Appendix A- Interview and Shadow Practicing Principal or Other Site-Based

Administrator
I interviewed my building principal about his motivations, the surprises that occur
in the administrative role, what he enjoys best about the job and other questions
pertaining to the daily business of being a principal.
When asked what motivated him to leave his teaching role he responded that he
grew up with a father as a principal and always thought that was something in his future
as well. He worked on his license while teaching and an opening occurred in the one of
the elementary schools in the district he was working. It was suggested by a few of the
principals that he apply. He went through the interview process and was offered the job
four years ago.
When asked about the surprises that occur in the administrative role he stated
that he was surprised initially with how self-serving many adults/teachers were in the
building he was in at the time. He also saw a huge difference between an elementary
staff versus a middle staff (BIG difference). He stated that he saw a different side of
people and it was not always positive.
Being an administrator can be a tough role, I asked him what might be the best
things about being an administrator. To answer my question he stated that he enjoys the
kids first and foremost; this is why we are in this business. He was very clear that if you
ever lose sight of the children than one should change positions. He also enjoys
challenges and the variety each day brings. Finally, he enjoys being around great
people/teachers.

Internships are one of the final steps in a masters program. To get further insight
into his training I asked my principal about his internship and what skills he gained from
this. He completed his internship in a middle school setting but spent time in various
elementaries as part of his contact hours. He made every effort to be involved in as
many parts of the job (discipline, teacher meetings, parent meetings, safety plans, etc).
He found that while the internship helps to prepare you for the job, in reality you learn
the most by doing.
The final question in the interview process was what type of things do I need to know as
I consider moving into administrative or supervisory role? He stated the following:

USE Common Sense first and foremost.

Establish rapport with the students and parents right away.
Establish teacher leaders in the building and use their thoughts at times when
making decisions. Know the "movers and shakers"; Know personalities and how

to approach one.
DO NOT micro-manage teachers unless necessary (sometimes that happens).
Establish relationships with all staff. Realize some are nice to your face but are
negative behind your back. Follow the teacher contract but realize some will

twist the language to their benefit.

Have thick skin and never take anything personally. Use a "poker face" at all

times as you never want anyone to know they have upset you.
Realize that some teachers are who they are.....while you hope all teachers strive
to improve their practice....but realize some are not willing to do that and feel that
what a principal views as average/below average teaching they feel is solid

teaching.
OTES

Realize that many of the strong union supporters are typically (not all) some of

the teachers in need of major improvement.

Understand that some teachers do not use planning time to plan for instruction

but would complain if this time was taken from them.

Stay on top of new instructional shifts, assessments, etc.
Realize that most, if not all staff, do not appreciate the job the principal does.
Compliment teachers/students whenever you can.

Appendix B- Facilities Walk Through and Analysis

The design of our building is L shaped and made of solid red brick. The
building is old and, therefore, boasts colors that are drab and mute on the inside.
Additionally, the floor tiles are mismatched and repatched while the patterning of the
tile is off center on the floor. Some classrooms have had carpet installed while others

have solid colored laminate, and others with a mixed tile pattern. The walls are made
of painted cinderblocks that host student work and school pride posters.
While the coloring, flooring, and ceilings may not appear to be of this decade, the
halls are bursting with colorful projects and student work that cover up the past. It is
clear that students take pride in their work and cant wait to have their work
showcased for the entire school to see. Teachers have made their classrooms into
comfortable learning environments by bringing chairs, carpets, and colorful
decorations into their classrooms to promote student engagement and learning.
Each teachers door is decorated with student work or colorful paper and inspiring
words. It is clear that teachers take pride in their work as well as their students.
Each morning the students are greeted at the door by the principal and the
younger grade teachers. As you make your way up the hallway you will be greeted by
the upper grade elementary teachers who are always smiling and chatting with their
students and each other. While each night the school is cleaned and put back together
after a long days work has concluded.

Appendix C -Instructional Leadership Project-Needs Assessment

For this needs assessment I am asking two critical question in which I will collect and
analyze data. My objectives for this project are as follows:
1. Does pre and post assessment data show that vocabulary strategies given to
students during an after school intervention program improve student understanding of
grade level words?

