Superintendent Hagerman Outlines District Roadmap

As the 2015-16 school year begins, we checked in with Scarsdale Schools Superintendent Thomas Hagerman to find out what his priorities are for the new year. We started out with some specific questions, but in response, he also shared his broad strategic plan for the district, which is included below.

Hagerman's three-year road map addresses the curriculum, the facilities, finances, professional development, political advocacy and the roles and responsibilities of the district leadership and the Board of Education. It's a far-reaching plan to address both the philosophical questions and the nuts and bolts of running a large school district during a time of transition in leadership and the transformation of the physical plant.

Though there is much to review, here are a few issues that I found of interest in the plan:

At the elementary, middle school and high school, the administration will examine the integration of the STEAM curriculum. Now that maker spaces are available in the elementary school and new areas for design thinking and collaborative learning are planned for the middle and high schools, the administration will need to clarify how to develop "pockets of innovation" in the school and embed design thinking into the learning process.

The plan calls for the implementation of a new professional development program for elementary school teachers, to enrich their teaching skills in "balanced literacy, Singapore Math, and inquiry science." Specifically, it says, "Create Scarsdale's Teacher University (name? TBD) as an intensive professional development opportunity for P1-P4 teachers that focuses on balanced literacy, Singapore Math, and inquiry science by coordinating efforts between our current STI, Helping Teachers, Mentoring Program and Teachers-In-Charge."

The administration will examine the process of how formal and informal feedback on student progress is given to both students and parents at all levels. At the elementary school, the report card will be reviewed and revised.

For those calling on the district to add Mandarin instruction at lower grade levels, the plan calls for a World Language Review to "Establish process to determine whether to add language(s) Examine any appropriate language options (including Mandarin) and to implement, if appropriate.

In terms of personnel, the district has hired an interim Assistant Superintendent of Personnel to fill in for Joan Weber, while a formal search for her replacement is underway. The plan calls for the creation of a "modified entry plan for the new Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, and for a search for a permanent replacement.

As if this was not enough, the teachers' contract expires in June 2016, so the plan calls for the district to "Collaborate on and take part in collective bargaining" on four expiring contracts with the STA, SPA, ASTAA, and MADSA.

On a lighter note, with "Snow Queen" Linda Purvis in retirement, the administration will review their inclement weather policy and practices. New procedures on the two-hour delay and snow closings could be in the works!

Below find questions and answers from Dr. Hagerman, as well as the complete outline of the plan for 2015-16.

Did you get any time off this summer? What did you do to rest and rejuvenate?

I took a little time off; mostly to move from my rental in White Plains to my new home in Hartsdale. Not too much resting or rejuvenating though.

Now that the final school registrations figures are in, do we have any elementary school classes that are above the maximum enrollment?

We won't have a final count until kids actually arrive later in the week. On paper, we look good right now.

How do you think the construction projects will affect the educational agenda for the coming year?

I'm not sure I completely understand the question. The educational agenda (along with health and safety) are the drivers for most of the construction projects. So, in this respect, we are working to improve our programs through creating better learning environments. If you mean whether construction will interrupt teaching and learning, then that is likely true, although we continue to try to minimize any disruption to the extent we can.

There is ongoing controversy about the fate of the Greenacres School. What are your thoughts on the process? How can you ensure that all views are heard and fairly evaluated?

We are building off the feedback that we have received from the last building meeting, architects, community members, and the staff. We are in the process of redoubling our building committee work, and establishing a District committee to manage both Greenacres work and broader projects that may be included in a future bond.

Any major process like this will engender different ideas and opinions. This is not a bad thing. It does require open dialogue and active listening on the part of everyone.

State test results are out. What are your thoughts about the performance of Scarsdale kids?

I am going to defer this to Lynne (Shain).

Will the district continue to fight for more local control of curriculum and testing–are there any specific initiatives in the works at the state level that we are evaluating?

Yes. We have a three-pronged approach for this work: the BOE (through Portfolio group goals), PT Council and PTA advocacy, and through our teacher engagement with their various organizations. APPR is a huge focus of our energy right now as it continues to be unclear and unfair evaluation of teacher performance or effectiveness. The State has also made the determination that every teacher will have assessments for every content area (SLO process). This is untenable, and we are working to bring a more realistic view of State assessments and what their roles should be vis a vis our students.

What are your priorities for the 2015-2016 school year?

We have a very comprehensive transition plan that breaks our work down into 8 Portfolio areas.

