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Amanda Levos
EDAD 998: Superintendent Internship
Spring 2017
Superintendent/Mentor: Dr. Kerri Nelson, Shenandoah Community School District, Shenandoah, IA
Professor: Dr. Kent Mann, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Date of
Hours Activity Standards Reflection
Activity

3.1.17 1-10 - Initial meeting to discuss internship requirements/opportunities


3.5.17 - Review of final internship agreement
4.18.17 4 Meetings with Dr. Nelson - Check-in on progress
6.22.17 - Share ideas for artifacts to include for each of the 10 standards
7.9.17 - Final thank you (after 7.24.27)

1.17.17 1-10 - Setting up internship/discussion of expectations


3.28.17 - Updating on progress
5 Meetings with Dr. Mann
5.5.17 - Review log and portfolio expectations
7.21.17 - Share out highlights of experiences
multiple 5 Read and reviewed "The 1-10 The text will be a definite go to resource as I continue my educational leadership journey.
days Superintendent's Fieldbook" There are many components that could be added to a 100-day transition plan, including the
answers to 20 questions that every superintendent should have on their fingertips about the
district. Reviewing lessons learned and checklist are helpful to planning ahead in similar
situations.
Total
14 Total Cumulative Hours 14
Hours
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Date of
Hours Activity Reflection
Activity Standards
4.7.17 3 Lincoln Public Schools Visit Standard 1 It was great to catch-up with Dr. Joel, Superintendent of Lincoln Public Schools. Even
Standard 2 though I did not work with him as an administrator in Grand Island, I did have a unique
Standard 7 opportunity as a teacher leader to attend trainings to implement formative assessment
Standard 10 (Stiggins) strategies which speak volumes to his visibility and engagement with staff. Dr.
Joel shared what he believed to be the top priorities for educational leaders. Privatization of
public education, poverty, current immigration issues, and recruiting highly qualified
teachers were areas that he is passionate about leading the charge for his school community.
He is actively involved in the community and engages with elected officials especially
during this legislative session.
4.27.17 15 Shadow Dr. Kerri Nelson, Standards I was thrilled to have the opportunity to shadow a long-time mentor, the administrator that
6.28.17 Superintendent 1- 10 hired me as a first-year teacher in the ELL program and empowered me to develop as a
Shenandoah, Iowa teacher leader. Not only was it a beautiful drive to Shenandoah, Iowa but the experience
was amazing and time well worth spent in a different setting.
Visit 1: School visits, state forced consolidation, Chamber luncheon, meeting with school
board member, meeting with economic developer
Visit 2: School finance and budget, supervision of staff, final reflection
*More about this activity in Standard 7 and 9 reflection and artifact. Also referenced
throughout all 10 standards.
5.11.17 2 Superintendent Interviews Standard 1 Matt Fisher, Northwest Public School Superintendent and Dr. James R. Haley,
Standard 2 Superintendent at Wood River shared what they believed to be the future of public
education. Both highlighted the career education and partnering with community members
and business to provide hands-on experiences for students to personalize their learning. I
also asked about what they look for in school board members. First and foremost it is about
providing the best possible education for students and serving as a liaison between the
district and the community. They want someone that is informed and involved by
consistently attending meetings and committee work, reading documents ahead of meetings,
attending conferences, respecting diverse points of view, and committing to a single view
and united front when decisions are made. Another key point made was the importance of
staying involved in local and state government and empowering staff and board members to
participate by sharing facts and talking points about the district.
6.19.17 2 Interview with NDE and For superintendents that have a relatively small team of district leadership to lead specialized
ESU staff member about programs like ELL, special education, and gifted and talented, NDE and local ESUs can play
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working with a critical part in providing technical support and professional learning to ensure you are
superintendents and meeting state and federal guidelines. Do not hesitate to reach out for help and to ask
various size districts questions. Build your network of support and stay up-to-date with changes is to attend
Administrator Days at the end of July.
1.27.17 5 Omaha Public Schools Standard 3 Omaha Public Schools has a unique opportunity to address the needs of Students with
Visit Standard 4 Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE). They run a program OPS Teen Literacy Center
off-site at the administration building. As the English Learner population continued to
grow, the district needed to find a way to support the various academic levels of students
and transition them into a high school setting. They have developed a curriculum aligned to
standards and implement research based instructional strategies. Through blending funding
and community partnerships, the Teen Literacy Center attend to both the academic
achievement and well-being of the students they serve. They have created a community of
learners and system of supports for students and families new to the United States.

