Working w/ the Generations

WELCOMETO THE

MESPA / MESPEF

BOARDS OF DIRECTORS’

RETREAT

GOALS OF RETREAT

• Get to know one another so we may work as a team - 7 new Members on Boards.

• Review where we have been, what we have done.

• Develop a practical, results-oriented plan around our Core Values.

• Share camaraderie.

We hope to accomplish:

• Determination of what members need based upon their length of tenure, skill needs

• Response to Governor’s Readiness Project• Development of a membership plan• Development of a plan for County

Organizations• Response to TeLLS Survey results

We will review:???

• Vision and Mission Statements

• Core Values, Value Statement, Past Retreat results

• Generational characteristics of members

• Results of last strategic Plan

The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands but in seeing with new eyes.

Marcel Proust

VISION STATEMENT

• MESPA is a flexible, results-oriented leadership association dedicated to bringing leadership and instructional practices to a superior level.

• MESPA will be known for its exemplary ability to develop, nurture, and support current and future educational leaders by using technology and other delivery systems, and linking the core curriculum to accountability and performance measures expected in schools.

• Components of our work will be guided and fulfilled by our core values.

MISSION STATEMENT

• The Massachusetts Elementary School Principals Association (MESPA) is committed to serving the needs of the elementary and middle level principalship in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by:

• promoting elementary and middle level schools as learning communities that provide excellent learning opportunities for all children;

• advancing superior professional standards of practice for elementary and middle level principals;

MISSION STATEMENT-cont’d

• providing high quality professional development experiences for urban, suburban, and rural principals and other educators, statewide, based on their common and unique professional development needs;

• advocating on behalf of elementary and middle level principals and their efforts to provide a high quality education for all children within the framework of our democratic principles.

• providing ample opportunities for networking, collegiality, and community

CORE VALUES

• 1. Leadership 2. Learning• 3. Service 4. Community

•Core values are the underlying support to our mission, vision, and goals and therefore provide a shared foundation for working and learning.

• MESPA actively integrates its core values in all aspects of its programming and operations.

LEARNING TO DEAL WITH MULTIPLE GENERATIONS

Why necessary?

• Help to understand members & their needs

• See differences between past and current services

• Help to determine programs

Silents: 1925 – 1944

• OUTLOOK: Preservationist

• WORK ETHIC: Dedicated

• VIEW OF AUTHORITY: Reverent

• LEADERSHIP BY: Hierarchy

• PERSPECTIVE: Civic-minded

Boomers: 1945 – 1964

• OUTLOOK: Idealistic

• WORK ETHIC: Driven

• VIEW OF AUTHORITY: Love/Hate

• LEADERSHIP BY: Consensus

• PERSPECTIVE: Team-oriented

Xers: 1964 – 1981

• OUTLOOK: Skeptical

• WORK ETHIC: Balanced

• VIEW OF AUTHORITY: Unimpressed

• LEADERSHIP BY: Competent

• PERSPECTIVE: Self-Reliant

Millennials: 1981 - ?

• OUTLOOK: Optimistic

• WORK ETHIC: Energetic

• VIEW OF AUTHORITY: Respectful

• LEADERSHIP BY: Achievement

• PERSPECTIVE: Global

Profile of Principalship

What is it?

What to do about it?

OUR FOCUS

What does the Principal need:

– Leadership– Learning– Service– Community

“You can and should shape your own future because if you don’t, someone else surely will.”

--Joel Barker

The Readiness Project

• Are the recommendations good for students?• Can the schools do what is being recommended?• If so, what needs to be done to implement the

recommendation?• If not, why not?• What are the benefits of the recommendation?• What are the challenges of the recommendation?• What should MESPA do ?• What are the three most important recommendations

from your perspective?

The Readiness ProjectGoals & Recommendations

• GOAL 1

To transform public education in the Commonwealth, we must meet the learning needs of each student and provide the understanding, encouragement, support, knowledge and skills each requires to exceed the state’s high expectations and rigorous academic standards.

The Readiness ProjectGoal 1 Recommendations

• Establish a fully integrated and adequately funded state system of early childhood that begins at birth.

• Engage &mobilize families and all sectors of society to provide education, social, emotional health and human services each student needs to ne ready to learn & succeed in school.

• Increase adult learning opportunities to helo families engage in their children’s education.


• GOAL 2

To transform public education in the Commonwealth, we must ensure that every student is taught by highly competent, well-educated, strongly supported and effective educators.


• Provide intensive, systemic induction & mentoring for all educators in their first three years of service.

• Accelerate the entry of highly qualified teachers into public schools, particularly in high-needs districts and high priority disciplines (STEM).

