Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Stephen R. Hammock
Aspiring School Leader
Portfolio
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE
Cover Letter.......................................................................................................................3
Resume..............................................................................................................................4
Educational Philosophy.....................................................................................................6
Leadership Philosophy......................................................................................................8
Belief Matrix.....................................................................................................................16
ARTIFACTS
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
References.......................................................................................................................67
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Stephen Ryan Hammock
stephenrhammock@yahoo.com
(706) 975-8898
Re: Assistant Principal Opportunity
I am writing to express my interest in the above-named position. I truly believe I have the skill-set and
ambition to succeed in this position. Yet, I realize that a school leadership position is not about me at all.
Leadership is about creating an environment in which others can perform at the highest possible level. As a
classroom teacher and athletics coach, I have spent my entire professional career trying to put others in a
position to succeed by exploiting the strengths of students and providing the appropriate supports to address
their needs. I have two priorities that influence every decision I make: 1) Student Safety 2) Student Learning.
Currently, I am employed at Gulf Shores High School as a special education teacher and athletics coach.
I am responsible for creating individualized education programs and ensuring full implementation. I frequently
review student discipline, attendance, and grades with parents, students, and teachers to ensure student needs
are being met and the provision of the most appropriate education. I first began teaching as a social studies
teacher in February 2012, and this school year will total five and a half years of teaching experience. I hold a
valid teaching certificate in Alabama and Georgia in the fields of administration, history, political science, and
special education.
Academically, I have the following degrees: Specialist in Education (Educational Leadership) from
Columbus State University, Masters of Sport Management from Georgia Southern University, Bachelors of
History and Secondary Education Columbus State University, Associates of Secondary Teacher Education
Gordon State College. Collectively, my professional and academic careers provide me clarity and assist in the
development of facts that I know are absolute truths. All people have needs (students, parents, teachers), and it
is imperative that the school community works in alignment with the schools mission, vision, values, and
beliefs to ensure student safety and meet the needs of teachers, parents, and students to maximize student
learning and achievement.
Best practices in teaching suggest that learning is an on-going, collaborative process involving a diverse
group of stakeholders. The engagement of stakeholders is paramount as the school is a community product.
Therefore, there must be a sense of trust and respect in the school building amongst administrators, faculty,
staff, and students as well as in the community with employers, parents, elected officials, the church and others.
Teachers must know that their administration supports them and strives to provide opportunities for learning
and professional growth. Students must know that their teachers care about their safety, their learning, and their
development as young adults. Parents should be included in their childs educational journey much more so
than a negative phone call home, and opportunities for community involvement support this goal.
Above all, I know for certain that education is the noblest of professions, and every bit of hard work,
data collection and analysis, collaborative planning, change initiatives, and etc. is worth it. Every day in
education is an opportunity to change someones life for the better by empowering every individual, every day
through equal access to the curriculum. I want to work hard, smart, and efficiently while bringing extraordinary
effort and optimism to your school. If you would have me, I would be delighted to further discuss my
candidacy in person. I may be reached by phone at (706) 975-8898 or by email at
stephenrhammock@yahoo.com. Thanks for your time and consideration
Best Regards,
Stephen R. Hammock
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Stephen R. Hammock
706-975-8898
stephenrhammock@yahoo.com
stephenrhammock.weebly.com
Teaching Experience
Gulf Shores High School, Gulf Shores, AL
Special Education (August 2015 - Present)
Education
Columbus State University
Specialist in Educational Leadership (December 2016)
Certification
Georgia Teaching Certificate #1151759
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Alabama Teaching Certificate #SRH-0109-1782
Coaching Experience
Upson-Lee High School, Thomaston, GA
Baseball, Head JV Coach (2013-2014) Assistant Varsity
Baseball Coach (2013-2015);
2013 (10-16)
2014 (15-11)
2015 (17-11) Sweet Sixteen
Softball, Head Varsity Softball Coach (2014-2015)
2014 (12-15) Region Playoffs
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Mundys Mill High School, Jonesboro, GA
Baseball, Assistant Varsity Baseball (2012)
2012 (22-9) Sweet Sixteen
Educational Philosophy
My philosophy of education revolves around one simple premise, do right by the student. Doing right
by the student entails preparing them to be competent members of a modern workforce and contributing
members of an evolving society. Certainly, we will all make a difference in a students life, but that difference
can be either positive or negative. We need and are commanded by our preparation and our community to do
right by the student, and to shape their lives for the better. In accomplishing our goal of preparing students to be
competent members of a modern workforce and contributing members of an evolving society, there are several
areas of focus that I find very vital: Equal Access, Academic Rigor, Extracurricular Diversity, Pride.
We want to provide a quality educational experience to every student, every day. Every individual
student ages 3 to 21 are who we have in mind as we strive to do right by every student. Regardless of
socioeconomic status, race, ability, sex, religious affiliation, sexual preference, I truly believe every student
should be encouraged to fully immerse themselves in a rigorous classroom and in any number of clubs and
athletic teams. Nothing sums up our focus here more than, every student, every day.
Academic rigor encompasses a number of components in itself, but has several characteristics which
make our students employ a number of skills to master our curriculum. Teachers should employ student-
centered activities and minimize the amount of time that we stand in front of the class providing teacher-led
instruction. Rather than students taking notes and being assessed on quizzes and tests, students should use
classroom information to produce student work. Teachers should maximize instruction time, with quick
transition periods. Class time should consist of the following periods: Warm-up, Introduction, Teacher
Instruction, Student Work Period, Closing. Lesson planning should incorporate technology when possible, and
assessments should be focused on problem solving. Teachers should have collaborative planning periods as
well as common assessments. Student achievement and data drives classroom instruction and dictates the time
allotted to certain standards. Warm-ups often encompass scaffolding and are used to revisit skills that students
failed to master on previous exams. Sometimes, warm-ups are used to lead into the days material. Scaffolding
is also used to revisit material that was covered earlier in the school year. Differentiated instruction is key to
student engagement. Students should be given choice as often as possible with regards to which assignments
they want to complete for a given standard/skill. Choice on assignments allow students of different abilities to
complete less rigorous assignments while students at higher levels are allowed to complete more rigorous
assignments. Choice boards are an excellent tool which allow students to complete any combination of
assignments as long as a defined number of assignments are completed.
Data is vital to measuring student achievement, revising instructional practices, and ensuring that every
student receives an appropriate education. Benchmark testing is vital to ensuring students are on track and to
providing feedback for teachers to lessons. Data allows educators to identify at-risk students in order to better
meet their needs. Data collection and analysis takes place on a daily basis in every classroom, whether
formative or summative. Collaborative, content teams should routinely review data and amend practices as
appropriate. Data is the engine that drives instruction, policies, and procedures throughout the school building
and in every classroom.
Extracurricular diversity describes the extent to which students have opportunity to participate on any
number of athletic and civic clubs. As much as we want to produce competent workers and contributing
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members of society, we also want to produce well-rounded individuals who through participating in sport or
other extracurricular opportunities develop social skills as well as a number of other intangible qualities that
reflect a well-rounded individual. Participants on athletic teams and in civic clubs learn qualities of teamwork,
cooperation, hard work, service, communication, adversity, and a number of other characteristics, which they
will benefit from as they move throughout life.
Finally, my educational philosophy involves instilling in every student a sense of pride in themselves,
their families, their school, and their community. Students who embody pride are going to do their best at
whatever they are doing, in school, and in life. Prideful students will respect themselves, their school, and
others. Yet, pride must be nurtured in an environment that encourages students to value things such as
extraordinary effort, focus, and attention to detail. The call to raise a child is as important as teaching the
standards, and prideful students are equipped to persevere, thrive, and become productive members of society.