Transition Plan Goals, 2015-2018

Board of Education & Administrative Team
Designation of Work Portfolios & Guiding Goals

Portfolio Areas & Administration/BOE Leads

1. Curriculum, Assessment, & Instruction/ 21st Century Learning

(Shain/Jerry/BOE Member)

1. Construction & Facilities

(Stuart/BOE Member)

1. Communication, Community Involvement, & Political Outreach

(Thomas/ BOE Member)

1. Finance, Budget and Negotiations

(Stuart/HR/ BOE Member)

1. Human Capital & Leadership Development

(Bernie/Boe Member)

1. Instructional & Information Technology

(Jerry/Rachel/BOE Member)

1. Special Education & Pupil Services

(Eric/BOE Member)

Board of Education Goal:

1. BOE development, leadership, succession planning, and staff relationships (BOE P & VP)

Extended Goals

1. Curriculum Assessment and Instruction/ 21st century learning: To continue to improve curriculum and instruction by focusing on assessment practices that inform instruction; utilizing student feedback in meaningful ways; preparing students for 21st century learning and life in a global community; and including quality staff development that promotes the highest levels of achievement for each student.

Elementary:

• Clarify structure and guiding principles of STE[A]M implementation:
  • Incubators (pockets of innovation)
  • Evolution & Metamorphosis (innovation ideas that expand across a school or schools)
  • K-12 Curriculum (innovation that become formally embedded in our curriculum)
• Coalese elementary principal team across five schools Create Scarsdale’s Teacher University (name? TBD) as an intensive professional development opportunity for P1-P4 teachers that focuses on balanced literacy, Singapore Math, and inquiry science by coordinating efforts between our current STI, Helping Teachers, Mentoring Program and Teachers-In-Charge.
• On board one new and one second year principal
• Clarify TIC roles and responsibilities as instructional leaders
• Enhance Balanced Literacy:
  • Implement TCRWP Initiative with fidelity across all five schools
• Develop common understandings of appropriate assessment practices to inform instruction, and build a culture that values and uses differentiation to meet the needs of all students:  
  • Work toward a consistent approach of RtI in Tier 1 to Tier 2 across all schools
  • Utilize multiple points of evidence
  • Review and Revise Elementary Report Card
• Elementary PE/Health
  • Develop and implement a formalized plan

Middle School:   

• Clarify structure and guiding principles of STE[A]M implementation:
  • Incubators (pockets of innovation)
  • Evolution & Metamorphosis (innovation ideas that expand across a school or schools)
  • K-12 Curriculum (innovation that become formally embedded in our curriculum)

1. Define how Technology Education and Computer learning outcomes are in synch and are revised to reflect more advanced knowledge/skills of incoming
   
   High School:  

• Clarify structure and guiding principles of STE[A]M implementation:
  • Incubators (pockets of innovation)
  • Evolution & Metamorphosis (innovation ideas that expand across a school or schools)
  • K-12 Curriculum (innovation that become formally embedded in our curriculum.

 District Wide:

Clarify Professional Development and roles and responsibilities of various supports:

• Personal growth (STI & Outside resources)
• Building needs (STI, Mentoring, Helping Teachers, Staff Meetings and  committee work, and STU)
• District initiatives (STI, Mentoring, Helping Teachers, District Meetings and committee work, and STU)

Curriculum consistency

• Clarification on differences in teacher autonomy and common experiences and assured experiences for students
  Feedback on student progress

• Formal and informal feedback to students
• Formal and informal feedback about students to parents

 Coordination of Health and PE

• On-Board new Director
• Establish short term vision & goals (next two years)
• Establish long term vision & goals (next three to five years)

World Language Review

• Establish process to determine whether to add language(s)
• Exam any appropriate language options (including Mandarin)
• Implement, if appropriate

Center for Innovation: Next steps….

• Conceive, develop and implement Scarsdale Education for Tomorrow, 2.0
• Renew our focus on Entrepreneurship

Global Learning Alliance

• Renew our commitment to this work
• Work with global partners to inform SET, 2.0

1. Construction & Facilities:  To provide students with an appropriate and well-maintained 21st century learning environments while continuing to be good stewards of community resources.

• Complete 2014 capital projects on time and on budget
• Conclude design process for all projects and create the District construction committee
• Review staffing needs in light of enhanced facilities and increased space
• Complete 5 year Building Condition Survey
• Prepare 5-year Capital Plan after receipt of Building Condition Survey

1. Communication, Community Involvement & Political Outreach:  To provide clear, appropriate, and timely information to staff, parents, and the broader community in order to ensure all stakeholders are informed about our students, programs, and progress. Moreover, we recognize that it takes the support of the full community to ensure our collective success, and, as such, that volunteering and political advocacy are critical elements of local control and influence in school life in Scarsdale.