• Improve teaching in STEM disciplines by strengthening content knowledge & teaching strategies

The Readiness ProjectGoal 2 Recommendations-Cont’d• Maintain the current MCAS test as a graduation

requirement and strengthen the system to include measures of individual growth and college readiness, to complement (not replace) the current system.

• Recruit and retain world-class faculty to public higher ed institutions.

• Create regional partnerships, resources & capacity to improve education at every level.

The Readiness ProjectGoals & Recommendations

• GOAL 3

• To transform public education in the Commonwealth, we must prepare every student for postsecondary education, career and lifelong economic, social and civic success.


• Align standards, frameworks & curriculum with demands of 21st century life, work, citizenship

• Engage students in their learning by broadly integrating 21st century teaching & learning as well as increasing interdisciplinary hands-on & project-based learning

• Provide students with multiple pathways to higher ed& workforce based on high internationally benchmarked academic & employment standards

The Readiness ProjectGoal 3 Recommendations-cont’d• Make college accessible & affordable for all

students• Provide2 years of postsecondary education or

equivalent in a professional trade as the new nbaseline of our state education system

• Guarantee transfer of credits bewteen amd among state publiv higher ed institutions

• Increase state’s productio of postsecondary degrees

The Readiness ProjectGoals and Recommendations

• To transform public education in the Commonwealth, we must unleash innovation and systemic change throughout the Commonwealth’s schools, districts, colleges/universities as well as in partnerships/collaborations among education institutions, communities, businesses and nonprofits


• Structure school day/school year to match needs of students, teachers, families

• Bring proven benefits of charter school movement into mainstream schools/classrooms across Commonwealth

• Provide sufficient resources to support development of 21 century public ed system

• Create a statewide master teacher contract


• Actively partner w/ all segments of society to efficiently and effectively fund innovations & systemic improvements in education

• Increase efficiency & effectiveness of education governance & services to students by dramatically reducing # of school districts in Commonwealth

• Leverage information to support innivations in teaching & learning

• Strengthen connections among Commonwealth’s education & economic development strategies & initiatives

We need to act.

“We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”

“ If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past.”

Let’s look at what we know about our past.

• MESPA’s history of growth

• December 2005 Survey Results

• 2004 - 2007 MESPA Strategic Plan Progress

• 16 Trends identified by Futurist Gary Marx

MESPA’S HISTORY

• Space: Nadya’s house to 11,000 s/f

• Staff: 2 to 13 staff + 20 consultants

• Professional Development:

3 days to 200 - 300 days

• Degree Programs: None to three

• Technology: None to a whole Center

• Grants: None to millions of dollars

PROGRAMS/ACTIVITIES -1

• Degree, licensure programsEd.D., CPAL, IT, CPAL M.Ed., IT M.Ed.

• Professional Development Program• In-District program - growing• Coaching program- MESPA & Ed Alliance • More programs for: new principals, assistant

principals, secretaries• Technology - Audits, Grant evaluations,

Professional development

PROGRAMS/ACTIVITIES - 2

• Connections to DOE initiatives: NISL

Leadership Task ForceEPAC, Accountability Task Forces

• Rental of facility- growing• Email updates, communication increased• Product line developed• Heavy emphasis on grant-writing

PROGRAMS/ACTIVITIES - 3

• Redefined membership categories • Solicit membership from:

- curriculum coordinators,

- technology coordinators

- business memberships

• Legal assistance-Developed unlimited service

for job related issues and contract assistance

STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES

#1 FINANCE

#2 LEARNING

#3 LEADERSHIP

#4 COMMUNITY

#5 SERVICE

#6 ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Major Activities Last Year

• MESPA / BC Ed.D. Program issue• Lifetouch/Educational Impact contracts• National Institute for School Leadership (NISL):

- Rental of train-the-trainer cohort- Negotiated a MESPA roll-out cohort

• MESPA Review of Constitution - led to changes in 2005 and 2006

• Restructured nominations process, committees• Developed company policies

Major Activities Last Year - 2

• Developed Wellness proposal-received grant

• 80th Anniversary celebration- Spring Conference celebration- Silent Auction

• Developed and received $ for Leadership Academy from Legislature

• Attempted purchase of space next door

Major Activities Last Year - 3

• 2006-07 professional development program planned

Guest speakers/Issues addressed:

• H4157 – Educator Quality Bill -John Saphier

• Accountability regulations - Juliane Dow

• Licensure regulations - Bob Bickerton

2005 Electronic Survey

• Surveyed nine states in the Northeast

• 3,208 responses with 1,044 from Mass.

• 69.4% are principal responses.

