Leadership Portfolio!A Presentation of My Experience as a Growing Professional !

in the NJEXCEL Program !

Dana Sirotiak!January 2013, Model II, North Cohort!

Mentor: Ann Small!

Growing through NJEXCEL

Vision

Instructional Management Community

Ethics

Understand

Technology

Think like an administrator…as a leader

The Keys to My Success….

An Aspiring Lead Learner

Personal Life

• First member of my family to receive a Masters Degree!

• I am one of four family members who are educators!

• Love spending time with my family, preferably on the beach!

• My leadership qualities started developing at an early age; I would organized family plays during the holidays!

• Working out quiets my mind

Education

• BA History, 2006!

• MA Educational Technology, 2012!

• NJEXCEL, 2014

Certification

• K-8 Elementary Education, 2006!

• 5-8 Middle School Social Studies, 2006!

• Supervision Certificate, 2012!

• Teacher of History, 2013

Resume

• Hackensack High School (2013-Present)!

• History Teacher!

• Member of the I&RST Committee!

• Provide District Professional Development on Integrating 21st Century Skills into Class Instruction using Technology!

• Jersey City Public Schools (2006-2013)!

• Middle School Social Studies Teacher!

• Curriculum Writer for History Department!

• District Presenter on Various Topics

Philosophy of Education

• Instill the necessary skills all students need to thrive in the 21st Century!

• Develop students who are collaborative, critical thinkers, and problem solvers through student-centered instruction!

• Offer opportunities for global connections through diverse connections and methods!

• Create opportunities where students and educators define their own personal success!

• Build a learning environment of diverse partnerships with families and the community to create transparency

Why Leadership?

Vision for School Leadership

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• Lead Learner

• Effective communication, listening, support, shared decision marking

• Leader in Technology and 21st Century Skills/Initiatives

• Support teachers to take professional risks and develop students who take educational risks

• Effective Leaders are connected leaders who continuously evolve and grow through social networking and developing relationships among the community

• Model expectations; ethical decision making, relationships, vision, instructional practices, and community

• Develop a school culture that is collaborative; involve all stockholders

Code of Ethics

“In the 21st Century, as society becomes more demographically diverse, educators will, more than ever, need to be able to develop,

foster, and lead tolerant and democratic schools.” - Shapiro and Stefkovich Ethical Leadership and Decision Making in Education

Emotional Intelligence GrowthPre

Post

Largest Area of Growth: Relationship Management!(ties to Standard 6. Understanding)

Growth through NJEXCEL !Professional Learning Standards

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Vision

Instructional

Management

Community

Ethics

Understand

Professional Growth Plan Focus: Standard 6. Understanding, responding to, and influencing the political, social, legal, and cultural contexts.

Understand Standard 6. Understanding, responding to, and influencing the political, social, economic,

legal, and cultural context!(Professional Focus Area)

• Intervention and Referral Services Team (I&RST) Committee Member

• Collaborate with team to provide teachers with intervention strategies for students referred to Team (6b)!

• Standardized Assessment: Security and Equity

• Assisted Testing Coordinator at Hackensack High School with 2014 HSPA!

• Equity in testing facilities/environment for students with special needs; IEPs and 504s, assisted with summarizing modifications and accommodations for Examiners and Proctors !

• Responsible for signing HSPA exams in and out !

Ken Braspies, NJEXCEL Instructor: “Time Management for School Leaders”

“To avoid burnout, principals must learn to be good time managers.”

(NAESP, Finding Time, 2003)!!To effectively manage time; leaders must!! - plan!! - delegate!! - organize!! - direct!! - control!!

2a. Nurture and sustain culture of collaboration, trust, learning, and high expectations!2f. Develop the instructional and leadership capacity of staff!3d. Develop the capacity for distributed leadership

Organizational Leadership!“True leaders reject hierarchy and value others’ abilities and contributions.” !

- Leonard Pelter

• Action Research Project (3e) !

• Using Digital Tools to Enhance Teacher Collaboration!

• 2014-2015 Master Schedule !

• Shadow and assist Hackensack High School’s Head of Guidance, Testing, and Scheduling, May 2014

Action Research Project Goal: !Improve teacher collaboration through the integration of Web 2.0 tools. (i.e. Google Docs) and to serve as an extension to continue professional dialogue within teachers’ professional learning communities. !!

Research questions:

•!To what extent can digital tools enhance teacher collaboration? (3e) !

•!To what extent can digital tools improve the structure of professional learning communities? (2a, 2b, 2d, 2f 2h) !

