Guiding Principles –

• Children come first.
• Parents are our partners.
• Victory is in the classroom.
• Leadership and accountability are keys to our success.
• It takes the entire community to ensure the success of its public schools.

District and County Tour –
Purpose: To understand the district’s geographic size and survey distances.

• Arrange a driving tour of the district’s boundaries and school zones.
• Visit various districts with the individual school board member who represents that particular area of the district.
• Arrange to meet the County and City Mayors as well as the County Commission and City Councils.
• Ride school bus routes throughout the county.
• Do a ride along with the sheriff and/or each city’s police chief.

School Board –
Purpose: To establish working relationships with individual board members and the board as a whole.

• Invite each board member to have a meeting with me to discuss communication, strengths, weaknesses, and goals for the district.
• Work with the board to determine how we will work together (internal
  communication, public engagement, board agendas).
• Determine a schedule for regular planning sessions with the board (at least two during first 90-days).
• Hold a board retreat within the first weeks to discuss communication processes, board’s master plan, and policy governance goals.
• Establish a Friday newsletter. (School Board Update)
• Determine other needs of the Board.
• Be a good listener.

District and School Staff –
Purpose: To establish working relationships with district and school staff.

• Determine and establish a transition plan with outgoing superintendent, Phillip Jackson.
• Establish strong professional relationships with key personnel inside the district, celebrate accomplishments, and identify challenges.
• Review student success plan (Tennessee Comprehensive System-wide Planning Process).
• Request briefing papers and updates from the staff on critical issue areas.
• Present my vision and expectations (Share my leadership philosophy).

Hold department briefings with each department in the district.
Hold weekly meetings with central office administrative team.
Hold monthly meetings with school principals and assistant principals
Hold monthly meetings with curriculum coordinators from each school
Attend a faculty meeting at each school within the first 6 weeks

• Hold a leadership retreat with key staff.
• Tour and visit each school a minimum of once a month (Set aside Wednesday morning for school visits.)
• Celebrate a new chapter in Lauderdale County Schools

Community Leadership –
Purpose: To meet leaders of community and parent organizations, generate good will, build support, and establish communication channels.

• Ask each board member to suggest 1 to 3 names of community organization leaders. Arrange meetings within the first two months.
• Attend community meetings and share my vision and goals to improve student achievement and make Lauderdale County a state and national leader in education.
• Establish Superintendent’s Community Advisory Committee

Students
Teachers
Support Staff
Parents
Businesses
Faith-Based Organizations
Elected Officials

• Establish relationships with:

Lauderdale County Education Association
Lauderdale County PTO/PTA Officers (each school)
Lauderdale County Booster Clubs ( each school)
University of TN at Martin (Ripley Campus)
Dyersburg State Community College (Covington/Dyersburg)
Tennessee Technology Center at Ripley
Chamber of Commerce
Non-Profit and Community Groups

Political Leadership –
Purpose: To meet local and state political powerbrokers and establish means for
consistent communication.

• Meet the state “Legislative Delegation” of Lauderdale County
• Gain an understanding of state issues and potential impact on Lauderdale County for the current school year as well as long-term effects.
• Review the funding priorities for Lauderdale County – local, state and federal dollars.
• Meet with college presidents in the area and region to discuss teacher recruitment, retention, and partnership.
• Discuss the district reform agenda with elected officials and higher education and discuss ways to effectively partner to support our staff and students.

Media –
Purpose: To clearly articulate my vision early so that public, press, and education community knows what to expect. To generate publicity for early “listening and learning” efforts.

• Meet with local newspaper staff.
• Demonstrate a seriousness of purpose to continue the transformation of making Lauderdale County Schools a world-class education enterprise.
• Be accessible. Be a good listener. Build relationships of trust.
• Share areas of focus for the district.
• Implement 90-Day plan.
• Revise; adjust TCSPP and Board’s Master Plan as needed.

State and National Leadership –
Purpose: Share the story of Lauderdale County’s new leadership to key political,
foundation, and education leaders in the state and across the country.

• Strategic Support Teams – State and National Leaders
• Finance Strategic Support Team – spend time with state professionals to analyze the current financial status
• Ask the Tennessee School Board Association or other consultants to assist in policy governance training and assistance in facilitating the superintendent’s evaluation and additional leadership retreats as needed and agreed upon by the board.
• Develop a leadership institute with area school districts and universities to grow effective school leaders.
• Make connections with state and national foundations that support education and reform in high-poverty, rural areas.
• Evaluate current grant opportunities to bridge any financial gaps.
• Analyze past grant opportunities and outcomes.
• Audit current research strategies that support closing the gap.
• Look at AP initiatives and a partnership with the College Board.
• Look at EXPLORE/PLAN/ACT scores and ability to meet and exceed national averages.
• Analyze the current achievement of schools and the district.
• Look at system and state targets on the Tennessee State Assessments for 2009.

Strategic Priorities for the District –

• Closing the Achievement Gap
• Accountability for the entire system
• Assessment of Student Performance (ALL Students)
• Assessment of Staff Performance (ALL Staff at ALL Levels)
• Building board, public and community trust
• Strategic interventions for improvement
• Determine what programs need to be evaluated for effectiveness.

Build Public Confidence in Lauderdale County Schools –

• Clarify and widely communicate expectations for accountability and
  improvement.
• Analyze all data from the 90-day Entry Plan; share outcomes and plans for
  improvement.
• Visit every classroom in Lauderdale County Schools in my first semester.

Establishing Board-Superintendent Authorities –

• Discuss board-superintendent roles explicitly (in a retreat setting).
• Establish a plan for training and discussion of movement toward policy
  governance.
• Establish a timeframe to review progress in various areas of the district at
  monthly board meetings.

Summary –

• “In a culture of discipline, people do not have jobs, they have
  responsibilities.”
• “Great organizations keep clear the difference between their core values (which never change) and operating strategies and cultural practices (which endlessly adapt to changing world).” (Good to Great and the Social Sectors, Collins, 2005)