Instructional Leadership Plan
Introduction
Having worked in three distinct school districts, Worcester Public Schools,
Tantasqua/Union 61, and currently Sutton Public Schools, not once was I made aware of any
type of leadership plan nor did I see a plan in writing. Just imagine the Joint Chiefs of Staff
preparing war plans for a major military invasion and not sharing this information with the
generals in the field. As superintendent it is my responsibility to craft such a plan and share the
information with all stakeholders. Unlike generals preparing for war who need to keep such
plans secret, an instructional leadership plan must be articulated and visible for all who work in a
school system. An educational leader must be transparent in his mission, vision, and plan, and
committed to seeing it through. Once a superintendent makes the mission, vision, and
instructional leadership plan a public document he has, in essence, created a contract between all
stakeholders and himself that must be honored if he intends on having followers.
Any organization without a well developed plan for accomplishing its goals is tantamount
to a pilot flying from the United States to Europe without any flight plans. Daniels and Daniels,
(2005) state it best:
“The single most important leadership function is to create a focus for the
group’s behavior. As it says in the Bible, ‘Where there is no vision, the people
perish’ (Proverbs 29:18). In organizations without this focus, or vision,
performance slowly atrophies. Individual groups create their own vision of how
things should be, resulting in a multiplicity of goals that are often in conflict with
those of others. The resulting loss of harmony either dissipates everyone’s energy
or increases conflict as each unit pursues its own vision” (p. 13).
A vision without a plan to accomplish the vision is nothing but an empty promise.
Leadership often boils down to the courage of your convictions and too often, unfortunately,
1
school leaders allow the system to dictate the rules of the game. Jim Collins (2001) gives school
leaders excellent advice when he says, “Leadership [of nonprofit organizations] is not about
being ‘soft’ or ‘nice’ or purely ‘inclusive’ or ‘consensus-building.’ The whole point is to make
sure the right decisions happen – no matter how difficult or painful – for the long-term greatness
of the institution and the achievement of its missions.” A superintendent must first articulate an
instructional plan to begin the process and if one chooses to be “inclusive” or “consensusbuilding” it starts with the leader’s vision and plan for moving the organization forward. All
organizations need continuous improvement so there is room for both leaders and followers.
The Plan
Mission and Vision
In the book, Schooling by Design, Wiggins and McTighe identify ten curriculum
components that must be present in highly effective schools. These authors are noted in the
education field by two key words “backward design.” Using the backward design principle, it is
logical that one starts with mission and vision. Blankstein (2010) states, “The mission of an
organization is essential to its success. A mission statement should be created and published as a
means of giving those involved with the organization a clear understanding of its purpose for
existence” (p. 84). What is the clear purpose of existence of the Sutton Public Schools? Wiggins
and McTighe (2007) would suggest, “that a primary mission of school is the development and
deepening of understanding and its corresponding habits of mind so that students are able to
transfer their learning to new and important situations, leading to genuine accomplishment” (p.
61). The Sutton Public Schools must hold up a mirror and ask if our current mission and vision
hits the mark and, if not, a new mission and vision must be created.
2
What comes first the chicken or the egg? When it comes to mission and vision, the vision
comes first. According to Blanstein (2010):
“A school’s vision should guide the collective direction of its
stakeholders. It should provide a compelling sense of where the school is headed
and in broad terms, what must be accomplished in the future to fulfill the school’s
purpose. Every decision made, every program implemented, every policy
instituted, and all goals should align with this vision” (p. 95).
In writing the vision for the Sutton Public Schools I feel it is vital to first do a complete
curriculum audit of the current system, and use those findings to create a strategic instructional
plan. This audit will be conducted by ten teachers from across the district, along with the
principals, special education director, and superintendent. The ten curriculum components
outlined in Schooling by Design will be used as the lens in auditing the school district. As a way
of establishing a common language for all stakeholders, the district purchased copies of
Schooling by Design for each administrator, teacher, and school committee member. Copies
were also given to those instructional assistants who requested one. A forward thinking vision,
may fail at the starting line with only the superintendent in the race, without first examining and
honoring the past and present.
As superintendent, I have written my mission and vision statement for the school district.
At the same time a District Learning Team, made up of administrators, teachers,
paraprofessionals, school committee members, students, parents, and a community member, has
been organized and charged with the task of developing a district vision and mission statement.
