Professional Growth Plan

Professional Growth Plan

Special Education Social Workers/Psychologists

Evaluation Program Handbook

The Educator/Professional Staff Evaluation Committee will gather input and meet periodically to examine this evaluation process in order to safeguard the integrity of our model framework.

Nancy Nagle:

Renne’ Chilson:

Mary Hildebrandt:

Linda Sandberg:

Erik Druchniak;

Scott Piestrak:

September 1, 2011

Special Education SW/Psychologists are not eligible for tenure.
Introduction

The Southgate Community School District Educator Evaluation Program is the result of collaboration and cooperation of the United Teachers of Southgate (UTS), administrators, and Board of Education members. Much of the content is based on research from nationally recognized authorities in the field of effective teaching particularly, Charlotte Danielson in her book Teacher Evaluation To Enhance Professional Practice and Evaluation and Student Learning by Pamela D. Tucker and James H. Stonge. We believe that the Southgate Community School District Educator Evaluation Program Handbook and the Standards for Effective Teaching within it are rigorous, transparent, and fair performance evaluation system that is approaching full implementation of the Michigan School Code 380.1249 and 380.1250.

This handbook addresses full compliance of all of the following:

• Evaluates the Social Worker/Psychologist’s job performance at least annually while providing timely and effective feedback.
• Establishes clear approaches to measuring strident growth and provides Social Worker/Psychologists with relevant data on student academic and personal growth.
• Evaluates a Social Worker/Psychologist’s job performance using multiple rating categories that take into account data on student academic and personal growth as a significant factor. Student academic and personal growth shall be measured by national, state or local assessments and other objective criteria.
• Uses the evaluations, at a minimum, to inform decisions regarding all of the following:
• The effectiveness of Social Worker/Psychologists, ensuring that they are given ample opportunities for improvement.
• Promotion, retention, and development of Social Worker/Psychologists, including providing relevant coaching, instructional support, or professional development.
• Removing ineffective Social Worker/Psychologists after they have had ample opportunities to improve, and ensuring that these decisions are made using rigorous standards and streamlined, transparent, and fair procedures.

What the Southgate Evaluation Program and Standards for Effective Counseling within IS:

• It IS a commitment to the growth and development of personnel.
• It IS a statement that communicates our beliefs about effective learning.
• Is IS a system that promotes student learning supported by research, counseling theory, and expert opinions.
• It IS a continuous source of information on effective learning, which will be reviewed and updated periodically.
• It IS a resource for Social Worker/Psychologists and administrators to use in their roles as instructional decision makers.

What the Southgate Evaluation Program and the Standards for Effective Teach within IS NOT:

• Is IS NOT an attempt to superseded Board adopted curriculum or prescribe one way for all Southgate Social Worker/Psychologist to teach.
• It IS NOT an outline of elements of counseling that are expected every day and in the same order in which they appear in the Standard.
• The standards for Effective Learning within this handbook consists of four domains:
• Planning, Preparation and Intervention
• Data-based Decision Making
• Home/School/Community Interventions and Collaboration
• Professional Responsibilities

Psychologist/Social Work Evaluation

Purpose:

Throughout a Social Worker/Psychologist’s professional career, the Social Worker/Psychologist and administrator must work collaboratively each year to ensure the strengthening of the Southgate Standards for Effective Learning. The purpose and benefit of yearly evaluations are threefold:

1. Demonstration of Southgate Standards for Effective Learning - Is an ongoing process and is assessed by the administrator through informal observations and other school settings, i.e., faculty meetings, committee work in-service training, parent conferences, parent communications, and/or co-curricular activities.

1. Continued Professional Growth Plan - Planning for Professional Growth is the second component. It is both proactive and collaborative. The Social Worker/Psychologist and the administrator collaborate to identify goals and develop a plan to attain the identified goals. Goals should be developed using the Southgate Standards for Effective Learning Rubric and must also work toward building School Improvement goals and District goals. While achieving the identified goals is the objective, it is the process of working toward those goals that demonstrates the individual’s professional growth. Goals may be renewed from one year to the next if appropriate.