Total 27 Hours Total Cumulative Hours 41

Date of
Hours Activity Standards Reflection
Activity
4.7.17 4 State School Board Standard 2 The Nebraska State Board of Education meets monthly in Lincoln, Nebraska and our
Meeting Standard 10 streamed live online. The electronic version of the agenda can be found here:
https://meeting.nasbonline.org/public/Meeting.aspx?PublicAgencyID=4429&PublicMeeti
ngID=16355&AgencyTypeID=. Arriving early opened up the opportunity for Board
Member, John Witzel from District 4, and Commissioner Matt Blomstedt to take the time
to personally greet us before the start of the meeting. They both made the experience
very welcoming for guests as I am assuming that the majority of the approximately 30 in
attendance were NDE employees. The focus of this meeting was in regards to an ESSA
Status Update provided by Commissioner Blomstedt and Brian Halstead. The ESSA Plan
is submitted to the federal government after Board approval and Governor review by
September 2017. A public draft of the plan will be shared in June 2017, so most of the
conversation centered on stakeholder engagement and developing a systematic approach
to meaningful, ongoing connection with stakeholders across the state. Keeping up with
State Board of Education, connecting with your Board Member representative, and
collaborating with NDE will be necessary as a Superintendent to ensure your District is
implementing new policies and actively participating in the governing process.
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3.13.17 5 Board Meetings Standard 1 https://meeting.nasbonline.org/public/Meeting.aspx?PublicAgencyID=4339&PublicMeeti


Standard 9 ngID=16218&AgencyTypeID=
4.27.17 * Shenandoah Community Schools *Hours included in another activity
I met the Board President and discussed his experiences on the school board. It is not a
job they take lightly and have developed a relationship with the superintendent that they
keep in contact between official board meetings each month. He believes in the power of
local control and providing the best educational opportunities possible for all students.
After having conversations with the superintendent, I have learned the power developing
relationships and learning about the strengths (and weaknesses) that your board members
bring to the table so that you can engage them appropriately. Planning norms, board
expectations and participating in regular retreats are necessary to build a shared vision
and collaboration among the team.
4.22.17 7 Grand Island Public Standard 1 The spring retreat is designed to take a look back over the last year and reflect on
School Board Retreat Standard 10 promising practices and areas of opportunities for the future.
*More about this activity in Standard 1 reflection and artifact.
6.7.17 2.5 Met with GIPS School Standard 1 Carlos Barcenas has served on the school board since January 2014. He brings a unique
Board Member Standard 2 perspective to the board as a GISH graduate, former ELL student, and Mexican-American
Standard 3 immigrant. What Carlos appreciates most about the current board, is that during both
Standard 7 closed and open sessions, board members can disagree, debate, and state opinions that
result in decisions that everyone will stand behind with one voice. As a board member,
Standard 8
he believes his major responsibilities are to live the districts mission, Every Student,
Every Day, a Success!, to be an engaged board member (ie. board committee meetings,
monthly board meeting, special events, school site visits), to apply and follow protocol,
and to serve the community he is representing. This is not a job to take lightly as the
boards decisions have a major impact locally and at times draws state level attention.
Qualities he looks for in a superintendent include someone that lives the mission, clearly
communicates their vision and shares specific examples without repeating themselves,
displays confidence, and can lead a large organization to be a world-class program.
Developing board culture and establishing relationships between the Board and
Superintendent needs to be the intention and nurtured over time.
6.13.17 8 "Characteristics of Standard 1 The Peter Kiewit Foundation sponsored Characteristics of High-Performing Boards
High-Performing Standard 2 training in Omaha, Nebraska for non-profit organizations. I had the opportunity to attend
Boards" Training with Standard 9 with Audrey Lutz, Executive Director of the Multicultural Coalition. The session
the Peter Kiewit included understanding the roles of the board and the staff, and factors of influence;
Foundation cultivating an effective board-staff partnership to advance the organizations mission;
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utilizing tools and practices of exceptional boards; fostering mutual accountability and
engagement around exceptional board practices. The lessons learned can be applied to
working with a school board and the role of the superintendent to build relationships and
engage with school board members and committees.

