate effectively to find the best solutions to problems. Effective communication requiring everyone to be heard in an honest and forthright exchange of viewpoints has proven to be best for children. Therefore report on Curriculum by Dr. Byron Haynes and reports on start of the year were given by Principal J. Griffin, Principal B. Cleark and Principal M.

Time, place of meeting, and environment - The school board meeting is held at Jones Magnet Middle School, 1819 Nickerson Blvd. at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is held in the auditorium and it is open to the public. The members of the board sat next to one another on stage while the visitors sat t in the audience. There was a clear distinction between the members and visitors. The environment is very structured and the members of the Board were task orientated. There was a great sense of group cohesiveness among the members and I could see there was a great deal of respect.

Headland Middle School completed our School Improvement Plan in May 2014. The school leadership team, which consisted of parents, analyzed the 2013-14 School Improvement

Every school district has board meetings throughout the school year. Unfortunately, many parents, community members, & school personnel do not attend such important meetings because they don’t realize or understand the importance of such board meetings or how informative they can be. According to Kankakee School District (2017), the Kankakee School District Board of Education is composed of seven elected members, who were elected by the citizens of Kankakee to serve a four-year term that do not receive no salary for they services, are committed to ensuring a quality of educational excellence that will enhance the opportunities and challenges facing today’s student and additional responsibilities that board members include are selection of the District superintendent, developing general polices according to wishes of the community and requirements of law, hiring school personnel based upon recommendation of the Superintendent and the Assistant Superintendent of Personnel, adopts salary schedules, approves funds to finance school operations, must adopt and review the annual operating budget for the District, and setting the property tax levy to produce adequate funds to meet the District’s financial needs ranks among the responsibilities of the Board of Education (Retrieved from https://www.ksd111.org/domain/68). For this paper, the Kankakee School District board meeting will be used, information learned from board meeting, use of

My time spent in the Clinical setting, so far, has been extremely inciteful as to how to become a better educator in a classroom setting. Through the data I collected I was able to connect Borich’s Seven Variables of learning to the students. By being in the clinical setting for nearly two months, I have been exposed to new ways of thinking when it comes to structuring a classroom and instructing a classroom. Within this reflection you will find out how I would better plan an effective lesson for the pupils in my future classroom. You will also discover what I will do about certain issues in the classroom and how I will address/fix them.

Goal 1: Develop a comprehensive curriculum that is inclusive, reflects multicultural diversity, and promotes contributions by all races, creeds, and cultures

Goal 4: The development of a clear commitment to maintain ethical and functional working relationships with all members of the educational community; and

Professional development principles Ben embraces are Rigor, Relationships, Relevance and Realness. Mr. Rhodes continually emphasizes that work needs to have relevance and rigor in assignments and that the relationships teachers build with students is essential for success. Specific content used for staff development goals are Glenn Singleton’s work (Equity), National Achievement Gap, High Performing Schools, 90/90/90 Studies, 21st Century Skills, Marzano’s Instructional Strategies, and Heidi Hayes Jacobs’ literacy work. A variety of activities for teaching new skills to teachers occurs throughout the year. These include study groups, guest speakers, ERO (staff development classes), open classroom visits, master teachers sharing best practices in literacy, differentiated instruction, , math, and culturally responsive teaching, conference opportunities, mentors, district content area inservices, building inservice days, monthly district content area meetings, partnerships with universities, Collaborative Action Research for Equity (C.A.R.E.) cadre, and monthly building equity meetings. Mr. Rhodes uses the district Teaching Learning Cycle (Plan-Teach-Monitor- Adjust) to evaluate and assess the learning goals and make improvements. Ben also meets with Ben and the leadership team about the goals and creates the timeline to provide training and analyze progress. Evaluation of the learning goals using the SIP (as a living document) and individual goals are important

As we review and synthesize data of a district for planning school improvement, the following information is needed to access and determine the needs of a school. First, a thorough analysis of performance data must be reviewed to see how school districts measure up with state and federal accountability. During this process, it is very important that schools focus the performance indicators that will guarantee growth and success. School teams must refer to the districts mission and vision to guide the planning process. The performance indicators will provide data that will be beneficial in creating improvement strategies. So, after careful evaluation of the data, the next step would be to plan effective methods and strategies that will improve student achievement. Moreover, this plan should include needs, demographics and opportunities for students to be successful. Additionally, the baseline data is important information to include in the improvement plan.

Teaching can be a challenge, you never know what to expect and each classroom will be unique. However, you will always have to be prepare for teaching in a situation you may not be comfertable with. Educating students and practicing proper knowledge on subjects such as race, class, gender, sexual orientation and disability are vital in creating a safe and respectful classroom for all. School is often looked upon as a place of security for students and it is our job as teachers to help maintain that status.