In closing, my academic philosophy involves every student working to progress through a rigorous
curriculum while participating in a number of extracurricular activities and exuding a sense of pride all the
while. Students should be active members of the school environment, and should be working every bit as hard
as the classroom teacher. Together we can change the world. We can make a positive difference in young
people's lives by instilling the value of pursuing and obtaining a world-class education. We can destroy the
cycles of generational poverty. We can create a school culture in which students want to come to school.
Teachers want to teach, and parents want to send their children.
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Leadership Philosophy
The primary function of a school leader is to create an environment in which others can succeed and grow as
students and professionals. The school leader creates the framework that supports on-going learning opportunities for
teachers and students. The school leader encourages an environment of openness, trust, and respect that supports input,
feedback, and engagement. The school leader is reflective, not reactive, and considers the perspective of all
stakeholders. The school leader promotes the schools accomplishments and supports change initiatives to improve
building processes, procedures, and policies to improve student safety and student learning. Most of all, the school
leader embraces education as the noblest of professions and forsakes not the daily opportunity to change a life for the
better.
Leadership involves promoting the institution of learning amongst students and teachers. Professional learning
communities, professional development, and a focus on data collection and analysis are directly correlated to student
learning. The school leader must clearly communicate the schools mission, vision, values and beliefs while
identifying alignment as a key priority of the school building. The professional learning community is a facilitator of
professional growth and learning to improve classroom practices. Additionally, the professional learning community
supports the ideal of collaboration. It is vital that all employees work together and in alignment to provide the
consistency that is proven to increase student achievement. When all teachers have high expectations and work in
alignment, student-learning increases, as does morale. The school leader is responsible for creating unity over division,
setting priorities, and involving teachers in the process by inviting their feedback and increasing ownership.
Openness, trust, and respect are essential elements of a school community (parents, teachers, students,
stakeholders) that works together towards meeting the common goal of improving student safety and student learning.
Improving openness, trust, respect must be a priority and these elements deserve as much focus, time, effort as any
other initiative. All stakeholders must truly believe they are valued, supported, and respected or else support for the
institution, its initiatives, and its purpose dwindles. Stakeholders must feel they are able to contribute, give feedback,
and participate in the educational process. Amongst the faculty, teambuilding exercises are crucial to the development
of a positive, open, respectful, and trusting collaborative environment. Opportunities for community stakeholders to
engage in the process create a sense of value and respect. Top-down leadership alone often alienates teachers and other
stakeholders, and I personally cannot understand how an institution can make appropriate decisions regarding teachers,
students, parents, and others without first taking time to learn more about the people who are sure to be most affected
by those decisions. Every change initiative is a learning opportunity, for all parties. When collaborative efforts commit
to identifying and adopting an acceptable solution that can be taken back to all stakeholders, trust and respect is
fostered.
A school leader should remain calm and utilize the properties of the prefrontal cortex of the brain, otherwise
known as the reflective brain, as opposed to making decisions based on emotion and reaction. Merely inviting
feedback from a variety of stakeholders is a hollow venture unless diligent and thorough analysis is given to the input
and decisions are made relative to the information. Otherwise, stakeholders will question the sincerity of the request,
and the school leader loses the respect and trust of those from which he most needs the support. One area of particular
importance in which feedback is vital is professional learning. Appropriate professional learning is a powerful ally of
progress and professional growth. Teachers lose respect and value for professional learning that fails to address their
needs. All people have needs, certainly students, teachers and administrators. The best way those needs are met for
teachers and administrators is through providing appropriate professional development. It is very necessary to conduct
a needs analysis amongst the staff to identify areas for improvement. Many teachers need professional development
regarding interventions for struggling students, strategies for integrating technology, and proper implementation of
individualized education programs. However, it would be a grave mistake to assume these things without first
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consulting teachers. Communication is so important in all aspects of life, and certainly in education. There is
nothing worse than valuable time being taken from a teacher to attend a professional learning session that he/she
neither is interested in nor needs. A reflective school leader processes information relative to student achievement,
teacher needs, community values, and rarely makes a decision, alone.
A school leader sets high expectations for students, faculty, and staff, and creates an environment that exploits
the strengths of others while providing the appropriate supports and interventions to address individual needs. Pride
and morale are important elements of the education process. The school leader should strive for an environment in
which students want to come to school, teachers want to teach, and parents want to send their children. The
opportunity to teach, support learning, and help others succeed is truly a blessing. Leadership should be a shared
characteristic throughout the building as the school leader provides the support and the context to identify and nurture
teacher leaders throughout the building. Likewise, student-leaders are of ample importance as the young people of our
community represent their families and their school in the classroom, on the courts and fields, and throughout the rest
of their lives, for better or worse. A school leader embraces his/her role in the process, and the role of servitude to
others, as leadership isnt about the leader at all, but those who he/she can positively influence to be better.
Studies suggest that it takes about three years for significant culture change to take place. Likewise, the school
leader should focus on improvement and promote a continual process of evaluating methods to ensure the best
practices are being used to serve the current student population. As students, technology, and curricula change, it is
imperative to regularly look in the mirror to ensure the image is appropriate, and in the best interest of students, parents,
teachers, and other stakeholders. Likewise, change is a gradual process, and the school leader must be accepting of this
reality and seeking of positive change in the building, and in the community.
1010
Learning is perhaps the most natural, ornate, and fulfilling element of life and serves as the vehicle for
our reality. Teachers are responsible for engaging students through an appeal to prior knowledge, student
interests, and relevance. The way students learn is evolving, and it is imperative that teachers continually refine
practice to ensure provision of an appropriate, world-famous education. Once, it was unthinkable that students
could study and learn with music blaring through ear-buds. Yet, students today tell us they learn best in their
own comfortable surroundings, and are able to multi-task more successfully than perhaps ever before. It is vital
that teaching in the twenty-first century integrates technology literacy with the teaching of standards. Our
students deserve an opportunity to do more, create great things, and demonstrate mastery in ways other than
matching, fill-in-the blank, multiple choice, and true/false. Lastly, I must emphasize that we strive to teach all
students regardless of intellectual ability, race, gender, sexual preference, etc. The empowerment of every
individual, everyday through equal access to the curriculum is one of the most amazing and beautiful facets of
American society.
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Classroom teachers are members of a noble profession and truly are saints of servitude filling one of the
most consequential roles in society. Today more than ever, teachers are asked to do more, to go beyond the
mere teaching of content. In many instances, a childs teacher is the only caring adult in the childs life.
Teachers must develop a healthy, positive relationship with their students while projecting a sincere interest in
the childs well-being and development as a well-rounded, competent member of a modern workforce and
higher education student body. Teachers should exploit student strengths and address student needs to support
progress through the curriculum and academic achievement. All students have needs, those with and without
individualized education programs. All students need to be engaged and identify relevance in teacher lessons.
It is vital that teachers plan collaboratively within their content teams to analyze data and create lesson plans
that address relevance, differentiation, technology use, literacy, and rigor. Teachers must routinely examine
classroom practices to ensure appropriate education that best fits the individual learners in the room. Successful
teachers gather data through formative and summative assessments and use the results to drive instruction.
Struggling learners should have opportunities for remediation and scaffolding while more advanced learners
should have opportunity for enrichment. Content teams should use common assessments to compare data and
identify mastery as well as lack of understanding. Likewise, teachers should engage in on-going content
specific professional development to address the needs of teachers and to increase quality of instruction as well
as student achievement. Literacy is comprised of five components (listening, viewing, writing, reading,
speaking) and spans all disciplines. Likewise, teachers should incorporate no less than ten minutes of direct
literacy instruction and activities in every lesson, every day. Best practices in teaching suggest that teachers
implement standards-based classrooms. Teachers should focus on specific elements of the standard, and ensure
students have an understanding of what they should be learning. Essential questions are effective ways of
communicating to students higher order thinking questions that should engage students in the content and
provide focus. A student-made word-wall is essential to forming a foundation for vocabulary and bridging the
gap from lower-level thinking questions to higher order thinking. A posted agenda helps students understand
where the lesson is going, and minimized transition time. Student work with rubrics and commentary is a
celebration of student achievement, and requires that students create artifacts to demonstrate mastery.
