Imaginary School District

Superintendent Entry Plan

Janelle Vanasse
Date

Purpose:
This entry plan will provide a framework for the transition
activities for the first 100 days as incoming
superintendent. The activities are designed to assess
current state of district activities and operations to
provide and identify opportunities set forth direction for
improvement and leadership.

Intended Outcome:
Upon completion of the entry plan activities, a report with
findings and propose strategies for system-wide
improvements will be released and publicly presented. The
plan is to serve as input to the Board in working with the
Superintendent to set forth priorities, action plans, and
update district strategic planning efforts.

Entry Plan
Superintendent Goals for the 1st 100 Days
Develop a Deep Understanding of Vision and Mission
Study and Identify Opportunities for Growth in Student
Achievement and Instructional Programing
Establish a Positive and Mission-Driven District Culture
Research Operational Efficiencies and Alignment to
Mission
Review District Financial Situation, Business Operations,
and Fiscal Planning
Review the Current Physical Plant, Facility Needs, and
Future Planning
Become Familiar with the Community and Foster Positive
Relationships Between the District and Community
Establish and Promote Highly Effective District
Governance by Building a Trusting, Productive,
Collaborative Relationship with the Board

General Activity of the Plan:

Prior to making any recommendations for strategic improvement
planning, it is important for an incoming superintendent to have a deep
understanding of the current situation of the district. To gain this
understanding, a series of document reviews, observations, interviews,
surveys, and listening sessions will be conducted.

Review
current
documents
documents
and
make
and make
observation
observation
s

Interview,
Interview,
survey, and
conduct
listenting
sessions
sessions

Identify
Identify
opportunitie
s for
improveme
nt
nt

Present
findings
findings and
and
proposed
proposed
action
action

Create
Strategic
Action
Action Plan
Plan

EntryPlan
Plan Imaginary District Janelle
Action Vanasse
Planning
Superintendent Entry
Date

Superintendent Entry Plan Imaginary District Janelle Vanasse

Date

Goal: Develop a Deep Understanding of Vision

and Mission
It is the intention of every organization to have the vision and mission
serve as the driving force for action throughout the organization. The
mission and vision defines the organizational purpose and values. It is
important for the superintendent to not only read the vision and
mission, but to explore to what extent actions throughout the district
serve or potentially hinder the mission and vision.
Key Questions:
What is the mission and vision of the district and what does this mean
to the various stakeholders?
Is there commonality or discrepancy between stakeholders
interpretation of the vision or what actions it suggests?
To what degree does the mission and vision drive actions and decisions
in the district?
Action
Read and identify places where the
mission and vision are present

Conduct informal surveys with members

from all departments: what is the vision
and mission? What do you do? How
does your department and your job help
the mission of the district?
Conduct informal surveys with teachers,
school staff, and public: what values
seem to drive the school/district?
Meet with the Board to gain a clear
understanding of their mission direction

Timeline
Document
Review:
District Mission
and Vision
Statement
School mission
or vision
statements
Interviews:
All departments

Survey:
Teacher, school
staff, public
Meet:
Board of
Education

Superintendent Entry Plan Imaginary District Janelle Vanasse

Date

Goal: Study and identify opportunities for

growth in student achievement and
instructional programing
Student success is central to the districts purpose and mission. A
process of analyzing student achievement and the effectiveness of
instructional programs is a continuing and ongoing process in an
effective school district. The analysis of the first 100 days will serve as
base data for strategic planning, however the process of analysis and
instructional improvement will be on-going.
Key Questions:
How does our achievement scores compare to state and national
scores?
What are the average growth rates? Are we closing the gap?
What are our community goals for our students?
Is our curriculum and instructional practices meeting the needs of our
students?
What interventions have we employed and how are students
responding?
Action
Meeting:
Review District Improvement plan and
meet with the District Improvement team District

Timeline

Review and analyze student

achievement test data along with state
and national comparisons.

First 100 days

Review survey information

Review and analyze student data
Familiarize self with curriculum, both
adopted and practiced curriculum

Improvement
Team
Data Review:
MAP tests
SBA tests
College
entrance exams
WorkKeys
Kindergarden
readiness
WIDA
Data Review
School climate
data
Data Review:
Attendance
Grades
Document
Review:
Adopted
Curriculum
Interviews:
Teachers and
Principals
Meeting:
Curriculum

Superintendent Entry Plan Imaginary District Janelle Vanasse

Date

Visit classrooms and observe curriculum

in action.
Visit with teachers, staff and school
principals about instructional programing
and student achievement
Review school improvement plans or
priorities

Find out about any extended learning

opportunities or partnerships that
provide supportive instruction outside of
the school day.

director and key

personnel
Observations
Interviews:
Teachers, staff,
principals
Document
Review:
School
improvement
plans
Meetings
Leadership
team
Principals

Goal: Establish a positive and mission-driven

district culture
The culture of an organization has a great influence on operations,
effectiveness, and ultimately student outcomes. Within a school
system individual schools are likely to have some of their own distinct
feel, and this can be very positive. The organizational culture is
broader and sets a tone for all of the operations, staff interactions, and
decision-making process. It is key for district leadership to play an
active role in setting a district-wide culture that provides an
expectation that all are working together for the purpose of the
mission.
Key Questions:
What is the current organizational culture?
What are the professional norms and expectations of behavior for
employees?
Do all employees feel connected to the mission of the district?
How are decisions made within the district?
Are there any current practices that seem counterproductive for our
mission?
Action
Conduct listening sessions and
interviews with groups of people, but
also informally ask individuals.
Make observations of operations in all
departments and within schools.