• 54.1 are female

• 57.4% are suburban

• 25.3% are urban

• 15.5% are rural

2005 Electronic Survey - 2

• 96.8% public school

• Enrollment: 32.1% --301-500

23.6% --501-700

• Grades in participants’ schools:

K-5 = 52.3%

6-8 = 28.8 %

9-12 = 21.9%


• 84% belong to MESPA.

• 61% belong to NAESP.


Participants serving in present assignment:

• 30.7% have served for 1-3 years

• 23.9% have served for less than one year

• 23.9% have served for 4-6 years

78.5 % have served between 1 - 6 years!!


Participants with assistant principals?

• 59.6% have assistant principals

But for those that do not--

• 56.7% have NO help with administrative and supervisory duties.


Additional Duties added:• 66.4% Curriculum Coordination• 45.5% Oversee Building Projects• 35.9% Special Education• 22.8% Technology Coordination• 6.6% Teaching Responsibilities• 6.3% Lead additional Building


Evening meetings per month:

59.5% 1 - 4

26.6% 5 - 8


Additional time added as a result of NCLB:

46.4% 5 - 10 hours per week

34.3% under 5 hours per week

9.8% 11 - 15 hours per week

9.5% over 15 hours per week


Disaster preparation:

• 94.5% have a crisis/disaster plan

• 62.4% don’t feel adequately prepared

• 86.7% need to test emergency plan more

• 84.4% need more training

• 48.3% need more money


Professional Development Days Allowed:

• 48.4% 1 - 5 days annually

• $ available:

32.6% under $1,000

28.8% $1,000 - $2,000

How do we build their skills in that timeframe and for that amount?


Retirement:

• 26.8% plan to retire within 3 years

• 42.1% plan to retire within 5 years

THE QUESTION

What should MESPA now do to respond to these changing conditions for principals?

16 TRENDS - GARY MARX

1. For 1st time in history, the old will out number the the young.

2. Majorities will become minorities, creating ongoing challenges for social cohesion

3. Social and intellectual capital will become economic drivers, intensifying competition for well educated people.

16 TRENDS

4. Standards and high stakes tests will fuel a demand for personalization in an education system increasingly committed to lifelong human development.

5. The Millennial Generation will insist on solutions to accumulated problems and injustices, while an emerging Generation E will call for equilibrium.

16 TRENDS

8. Release of human ingenuity will become a primary responsibility of education and society.

9. Pressure will grow for society to prepare people for jobs and careers that may not currently exist.

10. Competition will increase to attract and keep qualified educators.

16 TRENDS

6. Continuous improvement and collaboration will replace quick fixes and defense of the status quo.

7. Technology will increase the speed of communication and the pace of advancement or decline.

16 TRENDS

11. Scientific discoveries and societal realities will force widespread ethical choices.

12. Common opportunities and threats will intensify a worldwide demand for planetary security.

13. Understanding will grow that sustained poverty is expensive, debilitating, and unsettling.

16 TRENDS

14. Polarization and narrowness will bend toward reasoned discussion, evidence, and consideration of varying points of view.

15. ..international learning, including diplomatic skills, will become basic.

16. Greater numbers of people will seek personal meaning in their lives in response to an intense, high tech, always on, fast-moving society.

Principals have more pressure

• What kind of principals do we need?

GROUPS

• Leadership

• Management

• Community-Building

How important is LEADERSHIP?

How important is MANAGEMENT?

Leadership, Management, Induction

STRATEGIC PLAN

• Board prioritized goals for:

2004 - 05, 2005-06, 2006-07

• At last year’s Retreat ranked major priorities

AGREED UPON PRIORITIES

FINANCE

• Retain/recover members; increase the number of participating members

2. Develop new categories for membership

3. Increase / expand fundraising efforts


LEARNING

1. Local Support / Focus Groups

2. In-District Program:

Curriculum topic-for Hire

3. On-line guided reading study groups


1. Focus on Middle Schools

Focus on Urban Schools

2. Develop and expand On-line courses


COMMUNITY• Pursue the option of having co-directors for

the county organizations, connected to county-urban areas

2. Celebrate 10th year of MTC

3. Expand recruitment efforts to include leaders of non-public schools


SERVICE1. Address perception of MESPA as a

‘suburban’ association forelementary school principals

2. Prepare programs to address emerging trends

3. Promote diversity in educational leadership statewide


ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT1. Expand communication lines with all

principals in the state by establishing an extensive email list that is used for two-way contact on a regular basis

2 Establishment of multiple ‘ad hoc’ committees, study groups to allow for an expansion of voices, involvement, and leadership and membership on committees


ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

3. Review and restructure the MESPA Constitution and Bylaws

PRESSURES ON MESPA

• Budgets are tight

• People can’t leave their buildings

• Many do not want to become principals

• Many competing programs

• Less experienced educators

Business

Working w/ the Generations