EDUCATIONAL SERVICE UNIT 5

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning

Dr. Brenda McNiff

Leadership Framework

Action without vision is only passing time, vision without action

is merely day dreaming, but vision with
action can change the world. -Nelson Mandela
Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 2

Mission, Vision and Beliefs

Mission Statement

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning

Vision Statement

The vision of Educational Service Unit 5 is to enhance

opportunities for all learners by continuously providing equitable,
innovative, collaborative and responsive leadership and support
service.

Core Values and Beliefs

Respectful, Equitable, Innovative, Collaborative

Communicative and Continues
Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 3

Philosophy of Education and Leadership

Dear ESU 5 Family,

It is both a privilege and humbling opportunity to begin serving as the

Administrator of Educational Service Unit 5. I am excited and honored to
work alongside committed board members, dedicated directors, staff and
member districts. Together, I believe we can work together to make ESU5 a
destination point for member districts: one that provides exceptional
opportunities for each and every stakeholder in our service area.

I believe learning is a lifelong process. One in which an individual will

hone and harness over time. Through my position at the Educational
Service Unit, I live out this philosophy of education each day as it is my
responsibility to ensure the educators in our member districts have the
knowledge and understanding needed to implement the most up-to-date,
research based strategies to ensuring success of all students.

As the instructional leader of this organization it is my intent to develop

strong, effective relationships through robust communication. I believe as
an instructional leader, to ensure quality relationships through
communication, one must begin with a strong focus on listening and
understanding. Healthy, candid, conversations with all stakeholders must
occur now and continue, as we begin to work together to build upon the
outstanding foundation that currently exists at Educational Service Unit 5
and the member districts we serve.

This Leadership Framework outlines my vision for learners, teachers the

organization and professional growth. This framework is rooted in the
following goals:

1) Create and maintain productive relationships with member school

districts through shared leadership.
2) Ensure innovative cost effective and efficient programs and services.
3) Promote organizational unity and collective efficacy through
communication and planning.

Educational Service Unit 5s greatest purpose is to provide opportunities

and quality programs for member school districts. With strong leadership,
support and approval from the board and resourceful, creative, visionary
ideas from the staff, I believe that together we can accomplish these goals.

Yours in Education

Dr. Brenda McNiff

Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 4

As an Educational Service Unit we recently and will continue to go

through the process of building a shared vision. During this
process we will complete a comprehensive review of existing
programs, initiatives, services, performance and fiscal conditions
in order to assess The Unites strengths and challenges while
honoring the work that is already in place. We will create this
shared vision as we answer the questions; where are we now? How
did we get to where we are? And where do we want to be? The
following outlines my specific vision for learners, teachers,
organization and professional growth as we begin to build and
develop our shared vision.

Where Are We How Did We

Where Do We
Now? Get to Where
Want to Go?
We Are?

Vision for All Learners:

My vision for all learners, students and staff, is rooted in the
complexities of human growth and development or the need to
belong, for it is because of this need that we are confronted with
contrasting viewpoints and perspectives. That gap between our
understanding of what is and what could be is bridged by our
relationships with others. Our collaborations, our creativeness,
our truths are derived from our need to belong. It is because of
these connections between and with people that all learning is
made possible.
Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 5

Vision for Teachers

As my vision for all learners is rooted in the relationships
between individuals it is there where my vision for teachers
continues; for it is these professionals that are closest to the
product of the organization; young successful, self-assured young
adults. This proximity affords them the ominous task of
challenging all students to work to their potential through high
expectations. It is the responsibility of administration, than, to
support the work of the teachers through a variety of activities.

Activities:
Actively Support professional development initiative for school
personnel:

Seeking out training opportunities for staff that support

school improvement efforts and classroom needs
Approving leave time to attend workshops
Paying for related travel and registration costs
Ensuring budget funds are appropriated to support
professional development opportunities
Encouraging staff to share new material learned at
workshops with others through district wide training
where appropriate
Affective management of operations and resources
Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 6

Vision for Organization

The Educational Service Unit is a community in, and amongst,
school districts in our area. Because of the vast array of
stakeholders my vision for the organization involves working
together as a team, collaborating effectively to ensure success of
the organization. This requires alignment of programs, resources
and processes in a manner that support member districts with the
very best we have to offer. All departments of the ESU are
important to the overall wellbeing of the organization; gathering
feedback on their functions allows us to identify where we are able
to collaborative effectively. Activities to support this vision
include the following:

Activities:
Cultivate respectful, supportive relationships

Review and assess the ESUs communication mechanisms and

make recommendations for enhancements/improvements

Meet individually with each member districts

Superintendent

Conduct listen and learning sessions with each director and

department.