Total 26.5 Hours Total Cumulative Hours 67.5

Date of
Hours Activity Standards Reflection
Activity
2.6.17 4.5 Strategic Planning for Standard 1 Session 1: Overview, Final Report & Findings
Grand Island Public Standard 9 It was exciting to be in a room with certified and classified staff and students learning about
Schools led by Cross & Standard 10 the results of the strategic planning led by Cross and Joftus. Each team was led by a district
Joftus administrator who helped keep everyone focused and on task with activities to deepen their
understanding to prioritize findings.

4.5 Session 2: Strategic Plan Working Group Culture and Vision - Objectives and Indicators
Each group was able to dig deeper into two or three strategic objectives to identify
indicators and action steps to meet those goals. The activities were facilitated by our group
leader, but I would have appreciated more time to finalize what I believed was a
brainstorming activity into a final document. It was important to have the right people at the
table to share their knowledge and expertise to define what we wanted this to look like for
2.7.17 Grand Island Public Schools.

4 Session 3: Review Entire Plan (Objectives & Progress Indicators), Prioritize Strategic
Initiatives. The finalized plan resulted in 11 goals, 8 strategic priorities, and over 40
strategic initiatives. This will take a collective effort to implement and evaluate each of the
3.17.17 areas defined in the strategic plan over the next 5 years.

3 Created action plan for Initiative #7 Cultural Proficiency. The Board of Education
challenged the superintendent to put a timeline on implementation for the strategic plan. We
had to break down the strategic priorities by defining what needs to be accomplished from
initial learning, implementation, and sustainability by each year. This was an overwhelming
process as you began to think about all 8 priorities. Because multiple individuals and teams
5.4.17 will be involved, I am not sure the organization of who were on each team may need to have
5.5.17 be rethought to maximize understanding and planning for successful implementation.
Total 16 Hours Total Cumulative Hours 83.5
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Date of
Hours Activity Standards Reflection
Activity
1.12.17 3 Communication and Standard 1 Through my participation in Leadership Tomorrow, I had the opportunity to engage in
Working with the Media Standard 2 professional learning and mock scenarios for communicating and working with the media.
Steve White, NTV News, shared some tips for being on TV. Be brief, conversational, and
look at the reporter not the camera lens. Show dont just tell about the story whenever
possible, everything is fair game and not off the record and if you stumble, pause and
recompose yourself and then continue. He also suggested wearing solid colors. George
Ayoub, Grand Island Independent, shared a list of dos for writing a good press release. Be
succinct, accurate, and include all the facts including a contact person to answer follow-up
questions by the readers. It also is critical to proof your work and submit it in a timely
manner. A benefit to working in a large district is having an individual hired to support
media relations.
3.23.17 1 Superintendent interview Standard 1 School Immigration Concerns Story with Ben Bohall, NET Public Radio, was hosted at an
with NET Public Radio Standard 2 elementary school with interviews by the superintendent and building principal. The
about immigration Standard 5 school leaders were prepared to answer the following questions: Can you talk about the
Concerns Standard 8 district's ELL programs and student population? How diverse is the GIPS student body?
Are there concerns with the current political climate that something like what happened in
2006 (with the raids) might happen again? Does this district have a plan in place if that
were to occur? Is this an issue students have voiced their concerns about?
They kept the focus on students and the safe and caring environment that schools provide
for families during this time of uncertainty. Confident, clear messaging that can be used
for short sound bites on the radio are key factors to consider when preparing for interviews
and sharing stories on the radio.
3.30.17 1 Weekly school interview Standard 2 The superintendent, school board president, and myself were interviewed on the Grand
with local radio station Standard 8 Island Family Radio with Brian Gallagher during the education portion of his show to
highlight female leaders in education during Women's History month. It is helpful to have
a relationship with the host, talking points to refer to throughout the interview, and to keep
natural by having a conversation with the host even though you are inches away from a
microphone. I have no doubts this gets easier the more you do it.
5.3.17 1 Superintendent live Standard 2 The district hosted a 30 minute live conversation with the superintendent. Her guest for the
broadcast with the Board Standard 7 first show was the school board president. Staff were able to logon individually or as a
of Education President group to view the live show online. Participants were encouraged to submit questions that
were answered on air and through a question-answer document shared later that week. The
superintendent and board president answered every question, but one because she believed
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airing this question live would have embarrassed the staff member. They decided to
communicate individually with this person. She knows there are rumors that not all
questions were answered and that staff are still not comfortable sharing based on past
experiences. We will have to see wait and see the impact that this type of interaction with
staff has on the culture and climate of the organization.