1. Continued focus on student accomplishment data is a critical way to inform social work/psychology practice. Current legislation now obligates schools to utilize achievement data as one component of Social Worker/Psychologist evaluations. As a result, our discussions will be data-informed and data-driven. Achievement data is part of this evaluation and reflects Direction #1 of the SCSD Strategic Plan.

This Social Worker/Psychologist Evaluation program combines both Professional Growth components and the examination of achievement data, in addition to other considerations required of public schools as a result of recent legislative adjustments.

Social Worker/Psychologist evaluation is a complex process and one that requires commitment from all parties. Southgate Community School District’s model is one that promotes collegiality, collaboration, personal and professional growth. Determining a Social Worker/Psychologist’s effectiveness requires an examination of a multitude of factors. Many of these are defined by the Southgate Standards for Effective Social Work/Psychology Rubric, but there are variables in addition to the standards that may be utilized to determine effectiveness, such as artifacts collected throughout the year like parent emails phone call logs, administrative walkthrough data, student communications, etc.

Psychologist/Social Worker Evaluation

(Components of the evaluation process)

Yearly Social Worker/Psychologist evaluation will include the following:

• At least two meetings between an administrator and Social Worker/Psychologist, referred to in this document as the Initial Meeting and the Evaluation Meeting
• A Social Worker/Psychologist self evaluation using the Southgate Standards for Effective Counseling Rubric.
• Year 1 - 4, IDP, and 3rd Year Rotation for Social Worker/Psychologists will follow Plan I of the flowchart.
• An administrator’s completion of the Social Worker/Psychologists evaluation using the Southgate Standards for Effective Social Work/Psychology Rubric
• Achievement Goals (s) related to the School Improvement Plan, (see examples below) and Best Practice Professional Growth Goals(s)/

Goals

Achievement – Goal(s) that reflect building initiatives, which result in the continuous improvement of student learning as articulated in the School Improvement Plan.

Examples may include, but are not limited to:

1. Consultation
2. Logs – Parent/Teacher/Student
3. Creates Student Behavior Intervention Plan
4. Plans (sample)
5. Data

Best Practice Professional Growth – Goal(s) that articulate a willingness to enhance skills typically demonstrated by master teachers.

Examples may include, but are not limited to:

1. Learn and use PSS (Powerschool Studio) to inform instructional practice
2. Learn and use differentiated methods of outreach and service delivery in classes
3. Utilize technology to enhance service delivery
4. Integrate cross curricular initiatives

The goals must be directly linked to the Southgate Standards for Effective Social Work/Psychologist Rubric as published in this document, and agreed upon by both administrator and social worker/psychologist.

Activities/Methods

Methods/Strategies to reach goals may include, but not limited to the following:

• Action research
• Peer-coaching
• Self-assessment
• Mentoring
• College courses
• Simulations

/

• Workshops
• Visitation days
• Conferences
• Development of materials
• Other

Indicators of Progress:

• Professional portfolios
• Peer observation
• Administrator observation
• Parent responses
• Logs
• IEP Goals
• Data Analysis (individual)

/

• Reflective journal entries
• Case study analysis
• Anecdotal records
• Statistical measures
• Other

The collected materials are the property of Social Worker/Psychologists

Resources

Resources will be formally approved as apart of the Social Worker/Psychologist’s Professional Growth Plan and may include, but not limited to:

• Workshops
• Resources
• Books

/

• Collegial time
• Appropriate technology
• Mentoring
• Collegial support
• Release time
• Administrative support
• Other

Revisions

In the event a Professional Growth Plan needs to be revised, all revisions must be reviewed with the administrator.

Social Worker/Psychologist Evaluation Goal Outline Form

(Completed by Social Worker/Psychologists who work on an individual plan or work collaboratively as part of a team.)