•!To what extent does the integration of digital tools to enhance teacher collaborations increase student achievement? (2e, 2i)

Triangulation of Data1. Pre-survey completed by the teachers of the History Department on their

overall opinion of their current means for teacher collaboration !2. Data comparing a Unit Assessment prior to integrating Google Docs to

increase teacher collaboration to a Unit Assessment after integrating my project

!3. Post survey completed by the teachers of the History Department at

Hackensack High School to evaluate the implementation of Google Docs to increase collaboration.

Findings•Using Google Docs as a means for teacher collaboration has

improved how lessons are planned and shared.

!

• It did not improve the amount or frequency of time teachers met to co-plan

• However, it was found that due to my project’s time constraints, that more time would’ve helped with the team feeling comfortable using Google Docs as an online form of communication and collaboration.

!

• Slight increase in student achievement when teachers collaborate more on lessons plans and common assessments.

Organizational Leadership!“True leaders reject hierarchy and value others’ abilities and contributions.” !

- Leonard Pelter

• Action Research Project (3e) !

• Using Digital Tools to Enhance Teacher Collaboration!

• 2014-2015 Master Schedule !

• Shadow and assist Hackensack High School’s Head of Guidance, Testing, and Scheduling, May 2014

Instructional Leadership!Standard 2. Advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional

program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth

• Frank R. Conwell Middle School, Jersey City

• PBSIS- School Based Project !

• Program Roll Out Director (1a)!

• Positive Behavior Support in Schools (2a)!

• Head of 21st Century Program !

• Align curriculum to Common Core Standards and Areas of Focus on Comprehensive Education Plan (2e)!

• Lead PLC meetings to collaborate on interdisciplinary units of study

Instructional Leadership!Standard 2. Advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional

program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth

• Formative Assessments to Drive Instruction to Increase Student Achievement (2e, 2i)!

• Job Embedded Project

• Instructional Web 2.0 Tools (1d, 2h, 3b)!

• “12 Days of Technology”

Community Leadership!Standard 4. Collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to diverse

community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources!

• Parent Resource Center

• Responsible for organization, refreshing of materials, and development of PD for families!

• Parental Involvement

• Social media to connect with families!

• Twitter (#ptchat), Remind 101, Portfoliyo!

• Hour of Code

Community Leadership!Standard 4. Collaborating with faculty and community members, responding to

diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources!

• Parent Outreach Program!

• Target Audience: Bilingual and ESL Families!

• Workshops Offered (4b)!

• Opening and Managing an Email Account!

• Future Presentations

• Careers in Technology !

• WIDA/ACCESS for ELLs

• Conferenced w/Felisha Woods, Bilingual/ESL and World Languages Supervisor, Hackensack Public Schools to discuss equity in instruction and and educational opportunities for the Bilingual/ES student population (5e)

Strategic Management!Standard 3. Ensuring management of the organization, operation, and resources for a

safe, efficient, and effective learning environment. !

• Supervisory Project

• “Unconference Professional Development” (1d)!

• Organic, Participant Driven!

• Tiered PD to allow each staff member opportunities to address his or her specific needs in order to improve overall instruction!

• School Leadership Committee (SLC)

• Comprehension Education Plan (CEP) (1b)!

• Head Teacher of After School Program

• Monday-Friday, 3pm-6pm!

• Develop curriculum and assessments, evaluate data!

• Assisted with room assignments, distribution and collecting of testing materials

Strategic Management!Standard 3. Ensuring management of the organization, operation, and resources for a

safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.

• State Testing

• Shadowed and assisted Testing Coordinator at Hackensack High School, HSPA ’14 (3a)!

• 2014-2015 Budget

• Met and discussed with Head of Guidance and Supervisor of English Department to discuss planning, creating, and program used for budget (3b)!

• Facilities Walk-Through

• 2 occasions; Head Custodian, Assistant Principal (3c)

Technology Integration!Standard 2h. Promote the use of the most effective and appropriate technologies to support

teachings and learning!

• Technology Project

• Creating Blended Learning Environments (2g)!

• Professional Development

• Integration of Web 2.0 and 21st Century tools (2h)!

• Improve teacher effectiveness and increase student achievement!

• Tech Tuesdays

Reflection of Growth through NJEXCELBalance

Visionary Instruction Management

Community Advocate Integrity Promote Diversity

Acknowledgements• Ann Small, eMentor, I-Mentor!

• Joanna Veloz, iMentor!

• Darren Mischel, S-Mentor!

• Talin Young, Mentor at Hackensack High School!

• James Montesano, Administrative Mentor at Hackensack High School !

• Felisha Woods, Supervisor Mentor at Hackensack Public Schools!

• Charlie DeLorenzo, SLLA Prep Instructor

Questions from Panel