Good times

I have really enjoyed this past year with everyone. Longer for me and Scott. Looking forward to moving to the next step with Scott and Lydia. Know we will all cross paths in the future. Stay in touch guys.

SBEC Self Assessment, Part II

After completing the superintendent log I know that I have gained experience and knowledge in many of the competency areas. I feel that I have improved my knowledge and skills base. However, I know that I have a lot of room for improvement. I still feel that communication and facilities are my strongest points, and that finance and board relations are my weaknesses. I think I have a better handle on curriculum and how it influences the success of the whole district. I think the biggest difference is that I now feel confident in addressing any of the competency areas. I feel that I have a stronger background. I feel confident in moving forward and addressing issues that I may not have wanted to face before. I may not have all of the answers, but I feel I know at least where to look or who to ask for the information. I feel stronger in my abilities and have an idea of where I am going and how to get there, and feel more confident in moving forward. From this point forward I am looking at everything as a learning experience and hope that I will be able to work in many competency areas to gain experience and knowledge of school business. Today AP at a middle school, tomorrow president!

D2C6A11

We have initiated a positive behavior support iniative in hopes of improving student academic and behvioral success. Each six weeks data is analyzed to monitor improvement. Positive behavior is an important aspect on a middle school campus. Students are irrational and very imulsive. We hope to get them to thinking about choices and consequences.

D2C7A7

We have district plans that require campus administrators to complete formal evaluations as well as several walk through evaluations to ensure that best practices are being used in the classroom and that students are given the opportunity to be successful. It is great to have plans for success, but you have to monitor those plans.

D2C7A9

We use a part of the Eduphoria program to conduct teacher/staff surveys and then allot time to address the concerns of staff during team building exercise at the beginning of the year. Being open and willing to listen to staff on a daily basis allows an informal assessment of organizational moral. Everyone needs to feel like what they do is important and that their concerns are important. You may not be able to address the concerns to everyones satisfaction, but you can listen and try.

D2C6A5

Helped plan and manage an afterschool tutorial program to help students be successful on TAKS. Other than staffing, transportation was provided for students. It seemed that actually ensuring that students got home was the most difficult part. Our transportation department was great and at the end of each day all students were home.

D2C5A9

Attended UIL academic and athletic planning meetings with representatives from other districts. Planned the dates of UIL events. It is a logistical nightmare trying to plan all of the UIL events around the schedules of all participating districts. Inevidably, events get scheduled together or in conflict with an individual schools events.

D2C7A5

Administrators from each campus meet periodically to discuss professional development and how that training meets district as well as individual campus goals. We ensure that state and federal guidelines are met and the needs of students on each campus are met. Ensuring that district staff is prepared to meet the needs of the students is very important in obtaining success.

D2C5A8

Each 6 weeks we provide one day for our grade level science and math teachers to work together planning instruction based on the CSCOPE curriculum.The biggest part for us is furnishing subs, space, and resources for these teachers to meet and plan the best lessons for their students. This is a great way for our teachers to learn the requirements of the new curriculum and work together to find the best strategies for classroom instruction.

D2C5A4

The district has a process to monitor the use of the curriculum, CSCOPE, with a series of walkthroughs from district and campus personnel. These walkthroughs only include math and science classrooms now since these are the only areas we are requiring to use the curriculum this year. We also regularly check (electrnically) to ensure other teachers are accessing the curriculum site. CSCOPE is supposed to be a good, complete curriculum and ensures vertical alignment. We are hoping that it will help us alleviate any gaps in instruction and strengthen our core curriculum.

D1C1A3

We had an incident where a custodian slapped a student in front of other staff and students. The student was the nephew of the custodian's but the behavior was still inappropriate. The parents of the student did not wish for anything to happen, so we only had to deal with school policy. This was a tough one. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Working together, the campus administrative team along with the Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent, decided on a consequence for the custodian that we felt was fair but also showed that this behavior could not be tolersted.

D1C2A5

We evaluate the effectiveness of implemented plans regularly, but in end of the year administrator meetings and site based meetings, we focus on data to ensure that goals are being met. If not we discuss why and plan changes to hopefully meet those goals. You always have to monitor your plans for achieving goals to ensure that those procedures are being implemented and goals are being met.

