Hanover Schools Superintendent

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Hanover SchoolsSuperintendentsFirst 100 Days

• January 23, 2007

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What I want to share today

• Part 1
• Where are we?
• Part 2
• What have we already begun?
• Part 3
• Whats the vision for the future?

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First and Foremost!

• Any success that Hanover Schools has achieved is
• because of the individuals who work herewhat I
• have noted in my first 100 days is your CARING
• CONCERN COMPASSION for students, your
• DEDICATION to do what is best for students, and
• your PROFESSIONALISM in the way they go about
• your work.

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Part 1Where are we? Lets look at the data

• Share what you revealed during my Entry Plan
  interviews (qualitative)
• Share 2005 2006 MCAS for Hanover our
  neighboring districts other state comparative
  data (quantitative)

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Entry Plan Respondents178 individuals
participated

• Teachers
• Administrators
• Support Staff
• Parents
• Community
• School Committee

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Categories for Questions

• Culture/Climate
• Areas of Strengths
• Areas of Growth
• Keys Issues
• Most Important Needs
• Focus/Expectations for New Superintendent in
  First Year
• How to Increase Student Achievement

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Questions on Culture/Climate

• What is most important to preserve in the Hanover
  Schools?
• What do I want to keep about the culture of my
  school or the district?
• What needs to change/areas for growth?

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Responses to Questions on What to Keep/Preserve

• 1 Caring attitude (warm welcoming atmosphere)
• 2 Support for schools (Teacher, community
  parent support)
• 2 Teamwork (camaraderie mutual respect)

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Responses to Questions on What Needs to
Change/Areas of Growth

• 1 Curriculum
• (Stronger focus working w/o curriculum
  stronger K-12 connections)
• 2 Accountability
• (Use data to make decisions quantify what we
  do move into goals with outcomes)
• 3 Academic Rigor
• (Increase academic rigor
• improve MCAS results raise the bar higher)

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Questions on Key Issues/Needs

• What are the districts 2 or 3 most important
  needs?
• What are the key issues in your school?

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Responses to Questions onKey Issues / Needs

• 1Facilities
• (Age of buildings building projects)
• 2 Student Achievement
• (Raise student achievement district needs to be
  high performing)
• 3 Communication

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Questions on Student Achievement

• What changes need to occur in order to increase
  achievement for all students?
• What area of district focus do you feel would
  increase student achievement?

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Responses to Questions on Student Achievement

• 1 Curriculum
• 2 Raising the bar for
• all students
• 2 More professional development

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Responses to Questions on Key Focus for
Superintendent During First Year

• 1 Foster respect trust
• set a kindly, appreciative
• tone
• 1 Get to know us be
• visible ask questions
• 1 Communication

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Question on the Future Visionfor Hanover Schools

• Where would you like Hanover Schools to be in
  five years?

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Responses to the Question on the Future Vision
for Hanover Schools

• 1 High Achievement
• (Curriculum that promotes high achievement
  high performance on MCAS)
• 2 Facilities
• (New high school)

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Quantitative data toanswer the questionWhere
are we?

• 2005 MCAS Results
• 2006 MCAS Results
• Comparison to Neighboring Districts

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In the combined categories of ADVANCED and
PROFICIENTin ELA Math, where did we rank?

• COHASSET
• DUXBURY
• HANOVER
• HINGHAM
• MARSHFIELD
• NORWELL
• SCITUATE

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Grade 3 Reading

• 2005 MCAS
• 1st Hingham 87
• 2nd Cohasset 84
• 3rd Norwell 83
• 4th Scituate 80
• 5th Marshfield 79
• 6th Hanover 76
• 7th Duxbury 75

• 2006 MCAS
• 1st Hingham 82
• 2nd Cohasset 82
• 3rd Norwell 82
• 4th Scituate 81
• 5th Hanover 75
• 6th Marshfield 74
• 7th Duxbury 71

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Grade 4 ELA

• 2005 MCAS
• 1st Marshfield 75
• 2nd Scituate 75
• 3rd Norwell 70
• 4th Hingham 69
• 5th Duxbury 66
• 6th Hanover 66
• 7th Cohasset 60

• 2006 MCAS
• 1st Marshfield 80
• 2nd Scituate 78
• 3rd Hingham 77
• 4th Duxbury 70
• 5th Norwell 69
• 6th Cohasset 65
• 7th Hanover 65

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Grade 4 Math

• 2005 MCAS
• 1st Norwell 65
• 2nd Scituate 64
• 3rd Marshfield 59
• 4th Hanover 57
• 5th Duxbury 54
• 6th Cohasset 52
• 7th Hingham 46

• 2006 MCAS
• 1st Hingham 67
• 2nd Marshfield 64
• 3rd Norwell 59
• 4th Scituate 57
• 5th Duxbury 52
• 6th Cohasset 49
• 7th Hanover 48

