Garland Independent School District

Diverse Community - Shared Vision - Exceptional Education

McDade Minutes
McDade Minutes

Area Directors Message

Clarification on Collecting Artifacts and Portfolios:
Please note that as you are gathering artifacts and building your
portfolio for your evaluation, how you collect this information is up
to YOU. You might create an electronic portfolio on Google Drive
or Site, you might choose to create a desktop folder, or you might
use a notebook to gather your information for your director. You
could also flag items in your Title I binder to share with your direc-
tor as part of your portfolio. There are lots of ways to do this;
choose the method that works for YOU.
Principal/Assistant Principal Evaluation Update:
One of the steps in the principal and assistant principal evaluation
Is being omitted for 2013-2014 school year. For assistant princi-
pals, Step 5 Meeting in December can be deleted from the evalua-
tion. The Quarterly Review 2 for principals in November has also
been deleted. Please see attached revised documents, and replace
any former evaluations that you have saved previously.
These steps have been omitted because the climate survey is no
longer required for the campuses for the 2013-2014 school year.
You may conduct a climate survey, if you wish to do so.

GHS students raised 8000 cans during their annual
Canstruction event.
Weekly Schedule
Principals,

Want to improve the quality of feedback conversations you have
with your teachers?
According to Myung and Martinez, the conversations that take place after
classroom observations and appraisals are key to getting the most bang for
your observation buck. Do you ever dread having those talks with teach-
ers? I would bet that some of your teachers dread them, too. Having a
strategy helps!
Myung and Martinez suggest doing the following to make post-
observation conferences less threatening so that teachers can focus on
improvement:
First, use effective interpersonal strategies. These might include
empathetic body language, drawing the teacher out, listening careful-
ly, jotting notes, paraphrasing to ensure mutual understanding, asking
follow-up questions, and balancing the conversation between your com-
ments and the teachers responses.
Second, use a predictable format. Myung and Martinez quote Bar-
lows definition of anxiety (2000): a state of helplessness, because of a
perceived inability to predict, control, or obtain desired results or out-
comes in certain upcoming personally salient situations or contexts. To
avoid that, start with an affirmation of what is working in the class-
room. Starting on a positive note affirms for teachers that the conversa-
tion will be focused on supporting them to become better teachers and
helps clarify that they are not at risk of being terminated, say the authors.
Third, listen. Teachers we spoke with were eager to have an oppor-
tunity to be heard and understood, say Myung and Martinez. Teachers
are often their own toughest critics, but they may be hesitant to admit
weaknesses or ask for help for fear of coming across as uncertain, insecure,
or incompetent. Principals need to open the door to these in-
sights; teachers are much more likely to accept advice they sought
out. Show them that you see problems and challenges as learning opportu-
nities, and that you are there to help them overcome challenges and
grow as a teacher.
Fourth, mutually develop next steps. Ideally the teacher and princi-
pal create an actionable plan together. Teachers want concrete and specific
feedback, but they also want a role in shaping solutions.
Regards,
Janet McDade

December 13: Holiday Recepton 11:30-1:00 @ Harris Hill 3rd Floor
Now December 13: Strategic Planning Registraton for Focus Groups
Now December 20: Speak Up 2013 Online Survey
December 17: NMSI Applicaton due to Dr. Wells @ 5:00 PM (Garland
HS ONLY)
December 17: Board Meetng @ 6:00
December 19: Early Dismissal Secondary (HS 12:30 and MS 2:00)
December 20: Early Dismissal ALL (HS 12:30, Elem 1:15, MS 2:00)
End of 3rd Grading Period
December 23-January 3: Christmas Break
BIRTHDAYS during the break:
22nd Ellen Mooney
24th Tyisha Nelson
26th Alex Rivera
January 6: Staf Development
Meetngs/ Upcoming Events
Monday: Coaching Visits: Kimberlin
10:00 Author Visit @ Williams
2:00 Future Principal Insttute
Tuesday: Coaching Visits: Park Crest, Walnut Glen, Freeman
CIA Luncheon
Wednesday: 8:30-10:30 CIA Meetng
1:30- Area Director Meetng
Thursday-: Coaching Visits: Austn Academy
11:00 CST Christmas Luncheon
Friday: Work in Ofce
December 13, 2013
Area #1
Area Director Coaching Focus
*Benchmark Data
*Failure Reports
*Evaluation Checklist
Kudos/Happenings
IMPORTANT UPDATES/CHANGES