Reflections of EDLD 5342 School Finance

Overall, I’m so surprised at the amount of information I’ve learned in this 5-week course. I am happy with the content and the assignments. They were all relevant and useful. The reflection pieces have caused me to pause and consider each assignment and just how much I gained from each one. They caused me to consider each activity and how each one related to my own district, my own roles and responsibilities, and the current status and future possibilities of my district. The reflections help keep me in a state of constant evaluation (self and decision-making evaluations) where I look to improve myself each day. If I can find something good from some decision I’ve made that may have been a poor decision, then I can still leave school feeling pretty good about myself. By reflecting on each day’s decisions and experiences, I can say that I learned something about myself and know what I need to do to improve. 

Competency 8 Self-assessments

• The self-assessments have been good for me to measure the growth that I feel I’ve made through certain courses.  The pre-assessment helped me to know what I would be focusing on throughout the course and made me stop and reflect on my own experiences with regard to each item on the self-assessment tool.  Then, taking the self-assessment again is another opportunity to reflect on what I’ve learned during the course and how it applied to me and my own experiences.

Lectures, interviews and readings, and resources

·         The lectures gave me very useful information and helped direct me through each week’s assignments.  It’s nice to hear information from the experts in their field, especially for a topic like school finance.  If I didn’t get needed information through the interviews in this course, I could many times go to the lecture notes and find answers. 

The interviews were the most helpful to me.  In the past when I’ve gone to our CFO to get explanations in areas I didn’t know much about, I didn’t even know enough to ask appropriate questions.  The assignments focused on specific questions, and that was a big help.  Having the CFO explain and show me examples of a variety of finance activities, procedures, and rules was a tremendous help.  I know I’m a visual and auditory learner, so this had an impact on my learning about finance.  The greatest amount of new knowledge for me was regarding district revenues.  I had always been afraid of that topic because I thought it was a giant monster that I would never be able to conquer.  Once our CFO talked with me and explained things, I had a strong understanding of how the system works.  I was amazed how quickly I picked it up. In reflection, I know that I went into the course a little scared of the topic, but am leaving the course with a great deal of confidence.

Weekly assignments and activities, including information and insights from interviews

·         The weekly assignments and activities were very useful and relevant to what we needed to learn during this 5 week course.  Although they were intimidating to me the first time I would look at an assignment, once I began and started talking to the CFO or other cohort members, my confidence became stronger.  Then, I’d complete an assignment and feel very confident in myself.  I found very quickly that I knew more about finances than I’d realized – my experiences to this point as an administrator have given me more knowledge than I knew. 

The assignments that included comparing district was most helpful.  It was a great way to teach the concept of “Robin Hood.”  I took a finance class in my masters program from one ot the original authors of Robin Hood, and I never did really grasp  the concept like I did with these simple activities and the lecture.  However, I didn’t have as much administrative experience then as I do now, so my experiences could play a big role in my understanding of it now, as well.  I probably learned the most from those comparison assignments and from the interviews with the CFO.

Any other highlights from the course – this may include wiki group experiences, blog comments and reflections, Web Conferences or other school finance insights or experiences during the course.

It was tough trying to get all of my assignments taken care of early in the week for my wiki group, but I managed.  I think the best part of the group experience and blog comments is that it gives us insight into what other districts are doing, what other students are thinking, and what they are experts at or need help with.  Even though we didn’t meet face to face for the course, I feel a connection with my wiki group and that it’s the beginning of a “networking” stage; I will continue communicating with them via emails.  We’ve already shared problems with each other outside of school finance through email, so it’s been a good thing. 

Interviewing my CFO was a good experience and I think it helped build a stronger relationship between us.  It’s not that we had a poor relationship before, it’s just that we didn’t really have a relationship of any kind.  I got to see a different side of him and gained insight into what his job entails.  I know it’s a job I would never want!

