Standard 2: Governance and Leadership
Jamesville Elementary School (JES) utilizes effective communication throughout the staff and its shareholders to add, remove, or revise governing body policies and/or procedures. We make it our business to continuously review how we do business, and, if there is a better way, we pursue it. Additionally, even if we don’t have a better way immediately available to us, when we recognize that something isn’t working, we identify it and earmark the procedure, etc., for future in-depth discussion. Should the ineffective process be controlled at the county level, notification of need for review/revision is forwarded to the appropriate district office holder. Grade-level, staff, PTA, SIT, and JES Advisory Committee meetings, and routine shareholder surveys are some of the venues regularly utilized to begin and conduct such discussions. Informal discussions between and among various staff members and other shareholders occur daily. County policies are reviewed according to their schedule of need. The results of any changes are forwarded to the schools. We preview the changes to the staff at the earliest possible time and in the most effective/time efficient manner at our disposal. Emails and other correspondence/communications to the staff, students and other stakeholders, followed by open discussions at meetings (see above) are the most effective way(s) that we have found to communicate the information and solicit/collect feedback. The feedback is then forwarded to the appropriate body,and follow-up is initiated if the response seems unduly slow or not forthcoming. Annual review of Title I, School Improvement, and Safe Schools plans provide necessary district oversight and opportunity for assistance. Adherence to local, state, and federal regulations and policies is ensured through routine completion and examination of required self-inspections, desk audits, reports, and plans to various district offices and beyond.
Review of data from such sources as formative assessments (class work, results from SuccessMaker, SRA, AR, Education City, Waterford, and Reading 3-D), progress monitoring (Reading 3-D, SuccessMaker, Waterford, and SRA), chapter assessments, benchmark testing, and summative assessments (NC State Writing Assessments, EOG results and NC Report Card publication/distribution) occurs routinely at varying intervals (daily, weekly, twice monthly, every third week, quarterly, and yearly). Once reviewed and discussed, instructional adjustments, generated and implemented with shareholder input and participation,are made as soon as possible to correct any misdirection detected or noted. Recurring meetings (grade-level, staff, PTA, and JES Advisory Committee) throughout the school and community aid in the information distribution and attendant restructuring, when necessary.
Martin County Schools’ superintendent conducts thrice yearly formal observations and routine informal observances/feedback. School leaders’ staff development needs are considered and satisfied wherever and whenever fiscally and prudently possible. The North Carolina DPI schedule for observations for instructional personnel is strictly followed. This is routinely supplemented by informal observations and walk-throughs. Feedback is a routine part of these observations/visits. Individual staff development plans are completed each year by the end of October and are reviewed/evaluated three times (3x) annually by both teacher and principal. Evidences are reviewed and evaluated, as is the overall goal completion. Progress and completion are grade-level meeting discussion topics, routinely, and are discussed at staff meetings as necessary or when pertinent to the whole staff. Leadership of the discussions is fluid and routinely changes depending on the expertise of the participants involved. Non-instructional staff members are included in all staff-wide staff development training activities – staff meetings are typically utilized for this purpose. Non-instructional staff observations are conducted and out-briefed twice yearly, per MCS direction. Informal observation and feedback occurs on a daily basis.
Members of the School Improvement Team (SIT) are elected each year by the staff members. The SIT chairperson is then elected by the members of the SIT. Grade chairperson responsibilities are rotated, on a yearly basis, between and among the grade-level team members. In public(grade-level, staff, PTA, and JES Advisory Committee meetings) and private forums (emails, observation outbriefs, PDP discussions, and private conferences, when requested or when necessary), each staff member has multiple opportunities to help guide the school’s instructional, programmatic, and fiscal practices/priorities.
Students participate in establishing classroom discipline rules. Age/maturity appropriate inclusion is encouraged on the JES Advisory Committee and School Improvement Team. Through survey participation, students also have a very active voice in determining school priorities and principles.
Active adherence to and role-modeling of appropriate behaviors demonstrate student and teacher commitment to the agreed-upon and shared set of behavioral expectations at JES. Everyone contributesas much as possible to the orderly and safe conduct of education at JES.
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