Once these statements have been developed and shared, each school will develop their own
vision and mission statements based on the district statements so that continuity of vision and
mission exists across schools.
3
Professional Learning Community
The heart and soul of this instructional leadership plan rests on three words, Professional
Learning Community (PLC). Through a PLC model all else will flow such as school vision,
mission, and goal development, professional development, evaluation, family/school
partnerships, hiring practices and so on. Before the district goes any further we must get clarity
on what is meant by professional learning communities. Dufour, Dufour, Eaker, and Many
(2006) address my greatest concern, “It has been interesting to observe the growing popularity of
the term professional learning community. In fact, the term has become so commonplace and has
been used so ambiguously to describe virtually any loose coupling of individuals who share a
common interest in education that it is in danger of losing all meaning” (p. 2). Mike Schmoker
(2006) states it succinctly, “Whether we call them ‘communities of practice’ or ‘self-managing
teams,’ clarity is crucial” (p. 106). As a starting point, the plan will utilize the Dufour, Dufour,
Eaker, and Many (2006) definition of PLC: Educators committed to working collaboratively in
ongoing processes of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the
students they serve. A PLC operates under the assumption that the key to improved learning for
students is continuous job-embedded learning for educators (p. 217). In order for a PLC to
flourish, the community must be allowed to establish norms of behavior and structure based on
the principles in the above definition, but this is just the beginning of the hard work ahead. I
would argue that the chief obstacle impeding the work of a PLC is the personalizing of the
profession. The lack of shared beliefs and practice among educators has hindered progress in
public education for decades. Wiggins and McTighe (2007) argue:
“ Indeed, schooling and reform have been hindered by the view that it is most
“professional” if individual teachers decide for themselves how to teach. The result is not merely
an inconsistent array of unexamined approaches to instruction (as if medicine were still what any
4
country doctor 200 years ago thought it should be;) a more harmful effect is that any critique of
teaching inevitably is seen as an attack on teachers. We believe teaching is currently far too
personalized. Without long-term results and shared analysis of goals to study together, or shared
standards of best practice to which we refer, teachers have little choice but to (over) emphasize
personal beliefs, habits, and style. Naturally, then, any criticism of our teaching makes most of us
defensive and resistant to the message. (After all, the critics are merely relying on their personal
beliefs to critique ours.)” (p. 111)
In order for a PLC model to be highly effective the Sutton School District must invest
considerable time and resources in establishing shared educational beliefs and learning principles
that will be the glue that binds all stakeholders together. Once these shared educational beliefs
and learning principles are agreed upon, each member of the school community has a reciprocal
responsibility to hold one another accountable. If a teacher spends 75 percent of class time in
front of the classroom lecturing, it is the responsibility of every member of the PLC, not just
administration, to address this teacher based on shared beliefs and learning principles.
Depersonalizing the teaching profession is very challenging as one wades into very dangerous
waters, but unless this work is addressed and ongoing the term “professional learning
community” is in name only.
Professional Development
As stated earlier, all professional development will flow from the PLC. However, if our
PLC is the heliocentric center of our school system then our initial professional development
must be the hard work of creating authentic learning communities. Schoker (2006) points out the
reality that most professional learning communities lack the essential features and unfortunately
failure is usually traced to a lack of fidelity to these fundamental concepts. (p. 107) In other
words, the term “professional learning community” has become just another term the education
profession latches onto, put on the superficial professional development workshop or two and
hope for the best. If Sutton is going to be successful in breaking through the barriers it will take
5
more than luck. First and foremost, the plan must allow for patience and perseverance. The task
before us is daunting for everyone, “so take heart: think big; act small; work smarter, not harder”
Wiggins and McTighe (p. 107). All professional development for the next three years and
beyond must be tied to PLC work, all professional development must flow through PLC groups,
and teachers and administrators must hold each other accountable to this process.
As superintendent there are additional responsibilities for assuring successful transition to
a new way of doing business. Providing crucial team time for teachers to meet must be
accomplished or we will be doomed from the outset. Schmoker (2006) calls for teams to meet at
least twice monthly, for a minimum of 45 minutes, “with time being very focused; most of it
must be spent talking in ‘concrete, precise terms’ about instruction” (p. 107). As Sutton rolls out
this aggressive initiative, teams will need more time in the beginning as we establish norms of
behavior and time for learning what a true PLC is and can be for Sutton. To garner this time I
must educate the school committee and the community at large the importance of a PLC model.
