Self-Assessment Reflection

It is definitely amazing to see how much growth I have made in such a short period of time.  In reflecting on all 10 Competency Areas I feel like I am at least competent in all areas.  Not to say there are not areas that I need more experience and need to improve, but I do feel like I have gained enough information throughout the courses of this program to at least know where to go to get more information. 

The following competencies are considered areas of strength, but as mentioned before, continue to need refining and growth.  Competency 1 was already an area I felt strong in due to my ethical nature and willingness to follow policies and procedures.  After discussion regarding ways that individuals can get themselves into hot water without really knowing it certainly made me analyze certain aspects of managing funds and resources differently.  I realize the higher the position the more there is a chance of scrutiny and must do as much as possible to remain transparent and honest with district resources.  Competency 2 is almost a strength, but is definitely an area of competency.  As a campus leader in a school that is not nearly as diverse as the overall district, I must continue to do more to recognize and honor diversity.  Competency 3 is a strength because this is certainly an area that I have been working to develop at the campus level.  I am also very lucky to have a superintendent to model after in this regard.  My current superintendent does a wonderful job of involving community members and keeping all stakeholders informed.  In working with my district supervisor, which is the Chief of Curriculum and Instruction, I gained much knowledge in the area of instructional planning as expected in Competency 6.   Competency 7 was certainly an area that I felt was improved based on the professional growth plan activity we were required to complete.  This activity gave me a systematic way to develop staff development.  The final area of strength is competency 10, which addresses state and federal requirements.  This continues to be an area of strength, and was greatly improved by all the opportunities to access board policy and various TEC and TAC requirements. 

Competency 5 and 9 are areas of competency.  I certainly feel the Superintendent Leadership class promoted growth in these areas, but I need to continue to develop my skills in regards to strategic planning and plant management. 

Competency 4 remains an area of needed improvement as does Competency 8.  Working with a Board of Trustees remains an area I feel I need to make sure I continue to explore.  I think much of this will depend on the dynamics of The Board I will be working with.  Controlling the budget on a district level is most certainly an area I need to continue to develop.  I know where to go for laws and assistance, but do not feel I have all the information I need to perform these responsibilities to the level that would be expected of a district leader. A specific strand I need to ensure I address is; access and work with local, state, and national political systems and organizations to elicit input on critical educational issues.

Leadership of the Educational Community, Domain 1, is an overall area of strength with the exception of the actual budget.  Instructional Leadership, Domain 2, and Domain 3 Administrative Leadership are both areas of competency. 

Leadership Goal Statement

I strongly believe a leader should not want to lead for the sake of obtaining power, but should feel powerful enough to lead.  I have grown into a more confident leader over the last six years as an elementary principal, and certainly gained wisdom in regards to the district level over the course of this program.  As I leader I hope to accomplish a collaborative work environment that will foster student success.  I often wonder why I am driven to be a leader, and why in the world would I go through everything it takes to be a school leader, but when I walk in the building everyday and see the students it all becomes clear.  The thought of improving the course for even just one child makes everything I do worth it.  I am one of eight educators on my mother’s side of the family, which three of us have been or currently are campus administrators.  I was raised in a family that values education, and of dominant women that possess the skills to lead a group of people.  I have a vision for what I want education to be, and hope to one day be able to carry that vision forward as a district leader. 

My internship provided a vast array of opportunities that gave me new insight, and also gave me the opportunity to show what I am capable of on a larger scale.  Two of my projects ended in School Board approval for new programs coming to the district.  I was also able to help coordinate a staff development opportunity that received overwhelming positive feedback.  The many interviews and research items provided views of education I originally never thought of.  I am definitely more prepared to be a district leader because of the internship projects I completed.

Career Position Statement

  I would like to initially pursue a principal position at the secondary level.  All of my experience is at the elementary level, and although I think this has greatly prepared me, I certainly realize there are a number of areas at the secondary level I need to experience firsthand.  My next position to pursue would then be a central administration position such as Curriculum and Instruction or School Operations.  I would like to be in charge of a large department that directly impacts student instruction or school operations to learn the inner workings of such a department.  I would then pursue a superintendent position.