Reflection: Code of Ethics for School Leaders

I can vividly recall how I felt with each incident that I wrote about.  I felt that we had staff members cheating the system and our students out of money in all funding examples.  I also felt our students and the integrity of our system were being cheated with regards to all examples given.  I felt let down that in some cases the upper admin (supt) didn’t turn to the authorities or TEA in some cases.  Looking at it now, I guess as an upper administrator, you have to consider what that type of publicity and action can cost your district in terms of money and trust from the public.  I guess you have to weigh all sides when considering to file charges or not in certain situations; it may be cheaper to just fire them and allow them to move on, except of course for incidents/activities in which we are legally required to notify TEA and/or authorities.  All incidents were several years ago in another district.  Some of those incidents created a terrible dissention throughout the district. I’m glad to say that I'm in a district now in which our Board and administrators have much more integrity and they model this integrity and their expectations to all of us when they get the chance.  It’s quite obvious every day that our district staff and our Board members are truly here to make decisions about what’s best for students in this district, not what’s best for themselves, their own children or children of their friends, and/or their own pocketbooks.  This exercise reminded me of how much of an impact unethical behavior can have on a school district and how important it is to communicate upfront the behavior expectations and to review the code of ethics on a regular basis (beginning of each year) with staff.  It sends a message that you believe strongly in the ethics and plan to uphold them.

Financial Audits: Interview with a CFO

According to TES, each year, charter schools, education service centers, and school districts must have their annual financial and compliance report audited by an independent auditor. The resulting annual financial and compliance report must then be submitted to TEA for review.  And, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), most Texas local education agencies (LEAs) are allocated supplemental federal funds. The TEA is required to perform compliance audits of these stimulus funds to ascertain compliance with federal laws, rules and other grant requirements.  This makes it particularly critical that superintendents understand all aspects of school finance and the audit process.

In interviewing our CFO regarding annual audits, I learned so much about the process that I was not aware of before.  The audit process is critical to keeping all business personnel/administrators and business practices honest and accountable for the district and campus finances.  If strong processes are in place, it will prevent misappropriations of funds and will safeguard the monies.  Audits and processes can also protect school personnel if anyone is ever accused of mismanaging or misspending district funds.   

My interview results include the following:

How is the external auditor selected?
We interview applicants through a “request for qualifications” process; the superintendent and the CFO select the auditing firm based on the interview and qualifications regarding district needs.  The Board does have to approve the recommendation.  We like to stick with the same auditor once we find a firm that we have confidence in and who has proven themselves to be the best for our district.  Many districts change firms every 3 – 5 years.  We are more comfortable know the auditors know and understand our processes, needs, and goals.

How does the auditor conduct the audit?
We send certain information to the firm ahead of time (our general ledger and financial records) for them to review and load into their software programs for initial analysis.  Then they conduct an onsite visit for about a week to review records – they pull random files for review.  The take this information back to their offices and review and develop a final report (this report has to comply with state regulations) to be presented to our Board of Trustees.  Once presented, the Board approves (accepts) the audit report, and the audit report is then due to TEA 120 days after the end of the district’s fiscal year.

What does the audit conclude about the district financial procedures and actions?

A statement is issued regarding the integrity of the district’s finances – whether or not we financially sound.  All areas of the school district’s financial procedures and activities are addressed in the report.  We want an “unqualified opinion,” meaning no weaknesses were found in the practices.  A letter is prepared by the auditor that identifies any major discrepancies  (weaknesses) in our procedures.

How are the results communicated?

The auditors meet with the Audit Committee, which is made up of 3 Board members and the superintendent.  The CFO is not on this committee so that the auditors may speak candidly and discuss sensitive information regarding their findings.  The audit team presents a final report of the Annual External Audit to the Board of Trustees at a regularly scheduled meeting in November or December.  The results of the audit are also reported to the media and a report is also submitted to TEA.

Understanding Professional Salaries in District Budgets

Huffman ISD’s total personnel salaries make up about 67% of our total revenue and about  83% of our total operating expenditures.  Over the past 7 years, our Board has made it a priority to bring our teacher salaries into a range competitive with districts in our surrounding area.  We are the only 3A district in Harris County – this means we have to compete with the salaries of 4A and 5A districts that have much higher property value and business/industry support than Huffman.  In planning for the salary increases, we knew that Huffman had a strong projected enrollment growth.  Principals worked hard to make sure our ADA increased each year.  Our property values were also on the rise.  All combined, our Board was confident in implementing salary increases for all staff in our district.  The increases eventually put us in a competitive range with the surrounding districts.  The raises were possible because we knew our revenue would be increasing each year and would provide enough to cover these expenditures. 