Establishing monthly half days for team time will be a burden for families in need of day care so
educating the community of the long term value rests in the superintendent’s hands. In addition
to time, financial resources will be vital to accomplish second order change of an entire school
system. A compelling case must be made to add time and money to what is seen as a very high
functioning school district. Not an easy task, especially in these difficult fiscal times.
Evaluation
The state of Massachusetts has unveiled a new evaluation system that must be in place in
all school districts across the state by 2013. This will be the formal evaluation process for the
Sutton Public Schools and, although important, it is only one piece of the evaluation pie.
6
Teacher-by-teacher observation and regular walk-throughs by administration will be the primary
means of evaluation. Reeves (2008) conducted a recent study and the results are interesting, “The
most important finding of the study-and the foundation of my New Framework for Teacher
Leadership-is that direct observation of the professional practices of teachers by teachers must
become the new foundation of professional development” (p. 3). As a principal of an
elementary, junior high, and high school I had the opportunity to observe all teachers on a daily
basis. Unfortunately, I was observing them on my own. My observations and follow-up
discussions had a direct impact on one teacher with very little or no carryover to the entire
faculty. How can we capitalize on the wealth of expertise that exists in many cases in the
classroom next door?
As an elementary teacher at Jacob Hiatt Magnet School in Worcester I had the
opportunity of a lifetime. Through the Hiatt Center at Clark University and Project Zero, I
participated in several action research projects over a ten year period. Elmore (2004) stresses the
importance to “reduce isolation and open practice up to direct observation, analysis, and
criticism” (p. 81). The rounds model of teacher observation was utilized as a method for
improving classroom instruction. As a member of the teaching staff it was required that you host
a round. The participants in the round consisted of the teacher who presents the lesson, student
teachers from Clark, professors, and fellow Hiatt teachers and administrators. The teacher who
was conducting the round gave a brief overview of the lesson prior to teaching. Next, the teacher
taught the lesson, (with as many as ten observers) and, finally, there was a debriefing of the
lesson and a question and answer period. At that time this was ground breaking research and has
lead to formalizing the rounds model for education. Direct observation of teachers by teachers
must go hand and glove with a PLC model. The direct analysis of student data, followed by
7
implications for instructional practice, followed by the direct observation of teachers by teachers
with a specific protocol for observation may yield positive results for improving instructional
practice. This work is several years down the road, but seeds will be planted and teacher-byteacher observation will become a reality.
The Sutton teachers’ contract currently calls for formal summative evaluations for all
teachers annually. In addition, all non-status teachers must be observed four times in year one
and three times in years two and three. Status teachers must be formally observed every four
years. Unfortunately, this system is unrealistic and in many cases becomes nothing more than a
dog and pony show. To compliment the formal observation, a structured classroom walk-through
model of observation must be employed by all administrators in the district. Downey, Steffy,
English, Frase, Poston (2004) explain, “Walk-throughs are a refinement of management by
wandering around, and effective leaders have practiced Management by Wandering Around
(MBWA) throughout the ages. MBWA leaders are out listening for hints and clues about
strengths, weaknesses, problems, and solutions to problems their people are experiencing” (p.
143). This does not mean that administrators are just simply walking around the building, but
instead there is a purpose and process that is utilized. In the book, The Three-Minute Classroom
Walk-Through, the authors identify a pragmatic system for conducting walk-throughs. Key
aspects of the program include; a five step observation structure that orients the observer very
quickly, how to provide direct feedback, and how to use walk-throughs to cultivate a change in
culture. There are many advantages, such as frequent opportunities to informally meet with
teachers and discuss instruction based on an observation that was not staged. Walk-throughs,
teacher-by-teacher observations, and a PLC model break down the walls of a school and allow
for schools to change a culture of isolation into a culture of shared practice.
8
Family/School Partnership
If you are a parent and have attended parents’ night at your child’s school, you know that
often it is a waste of time for everyone involved. These conferences consist of maybe ten
minutes of discussion about your child and how he or she is doing in school, and there is one
vital person missing in this equation, the student. How do we make the family/school partnership
a reality?