1212
School improvement is the essence of self-assessment and looking inward to ensure progress and the
utilization of best practices. Data analysis is essential for examining student attendance, discipline, and
achievement to identify areas of improvement. The school improvement plan should use input from teachers,
students and community stakeholders and should be in alignment with the schools mission, vision, values, and
beliefs. Typically, school improvement plans have several common elements. Each smart goal is accompanied
by the following elements: Actions, Strategies, Interventions, Timeline, Funding Source, Persons Responsible,
Artifacts, and Evidence. As a school leader, I would vigorously pursue through collaborative efforts to achieve
the following goals:
1. Close Achievement Gaps Between Student Subgroups
2. 100% Student Technology Literacy Rate
3. Improve Literacy Scores as Indicated by Benchmark and Scholastic Reading Inventory
4. Standardized Testing Results Will be at or Above State Performance
5. Increase Graduation Rate
6. 100% of All Teachers Will Be Fully Operational On Each Component of the Standards-Based
Classroom
7. 100% of Teachers Evaluated Will Either Be Proficient Or Engaged In Rigorous Professional
Development
8. 100% of Teachers Will Participate in at least 30 Hours of In-House Professional Learning Focused on
Improving Student Learning.
9. Increase Stakeholder Communication
10. Increase Stakeholder Engagement
11. Improve Student Attendance Numbers
a. Decrease Tardiness
12. Reduce the Number of Discipline Referrals
13. Select, Maintain, and Retain Highly Qualified and Effective Educators to Prepare Students for College
and/or Career Readiness
14. Ensure Efficient and Effective Financial Processes that Mirror Educational Practices
15. Collaboratively Ensure that all Maintenance and Operation Processes Support the Learning Environment
1313
Vision for the Organization
Organization is paramount to the success of any institution, and school leadership is directly responsible
for ensuring open lines of communication and a clear operating structure throughout the institution.
Organization encompasses clarity of operations as well as clearly defined policy and procedure. In an effort to
support the professional learning community, teachers will be given a monthly calendar designating the
planning schedule as well as meeting times, topics, and professional development sessions. Utilizing shared
documents, teachers will have access to a message board to ask questions and receive timely answers to their
questions. Community functions such as social studies fairs and open house will be announced utilizing a
number of venues including social media and print. Information should be dispersed to the faculty through
department heads, email, and face-to-face interaction. There simply is no substitute for the fellowship
opportunities that are presented on a daily basis to discuss upcoming events and to simply express appreciation
for a job well done. I strongly support the committee structure as a method to improve collaboration, student
achievement, and faculty involvement. I advocate for the following committees: Data Analysis,
Assessment/Grading, School Culture, Attendance, Family and Community Engagement, RTI.
Belief Matrix
Artifact 1
Introduction:
Artifact 1 is a system strategic plan that analyzes the student population, the community,
and student achievement data in addition to the system belief statement, mission statement, and
vision to create goals and plans for initiative implementation in order to increase student
achievement and student safety. A SWOT and PESTLE analysis provides additional information
for creating the most appropriate school system strategic plan. A system strategic plan is created
within the context of improving student achievement, and therefore is an example of Standard 1.
Creation of a system strategic plan indicates that the leadership candidate has an understanding
of the significance of considering all stakeholders and their contributions and effects relative to
Reflection:
The system strategic plan outlines the systems goals, funding, initiatives, and strategies
for ensuring student safety and improving student achievement. The system strategic plan is a
reflection of the community and the systems vision, mission, and beliefs. The school system
should engage a variety of community stakeholders for input and how to best disseminate
information. Collaborative team efforts to create a strategic system plan should consider current
school culture data. Creating school system strategic plans is an opportunity for learning more
about the system and exploring new approaches. Strategic plans drive and reinforce operations,
The XYZ School System is located in XYZ County and proudly serves the citizens of
this community in the capacity of empowering youth through educational equality and rigorous
instruction to ensure college and career readiness. The demographics of XYZ County, one of the
manufacturing industries. The current economy of XYZ County is agriculturally based, pending
the upstart of new industry in the community. Likewise, nearly half of the population receives
food stamps or similar government assistance, and the school system has a significant free and
The strategic plan process of creating a strategic plan is characterized by three elements:
1) Data Team Creation 2) Data Collection 3) Data Analysis (SWOT and PESTLE) 4) Strategic
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Plan Creation. As indicated, data collection and analysis is essential to identifying strengths and
weaknesses. Significant resources and perspectives is committed to data collection and analysis.
The data team is composed of principals from each school in the district, as well as
several teacher leaders from each school, and parents from teach school. The data team was
tasked with accumulating attendance, behavior, and academic data for their respective schools.
Once data was collected, the data team worked in school groups to create SWOT and PESTLE
analyses for their respective schools. Subsequently, the data team met multiple times to compare
SWOT and PESTLE analyses and identify collective strengths and weaknesses.
After the data analysis, the data team reviewed the school beliefs, mission, and vision
statements, given that the strategic plan should mirror the districts strengths, weaknesses, vision,
mission, and beliefs. After the review, the data team prioritized the districts weaknesses and
began creating the strategic plan to address weaknesses. Each goal in the strategic plan is tied to
the Georgia School Key Strands and is accompanied by: 1) actions, strategies, and interventions
Belief Statements
Mission Statement
The XYZ School System provides a safe environment in which every child receives rigorous
instruction and appropriate assessments to ensure optimal learning. The XYZ School System is a
product of the community of XYZ County, and embraces the role as the leading institution of
sustainability and progress in the county. The XYZ School System encourages individuality and
the pursuit of personal-goals and interests. Most importantly, the XYZ School System prepares
Vision Statement
The XYZ School System will provide a world famous educational experience to create well-
rounded individuals who are college and career ready. The XYZ School System will be a
leading institution in this community that invites stakeholder involvement and supports
community initiatives to advance, progress, and exemplify the spirit of love and learning. The
XYZ School System will promote student achievement, and most importantly, will do right by
students. The XYZ School System will be a leading institution in integrating technology in our
curriculum, and promoting student engagement. The XYZ School System will be a haven where
students want to learn, teachers want to teach, and parents want to send their children.
SWOT Analysis
2. 2. Poor Facilities
3. 3. Student Achievement- Grad
4. Rate/Test Scores
4. Teacher Turnover/Absenteeism
PESTLE ANALYSIS
SMART Goal 1: All students will meet or exceed state performance targets on all state assessments.
SMART Goal 4: All teachers will complete atleast 15 hours of professional learning.
Evaluation of Implementation and Impact on
Student Learning
School
Keys
Strand Person(s)
s Actions, Strategies, Interventions Timeline Funding Responsible Artifacts Evidence
Teachers will create
Teachers will participate in bi-weekly Administrators better lesson plans and
2016-
PL-2 professional learning during planning Title II Sign in Sheets model appropriate
2017 Teachers
time. classroom management
techniques.
SMART Goal 1: Increase stakeholder communication for the 2016-2017 School year
SMART Goal 1: Identify, hire, and retain highly qualified staff members to prepare students for college and career readiness.
Evaluation of Implementation and Impact on
Student Learning
Estimated
Costs,
Funding
Timeline/When Sources,
School Keys will target be and Person(s)
Strands Actions, Strategies, Interventions reached? Resources Responsible Artifacts Evidence
Title II
Administrators will attend Sign-in Sheets and
professional learning for human Special High teacher retention
PL-2 2016-2017 Principals Professional
resource management Education rate
Learning Invoices
Funds
SMART Goal 2: Ensure that all maintenance and operation policy and procedures create a safe learning environment for students and
staff.