Without the revenue increases, as was the case this year, the raises would not have been possible.  In a district like Huffman, every penny matters.  If we don’t have extra pennies, we can’t spend extra money.  A 5% salary increase will have a major impact on our budget if we do not see at least a 5% revenue increase along with it.  If revenue stays the same, a 5% salary increase would take our salaries from 83% of our operating budget to about 87% of our operating budget, and we’d have to decide where the budget cuts would come from in order to cover the salary increase….very likely from a reduction in force.  Currently, we are still a bit below the state average in professional salaries by about $2,000.  When we worked on the budget and staffing positions for the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years, we had lengthy discussions about paying stipends to math and science teachers to keep us competitive with neighboring districts.  It was decided that we really couldn’t afford to do so.  It turned out to be okay; we were still able to attract and retain excellent math and science teachers.  We recognize that the attributes of working in a small school district can offset the fact that we might not pay as much as our neighbors.

Positives of a 5% raise:  This is a given:  boost in morale; increase in teacher retention; ability to attract and retain the best teachers in the area; a boost in teacher morale results in a boost in student morale.

Negatives of a 5% raise:  can deter a goal driven budget; may require taking money from fund balance; may require a tax increase; might result in personnel salaries  exceeding 80% of M & O budgets; established educational programs would likely be altered or cut completely; goals of the district would be impacted negatively.

Reviewing and Analyzing Huffman ISD's M&O Fund

 Reviewing and Analyzing District Maintenance & Operations Fund

Total revenues:                                $21,336,637  (12,603,473 state; 8,563,164 local; 170,000 federal)

Some of the expenditures include:

11 (Instruction)                             $11,715,012            54%

12 (Instruction resources)                 313,638             02%
13 (Curr and Staff Devel)                   398,175             02%
23 (School Leadership)                    1,166,831            06%
36 (Extra/Co Curricular)                      607,672            03%
34 (Transportation)                              982,703           05%
41 (Central Admin)                               978,201           05%
51 (Plant M & O)                                2,492,911           12%
93 (elect co-op)                                  1,030,000           05%

Fund Balance:   $6,737,146

WADA                                   3,856  (unweighted ADA 3005.00)

Rev per WADA                  $5,298.146

Rev @ Comp Rate            $20,432,047
Found School Grant        $  1,015,855

(Note:   w/o weighted ADA:       $15,920,928)

Huffman ISD is a 3A school with approximately 3,100 students.  We are unincorporated and have little business support as a source of revenue.  Most local revenue is derived from homeowners.  We have one Title 1 campus.  Our total revenue for 2010-2011 was $21,336,637 and is comprised of: 

  $8,563,164        local

                        $12,336,637        state
                             $170,000        federal

As is the case with all school districts, the majority of our revenue is expended in function 11, Instruction (54% to be exact), and includes most of the district teacher positions.  The next major expenditure is function 51, Plant Maintenance and Operations (17%).  I don’t think we are much different than most other districts with this breakdown.   Transportation comprises about 5%.  Functions 41 (Central Administration) and 23 (School Leadership) comprise 11%, which accounts for campus and central office administrator salaries as well as office staff payroll.  Clearly, district personnel expenses comprise the majority of the budget.

I’m interested in the remaining funds and how they are expended.  These funds reflect a budget that clearly supports our district goals.  We place a strong emphasis on continuing professional development and on providing our teachers and students with the materials needed to support our new curriculum programs.  Adequate funding is allocated to do so, 4% to be exact.  Our goals also strongly emphasize student involvement –our budget supports extra/co-curricular programs by allocating 3% of the revenue for this (this includes the athletic budget as well).

Having been involved in the budget planning for the past 8 years, I have experienced a process that works to create a budget that supports the goals and instructional needs of the district.  We have open communication and involve many stakeholders as we hammer a budget out.  Our Board insists on a balanced budget, and they expect the budget to reflect the goals and the needs – and each year the budget is developed to do just that.