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Grade 6 Math

• 2005 MCAS
• 1st Cohasset 71
• 2nd Norwell 69
• 3rd Scituate 64
• 4th Marshfield 59
• 5th Hanover 57
• 6th Duxbury 55
• 7th Hingham 46

• 2006 MCAS
• 1st Norwell 72
• 2nd Cohasset 71
• 3rd Duxbury 68
• 4th Scituate 60
• 5th Marshfield 54
• 6th Hingham 54
• 7th Hanover 45

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Grade 7 ELA

• 2005 MCAS
• 1st Norwell 93
• 2nd Cohasset 89
• 3rd Duxbury 87
• 4th Scituate 85
• 5th Hingham 84
• 6th Hanover 83
• 7th Marshfield 76

• 2006 MCAS
• 1st Norwell 97
• 2nd Scituate 87
• 3rd Cohasset 87
• 4th Duxbury 85
• 5th Hanover 82
• 6th Hingham 78
• 7th Marshfield 78

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Grade 8 Math

• 2005 MCAS
• 1st Scituate 64
• 2nd Norwell 61
• 3rd Hingham 59
• 4th Marshfield 59
• 5th Cohasset 56
• 6th Hanover 53
• 7th Duxbury 48

• 2006 MCAS
• 1st Cohasset 70
• 2nd Norwell 69
• 3rd Scituate 65
• 4th Hingham 60
• 5th Duxbury 54
• 6th Hanover 49
• 7th Marshfield 44

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Grade 10 ELA

• 2005 MCAS
• 1st Norwell 92
• 2nd Cohasset 90
• 3rd Duxbury 90
• 4th Hanover 89
• 5th Hingham 88
• 6th Scituate 84
• 7th Marshfield 83

• 2006 MCAS
• 1st Cohasset 93
• 2nd Hingham 92
• 3rd Norwell 90
• 4th Duxbury 89
• 5th Scituate 88
• 6th Marshfield 87
• 7th Hanover 87

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Grade 10 Math

• 2005 MCAS
• 1st Norwell 95
• 2nd Cohasset 89
• 3rd Duxbury 86
• 4th Hingham 86
• 5th Scituate 85
• 6th Hanover 81
• 7th Marshfield 74

• 2006 MCAS
• 1st Cohasset 94
• 2nd Norwell 91
• 3rd Hingham 90
• 4th Scituate 87
• 5th Marshfield 82
• 6th Duxbury 81
• 7th Hanover 78

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Hanovers Overall Rankings

• 2005 MCAS
• Gr. 3 Reading 6th
• Gr. 4 ELA 6th
• Gr. 4 Math 4th
• Gr. 6 Math 5th
• Gr. 7 ELA 6th
• Gr. 8 Math 6th
• Gr. 10 ELA 4th
• Gr. 10 Math 6th

• 2006 MCAS
• Gr. 3 Reading 5th
• Gr. 4 ELA 7th
• Gr. 4 Math 7th
• Gr. 6 Math 7th
• Gr. 7 ELA 5th
• Gr. 8 Math 6th
• Gr. 10 ELA 7th
• Gr. 10 Math 7th

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Other factors that influence student
achievementTotal Per Pupil Expenditure
2003 2004 2005
Cohasset - 8605 Cohasset - 8769 Cohasset - 8894
Norwell - 8141 Norwell - 8343 Duxbury - 8503
Duxbury - 7657 Duxbury - 8017 Norwell - 8376
Hanover - 7533 Marshfield - 7799 Marshfield - 8089
Hingham - 7360 Hingham - 7546 Hingham - 7895
Scituate - 7356 Scituate - 7404 Hanover - 7694
Marshfield - 7309 Hanover - 7332 Scituate - 7441
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We also know that money isnt everything! Three
Highest PPX Districts and 2005 MCAS Results
DUXBURY PPX 8503 2005 MCAS Ranking
Comparison First Place 0 Second Place 0 Third
Place 1 Fourth Place 3 Fifth Place 2 Sixth
Place 2
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We Know That Many Other Factors Influence Student
Achievement

• School Factors
• Class Size
• Course Offerings
• Buildings
• Financial Support
• Home Factors
• Education
• S.E.S.
• Parent Attitudes
• Student Factors
• Motivation
• Academic Ability
• Behavioral / Social Issues

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What do we really know?

• Research has revealed that the most important
• factor for increasing student achievement is one
• that we have control over because it is
• INSTRUCTION!

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Instruction is Number 1!We knew it then!

• TEACHING HAS 6 TO 20 TIMES AS
• MUCH IMPACT ON ACHIEVEMENT AS ALL
• OTHER FACTORS COMBINED!
• - Mortimore Sammons (1987)

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Instruction is Number 1!We know it now!