2. Does extra time on the i-ready program during Rover Club improve areas of need for
students who struggle with grade level material?
Economically Disadvantaged students and students with disabilities at Ross
Schools score lower than average on state mandated testing. The school has instituted
an after-school tutoring program working with target students (grades 3-5) on key
concepts and standards during two six week time periods. I will study the effectiveness
of this program by collecting pre and post assessment data, student i-ready reports, and
the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers testing results
from the current years students. Once these data have been collected, I will use them
to create and establish a curriculum for the after school tutoring program which will help
to better promote learning of students who are scoring below their same-aged peers on
state assessment. Further, to properly analyze and interpret data for this project, I will
collect samples from one student from each grade level within the target audience
(grades 3-5).
To analyze the data I have collected, I will track the progress of three target
students from three different grades throughout the course of the Rover Club
afterschool program. To do this, I will first have each student complete a preassessment on grade level vocabulary. Using the pre-assessment results, I will decide
where the best starting point will be for each grade level. This assessment will take
place at the beginning of the six week afterschool program. A secondary assessment
will be given after three weeks within the program, and a final assessment will be given
at the conclusion of the six weeks. Within each assessment students will be asked a
series of grade appropriate questions to determine their understanding of grade level

standards such as vocabulary and comprehension. I will keep track of this information
on a chart and determine if students have shown proper progress by growing in their
understanding, stayed the same, or decreased. Each assessment will be similar to the
one before it, however, the words and questions will differ slightly to avoid
memorization.
Once all data has been collected, I will use them to further create and establish a
curriculum for the after school tutoring program which will help to better promote
learning of students who are scoring below their same-aged peers on state assessment.
Additionally, these assessments will be given to classroom teachers to help inform their
instruction during class room time.

Appendix D- Interview with Director of Student Personnel Services/Pupil

Personnel Services/Special Education or Child Study Team*
This questionnaire was conducted with the Director of Special Education. Her
responses were as follows:

1. How many students with disabilities are enrolled in the district?

We have approximately 190 students with disabilities in the district from preschool
through 12th grade.
2. What percentage of the student enrollment is identified as students with disabilities?
Students with disabilities comprise roughly 15% of total enrollment.
3. Does your school district serve all students with disabilities or do you partner with
other districts to serve some children with disabilities?
We do have several students that have significant needs (cognitive, behavioral, and
physical) that require a more restrictive environment than we can provide in our
buildings. The county educational service center (which for Rootstown will be Mahoning
County next year) assists in providing classrooms for these students. These
classrooms are currently housed in other neighboring districts.
4.
How is the district doing with closing the achievement gaps for student with
disabilities?
Closing the achievement gap is one of the goals of our teams through the Ohio
Improvement Process. Teacher Based teams (TBTs), Building Level Teams (BLTs),
and the District Leadership Team (DLT) meet regularly to review data from assessments
and develop strategies to raise the achievement of both general education students and
students with disabilities.
5. What other indicators are used to measure student success and/or compliance with
special education mandates?
The Intervention Specialists monitor progress towards IEP goals for each student on
their caseload. Curriculum based assessments, norm-referenced assessments, and
teacher created assessments are used to monitor progress. Parents are notified of the
students progress towards the goals through progress reports sent home approximately
every four and a half weeks.
6. How does the district ensure special education services are provided in the LRE?
The IEP team (including parents, general education teachers, intervention specialists,
administration, speech/language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist,
etc.) is responsible for assessing each individual students strengths and needs and
determining what the least restrictive environment is for that child.

7.

Whats the district stance on inclusion and co-teaching?

We use the inclusion model and co-teaching to provide instruction as much as

possible in order to educate students with disabilities in the same setting as their typical
peers. We do have students that receive instruction in a resource room setting for one
or more subjects due to the level of their need and nature of their disability.
8. Is the district using an RTI model to provide intervention services? If yes, how are
teachers and principals trained in the model?
We are not currently using a strict RTI model, and there is not a formal training
process. Grade level teachers meet on a regular basis to discuss students who are
achieving below expectations and to develop interventions. If the students progress
continues to be below expectations, the student can then be referred to our Intervention
Assistance Team (IAT). This team is responsible for developing additional interventions
and determining whether a student is suspected of having a disability, thus requiring a
multifactored evaluation.
9.
Is PBIS being used within the district? If yes, how are teachers and principals
trained in the model?
Yes. Staff members from all three buildings participated in PBIS training through the
State Support Team (SST8). Matrices were then developed for all buildings and for the
district as a whole outlining behavioral expectations across a variety of settings (e.g.,
bus, hallways, playground, and classroom). Teachers and principals were trained in the
model through an opening year district meeting as well at individual staff meetings.