Initiate Monthly Fire Drills and Monthly- Principals Fire Drill Schedule Documented Fire Drill
P&O - 1 Post evacuation maps N/A
2016-2017 Teachers Posted maps Calendar
Evaluation of Implementation and Impact on
Student Learning
School Keys Actions, Strategies, Interventions Estimated Artifacts Evidence
Strands Costs, Person(s)
Tornado Drill
Initiate tornado drills (two Principals
P&O - 1 2016-2017 N/A Schedule Tornado Drill Schedule
required) Teachers
Safety Plan
Review emergency codes and Principals
P&O 1 procedures with faculties 2016-2017 N/A Faculty Meeting Code Drills
Teachers
Agendas
Principals
Expanded computers and Internet Teachers Computers and Internet
access 2016-2017 SPLOST Budget
Central Office in every classroom
Staff
Conclusion
School leaders must consider the top priorities of the school district when designing a school strategic plan. Despite all of the
changes needed, it is important to enact incremental change that is not overwhelming to principals and teachers. However, it is also
necessary to ensure that the strategic plan addresses the most pertinent issues. The strategic plan for the XYZ School System focuses
on two priorities: student achievement and student safety. According to the SWOT and PESTLE analyses, the systems academic
performance has been subpar, and the goals in the strategic plan are designed to increase student achievement, renovate facilities, and
increase safety and discipline with the addition of school resource officers and bus monitors.
References
DivisionofSchoolandDistrictEffectiveness.(n.d.).RetrievedFebruary28,2016,fromhttp://www.gadoe.org/School
Improvement/SchoolImprovementServices/Pages/default.aspx
Artifact 2
Introduction:
Artifact 2 critiques selected U.S. History Georgia Performance Standards for clarity, measurable objectives, grade level compatibility,
grade level continuity, and alignment with national social studies standards. The findings will reveal that the written U.S. History
curriculum standards at the state level is broad and content-specific, while the national standards are skills-specific and address
content literacy. Overall, congruency was found between the national and state GPS standards. However, the narrow focus of the
elements within the GPS standards may hinder the ability to teach broad concepts within the classroom across grade levels. The
ability of a school leader to analyze curriculum and instructional practices is paramount to the academic success of all students.
Reflection:
This artifact represents the school leaders ability to collaborate with a team of educators to analyze curriculum elements such as:
standard clarity, measurable objectives, grade level compatibility, grade level continuity, and alignment with national standards. Data
collection and analysis is necessary to compare vertical and horizontal alignment of standards as well as different elements of the
taught curriculum. The audit for curriculum alignment indicates the level of efficacy of instructional practices and pedagogy.
Teachers and administrators must be knowledgeable regarding curriculum initiatives and the impact of the taught curriculum on
student achievement.
The purpose of developing standards, in part, is so that everyone (student included) is clear about the content students are expected to
know, focus instruction, and provide a framework for developing assessments. (Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead & Boschee, 2012).
Therefore, the content and clarity of the standards is an important topic to consider. The Georgia United States History curriculum,
generally taught in the 11th grade, is based on the US History Georgia Performance Standards, a set of 25 broad standards intend on
covering the topics in US History that students need to understand in order to be successful in the course and in subsequent courses.
The standards begin with the early colonialization period and move chronologically through major events and themes in US History.
Due to the large number of themes and material to cover, the standards themselves are stated in broad terms. Consider, for example,
SSUSH 1: The student will describe European settlement in North American during the 17th century. The standard then states certain
objectives that students should understand with the given standard. Consider the following objective associated with SSUSH 1:
Explain the development of mid-Atlantic colonies, including the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam and subsequent English takeover,
and the settlement of Pennsylvania. This basic design of standards and objectives is easy to follow and clearly states what the students
are expected to know, but to the social studies teacher, the objectives themselves may not prove to be all-encompassing. In this
section, the first six US History standards will be reviewed to examine the clarity of the content and the objectives that students must
understand.
SSUSH 1: The student will describe European settlement in North American during the 17 th century
This very broad standard covers quite a bit of territory in early US history. The standards does carry five objectives, all of
which are still quite broad in nature. Some topics that students must consider within this standard include the development of the
colony of Virginia as well as the colonies of New England, the mid-Atlantic and the south. The standard itself is written clearly, and
the guiding objectives do help the teacher and student narrow their focus on specific topics.
SSUSH 2: The student will trace the ways the economy and society of British North American developed.
Again, this is a broad standard, but the associated objectives are clear regarding what the focus should be for this standard.
The objectives point to the mid-Atlantic trade route, the slave trade with African nations, individualism and the Great Awakening.
While the standard is clearly written, only the objectives offer some clarity as to what should be addressed within the standard, given
the broad nature associated with colonial life. Colonial life was quite different depending on which part of the young colonies a
person found themselves, so the teacher is left with a great deal of ground to cover.
SSUSH 3: The student will explain the primary causes of the American Revolution.
The third standard speaks much more clearly and with greater clarity than the first two. While it is still a large topic, it
specifically points to one theme of focus for the teacher; that is, to be sure students understand the events and conditions surrounding
the American Revolution. The phrase primary causes does indicate some level of freedom that the teacher is given in detailing the
causes, but the objectives listed with the standards point to a minimal knowledge base that the students should have when explaining
SSUSH 4: The student will identify the ideological, military and diplomatic aspects of the American Revolution.
This objective is clearly written and provides the teacher with the concepts of the American Revolution that the state expects
students to know. Again, the broad nature of the standard itself make it necessary to provide additional details about what must be
covered regarding the mechanics of the revolution. Of particular note, the emphasis of the objective is not on specific military
maneuvers or battles, although there is some mention of this topic. The focus tends to lie more in the why than the how.
SSUSH 5: The student will explain specific events and key ideas that brought about the adoption and implementation of the
Interestingly, the standards skip directly to the United States Constitution following the mechanics of the American Revolution.
A very important time for understanding US History, the period of the Articles of Confederation, is given some attention here as a
specific objectives, but it seems to be somewhat shortchanged in the standards. Certainly, the Articles of Confederation played a key
role in the eventual adoption of the Constitution. This standard is quite loaded, and one could build an entire course around the
contents associated with the standard. The standard itself could use greater clarity or, perhaps, could be divided into multiple
SSUSH 6: The student will analyze the impact of territorial expansion and population growth and the impact of this growth in
It may be impossible to write a clear, concise standard given the time frame that this standard intends to cover. The early
decades of the country encompass a great deal of history, but the objectives within the standard do help teachers to focus instruction
to areas that the authors of the standards intend to address. The major thrust of this standard is to explore topics that led to the nations
expansion, such as the Louisiana Purchase, Northwest Ordinance and the completion of the Erie Canal.
In summary, it is difficult to write very clear, concise standards for a subject that encompasses many themes and includes a
large number of topics that could be included. The political nature of social studies courses also makes the process of curriculum
writing in and of itself controversial at times (Williams & Maloyed, 2013). This will continue to be a struggle for social studies
educators as work is completed to discern what should and should not be included in the written curriculum.
Grade Level Compatibility is seen as the degree to which the standards fit the needs and goals of the institution and students.
The information presented will serve as an assessment of the compatibility of the learning outcomes and objectives set out in the
Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: A framework for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. The revised curriculum standards are
and environments.
Individual Development & Identity: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual
people organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Science, Technology, & Society: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of relationships
independence.