Total 6 Hours Total Cumulative Hours 89.5

Date of
Hours Activity Standards Reflection
Activity
2.11.17 5 Train the Trainer: Standard 3 Attended Train the Trainer Workshop hosted by Justice for our Neighbors in Omaha, NE
Safety Planning and an educational/informational session in safety planning, "Know Your Rights" information,
Advocacy for etc. an advocacy, lobbying and organizing session.Connected with OPS, nonprofit
Immigrants organizations throughout Nebraska, and others working with immigrant and refugee
populations
3.11.17 3 Standard 8 Assisted in organizing, promoting, and hosting a Train the Trainer event in Grand Island
3.30.17 with the Multicultural Coalition and Grand Island Latino Network
3.22.17 4 Displaced Student Standard 3 Created resource for GIPS staff members that included how to help families, community
3.30.17 Protocol in the Event of Standard 5 resource list, and definitions of terminology. Planned for professional development
an Immigration Raid Standard 7 sessions for GIPS administrators, social workers/counselors, bilingual
Standard 9 paraprofessionals/interpreters
6.30.17 *More about this activity in Standard 5 reflection and artifact.

Total 12 Hours Total Cumulative Hours 101.5


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Date of Number of
Activity Standards Reflection
Activity Hours
2.9.17 5 Nebraska State Standard 8 I actively engaged in State Leadership Day with Leadership Tomorrow by asking
Legislature questions during the following presentations, interviews, and observations:
- The Unicameral and Legislative Process: Kate Hetzel, Unicameral Information
Office
- The Role of a Lobbyist: Walt Radcliffe & Katie Zulkoski
- Senators: Steve Halloran (District 33); Curt Friesen (District 34); Dan Quick
(District 35)
- Governor Pete Ricketts
- Observe Legislature in Session
- Judicial Branch: Chief Justice Michael Heavican, Supreme Court and Judge Riko
Bishop, Court of Appeals
- Attended Judiciary Committee Hearings on LB60 Changing Parenting Act
provisions relating to limitation or denial of custody or access to a child
(Lindstrom)
Not only did I learn critical knowledge and skills to effectively participate in our
statement government, but I got to see my brother in action as a Legislative Page.
*More about this activity in Standard 8 reflection and artifact.
3.7.17 5 Standard 8 Attended Education Committee Hearings on LB651 to adopt the Nebraska Reading
Improvement Act (Linehan). Packed room and numerous teachers and administrators
testifying against this bill.
*More about this activity in Standard 8 reflection and artifact.
3.20.17 1 Standard 8 Watched live streaming of the Education Committee Hearings on LB155 that requires
3.22.17 successful completion of a civics examination as a prerequisite to high school graduation
(Brasch) and Judiciary Committee Hearing on LR26 opposing any federal action that
would rescind Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Vargas). Very cool option for
citizens that cannot travel to Lincoln to attend a live hearing.
Total 11 Hours Total Cumulative Hours 112.5
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Date of
Hours Activity Standards Reflection
Activity
4.11.17 3 Grand Island City Standard 8 The Council meets every Tuesday for either a regular session or a study session. This
Council Meeting particular meeting was a regular session highlighting the redevelopment plan for the
land occupied by the former Central Nebraska Veterans Home and expansion of the
Veterans Athletic Field Complex. The full agenda can be found here:
http://grandislandne.agenda.beehere.net/meetings/View?meetingId=132738. There will
be Council decisions that directly impact the school district. Recently examples include
the process of constructing three new elementary schools, designing a roundabout near
two campuses, and closing part of a street to connect the high school campus. As a