 

I am very fortunate that I currently work in a district that I greatly enjoy, and for which my family has adopted as our family community.  With two young children involved it makes it extremely difficult for me to imagine jumping directly into a superintendent position right away.  When I had my final conference with Dr. Creel he brought to light a variety of factors that I needed to consider.  The impact on my family is definitely what I must consider at this time.  I intend to stay with my current district as long as I possibly can while still obtaining the positions for which I pursue.  I believe being in charge of a large department such as Curriculum and Instruction would give me the experience needed to be a better superintendent.  I also intend to continue my education and obtain my doctorate.  My ultimate goal is to become a college professor.

Vita Update

 

Melissa Block

4524 Bucking Bronc Drive, Benbrook, TX.76126

(W) (817) 297-5080; (H) (817) 443-0058; melissablock@sbcglobal.net

Education/Certification

M. Ed.                                                 Educational Administration,
                                                            Tarleton State University,

                                                            Stephenville, TX, 1997

BS                                                       Interdisciplinary Studies,
                                                            Tarleton State University,

                                                            Stephenville, TX, 2002

Superintendent Certificate              Texas (In progress)

Principal Certificate                         Texas

Teacher Certificate                          Elementary Reading (1-8), Texas

                                                           Elementary Math (1-8), Texas

                                                           Elementary Self Contained (1-8), Texas

ESL Education                                 ESL Supplemental (1-8), Texas

Administrative Experience

Principal, Bess Race Elementary School,

Crowley Independent School District,

Crowley, TX, 2006-present

§  Implemented CSCOPE curriculum and whole school approach to after-school tutorials in order to improve academic achievement. TEA Recognized Campus 2008-2011

§  Utilized the PDAS system to define and monitor high expectations for staff performance.

§  Analyzed data from a variety of sources to make decisions.

§  Received the Community Builder Award; Sunrise Daylight Lodge No. 1433, Crowley, TX, October 1, 2007.

Assistant Principal, Bess Race Elementary School,

Crowley Independent School District,

Crowley, TX, 2002-2006

·         Facilitated effective resolution of conflicts in a timely fashion with students, teachers, and parents.

·         Implemented and trained other administrators with the district’s textbook tracking system.

·         Established programs to recognize students and staff for their contributions toward achieving goals.

Teaching Experience

Fifth Grade Math and Science Teacher,

Meadowcreek Elementary School, Crowley, TX, 1997-2002

·         Facilitated the use and integration of technology to enrich the curriculum.

·         Implemented sound, research-based instructional strategies in which multiple opportunities to learn and be successful are available to all students.

·         Built relationships and collaborated with colleagues to improve student achievement.

Presentations

• Block, M. (2011, September). How to Teach Like a Champion. Presentation at Bess Race Elementary for Gifted and Talented Professional Development, Crowley, TX.
• Block, M. and Murphy, J. (2010, November-January). Genius Denied. Presentation at Bess Race Elementary for Gifted and Talented Professional Development, Crowley, TX.
• Block, M. (2010, August). Curriculum Development and Implementation based on CSCOPE for Professional Development at Bess Race Elementary, Crowley, TX.

Additonal Training/Professional Development

• Skyward Trainer of Trainer, Crowley, TX, 2012
• Target Success, Crowley, TX, 2012
• CSCOPE Conference, San Antonio, TX, 2011
• Differentiated Instruction: Strategies That Work, Crowley. TX, 2009
• Continuous Improvement, Crowley, TX, 2007
• Capturing Kids' Hearts, Crowley, TX, 2007
• DuPont Training, Crowley, TX, 2002
• New Jersey Writing Project, Crowley, TX, 1998

Professional Affiliations

Texas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2008-present

Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association, 2002-present

References

References will be included on the following page, if requested.

School Finance Week 5-Reflections

Part 1

1.) 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.7- A school official drew cash advances saying she was reimbursing expenses from and Educational Fund, but was actually using the money for personal use.

-Short term-administrative leave

-Long term- Charges filed and possible jail time

-Unlikely to find work in this area in the future regardless of the outcome due to a tarnished reputation

2.) 1.3- A teacher at a conference used a receipt from a colleague to request reimbursement for materials purchased by the collegue for her own profit.

     3.)1.2- A school administrator used general school funds to purchase furniture for             

           her home.

-short term-administrative leave pending an investigation

-Reimbursement of funds

-Rport incident to authorities and SBEC

-Charges filed, and possible jail time

-Loss of credentials

4.)  2.6-An administrator used a monetary bribe to persuade teachers to say positive comments to the superintendent regardin the principal even though the statements were not completely true.

5.)  2.3-A school administrator accepted a monetary payment to make the decision in hiring a certain teacher candidate for an open position.