Schools have a variety of ways to communicate with families that did not exist 20 years
ago. Email, teacher Web pages, text messaging, student information systems that allow parents
to view their child’s progress on a daily basis, and traditional progress notes and report cards are
examples of school to home communication. More often than not, these miss the mark. Most
schools have continued the practice of holding two parent teacher conferences each year where
parents are given five to ten minutes with each teacher which is woefully inadequate. Add
portfolios of student work to the combination of communication devices and the formula for
improved communication may be greatly enhanced.
Collections of evidence or student portfolios are nothing new in education. Think of art,
music, and industrial arts programs. Portfolios have always been part and parcel to these
programs. Wiggins and McTighe (2007) describe portfolios as:
“A portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits the
student’s effort, progress, and achievements in one or more areas over a
significant period of time. Unlike the information from a ‘snapshot’ assessment
taken at a point in time, a portfolio functions more like a photo album containing
a variety of photos taken at different times and in a variety if contexts. It is this
‘over time’ quality that makes portfolios so well suited to documenting
development, growth, and improvement” (p. 85).
9
Traditional and new standards-based report cards give parents limited information about
their child’s education and progress. Portfolios of student work must become an integral part of
the classroom structure. In order for portfolios to be used teachers and administrators need to
allocate time in classrooms for this work to be valuable. This requires a change in how classroom
time is utilized, meaning that something must be removed from current practice to make room
for portfolios.
Once again, the work of portfolios must be an ongoing process through each PLC.
Portfolios are not simply putting five or six pieces of student work in a folder and calling it a
day. Portfolios must show how students generalize information that they learn in school through
projects that require more than just regurgitating information. Portfolios are thoughtfully
planned, part of the curriculum, and used as a reflective part of a child’s educational experience.
Student portfolios must be used to enhance the family/school bond. Wiggins and
McTighe (2007) witnessed, “Many schools and teachers are using a student’s portfolio as the
centerpiece of parent conferences. Increasingly, students are being involved as active conference
participants” (p. 85-86).
Student-lead portfolio conferences will become the norm in the Sutton Public Schools.
The magic triangle of teacher, parent, and student viewing a student portfolio must become a
reality as it strengthens everyone’s understanding of what a student knows and how he or she is
able to apply and generalize their knowledge. Two student-lead portfolio conferences per year
will take tremendous planning, contract negotiations, and professional development but in the
end students will benefit and the bond between the school and home may tighten.
10
Hiring Practice
Hiring and non-renewing teachers are two of the most important jobs of an education
administrator. Wiggins and McTighe (2007) state, “Indeed, most educators can point to specific
cases in which a careless selection of a teacher applicant (or a desperate need to quickly fill a
vacant teaching position) has resulted in years of ineffective performance with the ensuing
casualties of student motivation and lost learning” (p. 181). Once a teacher earns status, it is a
monumental undertaking to terminate an ineffective teacher.
A principal has three years to evaluate a new teacher to determine whether they have
earned professional teacher status. This evaluation process must be completed with integrity and
if a candidate lacks the necessary skill they must be non-renewed. If a mediocre elementary
teacher has an average class size of 20 each year for 30 years, 600 will be negatively impacted
and in some cases could have dire results. The stakes could not be more important. So, several
times per year I meet with each individual principal to review each non-status teacher. If there is
any question as to teacher’s effectiveness we will non-renew.
The hiring practice in the Sutton Public Schools will once again flow through each PLC
team with the principal and the chosen candidate being forwarded to the superintendent for the
final interview. If the school system is hiring a first grade teacher the first grade PLC team will
be actively involved in the hiring. The principal and the PLC team will review all applications
through an established rubric, indentify a pool of candidates to be interviewed, and conduct
interviews. Once the pool is narrowed to a minimum of three candidates, each will be brought in
to conduct a model lesson. The top candidate will be sent to the superintendent for final
approval. By including each PLC team in the hiring process, ownership of the new teacher is
11
shared and success or failure no longer rests solely on the principal. Teaching is hard work and
not everyone has the skill set to be an effective educator so it is important to hire the right person
the first time and provide extensive support throughout the first several years.
Summary
July 1, 2010 was the starting date of my tenure as Superintendent for the Sutton Public
Schools. My entry plan was simple, take the first year and get to know the community, staff, and
as much as humanly possible, the inner workings of the school system. Looking back over the
past nine month on the job, we restructured the middle school resulting in the loss of three
teaching positions, we restructured the budgeting process so that each school accounts for every
penny they spend within their building, and I continue to develop an understanding of the
community and the politics of a small town. An instructional leadership plan is the most obvious
next step in the process of moving a school district forward, focusing on our core mission:
student learning. Wiggins and McTighe (2007) ask three simple questions that must be
answered, “What should students know, understand, and be able to do? What content is worthy
of understanding? What ‘enduring’ understandings are desired?” (p. 204) The instructional
leadership plan must, at a minimum, address these three crucial questions.