Social Worker/Psychologist(s)Department:

Initial Meeting Date ______Evaluation Meeting Date ______

Southgate Standards for Effective Social Work/Psychologist addressed in this plan

(Check all that apply)

 Planning Preparation and Intervention

 Data Based Decision Making

Home School Community Collaboration

Professional Responsibility

Domain Achievement Goal (s): ______
Best Practice Professional Growth Goals (s): ______
Indicators or Progress to be collected: ______
Resources needed for plan activities: ______

 See attachments:

Social Worker/Psychologist(s) Signature and Date:

______

Administrator Signature and Date:

______

Formal Observation E-mail Template

This form to be completed by the Social Worker/Psychologist and emailed to the Administrator at least 2 days prior to observation.

The goal of observation is to assist the Social Worker/Psychologists in improving the Social Worker/Psychologist, which in turn will improve student achievement and peer growth. Observations are designed to help Social Worker/Psychologists be more reflective of their practices in order to provide the best instruction for students.

Name: ______

Building: ______

Activity: ______

Date of Observation: ______Time: ______

Activity & Focus: (Please include any assessments and/or accommodations that might be observed, if applicable)

What to watch for during observation: (area of improvement that Social Worker/Psychologist would like the observer to focus on)

Meets Personal Professional Development Goals

(Check Box if applicable)

List goal(s):

Meets School/Department Goals (Check Box if applicable)

List goal(s):

(Insert School Name): Observation Form

Psychologist/Social Worker: ______Activity: ______

Date: ______Time: ______Domain Focus: ______

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Psychologist/Social Worker / Purpose of Activity
Positive Social Work/Psychologist Behaviors
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______/ Recommendations/Reflections
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Social Worker/Psychologist Evaluation

Yearly Evaluation Form

(Completed by Social Worker/Psychologist and administrator and discussed at the final meeting)

Social Worker/Psychologist: Complete Page 1

Social Worker/Psychologist(s)Department:

Initial Meeting Date ______Evaluation Meeting Date ______

Achievement Goal (s) Data: ______
Best Practice Professional Growth Goal(s) Indicators of Progress:
Other Indicators of Progress: ______
Social Worker/Psychologist’s comments : ______
Administrator’s comments: ______

Administrator’s Yearly Evaluation Determination:

 Ineffective

 Minimally Effective

 Effective

 Highly Effective

______

Social Worker/Psychologist’s Signature Date

______

Administrator Signature Date

cc: Personnel File

Southgate Standards for

Effective Learning & Services

Domains

1. Planning, Preparation and Intervention
2. Data Based Decision Making
3. Home/School/Community Collaboration
4. Professional Responsibility

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK/PSYCHOLOGIST COMPONENTS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Page 1 of 24