-Administrative leave pending an investigation

-Report incidnet to authorities and SBEC

1.)  Training regarding appropriate forms of tracking expendatures should be in place.  A system should be developed in order to prevent one employee from having direct access to the account.

2.)  A checks and balances system should be in place to verify expenditures of items beyond those of educational material.  Especailly if the amount is at the magnitude of the cost of complete sets of furniture.

3.)  Provide training regarding hiring practices.  The district should have a system developed to monitor the candidates being interviewed.

Part 2

I learned a great deal of information in this course. I do feel like I am at least competent in all areas.  I have a clear understanding of the basic finance areas, but I do not feel comfortable enough to apply these skills on my own.  In the area of personnel and time budgeting I am a part of the technology committee in my district, so this has certainly opened my eyes to the vast concerns and issues in ensuring a technology sound system.  Self-assessment is always difficult for me because I always see room in any area for improvement, but overall I feel I have gained enough knowledge and acquired resources that will guide me in the right direction.

Part 3

I first of all think it was great to be able to work with others in the class.  Posting in all the places was a little difficult, but overall I enjoyed reading the reflections of classmates and working with my wonderful group.  It is hard to narrow down the parts that were the best because I learned something from each of the assignments.  I enjoyed interviewing my superintendent and getting her perspective on the budget.  With the financial times being so difficult in education I am very glad to have this course so that I can have a better understanding of the various funding formulas, projections, and the importance of stakeholder input.  As a campus principal I will certainly have a better understanding of how the overall budget is developed, and will be able to make better decisions about spending on my campus.  The budget I work with is simply a drop in the bucket compared to the overall district budget, but in today’s times every penny counts. 

As I worked through the post course self-assessment I realized that I had a much better understanding in many of the areas compared to pre-course assessment. 

School Finance Week 4-Part 5 Financial Audits

In speaking with Superintendent Dr. Dan Powell CISD’s process for conducting the Annual External Financial Audit mirrors the steps shared in the lecture notes for this week shared by Dr. Lu Stephens.  CISD utilizes the TASBO model format for selection of the external auditor, which includes placing a RFQ for firms to submit their proposal of interest.  The district reviews and verifies the firms’ references and narrows the choices to 2 or 3 firms.  The district then conducts interviews of these firms in order to conclude the final choice.

Once the auditor is selected the auditors come to the district throughout the year to conduct specialized visits.  They let the district know the time of their visit and which documents they will examine.  Towards the end of the audit, which differs based on the district’s financial cycle, the auditors will spend about two weeks going over final documents and conducting final interviews of pertinent staff.   

Once the audit is complete, the firm will prepare a document of their findings for the Board of Trustees.  Within this report the firm will determine if there are any areas of concern.  In the audit shared at our last Board Meeting no areas of difficulty were discovered.  There were two different occasions that funds were over extended, but due to the time of the accounting for those days the money was crossing paths at the bank.  This did not pose any concern for the auditors.

In the case of CISD the audit was given to the district and Board Members a week prior to the called Board Meeting.  During the Board Meeting the auditor shared his report and answered any questions posed by Board Members.  The audit was accepted and voted on for approval during the Board Meeting.

After discussing this process I was surprised to find that the report was not shared with the Superintendent in advance of sharing the report with the board.  There was no allowance for questioning or dispute. 

School Finance Week 4-Part 4 Personnel Salaries

85% of our over $97million dollar budget is staff related costs.   A little over $63 million dollars will be spent this year on instructional costs, which includes teacher salaries.  Due to our competition of such districts as Fort Worth ISD it is imperative that our district maintain a competitive teacher salary in order to recruit quality teaching staff. 

In speaking with my district’s superintendent there positives and negatives to a 5% increase in salary.  On the positive side it provides a short-term morale boost for the staff.  The increase also allows our district to keep up with the market of obtaining and retaining quality staff.  Dr. Powell also sees that it is a gesture to the teachers of their value and importance.  On the negative side the morale boost, mentioned before, is indeed only short-term.  The overall hit to the budget is significant, and does not always get enough boost in morale to offset the cuts made in other areas.  Another negative mentioned by Dr. Powell is the pay increase creates a feeling of obligation and expectation.  For so many years districts were able to provide a step in pay.  Over time teachers became accustomed to receiving the increase in pay, and felt betrayed and let down the year the district was not able to offer such a pay increase