Promote an open door policy so that any concerned

stakeholder may request an opportunity to meet with me to
discuss concerns or compliments during the transition period
and beyond.

Meet with leadership team to determine areas in which we

can collaborate within the ESU or with other ESUs to ensure
functional effectiveness and fiscal responsibility.
Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 7

Vision for Professional Growth

This Leadership Framework will afford me the opportunity to
listen, observe and learn from a variety of stakeholders while
gaining an understanding of the interactions between those
stakeholders and ESU 5. Through this process I will begin to
formulate ideas and frame strategies to improve the ESU and its
services as we continue to provide innovative supports and
programs to all.

Staff members at the ESU can also develop their own personal
vision for growth by the creation of professional development
plans. These plans will be based on personal career goals and
skill acquisition related to the Educational Service Unit wide
school improvement goal and the individual needs of the staff
member.

Educators will also be encouraged to work collaboratively with

others to share and communicate strategies and resources they
found particularly useful and effective.
Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 8

Method for Vision Attainment

As an Educational Service Unit we recently and continue to go through the process of
building a shared vision to ensure we are working together for vision attainment. The
description below provides a more formal look at the steps in that process.

Step 1: As an organization we need to establish: Where are we now?

We need to consider the following questions and gather data based on those questions in
order to build a foundation for our shared vision.
Who are we?
The School Improvement Leadership Team will gather any pertinent
demographic data relevant to our agency and districts we serve. For
instance:
District, school, students, staff and community description
Additionally, the Leadership Team will gather data in regards to perceptions,
by utilizing a series of surveys and self-assessment tools. We will survey all
stakeholders to gain understanding of their perceptions of the ESU related to
the following:
Culture, Climate, Values and Beliefs
As an entire faculty and other stakeholders (i.e., member districts, board
members, community members etc) we will complete the AdvanceEd Self-
Assessment based on the following 5 standards:
Purpose and Direction, Governance and Leadership, Teaching and
Learning, Resources and Supports, and Continuous Improvement
How do we do Business?
The School improvement leadership team will gather school process data
related to the following:
Programs, Instruction, organization, administrative process, and
school improvement
How are our students doing?
The School improvement leadership team will gather and share any
pertinent demographic data relevant to our agency and districts we
serve. For instance:
District, school, students, staff and community description

Step 2: How did we get to where we are?
We will than, as an entire faculty analyze this data, utilizing a series of formal and
informal trainings and discussions as we look for trends in the data that would show areas
for improvement and areas of strength in order to determine how we got to here.

Step 3: Where do we want to be (shared vision)?

Again, as an entire faculty, and other stakeholders as appropriate, we will discuss and
answer the questions Why do we exist? And Where do we want to go? To establish,
(based on the qualitative and quantitative data that has been collect), a shared vision.
Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 9

Stakeholder Climate Survey

In the Spring of 2014 (129
Responses) and 2016 (321 Responses) 9% Teachers
1st Qtr
Educational Service Unit 5 conducted 14%
a climate survey of member school Other*
2nd Qtr
stakeholders to determine strengths 59%
18% Administration
and challenges. Below is a graphic 3rd Qtr
representation highlighting three ESU 5 Staff
4th Qtr
strength and three challenges as
found in the results. You will note
that 2015 and 2016 results are
displayed along with percent change.
Climate survey results for
Combining 2014 (129 Responses) and 2014 and 2016 included 478
2016 (321 Responses) resulted in 450 responses from various
responses over that time period. disciplines as depicted above.
Responses are broken down into
*Represents Para
current position and displayed to
Professionals, Administrative
the right. The other category assistants, etc.
represents other position in the
school such as para-professional,
administrative assistants, etc

