The School Administrator

December 2011 Number 11, Vol. 68Superintendent EvaluationInsiders on board appraisals: Homegrown processes, sour experiences

Features

Making Superintendent Evaluation Fun?
by PAUL L. VRANISH
A superintendent in Texas has produced an organic appraisal system that has eliminated most of the perennial stress and unpleasantness for both the board and the superintendent.
Similar Reading: Reconsidering Superintendent Evaluation and Additional Resources
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Revamping Our Evaluation
by THOMAS OWCZAREK
A 28-year board member details the refined protocol in Fitzgerald, Mich., for assessing the superintendent and the board’s own performance. The result is the board’s better understanding of district operations and an alignment of personnel evaluations with common goals.
Similar Reading: The Cycle of Evaluation and Additional Resources
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When Superintendent Evaluation Is Lacking
Two veterans, Kristen School and Middleton McGoodwin, shed light with considerable candor on their unsatisfying experiences with previous boards and suggest what to watch out for when the board takes up your own performance review.
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Seeing the Whole
by SHARON S. SKEANS AND ROBERT G. SMITH
When it’s time to evaluate the effectiveness of a program in your school district, here are seven considerations for doing more than reducing the process to crunching test scores in the subject areas and grade levels tested. A wider view of the beast is warranted.
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Profile: Sue Zurvalec

Passionate Over Relationships by LIZ GRIFFIN

Sue Zurvalec isn’t the type to bark orders, but she has learned to be careful when tossing around ideas with colleagues in Farmington, Mich.

Departments

BOARD-SAVVY SUPERINTENDENT

Values for the New Normal by TIMOTHY G. KREMER

In times of financial stress, it’s never been more important to work strategically with boards of education. While you can survive some setbacks, you won’t make it if you’ve lost your board’s support.

TECH LEADERSHIP

Social Media for Connecting and Collaborating by KEITH KRUEGER

Online communities of practice are being used in an array of schools and districts for more than communication and outreach, driving instruction and improving outcomes.

FOCUS

Paperless Initiatives Boost Our District’s Connectiveness by MARY ANN L. STABILE

A Pittsburgh-area school district has replaced the packets of informational flyers and PTA and building newsletters sent home in students’ backpacks with a comprehensive electronic delivery system to connect with families.

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

Considering All Factors by PATRICIA E. NEUDECKER

Like the gift poinsettia in her office, children will not grow and thrive unless we consider all the conditions affecting their well-being.

AASA SCHOOL SOLUTIONS

School and Gym Uniform Buying Enters Digital Age by ED BERNSTEIN

The CEO of Propell Corp. describes an option for schools to buy school uniforms online while raising funds.

GUEST COLUMNS

Your District’s Pipeline for Principals by WILL MILLER

The president of the Wallace Foundation says his group’s field work and commissioned research point to a four-prong regimen for generating school leaders fit for the challenge.

Applying Finland’s Paradigm to NYC Kids by JANET D. MULVEY

The author imagines how Finland, a global pacesetter in education comparisons, might serve some of the typical students she has come to know in the public schools around New York City.

Regaining the Profession Through Our Language Use by KENNETH T. MURRAY AND BARBARA A. MURRAY

Some lapses can be forgiven, though educators ought to stand as role models in their verbal and written communication skills – or they set themselves up as targets for ridicule.

PEOPLE

People

The latest career changers in the superintendent ranks, plus a Sidelight feature on a Pennsylvania school leader’s busy month tending to his family’s Christmas tree farm.

EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVE

AASA Connect: A Resource To Promote Success by DANIEL A. DOMENECH

An introduction to AASA’s new microsite promoting effective programs and practices and expert advice on issues ranging from school board relations to adopting common core standards plus superintendent blogs and the latest research from Washington-based think tanks.

The School Administrator

Features

Profile: Sue Zurvalec

Departments

Book Reviews