If the instructional leadership plan for the Sutton Public Schools were a dart board then
the classroom would be the bulls eye. If the questions: what should students know, understand
and be able to do, are answered in the classroom, when we throw the dart, our aim must always
be the bulls eye. Like the game of darts, it is very difficult to get a bulls eye, but if one puts all
their effort and concentration into reaching this goal they have a much greater chance of success,
12
and if you are just outside the circle one begins to sharpen their skills. A PLC model requires a
school district to sharpen its focus on the classroom.
The establishment of a PLC will be the top priority of the instructional leadership plan.
The PLC is the Blackstone River. Professional development, evaluations, family/school
partnerships, and hiring practices are tributaries that flow into the PLC, all of which provide the
river with a steady current. The instructional leader must take great care that just the right
amount of water enters the river to protect against flooding or drought. A committee will be
formed in the summer of 2011 made up of teachers from each school, principals, the special
education director, and the superintendent. The committee will have two goals for the 2011-2012
school year: to conduct a curriculum audit of each school and to create a strategic plan for
curriculum, instruction, and assessment. At the same time, principals will be using professional
development and staff meetings to focus on establishing PLC teams, developing norms of
behavior, and creating strict criteria for how PLC time will be used.
August of 2012 will mark a turning point for the Sutton Public Schools. The district will
have a strategic plan for curriculum, instruction, and assessment, a PLC structure will have a
strong foundation, and everyone in the organization will know and understand our mission. The
following few years will provide an insight to the third question. Can we carry out our mission?
The combination of vision, mission, and an instructional leadership plan creates a contract
between administration and teacher, and the school system and community. By publicly
displaying a vision, mission, and instructional leadership plan with a PLC model as the basis, the
district is committing itself to a system of reciprocal accountability. Teachers and support staff
are accountable to each other and the school system is accountable to the students we serve.
13
As a first time superintendent, the magnitude of responsibility at times feels
overwhelming. The middle/high school construction project, contract negotiations, and creating
a budget in very difficult financial times absorb a great deal of my time. As I drive home
reflecting on the day I often find that the core of our mission has occupied only a small portion
of my workday. Writing the vision, mission, and instructional leadership plan has reenergized
my hopes and dreams for public education. The first nine months on the job has given me great
confidence in the Sutton community and their commitment to education. The administration,
teachers, and support staff have proven to be incredibly dedicated to the students they serve and I
believe they possess the skill set that will allow the PLC to flourish. The PLC model respects the
teaching profession and utilizes the strengths that exist in each classroom in Sutton, and it
demands lifelong learning and improvement of everyone in the organization from teachers, to
students and parents. Together we can improve upon a school system that others will point to as
an example of excellence.
14
References
Blankstein, A. M. (2010). Failure is Not an Option. Corwin Press. Thousand Oaks, CA.
Collins, J. C. (2001). Good to Great and the Social Sectors. HarperBusiness. New York.
Daniels, A. & Daniels, J. (2005). Measure of a Leader. Performance Management Publications:
Atlanta, GA.
Danielson, C. (1996). Enhancing Professional Practice A Framework for Teaching. ASCD:
Alexandria, VA.
Downey, C. J., Steffy, B. E., English, F. W., Frase, L. E., & Poston, W. K., Jr. (2004). The
Three-Minute Classroom Walk-Through: Corwin Press. Thousand Oaks, CA.
Dufour, R., Dufour, R., Eaker, R., Many, T. (2006). Learning by Doing: Solution Tree,
Bloomington, IN
Elmore, R. F. (2004). School Reform from the Inside Out: Harvard Education Press. Cambridge,
MA.
Reeves, J. B. (2008). Reframing Teacher Leadership to Improve Your School: ASCD.
Alexandria, VA.
Schmoker, M. (2006). Results Now: ASCD. Alexandria, VA.
Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2007). Schooling by Design. ASCD: Alexandria, VA.
15
Appendices
Appendix A - Vision Statement
Appendix B - Mission Statement
16