Strategies
BEST PRACTICES OF EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS
POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE & CLIMATE
The benefits of a positive school culture for students are increased student learning, improved behavior, and improved mental health. The faculty and staff thrive in an environment that respects them as professionals and adults. A positive school culture and climate is a safe place where everyone feels seen and valued.
SCHOOL SAFETY AND STUDENT WELLBEING
*School Safety Team Monthly Meetings
*Safety information and Emergency routes are posted throughout the building
*First Aid Kit or Go Bag in every classroom
*Perform regular safety drills (fire, tornado, lockdowns, etc.)
*Stay abreast of emergency response protocols for: accidents, illnesses, injuries, administering first aid & CPR, etc.
BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS
*Create a warm and supportive atmosphere with the staff
*Promote parent engagement and volunteers
*Support family involvement activities
*Establish partnerships with the community organizations and businesses
COMMUNICATION
*Written and spoken feedback is delivered with clarity for targets hit and missed
*Delivered and responded to in a timely manner via email, phone, Parent Square, etc.
*Recognizes efforts, achievements, and contributions by the faculty and staff publicly
HIGH EXPECTATIONS ARE THE NORM
*Continuously encourage the school vision, mission, and values
*Delivered in a timely manner
*Thriving Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Program (PBIS) Utilizing grade-level and age-appropriate incentives.
TRENDS AFFECTING EDUCATION
Education is affected by the following state, local, and national trends:
UNITED STATES
* Teacher shortage and retention crisis
* Mental health is a core priority
*AI integration and digital learning
VIRGINIA
* School Performance and Support framework to measure school performance
* Virginia Literacy Act
RICHMOND CITY
* Record-breaking graduation rate of 80.1%, John Marshall High School 100%
* Chronic absenteeism
* Equity gaps for multilingual and Hispanic/Latino students
EVALUATING SCHOOL AND INSTRUCTIONAL
PROGRESS
SCHOOL MONITORING AND EVALUATION
I will serve my school as a support to all operations by properly communicating with all departments and services through these regular procedures and activities:
*Bi-weekly check-ins with the administrative team on progress and challenges
*Daily building walkthroughs to check on operations
*Utilize central office-supplied evaluative tools for school-based programs
*Participate in and receive regular updates from the Safety Team, Attendance & Discipline Team, and Culture & Climate Team Meetings.
*Bus or car/ van transport duty, cafeteria duty
*Reasonable response time to calls, texts, walkie messages, and email
SUPERVISING INSTRUCTION AND EVALUATION
To provide optimal service to students, I will use disaggregated student data to verify classroom rosters to ensure proper ratios, match teacher uniqueness professionally and personally, and identify specific needs in each classroom to support targeted instruction. I will use the following strategies for supervising instruction:
*Utilize district-supplied forms for instructional staff observations and evaluations
*Regular classroom walkthrough observations with feedback
*Plan pre-observation conferences, formal observations, and provide feedback
*Attend grade-level PLCs to monitor and provide feedback for planning and assessments
*Participate in the School Leadership Team.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
The school leadership team and I will work collaboratively to utilize the following steps in creating a school improvement plan:
*Create a needs assessment based on data from four targeted areas in need of growth
*Establish SMART goals for each need
*Provide staff development for the utilization of evidence-based strategies
*Attend bi-weekly PLCs for continuous monitoring
*Provide materials and retain support personnel for students
* Continuously monitor for growth
MANAGING SCHOOL RESOURCES
I will use the following practices when making financial decisions and managing a budget:
*Assess school needs and prioritize them by urgency
*Place prioritized needs in "buckets" of preset categories with their allotments for spending
*Be consistent with spending-tracking and internal audits regularly
*Communicate with and involve stakeholders for budget suggestions
*Review statements, make adjustments if possible and plan ahead