10. What is the district policy on the use of seclusion and restraint?
We follow the state guidelines on seclusion and restraint. We have a core group of
teachers in each building that are trained in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention. This
necessitates that verbal de-escalation techniques be used before any type of physical
restraint is considered.

11. How are special education services funded?

Funding comes from local, state, and federal sources.
12. What is the amount of the annual IDEIA grant budget? How are IDEIA funds
used?
Our federal funds budget for 2014-2015 was $213,000. IDEA funds are used for
salaries, diagnostic materials, and assistive technology.
13. Have you ever been involved in due process hearing?
Not exactly. We have had parents file complaints with ODE regarding their childs
IEP services, however, we have been able to come to a resolution without a formal due
process hearing.
14. What is the biggest challenge of your job?
Probably the biggest challenge that I face is trying to provide the ideal level of
services for a growing population of students with disabilities given a fixed amount of
resources.
15. What other job responsibilities do you have?
Since we are a relatively small district, I serve as both a School Psychologist and the
Director of Special Services. I am involved in the identification and evaluation of
students with disabilities, as well as overseeing the provision of services for these
students. I participate in IAT meetings, RTI meetings, and am a member of the District
Leadership Team.

16. What advice do you have for a new school principal or assistant principal?
Don't be afraid to admit when you don't have the answer. Education is an everchanging field and even the most veteran teachers/administrators are continuing to
learn.

Appendix E - School Board Meeting Analysis

The school board meeting is held every month is the high school cafeteria at 6:00
p.m. When you arrive the board members table is set in the front of the room. There are
five seats for the board. The principals and superintendent sit at the lunch table that still
remain in place from the school day along with the community members. The
atmosphere is light and cheerful as students are there to receive recognition.
This meeting started at exactly 6 oclock with the president calling the meeting to
order. There were more community members present during this meeting due to the
Lion Award Club presentation. This award is given to students who show superior
citizenship and are nominated by their teachers. Students who won and their parents
were invited to attend this board meeting to have their awards handed to them by the
superintendent.
Once order has concluded a student is asked to recite the Pledge of Allegiance
and the roll is called. The president of the board runs the meeting and asks for a motion
to adopt the agenda. Before business is conducted the president asks for community
comments. At this meeting there were no comments made. The remaining time at the
meeting was reporting on school business (i.e. finances, old and new business). The
superintendent spoke on teacher resignations, FMLA, and renewing of contracts. In
addition to his normal reports the superintendent gave his State of the School Address
where he spoke on PARCC testing and where he foresees the three schools moving.

Appendix F- Examining Student Record Keeping and Data Analysis Systems

Within the last two years my school has shifted to become a more data driven school as
more requirements have come down from the state (i.e. PARCC, Common Core,
SLOs). Within each school, a student is given a cumulative folder which follows them
from kindergarten to twelfth grade. These folders contain all student testing scores,
family information, and any relevant information of the student. In addition to the
cumulative folder we also collect STAR test scores, SLO pre and post assessments,
teacher based teams, and RTIs. Student records are kept in a locked room at all times.
Teachers may look through these folders at any time; however, you must sign inside the
folder stating the date, time, and reason behind taking the file out of the room. The
secretaries maintain these files and update them as needed.
We use the student data to help determine our sub groups as well as determining
a track for each student to take through the grade levels. Within our building we have
only one principal. His role has been to head the discussions and ask for proper
assessments to be taken and added to student files. He is the lead during the RTI
process as well as scheduling school wide assessments within the building. He does
not handle the student records; however, he will look through them for disciplinary
reasons.
Throughout our school, technology is not utilized as the building does not support
much of the new technologies that have come out. Our student records are currently
paper/pencil; however, PARCC and STAR assessments are completed on the computer
and these results are printed and added to the student folders. We do not use student
work samples as data in the school improvement process, rather, we use assessment
results and test scores. Our record keeping is the same for students classified as

special education, although, student IEPs and 504 plans are kept within the special
education office. These students have two folders and are kept locked unless asked for.