Planning for Growth as an Educational Leader

Andy Ralston Professional Growth Plan

2020-21

Assessing Professional Needs

Using the self-assessment checklist, I recognize the following competencies that could guide my planning for growth this year:
Admin Inquiry Question for 2020-21
In what ways can our admin team provide opportunities for social emotional learning to support staff and student emotional well-being?
Version 2:
In what ways can our admin team initiate dialogue, share decision making and problem solve intentionally alongside staff, while providing topic focus, structure, and
time to process to support staff and student emotional well-being?

Planning for Growth

Relevant School Goals:
2020-2021 School Priority One

Priority One for the 2020-2021 school year is quality instruction for success for all.
 This priority is important in our school because Grande Prairie Public School Division is a learning community in which every student succeeds.
 The desired outcome for focusing on this priority is success for all students.
 Classroom instruction and assessment prioritizes literacy and numeracy.
 Strategies that will be used to support this priority are teacher reflection, collaborative inquiry, and engaging in generative dialogue. On-going inquiry based
professional growth planning (What is the impact of daily <social emotional learning> on student learning, behavior, attitudes and relationships?), connected to the
Teacher Quality Standard and student achievement will be the foundation of teachers work.
 An Elder works with all students and staff to help facilitate an understanding of and appreciation for, the historical and contemporary experiences, traditions,
cultures, worldviews, and ways of knowing of Indigenous peoples.
 Grade level meetings focus on meeting the needs of all learners.
 School Improvement Planning and collaborative work dedicated to developing and maintaining online resources for students and parents (Google Classroom, online
tutorials, online access to assignments and classroom progress).
 Continued work on Pyramid of Intervention and trauma informed practice and classroom supports for social emotional learning.
 Evidence that will be reviewed to assess success will be that internal and external measures reflect continued improvement. Multiple sources of evidence will be
used to benchmark growth and progress. This includes but are not limited to Staff and Parent Satisfaction Surveys, OurSchool Student Surveys, APORI results,
Provincial Achievement Tests, Fountas & Pinnell that benchmarks literacy in Grades 1 to Grade 6, Counting Principles math assessment, formal and informal
classroom assessment, attendance data and report cards.

2020-2021 School Priority Two

Priority Two for the 2020-2021 school year is to develop students’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills to manage emotions, build healthy relationships, set goals, make
decisions, and increase capacity for self-regulation.
 This priority is important because of the physical and mental health impact of Covid-19 on students.
 The desired outcomes for focusing on this priority for students is better academic performance, improved attitudes, and behaviors, reduced emotional distress and
fewer disruptive behaviors.
 The following strategies will be used: develop foundational support through professional learning to strengthen staff expertise, a whole school approach that builds
on the instruction of social-emotional outcomes in PATHS will be utilized, create a safe, caring and predictable learning environment and promote SEL for students.
The implementation of the above strategies will ensure that students are connected to their peers and have strong supporting relationships with adults in the school.
 Evidence that will be reviewed to assess success will be the number of lessons in PATHs teachers have completed.

2020-2021 School Priority Three

Priority Three for the 2020-2021 school year is supporting the overall health and well-being of our staff.
 This priority is important because it has a positive impact on staff job satisfaction, mental health, and student learning. When people feel appreciated, respected, and
satisfied in their roles, and work in a safe, healthy environment, they will ultimately be more engaged, connected, committed and productive.
 By encouraging a focus on health (mental, physical, and social) and self-care, fosters a healthy working and learning environment for students, teachers, and staff.
 Administrations inquiry based professional growth planning will ask the question: What is the impact of daily social emotional learning on teacher learning,
behavior, attitudes, and relationships?
 Strategies that will be used are staff wellness day, explicit direction towards division supports provided by Human Resources through the Alberta Schools Employee
Benefit Plan, delivering supports that take practical and effective steps to improve life balance and health issues by accessing the Employee and Family Assistance
Program through Homewood Health, PD on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)- DBT is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that tries to identify and change
negative thinking patterns and pushes for positive changes to manage emotions and move forward, and using online resources that promote healthy living, a healthy
work environment that respects the employee’s life outside of work as well as their working life.
 A source of evidence that will be used to benchmark growth and progress will be staff surveys.

Other School Initiatives:

Goal One
Inquiry Question:
As a school-based leader what effective actions can I take to support the social-emotional well-being of staff and students at my school?