Superintendent, it would be critical to understand the Councils role in making and
amending laws, developing policy, and making decisions for the governing of Grand
Island (http://www.grand-island.com) and develop a working relationship with the
Mayor as public schools are an essential part of any community.
2.13.17 3 2017 State of the City Standard 1 Heard from community leaders about pressing issues, as well as their one- to five-year
Address - Grand Island, Standard 8 forecast. Presenters for the State of the City address:
NE - Mayor Jeremy Jensen.
- Pam Lancaster, Hall County Board of Supervisors chairwoman.
- Cindy Johnson, Chamber of Commerce president.
- Dave Taylor, Grand Island Area Economic Development Corp. president.
- Tawana Grover, Grand Island Public Schools superintendent.
- Matt Fisher, Northwest Public Schools superintendent.
*More about this activity in Standard 2 reflection and artifact.
4.6.17 1 Grand Island Transit I had the opportunity to represent the school district and advocate on behalf of students
Needs Assessment and and families in the ELL and migrant education program through participation in the
Feasibility Study Ethnic Heritage Partners sub-group. The stakeholder discussion was held to share ideas
about what is needed to enhance public transportation in Grand Island for the short-term.
We also discussed ideas on potential improvement strategies related to existing services.
Even though the outcomes of the student are unknown, it was important to represent our
families and communicate their needs to inform decision-making and potentially
expanded public transportation options.

Total 7 Hours Total Cumulative Hours 119.5


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Date of
Hours Activity Standards Reflection
Activity
3.15.17 1 Active Shooter (Killer) Standard 5 Presentation by GIPD on Active Shooter (Killer) situations, responses, and proactive
Training by GIPD planning. Maintaining a safe and secure learning environment for students and staff
has to be a top priority. The officers reiterated the importance of practicing drills to
serve as a foundational set of skills that are automatically performed in a time of crisis
when you have less than a second to make rational decisions. Superintendents and
school leaders need to develop a relationship with local law enforcement to create
shared protocol and procedures for emergency events.
3.20.17 3 Partnership with Doane Standard 6 Conversation with Sarah Zulkoski, Director of Grants and Foundations Relations
3.23.17 University with a National Standard 7 Next steps and district protocol discussion with Jennifer Worthington, Chief
Professional Development Innovation and Engagement Officer & Robin Dexter, Associate Superintendent GIPS.
(NPD) program grant The purpose of the grant is to to provide professional development activities that will
improve classroom instruction for English learners and assist educational personnel
working with such children to meet high professional standards. Although this
partnership fell through due to lack of personnel at Doane, developing relationships
and engaging in opportunities with higher education to grow and develop the
organization is essential.
3.15.17 4.5 Region IV Meeting at Standard 8 This was a unique opportunity to meet with a group of superintendents and district
ESU 10 in Kearney, NE leadership in the area by meeting in Kearney or participating via an online platform.
The Region IV group engaged in conversations with Bruce Rieker, Farm Bureau who
shared the priorities for the newly created coalition Nebraskans United for Property
Tax Reform & Education. They also received an update from Mike Delaney, NCSA
on the legislative session. Get involved and establish working relationships with
other leaders and advocates for public education.

