New Program to Help Principals Focus Time on Instructional Leadership
The Delaware Department of Education is launching another of its Race to the Top initiatives to support the state's principals. The SAM (School Administration Managers) program focuses on the time management of Delaware's school administrators.
The state is partnering with the University of Delaware's Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL) on this project. Participating schools will be able to choose from two models for this service. One allows for the hiring of a full-time position to assist the principal in increasing time on instructional leadership by taking on operational responsibilities. The second model provides time-tracking software for the school and training for the building's existing administrative assistant, along with a stipend to this individual for taking on this time-management responsibility.
"This will free up our school leaders from administrative duties that can be time-consuming distractions to focus on their primary role as their buildings' instructional leaders," Secretary of Education Lillian M. Lowery said.
The state is spending about $900,000 on this initiative. Districts or charter schools adopting the first model -- planned at up to six statewide -- will share a portion of the cost for the SAM position; there will be no district/charter cost for the first 22 of the second models statewide.
SAM participants will be identified and trained by July with deployment planned for August. The contract runs through June 2013.
This is one of several state initiatives to provide principals and assistant principals across Delaware with assistance as they assess and support teachers in their buildings and help them free up time spent on administrative duties.
The state recently announced awarding a contract to DASL for a development coach program. That initiative, which will help improve the consistency and rigor of educator performance appraisals and will better link these appraisals to feedback and professional development opportunities, is being funded with about $3 million from the state's $119 million federal Race to the Top grant.
Launching this summer, 12 coaches will be selected and trained in assessing performance, providing feedback facilitating critical conversations and identifying opportunities for teacher development. Each will be assigned to work with four to seven schools intensively. The initiative also will provide comprehensive trainings on aspects of the state's DPAS-II evaluation process to all principals and assistant principals.|
Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education
for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.
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Contact Info.
Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us |
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