• THAT THE KEY TO IMPROVING
• STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
• IS INSTRUCTION.
• Mike Schmoker, Results Now (2006)

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Part 2What Have We Already Started?

• Superintendent
• and
• School Committee Goals
• 2006 - 2007

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Superintendent / School Committee Objectives for
Student Achievement

• To recruit, develop, support, and retain
  outstanding personnel
• To begin to work to establish an accountability
  system for the district
• To promote continuous improvement of curriculum
  and instruction
• To promote a district vision and plan for what
  excellence and equity look like in Hanover
  Schools

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This is the work we have begun / will begin on
student achievement

• K-12 Curriculum Renewal Plan with timeline
• Identify mastery standards and grade level
  benchmarks
• K-12 standards- based curriculum design teams
  have begun work in Math, with ELA and Science
  beginning this summer

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This is the work we have begun / will begin on
student achievement

• Strengthened academic rigor (i.e., increased HS
  graduation requirements)
• Re-aligned Math Science pathways for Grades
  7-12
• Will begin work on measurable goals for student
  achievement (K-4 common literacy assessments,
  CAOs at the Middle School High School)
• RTI delivery model at EL schools

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This is the work we have begun / will begin on
student achievement

• Will establish a PD Committee to work on
  identifying needs and creating systemic planning
  approach
• Work with the new Technology Director to bring
  online PD
• Collaborate on Mentoring Program to refine and
  enhance it, especially for teachers in years 2
  3
• Work toward utilizing technology to develop a
  K-12 digital assessment portfolio for students

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Superintendent / School Committee Objectives
forCLIMATE and CULTURE

• To rediscover respectful ways to communicate and
  to create opportunities for connections among all
  staff members
• To develop more effective ways to communicate
  with parents

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This is the work we have begun / will begin on
culture and climate

• Creating a procedure to listen and learn about
  the Hanover Schools Entry Plan
• Scheduling time to be in buildings
  walkthroughs
• Meeting monthly with the HTA President and Vice
  President
• Meetings with parent/community groups

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This is the work we have begun / will begin on
culture and climate

• Creating more ways to communicate
• Superintendents Corner website
• Monthly newsletter Supers Share
• Superintendent / Teacher Advisory Team
• Creating a District Staff Handbook
• Forming a Superintendent / Parent Advisory
  Committee

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Superintendent / School Committee Objectives for
FACILITIES

• To work to provide clean, safe healthy school
  buildings that provide for optimal teaching and
  learning environments for students and staff
• To act as liaison and resource to the School
  Building Needs Committee and to town government
  in providing educational leadership for Hanover
  Schools new buildings

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This is the work we have begun / will begin on
facilities

• Hiring of the new facilities manager Jim Hoey
• Developing Hanover Schools Staff Emergency
  Crisis Handbook
• Fixing Cedar septic problem

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This is the work we have begun / will begin on
facilities

• Starting work this summer on windows and painting
  work at Sylvester, fixing the elevator and
  replacing the outside lighting at the MS
• Meetings with SBNC
• Hiring the project manager
• Hiring the architect for building projects
• Bringing the building projects forward for a town
  meeting vote

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So Where do we want to go and what is the
vision for Hanover Schools?

• We need to continue to ask the questions
• and set a course for the future.
• What do we know?
• What do we need to do?
• What will it take to get there?

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Part 3Vision for the Hanover Schools

• Commit to continuous improvement
• 2. Set measurable goals for student achievement
• 3. Set five year goals for accountability

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Part 3What is the vision for the future

• 4. Continue to work toward diversifying
  instructional strategies
• 5. Use data to evaluate what is and is not
  working
• 6. Provide a guaranteed and viable curriculum
  for all students
• 7. Continue to find ways to engage staff in
  professional dialogue

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Part 3What is the vision for the future

• Finally
• 8. Change the system when the evidence tells us
  it isnt working for students

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Continue to Strive for Greatness!

• it is no harder to build something GREAT than
  to build something GOOD.
• Jim Collins Good to Great

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Remember how I began my opening remarks

• THE SUCCESS OF HANOVER SCHOOLS LIES WITH
• ITS STAFF WHO DEMONSTRATE
• CARING CONCERN COMPASSION
• for students, DEDICATION to do what is best, and
• PROFESSIONALISM in how they perform their jobs.

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As Superintendent of Hanover Schools, my belief
is that the key to unlocking the greatness within
us is about all of us working together to achieve
the goals that will ensure equity and excellence
for all Hanover students.
Vision for the Future
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An understanding heart is everything in a
teacher, and cannot be esteemed highly enough.
One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant
teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched
our human feeling. The curriculum is so much
necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital
element for the growing plant and for the soul of
the child. Carl Jung (1875 - 1961)
In Closing