According to Steve Goldberg, president of the National Council for the Social Studies and social studies department chair at New
Rochelle High School, New York, This is one of the best frameworks for preparing your students to be college, career, and
citizenship ready (Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead, & Boschee, p.398). This conclusion is especially relevant in the era of CCRPI in
Georgia (College and Career Readiness Performance Index). There is seamless grade level compatibility infused through the
overarching themes carried in the national standards, which manifest themselves in positive learning out comes when implemented
relevant disciplines. The first theme, "Culture," for instance, includes elements of anthropology, geography, history, and sociology.
These ten themes span the educational levels from early to middle grades to high school. The standards are expressed in statements
that begin "Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of" - for instance, Culture. Student
performance expectations within that theme are then specified, and examples of classroom activities are provided as illustrations of
how to design learning experiences to help students meet the performance expectations.
Teachers and curriculum designers are encouraged first to establish their program frameworks using the social studies
standards as a guide, and then to use the standards from history, geography, civics, economics, and others to guide the development of
grade level strands and courses. Using all of these standards in concert with one another allows educators to give adequate attention to
develop informed Georgia citizens who understand the history of the United States and our place in an ever-increasing interconnected
world. It is essential that students understand their past and how that past influences the present day and the future.
To accomplish the goal of producing informed citizens, it is essential that Social Studies teachers:
Bridge essential understanding about the past to contemporary events.
Assist students in understanding the nature of historical inquiry and the role of primary and secondary sources.
Encourage the consideration of multiple perspectives on events.
Engage students in speculation about the known and unknown motives and actions of historic figures.
Integrate the strands of Social Studies.
To further exhibit the existence of the grade level compatibility of the national and state standards lets two fourth grade standards:
SS4H1 The student will describe how early Native American cultures developed in North America.
SS4H3 The student will explain the factors that shaped British colonial America.
In fourth grade, students begin the formal study of United States history. At this grade, the four strands of history, geography,
civics, and economics are fully integrated. All of these aforementioned components are what the national standards are intended to
infuse into the local curriculum. It is up to the local instructional members (teachers, administrators etc.) to ensure that activities,
assessments etc. are aligned properly by grade level expectations. Students begin their study of United States history with the
development of Native American cultures and conclude with the antebellum period ending in 1860. The geography strand emphasizes
the influence of geography on early U. S. history. The civics strand emphasizes concepts and rights developed during the formation of
our government. The economics strand uses material from the historical strand to further understanding of economic concepts.
There is definitely grade level compatibility with the national and state standards but the instructional monitoring of the curriculum
implementation is the most vital piece to ensure that the stated compatibility manifests itself in positive learning outcomes.
In terms of assessing standards for grade level continuity, school leaders must measure the congruency between the written and
taught curriculum and take steps to ensure that guidelines are developed or followed, or run the risk that teachers will self-select
content to teach that is not aligned to the standards (Glatthorn and Boschee, et al., 2012). Creating an integrated curriculum based on
quality teaching, professional development, and the districts mission is only possible when the curriculum has been closely evaluated
for alignment. For the purpose of this group project, the subject of U.S. History will be evaluated across grades 4, 8, and 11 for
vertical alignment, in which the written standards are structured and logically sequenced to prepare students for progressively more
challenging work utilizing a similar base of knowledge and skills from one grade level to the next (edglossary.org, 2015). In addition,
horizontal alignment will be discussed, which will evaluate how well the U.S. History standards match the county benchmarks and
Georgia Milestones, as well as what is being taught in classrooms across the state.
According to Scully, Seefeldt, & Barbour (2003), the early educational experiences of children must build on another to form a
coherent, continuous learning curriculum. In U.S. History, the standards developed by the State of Georgia are vertically aligned to a
great extent from the founding of the colonies to the development of the United States as a new nation in grades 4, 8, and
11(www.georgiastandards.org, 2015). In 4th grade, standard SS4H3 focuses on factors that shaped British colonial America and student
performance tasks such as comparing and contrasting life in the three colonial regions, and describing colonial life from the
perspective of various groups of people including minorities. In 8th grade, a continuation of this knowledge appears in SS8H2, while
focusing more closely on developments in the newly established Georgia colony. Students are asked to explain the importance of
different groups and historical figures such as James Oglethorpe, Mary Musgrove, Salzburgers, and Highland Scots. In addition, they
are asked to evaluate the Trustee Period, Spanish threat from Florida, and explain Georgias development as a royal colony. In 11th
grade, the study of the colonial era is broadened in scope to cover all thirteen British colonies. SSUSH1 focuses on specific economic,
social, and religious developments in the Southern, Mid-Atlantic, and New England regions such as the development of tobacco, the
English takeover of New Amsterdam, and King Phillips War. SSUSH2 focuses on broader processes occurring in the colonies such as
mercantilism, slavery and the Middle Passage, social mobility, and the First Great Awakening.
In regards to the American Revolution, students in the 4th grade explore the causes, events, and results in great detail, and focus
on key historical figures, developments and groups such as the French and Indian War, King George III, George Washington, Patrick
Henry, the Declaration of Independence, Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party, and key battles of the Revolutionary War. In 8th grade, students
again focus on events in Georgia during the Revolutionary period in SS8H3. They are asked to explain the immediate and long-term
causes of the American Revolution, including the French and Indian War, Stamp Act, and the Declaration of Independence, while
analyzing the significance of people and events such as Loyalists, Patriots, Austin Dabney, Button Gwinnett, and the siege of
Savannah. In the 11th grade, students are asked in SSUSH3 to explain the primary causes of the American Revolution with reference to
events such as the French and Indian War, Stamp Act, and Intolerable Acts, while identifying the ideological, military, and diplomatic
aspects of the Revolution in SSUSH4. Their knowledge of this event in earlier grades is expanded to include intellectual sources of the
Declaration of Independence, French alliance, and the role of George Washington as a military leader.
From the U.S. Constitution period through the development as a new nation, there is additional vertical alignment from 4th
grade through high school. SS4H5 asks 4th graders to analyze challenges faced by the new nation to include key historical figures,
developments and groups such as James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation, Constitutional
Convention and issues, three branches of government, Bill of Rights, and the War of 1812. In 8th grade, students examine events
leading to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights by focusing on developments in Georgia. Developments and key
historical figures include the Georgia Constitution of 1777, Articles of Confederation, Abraham Baldwin, and William Few, building
on their prior knowledge of our early government from elementary school. In the 11th grade, students are asked to explain events and
ideas leading to the adoption and implementation of the U.S. Constitution in SSUSH5. This standard focuses on developments and key
figures such as weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation, Federalist and Anti-Federalist debates during the ratification period,
checks and balances, the Great Compromise, Bill of Rights, and the roles of Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, George Washington
and John Adams. SSUSH6 asks students to analyze the impact of territorial expansion and population growth in the new nation, but
expands the 4th grade analysis of the War of 1812 to include the Northwest Ordinance, Louisiana Purchase, construction of the Erie
Canal, and the Monroe Doctrine. Overall, the vertical continuity of the U.S. history curriculum across grade levels is highly germane,
and provides building blocks of knowledge regarding our nations early history for students from elementary through high school. A
final piece of evidence that demonstrates vertical alignment in U.S. History across grade levels is the GPS Social Studies Skill
Matrices, which is included in all social studies frameworks. Map and globe skills and information processing skills are scaffolded
from K-12 by a chart indicating the grade level when a skill such as comparing similarities and differences or identifying and using
In terms of horizontal alignment, U.S. History has content and objectives common to all Georgia classrooms. The Georgia
Milestones assessment measures student knowledge in core content areas from grades 3-12. These assessments utilize norm-
referenced items to complement criterion-referenced information and to provide a national comparison of student performance to
assess their readiness for the next grade and college and career readiness (www.gadoe.org, 2015). In addition, study guides are readily
available on the Georgia Department of Education website, as well as curriculum maps and a plethora of teaching resources on the
Georgia Standards website. In social studies PLCs that develop common classroom assessments and districts that develop county
benchmarks, there is a strong correlation to higher student performance. According to Coffey (2015), teachers can use these
standardized assessments to evaluate the degree to which students have mastered selected standards in both their classrooms and to
Regardless of available resources, school districts must measure the merit and worth of the teaching quality and resources as they
relate to student learning and continuously adapt and monitor as often as necessary (Glatthorn and Boschee, et al., 2012). Evaluation
models such as Bradleys Effectiveness Model give district curriculum specialists tools to assess the value of a subject area curriculum
by filling out a simple yes or no indicator chart. However, the decisions made by those leaders are critical in bringing about true
vertical and horizontal alignment. With 21st Century technology rapidly transforming todays learning environment, curriculum leaders
must be able to support classroom teachers by offering professional development and acquiring resources that result in strong fields of
In assessing the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) for compatibility with national standards, school leaders must look for
congruence. Creating a state curriculum which is congruent to the national standard will contribute to college and career readiness and
ensure that the education provided in Georgia adequately prepares students for an increasingly global job market. This group project
will compare the GPS for United States History with the NCSS national standards for social studies. The national Common Core
standards for this subject area will also be addressed. For the purpose of this project, the author will address 6 standards: SSUSH1
through SSUSH6.