Special Ed School Psychologist/Social Worker

Domain 1: Planning and Intervention

Level of Performance Rubric

Component 1A: Due Process/Laws/District Processes
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. Demonstrates Knowledge of Federal and State Regulations and Local Policies Relating to Special Education / Demonstrates minimal knowledge of federal and state regulations and local policies / Interprets and communicates knowledge of due process as it occurs in the special education process / Applies this, as well as best practices in being aware of possible bias in special education practices. / Takes leadership role in team or departmental decision-making and helps ensure that decisions are based on best practice, federal and state regulation and local policies.
S, P / 2. Demonstrates Knowledge of District’s Special Education Policies and Procedures, Reporting and Documentation / Demonstrates minimal knowledge of special education criteria. / Has knowledge of child development, interprets criteria and communicates in staffing to assist in determining eligibility/discontinuance of placement in special education. / Asks for assistance from colleagues, special education supervisors, and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) when encountering difficulties with due process and related issues. Is able to disseminate information and take leadership. / Assists teams in expanding knowledge about disability categories by demonstrating ability to explain in child development, childhood psychopathology, disorders as defined by the current Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and current behavioral theories.
Component 1B: Development of Academic/Behavioral Skills
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
P / 1. Academic / Demonstrates minimal skills which promote improvement of instruction and growth of achievement. / Demonstrates knowledge of teaching and learning strategies and directly/indirectly supports the development of attention skills, problem-solving skills and academic progress including study skills. / Applies this knowledge to facilitate and improve student achievement including alternative instructional methodologies. Helps in developing challenging but achievable goals for a variety of students and assesses treatment integrity. / Keeps abreast of important research on instruction and disseminates this knowledge to staff, administrators and parents.
S, P / 2. Demonstrates Knowledge of Behavior Theory / Demonstrates minimal skills in developing and encouraging practices which increase the likelihood of behavioral change and growth. / Demonstrates skills in developing and encouraging practices and assists others in understanding students’ functioning. / Demonstrates knowledge of research-based approaches to behavior change, implements and/or assists in implementing ecological and behavioral approaches to classroom management and assesses treatment integrity. / Keeps abreast of new intervention techniques and theories. Disseminates this knowledge to staff, administrators and parents.
Component 2A: Pre-Referral Interventions and Prevention Strategies
Social Worker/
Social Worker/Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. Demonstrates Skills in Pre-Referral Interventions / Has minimal involvement in pre-referral process. / Shares idea for possible interventions. / Consults with staff to design interventions addressing specific concerns with consideration or race, ethnic, cultural and social factors / Assists staff in monitoring and evaluating the intervention plan and demonstrates exceptional skills in problem-solving strategies
S, P / 2. Demonstrates Appropriate Preparation for the Evaluation Process / Demonstrates minimal review of interventions, records and demographical data. / Demonstrates the review of interventions, records and biographical data, including health history, education and family history as well as race, ethnic, social and cultural background. / Reviews and interprets interventions, records and biographical data, including health history, educational and family history. / Is able to synthesize and share relevant factors based on knowledge from a review of interventions, records and biographical data, including health history and other evaluations.
S, P / 3. Determination of Action Based on Data / Has minimal ability to understand problems and interpret data for child/student study team to determine if formal evaluation is needed. / Gives consideration to racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and interprets data for child/student study team to determine if formal evaluation is needed. / Is able to define a student’s problems and needs to determine if formal evaluation is needed. Assists in reviewing interventions, parent and teacher concerns, record review to determine methodologies for evaluation. / Assists the child/student study team in adhering to professional and ethical guidelines regarding non-biased evaluation and programming for students of all racial, ethnic, social and cultural background.
S, P / 4. Prevention / Demonstrates minimal knowledge of academic, behavioral and emotional difficulties. / Demonstrates awareness of academic behavioral and emotional difficulties. / Recognizes behaviors that are precursors to development of maladaptive behaviors and emotional disorders. / Designs programs to prevent and intervene with these difficulties.
Component 2B: Conduction Psychological and Psycho-Educational Evaluation
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. As Determined by Team Evaluation Includes Consideration of Personality, Emotional Status, Social Skills and Adjustment, Intelligence and Cognitive Functioning, Adaptive Behavior, Educational Setting, Family / Demonstrates minimal ability to use information from valid/reliable standardized instruments. / Demonstrates ability to select and administer appropriate assessment tools. / Uses a variety of assessment methods, observations and interviewing to gather data in areas needing consideration. Data is obtained from the student, school staff, care givers and significant adults of the student, and may include community sources. / Assessment methods include formal and informal test administration, functional behavioral assessment, curriculum-based measurement, interviews, ecological or environmental assessment, as well as assessment methodologies to define student needs and strengths.