It’s interesting to note what the difference in our revenue would be without WADA; the weighted ADA gives us an additional 850 students!  If we didn’t have weighted ADA and were allocated the same per student revenue, we would receive $5,415,709 less than when the ADA is weighted.  To a district our size, this is a significant amount – a 25% difference!  This shows how critical it is for districts to ensure correct PEIMS reporting.  It also tells me how critical it is for our district to keep/increase our attendance numbers and to make sure our PEIMS data reflects our district and high school programs (CTE).

Budget Process Interview

The supt role is the most important role in the budgeting process.  He/She has to work with the Board and other stakeholders throughout the process.  It’s key for the supt to have a good relationship with the Board and to predict what their reactions will be to certain budgeting issues. Being part of the goal development process helps this relationship.  It’s important to have good communication throughout the school year with the Board regarding the district budget.   It’s also critical for the supt to work with the financial officer and to have a trusting relationship – based on the supt’s own knowledge of school finance, the financial officer can make you or break you very quickly, so it’s critical for the supt to have a strong foundation in finance.   If not, then he/she must be very resourceful and have people in the field he/she can call on and trust. It’s important to develop a plan early and to start gathering information and scheduling pertinent meetings early.  The tips from Learning from the Best… are all significant to the process: 1) Obtain unanimous Board support; 2) Honor the budget trinity; 3) Know what’s permissible and not: 4) Compare your tax rate; 5) Remember that public funds demand conservative stewardship.  These 5 tips are a good checklist to use during the process.  There are lots of areas to consider when planning the budget – that’s why involving various stakeholders is important.  Bottom line is that the supt is responsible for developing a budget that works; the buck stops at his/her desk. It can be a stressful process when involving so many stakeholders, but the outcome is one that usually works because all the input has helped manage the possible problems and has brought in ideas and information that could easily be overlooked if just one or two people develop the plan together.  When that’s the case, the budget is valid and will help prevent a budget crisis each year.

Reaction to Interview

It makes me a little nervous to think about having to lead this process; there’s still so much to learn in the area of school finance.  I did learn through this assignment, however, that there are so many resources available to supts.  The templates will be a big help, especially the ones designed for new supts.  So, my confidence went up when I discovered these things.  I can see why it’s important to involve so many stakeholders in the process and why you have to get on the development so early in the year.  It can be a long process if it’s done in a way that is best for your district.  I can also see that a smart supt will be very resourceful and will hire the most knowledgeable finance officer the district can afford!  That relationship is as critical as the Board relationship.  It’s critical to stay updated on all legislation regarding school finance and to meet regularly with the finance officer to review the budget throughout the year.  As a result of what I know now, I plan to start attending school finance workshops throughout the year to learn more about the system.

Additional Stakeholder Input for the Budgeting Process

Central Staff              special pops needs; technology needs; peims data; ada and enrollment     projections for following year; template information; legal finance updates; salary and staffing needs; instructional needs; facility and maintenance needs

Principals                   campus instructional needs; staffing needs; new program needs; funding  needs to meet district/board goals; expenditure projections

SBDM Committees    recommendations for meeting district/board/campus goals – cost of these    recommendations

DEIC                           recommendations for meeting district/board/campus goals – cost of these recommendations approval of budget and DIP)

Teacher Orgs            none in our district has been used; reps could be placed on SBDM committees for input; staffing and salary recommendations, perhaps; “teacher/work environment” needs and costs

Summary of TEA Budgeting Guidelines:

The superintendent (supt) has the most important responsibility in the budgeting process.  It’s the superintendent’s role to work with the Board and school district personnel to develop a budget based on law (both local and state laws and policies); the supt is to take the lead in this process and work closely with the financial manager in reviewing the templates and district data to be used in the templates. The supt also should ensure that campus and other departmental budgets are developed according to local and state policy and that the funds are expended accordingly; although many people are involved in the budget process, the ultimate accountability falls in the lap of the supt.; Therefore, it’s very critical to have a process in place that allows for frequent and regular oversight of the district budget and spending (use of an outside auditing firm is very important); regular reviews of the budget/expenditures should be scheduled throughout the school year.  Know your Board; work closely with them in the process; know the district and Board goals and be able to justify how the budget supports those goals; know about any special funding requirements and guidelines so that you can ensure the money is being spent the way it is “intended” to be spent; know enough to be able to ask critical questions and find the right answers. Be as resourceful as possible until you (supt) know all the “ins and outs” of the process and the budget requirements.