The first six performance standards for US history identify specific content which should be covered in the course. The
principal topics are the colonial era in North America, the American Revolutionary War, and the US Constitution. Each standard offers
a centralized topic and a subset of more detailed information to be covered. In evaluating congruence, it is important to note the verbs
used in the language of the standards. The verbs used in the GPS include, explain, describe, analyze, evaluate, and identify. The NCSS
conducted research on alignment of curriculum, standards, and assessments. Eva Baker of the CRESST found that the key to
alignment is congruence, but this can be difficult to achieve in education. According to Baker (2004), Congruence is especially
difficult in two common cases in education: (a) where the goals are broad and generally stated, and (b) where there are too many goals
to be adequately taught and measured. Such is the case in comparing the GPS to the broad, open-ended goals of the NCSS standards.
Where the GPS directs students to explain, describe, or analyze a specific point of subject area content, the main focus of the
NCSS standards is on skill development and the ultimate outcome for learners. The NCSS standards identify no specific subject area
content and they are not presented as a list of items. The ultimate goal of teaching and learning in this subject area is present in the
Historical understandings define what learners should know about the history of their nation and of the world. These
understandings are drawn from the record of human aspirations, strivings, accomplishments, and failures in at least five
spheres of human activity: the social, political, scientific/technological, economic, and cultural (philosophical/aesthetic). They
also provide learners the historical perspectives necessary to analyze contemporary issues and problems confronting citizens
today.
Note that the verb analyze is present in the both sets of standards. The NCSS standards also present a section of teacher expectations
which specify that students should identify, evaluate, and explain as part of the requisite skill development. This suggests congruence
between both sets of standards. The following except shows the broad scope of the NCSS standards.
High school teachers can engage learners in a sophisticated analysis and reconstruction of the past. Learners can be encouraged
to draw upon various forms of data in order to elaborate upon information provided by historical narratives; to distinguish
between accepted historical facts and interpretations; to cover multiple perspectives in interpreting the past; to make choices
regarding historical sources, drawing from bibliographical studies; and to utilize historical methodologies in analyzing and
Any direct link between teaching the specific subject area content of the GPS as it is written and achieving the broad goals of the
NCSS would have to be determined through analysis of a more specific measurement such as standardized test scores.
Another source of national standards for Social Studies is the Common Core (CCSS). The CCSS standards were developed by
the federal government during the post-NCLB era and are designed to support curriculum alignment across the states. Like the NCSS
standards, the CCSS standards use a skills-based structure and contain no specific subject area content. The CCSS standards are
grouped together with standards for English Language Arts (ELA) and have a strong central focus on literacy. Again, determining true
congruence between the GPA and CCSS would require further analysis of the outcomes of a quantitative measurement tool.
Many educators are uncomfortable with the broad scope of direction in these national standards but others believe that it is a
move in the right direction. Lazar (2010), an educator in Brooklyn, NY, stated that, The Common Core Standards offer us an
opportunity to broaden the conception of our discipline from one that focuses on helping students acquire an established body of
knowledge to one that emphasizes the historical thinking skills that are central to constructing this knowledge. What the standards do
in a simple and elegant fashion is clearly articulate the disciplinary skills necessary not only for reaching the relatively low bar of
college and career readiness, but also for the much greater calling of creating an informed and critical citizenry.
Conclusion
It is the opinion of the author of this paper that although there is some congruence between the GPS US History standards and
the national standard examples, the narrow focus of the GPS has limited the scope of its curriculum which may represent a lost
References
Baker, E.L. (2004). Aligning curriculum, standards, and assessments: Fulfilling the promise of school reform. Retrieved April 16,
Georgia Milestones Assessment System. (n.d.). Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-
Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-Assessment-System.aspx
GeorgiaStandards.Org - Official Site. (n.d.). Retrieved April 06, 2016, from https://www.georgiastandards.org/
Glatthorn, A, Boschee, F., Whitehead, B., Boschee, B. (2012). Curriculum Leadership (3rd Ed.). Washington, DC: Sage Publications,
Inc.
Lazar, S. (2010). Careful: implementation matters! Retrieved April 16, 2016, from http://teachinghistory.org/issues-and-
reserach/roundtable-response/25350
Scully, P. A., Seefeldt, C., Barbour, N., & Barbour, N. (2003). Developmental continuity across the preschool and primary grades:
Implications for teachers. Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International.
Williams, J. K. & Maloyed, C. L. (2013). Much ado about Texas: Civics in the social studies
Introduction:
This artifact is an analysis of a collaborative effort to improve literacy at Upson-Lee High School. In professional learning
communities, collaboration is essential to the management of school processes and implementation of change initiatives. Likewise,
this artifact is indicative of the candidates ability to understand, monitor, and evaluate school management operations. This analysis
illustrates a systematic process for creating a collaborative environment conducive to learning and improving school processes. This
analysis demonstrates my ability to evaluate a collaborative effort and suggest strategies for improving production.
Reflection:
Collaborative efforts are essential to improving building policy and procedure in order to improve student achievement. An effective
school leader must be a collaborative team leader. A team leader should not propose all the solutions or take credit for the teams
solutions. Instead, the team leader must create an environment that is conducive to learning, openness, and thoroughness. The team
leader should invite the team to create rules, and enforce compliance to the rules. The team leader should allocate time towards
having the group learn more about each member and creating respect and trust in the collaborative team. The team leader must
encourage the group to work in alignment within the context of the school mission, vision, and beliefs in order to find appropriate
solutions that will be acceptable to each team members constituency, and most of all find solutions that are most appropriate for the
student body.
The Thomaston-Upson County School district identified a problem as follows: How can we improve the literacy skills of our
students in grades K-12? Each school in the district created a literacy team consisting of building principal, department chairs, and
other teachers. The literacy team has met twice a month for the entire 2015-2016 school year to determine what practices should be
implemented to improve literacy and the skills of students in the school building. The team is using EOC data in the contents of
English/Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and High School Graduation Writing Test results.
The team has done an adequate job of determining the appropriate data to analyze, but has done little to build trust amongst
team members, learn more about literacy, and to stay focused on the problem at hand. The team often bickers amongst itself about
funding and how much money should be appropriated to different departments. The team has conducted no professional learning with
regards to literacy, and appears to have taken the approach of gathering experts in the building to solve the problem, rather than
investigating the issue. Finally, the group spends more time looking for software and products than looking inward at current building
practices.
In order to create an environment conducive to productive work sessions, I would suggest that the group leader establish a list
of ground rules and create a list of clearly defined roles for each group member to adhere to. Establishing rules and roles will
minimize the amount of time that the group spends bickering. The first rule should mandate that no solutions will be reached unless
all group members are in agreement with the proposal. Secondly, the group leader should engage in trust building exercises to
improve the relationship between group members. It is important that group members understand the needs of the other members.