D1C1A1

Working with other AP to address the issues of two new teachers who are not performing up to standard. One has been on campus all year, one came in at mid year. Student success is suffering because of inexperience of teachers. Also enlisting the help of teaching team. Some new teachers are great and need little help. Some come in with the wrong idea of what teaching is and are not prepared to adapt. The hard part is knowing if that person wil be able to change or should they choose another profession.

D1C4A6

It was brought to my attention that part of the PEIMS reporting for truancy was my responsibility. I discovered that I was about three months behind. I worked with our attendance clerk and SRO to get caught up and in compliance. I discovered this while talking to another AP about changes in the dating procedure. This was a responsibility that was assumed I knew I had. Did not do this in previous district. Communication is key.

D1C3A9

District Assistant Principals met. Discussed ways to get school information to parents and the problems faced in getting that message out. Discussion invovled meeting at local churches to get information to stakeholders. It is important to find innovative ways to get school information to stakeholders who may not have access to the internet or may not be getting the information being sent home with students.

D1C2A1

Several meetings with campus administrative team members and discussed our positive behavior support initiative to evaluate how well it has worked this year and how to improve it next year. Student behavior on a middle school campus is probably the most unpredictable aspect on the campus. We try to stress the concepts of making the right choices and thinking of the consequences and reward positive behavior. It takes the whole campus to achieve this. Everyone (principals, councilors, teachers, and other staff) has to be involved.

D3C8A4

Administrators in the district met to discuss the new system being used for budgeting. There will be a new process of initiating purchases and different coding system. Implementing the new system is taking a lot of training. It is good that many assistant principals as well as campus principals are involved in this. This may not seem like a lot of money to larger districts, but it helps us pay for after school tutoring and pays for remediation materials in our goal of addressing at risk students. 3 hrs.

Staff Development

Staff Development Plan

We have adopted the CSCOPE curriculum and will schedule time for teachers to work with the curriculum. Currently, we only implement CSCOPE with Math and Science. Like most districts, we feel these are our main areas of weakness and want a vertically aligned curriculum to hopefully help improve student success. We are preparing to increase the areas where we implement CSCOPE and will allow time for training.

Most of our staff development is handled on the campus level with each campus developing a plan to address those issues identified by site based committees. There are differences in the needs of early childhood campuses and secondary campuses. On the elementary campuses that do not have to take the TAKS, most of the staff development is based on parent involvement, Response to Intervention, and curriculum. Those campuses also disaggregate achievement test data along with other testing data such as TPRI to address weaknesses. Those campuses that do take the TAKS will also bring in the AEIS data to address the weaknesses there. We also need to be aware of our at risk students and start making plans for them as early as possible.

Across the district we have good scores. The areas holding us down are our scores in the African American, Special Education, and At Risk sub groups. We need to focus our staff development on these areas to hopefully increase test scores.

We have developed a “Failure is not an option” motto and really stress goal setting on the campus level to address specific campus needs. We also stress behavior initiatives on the campus levels. A staff survey helps identify areas of concern that are important to teachers.

We have a grade with a high number of autistic students and each year the teachers receiving these students go through autism training. We try to cover the state mandated requirements like bloodborne pathogens, gifted and talented, sexual harassment, and others with workshops and staff meetings throughout the year and summer so we can focus on campus and district needs during scheduled staff development days.

We are also adopting new software for the school for attendance, grades, discipline, etc. Administrators have been receiving training over the past month and will continue to receive training in the summer with the teachers. We have a state waiver from the state that allows us to have 177 days of instruction with the three additional days required for staff development. We have to spend those three days on curriculum and instruction.

The only day we will meet as a district for beginning of the year staff development is Monday. We will have a district breakfast. The rest of the training will be decided on a campus level focusing on curriculum, instruction, student success initiatives, goal setting in alignment with district plans, and new technology. All of the trainers are coordinated through central office. Specific attention will be placed on teaching diverse populations to reach our sub groups in hopes of helping them become more successful.

Two possible programs to implement are the Ruby Payne and Why Try programs. Both of thse programs will be beneficial with working with our at risk and minority students. We also need to find ways to improve the performance of our special education students. We need to look at how our programs are being implemented and how effective they are.