S / 2. Conducts Functional behavioral Assessments (FBAs) When Appropriate and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs) / Has minimal understanding of the functional approach to behavioral assessment. / Demonstrates understanding of the functional approach to behavioral assessment / Uses appropriate assessment tools to determine the motivation, purpose and consequences of the behavior(s) under assessment, develops hypothesis statements and recommends appropriate interventions. / Demonstrates leadership in developing goals and plans for positive behavior change.
Component 2C: Evaluation of Instructional Environment as it Facilitates or Impedes Learning/Behavioral Change for Students
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. Demonstrates Knowledge of Instructional Environments / Shows minimal ability to determine components of instructional environment that affect learning/behavioral change for students. / Identifies how environmental factors affect student learning/behaviors. / Identifies instructional environments having a significant impact on achievement and personal competence. / Uses knowledge to help develop effective educational programs to maximize student achievement and adjustment.
Component 2D: Communicates Evaluation Results to Parents, School Staff and Appropriate Community Professionals
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. Ability to Orally Present Findings and Conclusions in Team meetings / Demonstrates minimal ability to articulate assessment results in team meetings. / Communicates essential results in terms understandable to all team members. / Establishes rapport, demonstrates sensitivity to the feelings of team members present, clearly articulates assessment results and synthesizes data collection by team members. / Provides leadership in the discussion of student strengths and needs as well as in due process decision-making.
S, P / 2. Ability to Write Professional Reports / Demonstrates minimal ability to write reports. / Writes and/or oversees completion of the components of individualized education programs. / Synthesizes data from all sources, interprets collective results and completes report in a timely fashion. / Mentors assessment team members to optimize their writing proficiency.
Component 3A: Collaboration and Consultation
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. Collaboration / Communication skills are insufficient and do not facilitate positive interpersonal relations. / Demonstrates skills in listening, adapting, dealing with ambiguity, and is patient. / Establishes and maintains relationships with colleagues and co-workers that promote mental health, behavioral and academic growth / Communicates excellently and clearly presents and disseminates information to diverse audiences.
S, P / 2. Consultation / Does not engage in effective problem solving strategies / Demonstrates minimal skills in good problem-solving. / Demonstrates good problem solving skills as well as good negotiation skills which assist in the development of interventions and programs. Follows up on efficiency of the inventions and programs. / Promotes change in the individual student, classroom or building. For example, by providing skill enhancement activities.
Component 3C: Services to Families
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. Providing Strategies to promote Academic, behavioral and Social Success Across Environments / Provides minimal service to individual families, and or students / Provides service to families/students through strategies which promotes academic, behavioral and social success at home, school and in the community. / Assists families/students in finding resources in the community to meet identified needs of the student/family. / Aassists in the implementation of identified plans.
Component 3D: Counseling and Crisis Management
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S / 1. SSW Services / Demonstrates minimal ability to relate well to students and has difficulty addressing affected needs of students. / To a rudimentary degree, sets up a counseling environment and facilitates the process in which students feel open to work toward desired affective goals. / Establishes a counseling environment that fosters open participation by students and, within a sound conceptual framework, facilitates the process of working toward the student’s affective goals. / Provides for a positive counseling environment, assists students in determining appropriate affective goals, develops a plan based on a sound conceptual framework, balances planned strategies with spontaneity during counseling sessions and provides for the expansion of the counseling process into the broad community.
S, P / 2. Ability to Manage Crisis Situations / Demonstrates minimal ability to manage crisis situations effectively. / Participates on the building and/or district crisis response team. / Successfully meets identified needs and assists with crisis management. / Assumes a leadership role, delegates responsibility and anticipates consequences and outcomes of crisis situations.
Component 4A: Growing and Developing Professionally
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. Pursues Professional Growth / Demonstrates minimal pursuit of opportunities to expand knowledge base or acquire new skills. / Pursues coursework, seminars and workshops, and utilizes publications to enhance knowledge and develop skills. / Is active in developing expertise in research trends related to the profession and actively shares information by initiating discussions with colleagues. / Continually expands knowledge base and skills to implement and share with colleagues while incorporating knowledge into practice and programs, and has affiliations with state and/or national professional organizations.
Component 4B: Ethics
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. Abides by all Professional Ethical Standards and Legal Responsibilities / Demonstrates minimal awareness and display of appropriate professional conduct and standards. / Demonstrates proper professional conduct and standards. / Consistently adheres to the highest standards of professional practice. / Interprets questions of professional conduct and ethics. Serves as a resource to instruct others in understanding ethical issues and conduct.
Component 4C: In-service
Social Worker/
Psychologist / ELEMENT / INEFFECTIVE / MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE / EFFECTIVE / HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
S, P / 1. Presents In-service for Staff and/or Students / Demonstrates minimal willingness or ability share knowledge and expertise. / Recognizes need for in-services and occasionally shares knowledge and resources when asked. / Recognizes need for in-services and accesses appropriate resources. / Is consistently called upon and actively volunteers to present in-services.