Trust must be nurtured, and discussing the needs of others as well as the concerns of others helps to nurture trust. Thirdly, the group
member should encourage a sense of openness in the group. It appears that the group is made up of senior teachers, and this
composition has created an environment in which the teachers assume their expertise alone can guide the school to improved student
achievement. While the teachers are very experienced, it is always important to understand the problem, the issue (literacy), and to
investigate contemporary trends surrounding the issue. Therefore, the group must become more open to learning, and should base
proposed solutions from a mix of known effective practices and the new information.
In order to encourage a sense of openness, the group should revisit the list of proposed solutions. It appears that the group did
not conduct a thorough investigation of all possible solutions. The group has settled for throwing money at the issue by purchasing
new software. The leader should invite possible solutions from all group members, going around the room until everyone has passed
and there are no new proposals. A list should be compiled from the input, and the group should consider each proposal. Urge group
members to work together to adopt a proposal that is a mix of the best suggestions, a proposal that all can accept. Collaborative
groups can degenerate into a battle for having ones own proposal adopted. Therefore, it is essential to urge members to look for
In closing, group leaders are responsible for creating a working environment in which collaborative groups are able to work in
alignment within the school mission to find solutions in the problem-solving process that all members can support and take back to
their constituents. Creating such an environment involves building trust, working in consensus, searching for higher understanding
(learning) and exhausting possible solutions in order to find a solution that all can support. In the absence of the aforementioned
elements, the collaborative group most likely will fail, and the efforts will be futile.
Article 4
Introduction:
Data collection and analysis is a key component of the professional learning community. At Upson-Lee High School, End of Course
Test data, graduation rate data, and attendance data are collected and analyzed throughout the school to identify weaknesses and
improve strategies. The attached file is a balanced scorecard and accompanying narration that outlines the strengths and weaknesses
of ULHS as identified using testing, attendance, and graduation rate data and examined by subject, grade, and subgroup for a five year
period. The balanced scorecard is representative of Standard Four because it examines the student body with particular focus to
diversity and student success. This artifact is indicative of the candidates ability to gather and analyze data to improve student
Reflection:
The balanced scorecard and accompanying suggestions for improvement is an example of the importance of data in the initiative
creation process. Every school must be both proactive and reactive to student data with regards to attendance, grades, and discipline.
Building practices should be driven by and reinforced by data. Content teams should utilize data in designing and revising lesson
plans, and the balanced scorecard is a product of data collection and analysis at the building level. School leaders must mobilize the
collaborative team to embrace the data collection and analysis process in order to improve student achievement. Data collection
occurs anytime a sickened person enters the doctors office and is subjected to questioning and examination, and medication is
prescribed based on the data. The balanced scorecard is the result of data collection and analysis in the school building, and the school
leader should create a school culture in which teachers and students embrace data collection and analysis.
Area Master the EOCT 11- % of students 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-
curriculum 14 Meeting or Exceeding 15
GA Standards on 1st
Milestone Administration
After 13-14
9th Grade Literature 9th Percent 73% 81% 81% 83% 90%
meets/exceeds
American Lit/Comp 11th Percent 82% 84% 84% 85% 90%
meets/exceeds
Gender
Males 59.5% 60.8% 63.7% 58.3% 79.7% 85%
Females 69.5% 80% 66.7% 80% 90.1% 92%
SWD TFS 28.3% 22.2% 32.5% 69% 90%
NonSWD 71% 77.8% 71.7% 75.1% TFS 90%
Race
Black 56.7% 70.7% 55.8% 63.2% 89.4% 90%
White 68.5% 70.5% 69.7% 71.9% 81.9% 90%
Student Attendance
Goal Objective Performan Unit of Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Goal
ce Measure 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16
Measure
Improve School Attendanc % of
Student Climate in e Data students
Attendanc which absent
e students more
want to than 15
come to days
school
Total 25.2% 21.2% 18.7% 13.3% 17.1% 9%
Gender
Males 25.9% 22.1% 16.7% 12.1% 15.9% 9%
Females 24.5% 20.3% 20.7% 14.5% 18.4% 9%
Race
Black 24% 21.3% 15.5% 8.3% 15.6% 9%
White 26% 21% 21.4% 16.9 18.1% 9%
For the purposes of the balanced scorecard, data was collected and analyzed in the following areas: EOCT results per content,
graduation rate data, and attendance data. With regards to attendance and graduation rate, data is disaggregated by subgroup. Each
scorecard spans the years 2010-2015 to investigate trends. Data collection and disaggregation is merely the beginning of the
professional learning community just as the church service is merely the beginning of the week, not the end. After the church service
on Sunday comes Wednesday Bible Study, and congregants gather to analyze the Word. The same is true for the PLC. Data collection
should not be what comes at the end of a unit or a school year, but rather data collection begins the many fruitful conversations that
content teams and leadership teams have about how to improve their lessons and how to improve their schools (DuFour, Dufour,
The table on page 3 compares EOCT results in the subjects of math, science, social studies and literature, spanning 5 school
years. Each subject has two EOCT courses in which the exam is administered at the completion of the course. The goal for this table
is the goal that was issued for 14-15. The EOCT was discontinued for the 14-15 school year, and the Georgia Milestones Exam was
instituted in its place. Therefore, the data between the EOCT and the Georgia Milestones cannot be compared as if they are the same
exam. With the data was collected from the EOCT, the goals for 14-15 were formed considering the performance data. With regards
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to setting goals for standardized test performance, collaborative teams consider past performance to set attainable, yet lofty goals.
Most often, teachers seek to have more students score in the exceeds category. Subgroup data throughout the entire testing period was
unavailable, but often subgroup achievement is considered and goals put in place for targeted groups.
With regards to graduation rate, the data is available for the years 2010-2015, and is disaggregated by gender, disability, race,
and economic status. The graduation rate for years 2010-2014 were below satisfactory, but with a focus on graduation rate the rate
increased to an all-time high of 85% percent for the 14-15 school year. The goal was set even higher at 90% for the 15-16 school year.
Much of the analysis on graduation rate is focused on subgroup data. ULHS was labeled as a focus school by the state due to
subgroup gaps between whites and students with disabilities. However, there are several subgroups with achievement gaps that need
decreasing. The goals for each subgroup are set so that if all are met, there are no achievement gaps.
Last of the tables, attendance data is collected and reported to the GADOE and is disaggregated by gender, race, ability and
economic status. Student attendance is vital to student achievement. If students arent in class receiving instruction, then they are less
likely to learn, to graduate. Therefore, it is the goal of ULHS to provide a safe learning environment that is also inviting to students.
A school superintendent once said, I want a school where teachers love to teacher, parents want to send their kids, and students want
to go to school. The attendance table focuses only on students who missed more than 15 days of school, though more categories are
available and are analyzed as well. The goal is to have the number of students who miss more than 15 days decreased to 9%.
Given the data, the weaknesses, and the climate of ULHS, it is important as a school leader to utilize the professional learning
community to improve student achievement (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker, Many, 2010). The accompanying commentary will offer five
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strategies to improve math Georgia Milestone performance, decrease graduation rate gap between students with disabilities and
students without disabilities, improve student attendance, improve school spirit, and improve student literacy. According to the
DuFour text, the professional learning community is the process of a schools individuals working together to improve policies,
procedures, and operations to increase student achievement (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker, Many, 2010). Implementing any new strategies
are like putting the Red Baron in a submarine, without fully supporting the individuals who must carry out the strategies.