Timeline
Leadership
team
Department
heads
Observations
Classrooms

First 100 days

First 100 days

Superintendent Entry Plan Imaginary District Janelle Vanasse

Date

Conduct a staff survey

Review School Climate data to compare
school climate perceptions with
organizational culture or perceptions

Departments
Schools
Survey
All Staff
Document
Review:
School climate
survey data

First 100 days

First 100 days

Goal: Research Operational Efficiencies and

Alignment to Mission
Although teaching and learning are central to the district mission,
every operation of the district has significant impact on effectiveness
of the district. All healthy organizations periodically review current
practices and procedures to identify opportunities for continuous
improvement. The transition of a new superintendent provides an
opportunity for such a review.
Key Questions:
Do our informational systems meet our needs for data and records
management?
What are our communication systems and do they meet our needs,
both in-district and with community?
What is our technology plan and does it meet our needs?
How do schools communicate needs to district departments?
What systems are in place between departments and schools? Do
they function to further the mission?
Action
Familiarize self with the operating
systems
Assess the user perspective of systems

Timeline
Meeting:
Department
Heads

First 20 days

Interview:
Users of
systemsteachers,
principals, staff,
public etc.

First 100 days

Goal: Review District Financial Situation,

Business Operations, and Fiscal Planning
Superintendent Entry Plan Imaginary District Janelle Vanasse
Date

Key Questions:
What is the current financial situation of the district?
How are funds allocated to the various activities and schools within the
district?
What are the budgets of schools and/or departments?
What special revenue funding is available to the district?
What are the multi-year funding project and/or replacement cycle
funds?
What does future funding look like for the district?
What are the policies and procedures of the business operations?
Action
Review the district finance documents.

Meet with the business office director

and key business office staff to become
familiar with current finances and
procedures.
Meet with Board to understand their role
in budget process and to understand any
financial priorities
Review policy and procedure manuals
and informally meet with business staff
to understand business operations.

Timeline
Document
Review:
Formula funds
Budget Process
Budget
Grants and
special
revenues
Annual Audit
Meeting:
Business
Director and
other business
office staff
Meeting:
Board

First 100 days

Document
Review:
Financial
policies and
procedures
Interviews:
Business staff

First 100 days

First 100 days

Goal: Review the current physical plant, facility

needs, and future planning
Well-maintained and operated facilities and physical plant has a great
impact on school climate. Rural Alaska is both a complicated and
costly environment to run facilities. It is important for a superintendent
to have a general understanding of procedures, systems, and planning
for facility operations, upkeep, and replacement.
Key Questions:
What are the maintenance systems and procedures?
Superintendent Entry Plan Imaginary District Janelle Vanasse
Date

How are resources allocated to facility maintenance and upkeep?

How are major projects prioritized and funded?
What is the relationship between school sites and district
maintenance? What is the general department operational chart?
How are improvements requested?
Action
Review procedure documents

Listening session with Plant Facilities

Director and key staff, request an
overview presentation and opportunity
for questions and discussion.
Visit school sites and hear from site
maintenance and principals about sitelevel procedures.

Timeline
Document
Review
Policies and
procedures
Any large
projects or
facility funding
requests
Audit
Meeting:
Plant facilities
director and key
staff

First 100 days

Interview:
Principals
Site
maintenance

First 100 days

First 50 days

Goal: Become Familiar with the Community and

Foster Positive Relationships Between the
District and Community
Schools, and therefore districts, play a key role in communities. In
Rural Alaska, this role often extends beyond what may be typical
elsewhere. It is important that a new superintendent learn the
community and begin to build a relationship with community members
as well as organizations. The first 100 days will provide a time for
introductions, learning existing relationships, and identifying
opportunities for continued community outreach and partnerships.
Key Questions:
What partnerships and relationships currently exist?
What is the public perception of the district and the schools?
What partnership opportunities exsit?
Action
Invite community to an open house, a
chance to meet casually with the
superintendent.

Timeline
All community
invited

Prior to the
start of school

Superintendent Entry Plan Imaginary District Janelle Vanasse

Date

Identify any existing organizational

relationships, any MOAs, boards, etc.
Personal introductions with key
organizations and leaders in the
community that the school may partner
with or commonly serve students.

Document
Review
MOA
Board Agendas
City Manager
Tribal Leaders
Health
Corporation
Teen Center
Businesses near
schools

First 100 days

First 100 days

Goal: Establish and Promote Highly Effective

District Governance by Building a Trusting,
Productive, Collaborative Relationship with the
Board
The Board of Education sets the course for the district and maintains
an active leadership in guiding direction. To provide effective
leadership, a superintendent must have a very clear understanding of
Board priorities and direction. Furthermore, the superintendent and
Board of Education must have a working relationship built around
common goals, communication, trust, and shared protocols for working
through the many issues tasked to district leadership.
Action
Conduct a working session with board to
understand history, vision, and desired
direction. At this meeting, board would
also review activities in the entry plan
and suggest adjustments.
Meet individually with each board
member to gather perspectives and
concerns and desires
Review existing board policies and
become familiar with board structure,
meeting schedules, and past protocols

Establish a schedule for Board

Participation in action planning and
providing direction for Superintendent
action.

Timeline
Meeting:
Working Session
with Board

Prior to the
start of school

Meetings

First 25 days

Document
Review:
Board Policy
Interview:
Board President
and
Administrative
Secretary

First 25 days

First 100 days

Superintendent Entry Plan Imaginary District Janelle Vanasse 10

Date

Participate in board retreat as

established in Board Policy for
Superintendent Supervision and
Evaluation by the board to provide the
venue for the Board to provide both
direction and feedback

Meetings:
Board retreats
for supervision
and evaluation
of
superintendent

First quarter
and third
quarter of the
school year
per board
policy

Superintendent Entry Plan Imaginary District Janelle Vanasse 11

Date