Goal-Driven Budget Development

Goal-Driven Budget Development

The idea of a goal-driven budget should not be unique to the world of education.  I’m certain the same practice is found in businesses across the world, as well as many other organizations that have to answer to a “bottom line.”  Goal-driven budgeting is exactly what it states…developing a budget based on the organization’s goals for the year  or budget period.  Dr. Arterbury simply states, “The purpose of a goal-driven budget is to assist in the attainment of a shared vision for the school district and each campus.”

With so much accountability in education, including accountability for finances and collaborative decision making, it’s difficult to imagine how any school district can get around designing their budgets based on the district goals.  In reviewing our District Improvement Plan, and having been part of the process, it is evident that Huffman ISD is a goal-driven budgeting district.  I feel strongly that we use our resources very well and that we are most considerate of each penny we get.  We are a 3A district with little/no industry to support our tax base.  We rely solely on property owners as our tax base and the funding from the state and federal branches.  So, every penny we receive in funding is important to us.  We have a collaborative process in the budget development process, and all budget decisions are based on the Board and District goals for the year.  We review the goals, review needs, review current and new programming mandated by the state or federal levels, consider a “minimum” figure of funding we will be receiving, then start the budget process from there.  We depend on our CFO to keep us updated on projections and any legal changes for the following year as we go through the process.  We plan very conservatively, as this is an expectation of our Board.  They require a balanced budget for approval.  They ask questions about how the budget relates to the goals, so they are involved in the process as well. 

From a high school principal standpoint, goal-driven budget development makes the budgeting and planning process much easier.  Our committee sets goals based on Board goals for the district; we know how much money we will be allocated; we look at the needs for each program and start plugging in numbers. I recall one of my first years as principal of my high school having a discussion with the campus committee about the needs in our science department.  I had the science team develop, in advance, a needs list along with prices for the items needed.  The committee realized since getting our science scores up was a goal for our campus, we’d need to put the money into that area.  I can always ask, as well, when we develop the budget, “Which goal does your request meet and how will that purchase help us meet that goal?”  The process keeps spending in perspective and prevents wasteful spending.  

Reflections of the Intern Plan Review

My site supervisor and I met at my office last week to review my intern plan.  Dr. Soileau has been very supportive and helpful in this entire process; I never felt that I was imposing on his time – I know how much is on his plate each day, so I appreciate the fact that he will give time to me as well as his sincere attention and help.  I had a very positive conference with my site supervisor.  He liked the activities that I had chosen and was glad to see that many of them were activities that will benefit our district plans for the year.  He suggested that I keep all of them as written.  He did suggest that I add activities that offer experiences in observing and/or practicing “leader as facilitator,” in several areas of the district, including operations, support services, and finance, as well as instructional/curriculum areas.  He said he believed the most important element of it all was the ability to facilitate in a variety of capacities- rather it be a small meeting, or the facilitation of a campus of district-wide initiative. He said it was a skill that is critical to the success of any superintendent because when you serve as a facilitator, versus a leader of a group, you put yourself in a position that requires you to listen to all views and to work on bringing agreement among the team.  We will revisit the plan as the internship progresses.

We were instructed to read and comment on another cohort member's reflection.  I read Jeff Nations’ blog regarding his interview.  I enjoyed reading his comments and noticed right away that our superintendents offer very similar comments.  Most tend to advise us to focus on building positive working relationships with all stakeholders.  It was nice to see that his supt wants to use some of his projects as building blocks for future plans.  That should mean a lot to Jeff.   

What I conclude after reading different blogs on this topic is that good communication and learning to build positive relationships are two of the most repeated pieces of advice from practicing superintendents.  Obviously, these are two skills areas to take to heart. 