As mentioned, state test scores in the content of math are unsatisfactory and need to be improved. The strategy for improving
math test scores is to structure all math content teachers with the same planning period in order for collaborative planning to be
implemented. All math teachers need to have the same planning period for a myriad of reasons. Being that the curriculum is only a
few years old, many teachers are relatively inexperienced and have not yet decided the best methodology for delivering lessons.
Collaborative planning teams will be expected to analyze formative and summative data as well as lesson plan together (DuFour,
Dufour, Eaker, Many, 2010). Collaborative planning time can also be used for content specific professional development during
planning periods as well. Vertical planning is a vital component of this plan as teachers as the middle school need also to become
familiar with the concepts that students will be expected to have mastered in the new curriculum (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker, Many,
2010). The longer students and teachers have in moving through this curriculum and the more teachers collaboratively plan together,
student achievement will increase. It is tremendously important though that the leadership in this endeavor structure and monitor this
strategy to ensure that implementation reflects the desired outcome (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker, Many, 2010).
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To decrease the graduation rate gap between students with disabilities and students without disabilities, ULHS will begin
offering resource classes to students with disabilities and parents who believe their child would benefit from a smaller setting and one-
on-one instruction. The term least restrictive environment opens up opportunities for students with disabilities, but it does not mean
that the general education classroom offers all students with disabilities the best opportunity to learn. Resource classes allow students
to receive instruction from a special education teacher who can accommodate the class to meet the students needs. Many students
benefit from the smaller setting and the access to more one-on-one teaching opportunities. Special Education teachers will attend
professional development on the resource room setting, and each resource teacher will be highly qualified in the subject that they are
teaching. The professional learning community is a continuum of learning opportunities, and professional development can be very
In order to improve student attendance, ULHS will purchase attendance software that automatically calls a students
parent/guardian anytime the student receives an unexcused absence. Communication is vital in the professional learning community,
and the professional learning community encompasses many stakeholders, including parents (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker, Many, 2010).
Students will be required to check-out at the front office if they can drive and will also need parental approval to leave campus. All
teachers will receive content-specific training on student-centered activities that are more likely to engage students while reinforcing
the performance standards. During their team planning sessions, teachers will analyze the impact of attendance on grades (DuFour,
In order to improve school spirit, the ULHS will implement a student success program in which students can receive a spirit
ticket in exchange for acts that teachers deem are deserving of a spirit badge. Teachers can deem any number of actions worthy of a
spirit ticket including good academic performance, good character, or good extra-curricular performance. Each week, a student from
each grade will be chosen, recognized and rewarded. Students who are positively reinforced are more likely to perform better,
whether it is academically, behaviorally, or athletically. The entire school building aligning with this initiative demonstrates that the
professional learning community is not a meeting once a month on Tuesdays, but instead is the driving force behind culture change
Lastly, literacy is an essential foundation of the success student achievement across all disciplines. Students are more likely to
succeed in any subject if they can competently speak, listen, view, write, and read. Consequently, ULHS will implement that every
class incorporate 15 minutes of literacy instruction each day into classroom instruction. Lesson plans will have a separate box in
which teachers are to write in their literacy activities and instruction elements. Teachers will receive professional development to
improve their literacy prowess, and will redeliver to their content groups. Student-centered activities will reflect literacy elements,
and teachers will highlight student work in their classrooms. The professional learning community must have a clear understanding of
the schools mission, vision, values, and goals, and likewise the literacy initiative will reflect elements of each as ULHS tries to
increase achievement in all areas using literacy as the activating tool (DuFour, Dufour, Eaker, Many, 2010).
66
References
DuFour, R. (2010). Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work (2nd ed.). Bloomington, IN:
Mr. Hammock contributed greatly to our faculty and staff in several ways. One of the most
important ways was his ability to build relationships with his students. He was able to build
strong relationships by getting to know his students and by clearly communicating with them
concerning expectations. By building strong relationships with his students, Mr. Hammock rarely
had to refer students to the office. His classroom management and ability to keep students on
task and engaged was a major strength.
Mr. Hammock took pride in developing quality lessons for his students. His students routinely
had positive results on state standardized tests. His instructional lessons were engaging and
relevant. He worked hard to incorporate activities that were both stimulating and content related.
During his tenure at our school, Mr. Hammock also served on several committees. He served on
the School Improvement Team and helped to make important decisions regarding our school.
Also because of his ability to speak and write very well, he was asked to serve on our Literacy
Team. Mr. Hammock was instrumental in helping us to receive a Literacy Grant over
$500,000.00 by helping to write the school literacy plan.
Without any reservations, I strongly recommend you consider Mr. Hammock for an
administrative position on your staff. If you need any additional information, please feel free to
contact me by phone. I can be reached at 706-647-8171 (w) or 770-262-3006 (c).
Sincerely,
Tracy Caldwell
706-568-2125
gardiner_richard@columbusstate.edu
The following recommendation may seem flowery and overblown, but I absolutely
assure you that it is not. On the contrary, it is impossible to overstate the wonders of this
candidate; his qualities are beyond words! Mr. Hammock is simply a top-notch all-around
individual. When I was invited to write this recommendation, I thought to myself, there is
nothing I can say to adequately express just how tremendous Stephen Hammock is. In my
profession I strive to avoid playing favorites, but in Mr. Hammocks case the temptation is
extremely great.
Mr. Hammock is simply among the best students Ive had the privilege to help prepare
at Columbus State University. In my EDSE 4245 course, Mr. Hammock stood high above his
peers as the most insightful and penetrating contributor to discussions about educational
methods. In the high school classroom where he taught at Northside High School, his
presence, poise, and confidence was remarkable. He carries himself like a 25 year teaching
veteran. Additionally, Mr. Hammock possesses coaching experience and expertise that
surpasses most of his peers. He has been employed in the athletic realm for a number of
years and knows the ins and outs of a wide variety of sports. I am quite certain that, if he
chooses, he will make a tremendous impact on tens of thousands of children eventually as
teacher, coach, and perhaps as a school administrator or sport administrator.
I would be delighted to expand on all that is written in this letter. If you have any doubts
whatsoever about Mr. Hammockwhich Im almost certain you will notbut if you do, I urge
you to contact me personally to address those concerns. If you do not see the highest
worthiness in this candidate, I really believe you are missing something, and I will be
delighted to provide you the compelling evidence. Nothing would bring me more delight than
the opportunity to brag more about the awesome qualities of this outstanding young man.
Respectfully,
References jcarpenter1@bcbe.org
Dr. Rex King
Mountain View Baptist Church Dr. Larry Derico
Senior Pastor Thomaston-Upson County Schools
2569 Jeff Davis Road Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and
Thomaston, GA 30286 Instruction
706-648-6224 205 Civic Center Drive
Thomaston, GA 30286
Dr. Howard Hendley 706-647-9356
Georgia Department of Education lderico@upson.k12.ga.us
Director, Policy
2053 Twin Towers East Jana Marks
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE Thomaston-Upson County Schools
Atlanta, GA Director of Special Education
404-657-2965 205 Civic Center Drive
hhendley@doe.k12.ga.us Thomaston, GA 30286
706-647-7911
Joe Carpenter jmarks@upson.k12.ga.us
Gulf Shores High School
Assistant Principal/Mentor Dr. Mike Gatlin
600 E. 15th Avenue Thomaston-Upson County Schools
Gulf Shores, AL Deputy Superintendent
251-968-4747 205 Civic Center Drive
Thomaston, GA 30286 706-748-2499
706-647-9621 Branscomb.Asheeka.R@muscogee.k12.ga.us
mgatlin@upson.k12.ga.us
Stephen Boyd
Hawkinsville High School
Assistant Principal
Jeff Middlebrooks 24 Red Devil Drive
Thomaston Upson County Recreation Hawkinsville, GA 31036
Department 706-741-2271
Athletic Superintendent sboyd@ pulaski.k12.ga.us
101 Civic Center Drive