D2C2A1

Helped run the academic pep rallies that reward the positive behavioral and academic achievements of the students. It is good to find ways to reward academic and behavioral success.

D2C2A4

Along with other administrators and with the aid of local emergency management groups developed an emergency management plan that addresses the needs of the district as pertaining to the changing societal requirements. Having the help and input of different people/groups is very important. It is also important because it addresses the needs of the district.

D2C7A2

The district team met to discuss professional development. We discussed that professional development must be campus based meant to address campus performance objectives. We also discussed state and district requirements along with CPEs. Again, being in a new district (a much larger district) I am learning how different processes are used in similar situations. We are planning for the needs of a much larger staff and student population.

D1C1A5

I have been invovled with 4 student expulsion processes. In complying with the law and with district policy, we had to determine whether to expel the students to JJAEP in Hardin County or to place them in our district AEP. All of these cases where an automatic placement in the AEP. Pending the language in the charges provided by law enforcement, others were expelled. 2 of these were policy.

D3C8A7

When interviewing for two open posiitons we had several applicants who did not meet the certification requirements. The most common was not having the Early Childhood certification for our Pre K. We also had two applicants who were certified in another state. I learned that you could hire these people as professional staff but they could not be the teacher of record. They could be if they were under an emergency certification program. Then other requirements are involved.

D2C6A11

I have been involved with several Spanish speaking students in helping identify areas where they struggle in the educational system. Also in determining if thay should take the TELPAS. In my previos position there was no diversity in the district. Helping with these students has allowed me to see first hand that there are students with specific educational needs outside of special education.

Superintendent Entry Plan

I need a little help with this. The example in calss was much longer with appendixes. Tell me what you think. Do I need to add anything?


Superintendent’s Entry Plan



By the time I start any superintendent position I will already have the basic information on the district, meaning that information that is published and readily available to anyone. I would also hope to have a little deeper understanding of the culture of the school and those relationships with stakeholders that will influence operations in the school district. Actually being on the job and developing those relationships will be the only true way to assess the true culture of the school and those relationships with stakeholders. Similarly, research will identify weaknesses of the district, but actual experience there will be the only way to know how stakeholders influence ways to address those weaknesses.


The First Day

The first day on the job will most likely be in the summer. Things I would like to accomplish that day are:

• Set up lines of communication with all board members
• Set up lines of communication with all administrators
• Set up lines of communication with outside entities that are involved with district operations such as lawyers and other contract personnel
• Schedule a meeting with the administrative team within one or two days

I know this isn’t much, but communication is important. Also it will allow time to prepare for the administration team meeting.


The First Week

• Meet with each board member, individually and as a group
 Discuss where the district is and where they want it to be

• Meet with the administration team
 Discuss upcoming staff development, how and why specific training was chosen and does it meet the needs of the district
 Discuss where they believe the district is and where it is going
 Discuss areas of needed improvement

• Meet with individual building principals
 Learn specific building needs and concerns
 Learn individual goals and how they relate to district goals

• Meet with other supervisors/directors to discover concerns; Transportation, Maintenance, Food, Athletics, Music
• Meet with Central Office personnel
 Business manager to get started on our relationship (hope he/she is good)
 Curriculum coordinators
 Special Education directors
 Technology

• Plan for at least one visual enhancement of each campus
 Not a major overhaul, yet. Something like new garbage cans, painting something, or planting something. Anything that shows that we are taking pride in our schools and campuses and that we are going to work to improve the district.


The First Month

• Be visible and accessible. Realistically I will begin in a small district where visiting the campuses is easier.
• Meet the teachers and staff, make a point to remember names and faces
• Attend some of the staff development, show it is important
• Meet with the board
 Set up district goals and evidences of attainment
 What do they expect of me
 Set up the rules of how we will operate as a team

• Be a spokesperson for the district. A lot of people will have questions and concerns. Tell them the positives we already have and ways we are going to improve our weaknesses.
• Set up weekly meetings with the administration team
• Set up monthly meetings (at least) with other directors
• Identify those influential stakeholders that can help improve school/community relations
• Set up ways to effectively communicate with staff and stakeholders
 Newsletters, internal and external
 Distribution list on e-mail
 Staff meetings
 Phone call system
 Open door policy, central office as well as building level
 Effective parent/teacher communication