Visit Hargrave High School

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Hope to see ya there!

Professional Vita

Professional Vita

Shirley D. Hitt

 21014 Lost Pine Trail, Crosby, TX 77532

281-324-1744; hitts@huffmanisd.net

Education

     Superintendent Certification Program

§  Lamar University, Beaumont, TX  (August, 2011 – present)

§  Seeking Superintendent Certification

    Master of Education Administration – Mid Management

 §  University of Houston, Houston, TX  (August, 1997 – December, 1999)

 §  Principal Certification

    ESL Certification Program

§  University of Houston Clear Lake, Clear Lake, TX  (August, 1987 – August, 1989)

§  ESL Endorsement, 12 hours

§  Additional 6 hours in curriculum supervision

    Bachelor of Business Administration – with Teacher Certification

 §  Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX   (August, 1981 – December, 1985)

 §  Major:  Business Education; Minor: English 

Administrative and Leadership Experience

    Principal:                  
      Hargrave High School
        Huffman ISD, Huffman, TX
        June, 2007 – present

Developed a team of leaders that have worked together to:

§  Create programs that resulted in academic excellence in all curriculum areas, including all TAKS       scores at the Recognized or Exemplary levels in 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008

§  Create a positive and safe environment for our students and teachers

§  Begin a tradition of excellence/winning in all that we do

§  Create a college and career-focused campus

§  Develop and implement meaningful CTE Pathways

§  Increase the AP and Dual Credit course offerings

§  Implement CScope curriculum for core classes

    Principal:                
      Huffman Middle School
        Huffman ISD, Huffman, TX
        June, 2005 – June, 2007

§ Made significant changes in the academic track of the campus

§ Designed and implemented an “Integrated Technology” program for all core courses

§ Created a positive, student-oriented climate where students were rewarded

§ Created and implemented Student PRIDE Program (student recognition)

§ Worked closely with parents to overcome parents’ negative attitudes from previous years about the campus; initiated and worked closely with the first HMS PTO

§ Lead the campus from “acceptable” rating to “Recognized” rating in one year

§ Managed the campus through the first year on a new campus

§ Designed and implemented a master schedule that allowed more opportunity to build PLCs on campus

    Assistant Principal:     
       Hargrave High School
         Huffman ISD, Huffman, TX
         June, 1999 – June, 2005

§ Served as an instructional leader and student discipline administrator

§ Implemented Foundations/CHAMPS behavior management program

§ Lead the Campus Discipline Committee

§ Significantly improved student discipline and academic attitude among student body

§ Lead the charge to strengthen academic expectations across all curriculum areas

§ Worked directly with counselors to design and implement a course selection process; managed and monitored the processes

§ Initiated and lead the Campus Curriculum Improvement Team

Teaching Experience

    ClassroomTeacher:  
       Hargrave High School
         Huffman ISD, Huffman, TX
         August, 1993 – June, 1999

§ Taught English I and II; business courses

§ CTE team leader, 1 year

§ Co-Developed and implemented a plan that brought our English TAAS scores to “Exemplary” status

§ Student Council Sponsor; first time Student Council earned “Sweepstakes” at StuCo State Convention

§ Vertical Alignment training and team member

§ Wrote curriculum for ELA and business courses

§ Campus Improvement Committee member 

 ClassroomTeacher:    
     Alvin High School
       Alvin ISD, Alvin, TX
       January, 1991 – May, 1992

§  Taught ESL, grades 9-12

§  Campus ESL Coordinator

§  Worked directly with central office for program planning and implementation

§  Prepared campus for DEC visit (ESL program)

§  Coordinated ESL PEIMS data (beginning phase of the Texas PEIMS implementation)

§  First to take ESL students to CLOSE-UP, Washington, D.C.
   