Total 8.5 Hours Total Cumulative Hours 128


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Date of
Hours Activity Standards Reflection
Activity
2.27.17 2 K-5 Elementary Schedule Standard 1 Major changes to the elementary schedule for the 2017-2018 school year were
Changes Standard 4 shared with music and P.E. teachers, counselors, and instructional technology
Standard 6 specialists during an after school meeting prior to it being communicated to the
Standard 7 entire staff. It has brought up many emotions and conflicting beliefs among staff
and community members that do not agree with this new direction for once a
week specials in elementary school. They have expressed their opinions at the
monthly school board meetings, editorials in the newspaper, and resignations
from the district. Key takeaways from this experience is engaging all
stakeholders throughout the process, sharing the research and decision-making
process, and ensuring that the right person is delivering the message to staff and
community.
5.30.17 10 Standard 10 Created tool for SIP teams to use through the data analysis process (4/6, 4/17)
GIPS Academic Summit Standard 7 and co-led session on analyzing perception data - How do we do business?.
*More about this activity in Standard 10 reflection and artifact.
5.31.17 6 GIPS Summer Institute Standard 6 Participated in planning committee (2/9, 2/23, 3/16, 4/3), led sessions with
6.1.17 (Planning, Presenting, and Standard 7 secretaries and paraprofessionals, and debriefed with the superintendent and
Attending) teaching and learning leadership team.
*More about this activity in Standard 3 and 6 reflection and artifact.
5.31.17 5 George Couros - Standard 2 George Couros discussed the idea and characteristics of The Innovators
Innovator's Mindset and Standard 7 Mindset and shared examples on why this is so crucial for all educators. He
Leadership pushed educators to use Twitter to open their classroom and schools to the public
and to create a professional network online to continue our learning. If we do
not tell the story someone else will and it may not be the perception we want to
viewed by within the community. As a result of these leadership sessions with
George Couros, I am more active on social media as you cannot shy away from
this current mode of communication to engage with stakeholders and colleagues.
He warned of the responsibility we have to model appropriate behavior and
never post anything you would not say in the classroom in front of students.
June 2 Plan, lead and supervise Standard 4 School districts must empower their teachers to be instructional leaders. It
curriculum, instruction, Standard 6 cannot be assumed that they do not need guidance or that they even believe they
and assessment work for Standard 7 have the power to make decisions in the best interest of students. This summer
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6-12 social studies and instead of telling groups what to do we worked together to create goals and
9-12 world languages action items for their time aligning standards, revising curriculum and writing
common unit assessments. The teachers buy into the process because they have
taken ownership in writing the curriculum and assessments instead of being
given a final product developed by district leaders. *More about this activity in
Standard 4 reflection and artifact.
6.8.17 16 GI Summer Leadership Standard 1 Two days were spent developing leadership skills, a common understanding of
6.9.17 Institute Standard 2 the strategic plan, and the capacity of building principals to implement priority
Standard 7 initiatives. The superintendent was highly engaged in the process by consulting
Standard 10 with the facilitators, clarifying questions, and empowering leaders to take the
next steps moving forward in the fall. As a new leader, I would engage my team
in the North, South, East, and West: Compass Points exercise to identify the
preferences of my team in group work. Knowing who tend to act (north),
speculate (east), care (south), and pay attention to detail (west) in any given
situation helps to value the strengths that each person brings to the team.
Another meaningful activity was having teams create a visual representation of
the theory of action defined in the strategic plan that serves as a foundation for
achieving the vision. The process allowed an opportunity for leaders to clarify
understanding, develop a shared message, and communicate our commitment to
stakeholders through social media.
6.14.17 1 Grand Island Prep Standard 1 By the start of the 2018-2019 school year, the high school will implement
Academies Executive Standard 4 academy curriculum, pathways, and classes for a Freshman Academy and the
Leadership Committee Standard 8 following career areas: Human Sciences, Health Sciences, Arts and
Meeting Communication, Business/Marketing Management and IT, Skilled and Technical
Sciences. A take-away from the experience is to involve all stakeholders
including students, parents, teachers, counselors, industry and high education
representatives and building and district administrators. To communicate these
teams an organizational chart was created that communications the individuals
involved and what they are responsible for in the planning and implementation
stages of the initiative. As a principal stated, we have only one chance to get this
right.

Total 42 Hours Total Cumulative Hours 170

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