Possible Resources:
Central Office-Staff Wellness Plan
Homewood Health
Mental Health Lead on Division Multi-Disciplinary Team
Principal and Vice Principal
Parents
Students
Teachers
Strategies: Timeline: Comments:
Align school timetable, bell schedule, and school Aug-Sept
routines to COVID Protocol. Re-allocation of
resources (ie. Computers, lunch program, staff
classroom budget)
Survey Staff about areas of need for social September
emotional well being
Review staff survey results and Admin plan to December
address needs on PL Day
MDT Mental Health Presentation for Teachers November -First general session was highly regarded by teachers
and March -second session feedback: toxic stress indicators and how to manage
Staff Wellness Day December Due to ongoing development of restrictions with COVID this day was planned and postponed
CO Collaborative Site Visits Sept-June Use these to dig further into practice and intiate actions to support social emotional well-being of
staff
PATHS Inservice January Due to ongoing development of restrictions with COVID this day was planned and postponed
Indicators and Measures of Success:
-staff survey
-feedback from staff
-measures of normalcy can be maintained (i.e. Inquiry work and Generative Dialogue continue to progress,
-parent survey results (i.e. December District Survey on how families are faring with at-home learning)
-student survey results
-continued success with attendance when schools are open
-continued regular and consistent contact to parents to build assurance (2019-20- significant parent contact 2073 compared to 18-19 1139 representing a 182% increase
in calls)

Reflection:
Key to developing an understanding and staying connected to the classroom was the conscious decision to return to teaching core with a Social Studies 8 teaching
assignment. This allows opportunity for positive relationship building with students
Ideas Moving Forward: Celebrating Success-revisit to align with socio-emotional school plan goal-time to reflect in January? Tradition vs change
Forbes Fab Five-Friday announcement?
How to implement PATHs at Home?

Goal Two
Inquiry Question:
In what ways does the review and re-development of an ongoing electronic portfolio increase my effectiveness as a school-based leader?

Possible Resources:
Weebly
Principal Quality Standard
Teacher Quality Standard
Various Artifacts from last 4 years of work
Board Policy 1
School Plans

Strategies: Timeline: Comments:

Participate in CO initiated Pilot Evaluation Sept-June
Process
Establish and Review Hard Copy and Cloudbased Sept-January
Storage of Artifacts
Redevelop Professional Growth Website through Nov-Mar
Weebly
Regular meetings throughout the year with Jan-June
Principal-Terry Gorgichuk

Indicators and Measures of Success:

-successful and complete evaluation by June 2020
-coherent personal philosophy of education
-a central “location” to represent growth in education over the last 7 years
-a central focus for professional dialogue on professional growth
Reflection:
Entering the fourth year of assigned duties of Vice Principal it is time to remodel a coherent philosophy of education and what my role is to be an effective support for
students, teachers, and parents. In first developing my portfolio and considering multiple data points and pieces of evidence my understanding of contributions to the
division was made clear and communicated in my portfolio. 4 years of job experience has led to immeasurable professional growth often taken for granted in day-to-
day operations and interactions.
 Somewhat Confident

Confident

Very Confident
Not Confident
COMPETENCIES AND INDICATORS:

This self-assessment tool is meant to help focus reflection within the parameters set by the Alberta Professional
Practice Competencies for School Leaders. Use it to help identify 2-3 areas from which to develop your growth
plan.
1. Fostering Effective Relationships: A leader builds positive working relationships with members of the school community and local community.
a. acting with fairness, respect and integrity; X
b. demonstrating empathy and a genuine caring for others; X
c. creating a welcoming, caring, respectful, and safe learning environment; X
d. creating opportunities for parents/guardians, as partners in education, to take an active role in their children’s education; X
e. establishing relationships with First Nations, Metis, and Inuit parents/guardians, Elders/knowledge keepers, local leaders and community X
members;
f. demonstrating a commitment to the health and well-being of all teachers, staff, and students X
g. acting consistently in the best interests of students; X
h. engaging in collegial relationships while modeling and promoting open, collaborative dialogue; X
i. implementing processes for improving working relationships and dealing with conflict within the school community. X
2. Modeling Commitment to Professional Learning: A leader engages in career-long professional learning and ongoing critical reflection to identify opportunities
for improving leadership, teaching, and learning.
a. engaging with others such as teachers, principals, and other leaders to build personal and collective professional capacities and expertise; X
b. actively seeking out feedback and information to enhance leadership practice; X
c. seeking, critically reviewing, and applying educational research to inform effective practice; X
d. engaging members of the school community to build a shared understanding of current trends and priorities in the Education system. X
3. Embodying Visionary Leadership: A leader collaborates with the school community to create and implement a shared vision for student success, engagement,
learning and well-being
a. communicating a philosophy of education that is student-centered and based on sound principles of effective teaching and leadership; X
b. recognizing the school community’s values and aspirations and demonstrating an appreciation for diversity; X
c. collaborating with other leaders and superintendents to address challenges and priorities; X
d. supporting school community members, including school councils, in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities; X
e. promoting innovation, enabling positive change, and fostering commitment to continuous improvement; and X
f. accessing, sharing and using a range of data to determine progress towards achieving goals. X
4. Leading a Learning Community: A leader nurtures and sustains a culture that supports evidence-informed teaching and learning
a. fostering in the school community equality and respect with regard to rights as provided for in the Alberta Human Rights Act and the Canadian X
Charter of Rights and Freedoms
b. creating an inclusive learning environment in which diversity is embraced, a sense of belonging is emphasized, and all students are safe are X
welcomed, cared for, respected, and safe;
c. developing a shared responsibility for the success of all students; X
d. cultivating a culture of high expectations for all students and staff; X
e. creating meaningful, collaborative learning opportunities for teachers and support staff; X
f. establishing opportunities and expectations for the positive involvement of parents/guardians in supporting student learning; X
g. creating an environment for the safe and ethical use of technology; X
h. collaborating with community service agencies to provide wrap-around supports for all students who may require them, including those with X
mental health needs;
i. recognizing student and staff accomplishments X
5. Supporting the Application of Foundational Knowledge abbot First Nations, Metis and Inuit: A leader supports the school community in acquiring and
applying foundational knowledge about First Nations, Metis, and Inuit for the benefit of all students.
a. understanding the historical, social, economic, and political implications of: X
 treaties and agreements with First Nations
 legislation and agreements negotiated with Metis; and
 residential school and their legacy.
b. aligning resources and building the capacity of the school community to support FNMI student achievement; X
c. enabling all school staff and students to gain a knowledge and understanding of, and respect for, the histories, cultures, languages, contributions, X
perspectives, experiences, and contemporary contexts of FMNI; and
d. pursuing opportunities and engaging in practices to facilitate reconciliation within the school community X
6. Providing Instructional leadership: A leader ensures that every student has access to quality teaching and optimum learning experiences.
a. building capacity of teachers to respond to the learning needs of all students; X
b. Implementing professional growth, supervision, and evaluation processes to ensure that all teachers meet the Teaching Quality Standard; X
c. ensuring that student instruction addresses learning outcomes outlined in programs of study; X
d. facilitating mentorship and induction supports for teachers and principals, as required; X
e. demonstrating a strong understanding of effective pedagogy and curriculum; X
f. facilitating the use of a variety of technologies to support learning for all students; X
g. ensuring that student assessment and evaluation practices are fair, appropriate, and evidence informed; X
h. interpreting a wide range of data to inform school practice and enable success for all students; and X
i. facilitating access to resources, agencies and experts within and outside the school community to enhance student learning and development. X
7. Developing Leadership Capacity: A leader provides opportunities for members of the school community to develop leadership capacity and to support others in
fulfilling their educational roles
a. demonstrating consultative and collaborative decision-making that is informed by open dialogue and multiple perspectives; X
b. identifying, mentoring and empowering teachers in educational leadership roles; X
c. promoting the engagement of parents in school council(s) and facilitating the constructive involvement of school council(s) in school life; X
d. creating opportunities for students to participate in leadership activities and to exercise their voice in school leadership and decision making; and X
e. promoting team building and shared leadership among members of the school community. X
8. Managing School Operations and Resources: A leader effectively directs operations and manages resources.
a. identifying and planning for areas of need; X
b. applying principles of effective teaching and learning, child development, and ethical leadership to all decisions; X
c. aligning practices, procedures, policies, decisions, and resources with school and school authority visions, goals and priorities; X
d. following through on decisions made by allocating resources (human, physical, technological and financial) to provide the learning environments X
and supports needed to enable and/or improve learning for all students;
e. facilitating access to appropriate technology and digital learning environments; and X
f. ensuring operations align with provincial legislation, regulations and policies, and the policies and processes of the school authority.
9. Understanding and Responding to the Larger Societal Context: A leader understands and appropriately responds to the political, social, economic, legal, and
cultural contexts impacting schools and the school authority.
a. supporting the school community in understanding the legal frameworks and policies that provide the foundations for the Alberta education X
system;
b. representing the needs of students at the community, school authority and provincial levels; X
c. engaging local community partners to understand local contexts; X
d. demonstrating an understanding of local, provincial, national, and international issues and trends and their implications for education; and X
e. facilitating school community members’ understanding of local, provincial, national, and international issues and trends related to education. X