• Create a comprehensive annual communication plan and calendar
• Clarify steps in the problem-solving process and continue to share this with parents and staff
• Include all stakeholder (including teachers) voices in curricular, programmatic, staffing, and construction decisions
• Establish priorities for BOE & Staff work on political advocacy
• Reconfigure BOE to capitalize on necessary work and community involvement
• Reconfigure administrative meetings to capitalize on better understanding building needs and instructional practices
• Use the District and school-based Compact Committees to address issues of wellness, conservation, and sustainability
• Clarify inclement weather policies and practices

1. Budget & Finance and Negotiations:  To on-board the new Asst. Supt. of Business and to ensure that the District’s finances and budget reflect the values, beliefs, and priorities of the Board of Education, Superintendent, staff, parents, students and community while continuing to be appropriate stewards of taxpayers dollars.

• Create and implement an Entry Plan with the New Asst. Supt of Business
• Include Entry Plan goals into broader Superintendent Transition Plan
• Create a five year, rolling, financial plan to align goals to practice

 
Budget & Finance:

• Evaluate the Budget process and propose improvements
• Evaluate the adequacy of the Finance system for long term use
• Develop a rolling five year financial plan
• Make a determination on a 2018 Bond Referendum (GA, HS, Dist. Master Plan, Roofs/Boilers)

Negotiations:

• Collaborate on and take part in collective bargaining
• Contract expirations, June 2016:  STA, SPA, ASTAA, MADSA
• Contract expirations, June 2017:  SAES, STU, CSEA

5. Human Capital & Leadership Development:  To recruit, hire, support, and retain the highest quality staff using best practices in Human Resource management and to nurture and develop leadership capacity across all staffing groups.

• Create and implement a modified Entry Plan with the New Asst. Supt of HR
• Conduct a search to find a permanent replacement
• Collaborate on and take part in collective bargaining
• Contract expirations, June 2016:  STA, SPA, ASTAA, MADSA
• Contract expirations, June 2017:  SAES, STU, CSEA
• Automate and digitize HR functions
• Implement Aesop as the District’s subfinder process
• Ensure Affordable Care Act compliance
• Establish written procedures and guidelines for recruiting, hiring, retention and

Leadership Development

• Clarify the mentoring process for administrators and teachers and ensure all new hires have appropriate mentors
• Develop and implement appropriate evaluations for District admininstrators

6. Instructional & Information Technology: To ensure that technology appropriately supports District and building operational and informational needs, while, at the same time, is seamlessly embedded into curriculum, instruction and assessment practices appropriate for 21st century learners.

Instructional Technology and Innovation:

• Develop a new Technology Plan
• Create the SMART Schools plan
• Ensure alignment of K-12 coding and STEM expectations
• Formalize technology professional development program
• Develop CFI grant proposals & future plans
• Launch website and communications plan

Information Technology:

• Propose and implement Infrastructure and wifi upgrades
• Integrate administrative & instructional technology team
• Expanding technology support using our electronic ticketing system
• Implement online help desk system District-wide
• Purchase and install IP Phone System
• Implement online student & Census registration
• Evaluate Finance/Personnel systems and propose recommendations, if any, for changes

7. Special Education & Pupil Services: To ensure that all students are academically and programmatically supported based on their individual needs, that parents are active partners in this work, and that staff are appropriately trained to ensure high level of fidelity with differentiated supports.

• Establish a secondary Emotional Support Program (HS, followed by MS)
• Develop processes to improve alignment in special class curriculum  and an ongoing model for placement of the special classes
• Create an administrative staffing structure (primary/secondary CSE Chairs) with appropriate role and responsibility delineation
• Formalize communication structure with parents
• Collaborate with colleagues to create meaningful Professional Development for special and general education teachers tied to District level goals

8. BOE development, leadership, succession planning, and staff relationships (Pres. & VP): To best serve as trustees of the District by supporting the full school community through policy development, macro-level governance, individual and Board development, and appropriate succession planning.

• Develop protocols and meeting structures to determine the appropriate data and analysis needed to make decisions, time to process and ask questions and deal with issues
• Build trust and relationships with the superintendent, administrative team, teachers and other staff, along with parents and community members by through active engagement, soliciting feedback and responding appropriately and in a timely manner
• Establish a process and criteria for BOE development and succession planning
• Utilize Work Sessions and other meeting structures to ensure that the BOE is striking the right balance between operational and instructional focus.