Survey Questions: Strengths 2014 Results 2016 Results Average

ESU 5 provides qualified staff to 94% 80%

Strongly Agree/ Strongly Agree/ 87%
support programs Agree Agree

ESU 5 offers content and strategies 92% 79%

Strongly Agree/ Strongly Agree/ 85.5%
that improve student learning Agree Agree

ESU 5 provides technology resources 93% 79%

Strongly Agree/ Strongly Agree/ 86%
to support its programs and services Agree Agree

Survey Questions: Challenges

ESU 5s mission statement is 11% 11%
communicated to and understood by Disagree/ Strongly Disagree/ Strongly 11%
all stakeholders Disagree Disagree

ESU 5 keeps stakeholders informed of 11% 11%

Disagree/ Strongly Disagree/ Strongly 11%
its achievement of the ESU 5 goals Disagree Disagree

ESU 5 communicates effectively with 6% 9%

Disagree/ Strongly Disagree/ Strongly 7.5%
all stakeholder groups Disagree Disagree
Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 10

Staff Satisfaction Survey

In the fall of 2016 Educational Service Unit 5 conducted a Staff
Satisfaction Survey. The table below is organized into specific
survey questions, followed by the percent of individuals marking
poor/Fair and Good/Excellent and ending with the overall
weighted average of each questions. The Return rate for the
Survey was 89% with 32 of the 35 employees completing the
survey.
You will note that percents for each question do not always equal 100%. This is because
individuals had the opportunity to answer no opinion on any given question. These
answers were not figured into percent or weighted average.

Poor/Fair Good/Excellent Weighted

Orientation and Training (1, 2) (3,4) Average
Availability of a clear Job 13% 84%
3.16
Description
Communication of Expectations about
19% 78% 2.97
Job Performance
Completeness and timeliness of
30% 70% 2.87
Orientation about the ESU
Sufficient Training Materials and
Training Opportunities to Allow you 29% 71% 2.90
to Perform Your Job
Availability of Follow Up Training 29% 71% 2.77

Supervision
Availability of a Director to Answer
9% 91% 3.59
your questions and to assist you
Feedback and evaluation regarding
32% 57% 2.38
your performance
Recognition by your director for your
15% 72% 2.88
accomplishments
Fairness in Supervision and
12% 84% 3.31
Employment Opportunities

Compensation and Benefits

Your rate of Pay for Your Work 19% 82% 3.19
Paid Time Off You Receive 12% 75% 2.94
Benefits You Receive (Health
22% 75% 3.22
Insurance, Retirement, etc)
Your rate/Amount of Yearly Increase 25% 63% 2.56
Staff Satisfaction Survey
Continues on Next Page
Leadership Framework

Educational Innovation for Teaching and Learning 11

Other Aspects of Your Work

The ESU is Willing to Work with Me
0% 100% 3.78
and My Schedule
I am Given Opportunities for Ongoing
12% 81% 3.16
Professional Development
I feel my Skills are Used Effectively 3% 97% 3.63
I Have Opportunity to Share Your
0% 97% 3.44
Ideas About Improving the Services
The Morale at the ESU is Good 6% 88% 3.16

I have a Good Relationship with

0% 100% 3.56
My Co-Workers
I have a Good Relationship with
0% 100% 3.69
My Supervisor
In my Opinion the Attitude of
Other Schools Toward the ESU is 3% 87% 2.97
Good
I Have the Opportunity to do what
6% 94% 3.63
I do Best Every Day
My Director Encourages my
0% 90% 3.53
Development
My Coworkers are Committed to
6% 90% 3.44
Doing Quality work
I have Opportunities to Learn and
0% 97% 3.53
Grow

These survey results in conjunction with the other aspects of this

Leadership Framework have been utilized to outline my vision for
learners, teachers, the organization and professional growth.

Again, the Educational Service Unit 5s greatest purpose is to

provide opportunities and quality programs for member school
districts. With a strong vision, support and approval from the
board and resourceful, creative, visionary ideas from the staff, I
believe that together we can provide opportunities for growth and
development of all.