The First Year

• Be diligent in communication
• Use the information from weekly and monthly meetings to improve district performance and meet district goals
• Constantly work on the budget and communicate that with the board, don’t let it be a surprise in the Spring
• Be visible, be on the campuses and in the community
 Observe teaching/learning
 Eat in a building cafeteria once a week (pushing it, I know)
 Ride a bus route occasionally
 Be at sporting and academic events
 Attend a parent/teacher meeting
 Attend local club meetings when asked
 Let people know that the success of the school, in all areas, is important

• Ensure that plans to improve district performance are implemented
• Meet the goals adopted by the board and be able to show it
• Identify areas of need that may require a more substantial cost from the district and plan ways to address them.
 Involve the community, teachers, staff, and all stakeholders


Some planning in the district will take longer than a year. The district needs to have a plan in place to address those items that need to be replaced or repaired periodically. For example:

• Technology – the district needs to have a plan to replace a percentage of the computers every three to five years to keep up with changing demands and to avoid one massive, costly overhaul at once.
• Transportation – A percentage of school vehicles need to be replaced periodically to ensure safety. There also needs to be a plan for regular preventive maintenance.
• Physical plant – All buildings need to be on a regular maintenance schedule. Flooring, air conditioning, painting, and other areas need to be addressed.

Academic plans also need time to develop. It is improbable to improve state rankings from acceptable to exemplary in one year, but a plan to address the weaknesses can be implemented and monitored over a period of time. In a period of three to five years progress should be made.

D3C10A2

Met with curriculum team to discuss surveys to get staff opinion of implemented curriculum. Also put the surveys on the Eduphoria site. Easy access, accountability, and tabulation of results. Resources like this are really important to a larger district. In a small district, you just walk down the halls and ask. Hard to do when there are five separate campuses. 3 hrs.

D3C9A3

Worked with School Resource Officer in reviewing the Emergency Management Plan and suggesting needed changes to address new concerns faced by the school district. This needs to be done regularly to ensure that the school district is keeping up with ever emerging concerns.

D3C9A2

Working on presenting several ideas to the campus principal and Asst. Superintendent on improving the safety of students while in the pick up lines. Student safety is the most important factor in this area.

D2C6A9

I have reviewed the discipline procedures implemented at our school and have met with teacherrs and other administrators on trying to be creative when handling discipline to meet the individual educational needs of students while remaining fair and equitable. The best place for students is in the classroom. However, sometimes events occur that require their removal. This is where equity needs to be observed. 3 hrs.

D1C4A3

Participated in two board sub committee meetings discussing/investigating district positions on curriculum and Title monies. I had never done this before. Interesting to see how people who are not educators think about education. 3 hrs.

Interview with Richard Bain

Interview with Superintendent of Silsbee ISD, Richard Bain

What are the most important skills for a superintendent?

Mr. Bain said the most important skill for a superintendent is communication. A superintendent needs to be able to communicate effectively with all stakeholders at all times. You need to be able to relate to everyone, be a good public relations person. The larger the school district the more people a superintendent relies on to handle specific situations. The superintendent still needs to be knowledgeable of what’s going on to be able to communicate effectively.

What has been your most difficult experience?

Dealing with a deficit budget and making those decisions to balance the budget while making sure you have the money to do the things you want to do.

What has been your greatest accomplishment?

Crossing the barrier to an exemplary district. This happened when he was superintendent of Water Valley ISD.

What is your vision of the future?

First, for all campuses in Silsbee ISD to be recognized, and the exemplary. I want to see Silsbee become a leader in Southeast Texas in academics, career and technology, and what we offer students and teachers. I want people to think excellence when they hear Silsbee.

What to do

We haven't even started and I think I am behind. I get the job entry plan but the staff development plan seems a little complicated. Do we need to have a plan for the entire staff and then another plan or a section of the plan that would address individual weaknesses? Wouldn't we need to know those weaknesses before we could address them? Or do we need to have staff development for content areas? Maybe yes to all of it. And what about the research project for Dr. Nicks? More info later? I'm ready to jump in but don't know where to jump. Did someone let Brad know about the test in Dr. Nicks' class next week?