ClassroomTeacher:      
     Miller Intermediate School
     Pasadena ISD, Pasadena, TX
     August, 1987 – May, 1990

§  Taught ESL, grades 6-8

§  Participated in preparing for campus DEC visit

§  Committee member, Blue Ribbon School recognition processes

Key Professional Development and Leadership Training:

§  CScope Implementation (2008 – ongoing)

§  CScope State Conference, 2011

§  CScope Administrator Training, 2011 

§  Margaret Kilgo Data-Driven Decisions (2003 – ongoing; Math, Science, Social Studies, ELA)

§  Margaret Kilgo Scope and Sequence (2003 – ongoing; Math, Science, Social Studies, ELA)

§  CAST State Conference, 2010

§  Dyslexia and Section 504, 2011

§  Achieve Texas College and Career Initiative, 2011

§  CTE and Special Education, Working Together, 2011

§  Legal Issues and Social Networking in the Schools, 2010

§  The Bottom Line:  How Principals and Campus Staff Impact the District’s Funds, 2010

§  Leadership Fusion, 2010

§  Building a College and Career Readiness Culture, 2010

§  CTE for New Administrators, 2009

§  Strategic Planning for Career and Technical Education, 2008

§  TAKS Open-Ended Item Response Strategies and Applications, ELA I – IV, 2008

§  How the Principal Leader Affects Instruction in Mathematics and Science Through Classroom Observations, 2007

§  Extreme Makeover: ELAR Edition for Administrators

§  Texas High School Redesign and Restructuring Program, Summer Leadership Conferences, 2008/09

§  Texas High School and Restructuring Program 2-year training and conferences (2007 - 2009)

§  Model School Site Visits

§  Campus Visitations, Conferences, Training

§  2007 Model Schools Conference, Int’l Center for Leadership in Education, Washington DC

§  Data Walks 3-Minute Walkthroughs

§  CTE Conferences for Administrators (ongoing)

§  Breakthrough Coach: “Work Less, Play More”

§  Special Education conferences (Inclusion, 504, Discipline)

§  Foundations/CHAMPS – campus and classroom behavior management

§  Professional Learning Communities

§  AVID Adminstrator training

§  Capturing Kids’ Hearts

§  TASB Policy Foundations of District Governance and Management, 2005

§  Center for Safe and Secure Schools, Violence Prevention, 2005

§  TASA Changing the Lens of Instructional Leaders with Walk-Throughs, 2005

§  Ready, Set, Stay in School: Advisory Programs for Middle and High Schools, 2006

§  Gulf Coast Administrators of Special Education, Practical and Legal Approaches, 2003

§  TCASE Legal Academy, 2003

§  TEKS and Media Literacy in Middle and High Schools, Training of Trainers, 2003

§  Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices, 2002

§  Effective Schools Leadership Institute, 2002

§  Leadership Seminar Series: The Leader’s Role in Building a PLC, 2001

§  NSCI and HISD Texas Principals’ Institute

§  Building Teacher-Leader Capacity: Teachers Helping Teachers to Improve Classroom Practice

§  Tarleton Assessment of Principals, 2004

§  Handheld Technology Leadership Academy, 2003-2004

§  Microsoft Office XP Pro, 2003-2004

§  Technology Leadership Academy, 2003-2004

§  20/20 Vision for Renewing Education, 2001

§  Leave No Child Behind: Fighting to Save our Schools and Winning!, 2002

§  A Framework to Understanding Poverty, Ruby Payne, 2000

           Relevant Reading:                                                                                                                             

       Book Studies:

• The Fundamental 5, the Formula for Quality Instruction, Sean Cain
• Managing Transitions; Making the Most of Change, William Bridges
• On Common Ground, Richard DuFour
• School Leadership the Works, From Research to Results, Robert Marzano
• How Full is Your Bucket?, Tom Rath  
• What Great Teachers Do Differently, Todd Whitaker

      Personal Favorites:

• What Great Principals Do Differently, Todd Whitaker
• Personalizing the High School Experience for Each Student, Joseph DiMartino
• What’s Worth Fighting For in the Principalship, Michael Fullan
• A Framework for Understanding Poverty, Ruby Payne

Professional Memberships (Current): 

                 TASSP (Texas Association of Secondary Principals)

                 VATAT (Vocational Agriculture Teachers of Texas)

                 CTAT (Career and Technology Association of Texas)

                 TASA (Texas Association of School Administrators)

                 NASSP (National Association of Secondary Principals)