CONTENT:

PSN provides school leaders the opportunity for collaboration across district lines to explore effective practices, solve problems, deal with common issues, and share successes. PSN will assist principals in strengthening leadership skills through strategic decisions about improving classroom instruction. Participants will be provided opportunities to achieve and document mastery of standards and key indicators, and document progress in strategic instructional leadership.

PSN correlates with the Alabama Standards for Professional Development for Instructional Leaders covering topics relating to Standard 1: Planning for Continuous Improvement, and Standard 2: Teaching and Learning, as well as national standards and international professional reports.

Content focus includes:

· Setting goals to improve the performance of teachers

-Issues in educational leadership of a national scope

· Using professional literature containing a high degree of relevancy

· Strategies for looking at and using data

· Problem solving- utilizing National School Reform protocols

· Effective application of self-assessment and reflection

· Building collaboration

· Engaging the school community in developing and maintaining a shared vision

· Creating and articulating a vision of high expectations

· Addressing specific issued facing administrators in Alabama: such as ARI and AMSTI

· Establishing teaching and learning as the focal point for the school

PSN CORRELATION WITH THE ALABAMA STANDARDS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERS:

Standard 1: Planning for Continuous Improvement

Standard 1: Key Indicators

1. Knowledge to lead the articulation, development, and implementation of a shared vision and strategic plan for the school that places student and faculty learning at the center

2. Ability to lead and motivate staff, students, and families to achieve the school’s vision

4. Knowledge to allocate and guard instruction time for the achievement of goals

6. Ability to interact with the community concerning the school’s vision, mission, and priorities

7. Ability to work with staff and others to establish and accomplish goals

8. Ability to relate vision, mission, and goals to the instructional needs of students

9. Ability to use goals to manage activities

10. Ability to use a variety of problem-solving techniques and decision-making skills to resolve problems

Standard 2: Teaching and Learning

Standard 2: Key Indicators

1. Knowledge to plan for the achievement of annual learning gains, school improvement goals, and other targets related to the shared vision

3. Ability to engage staff in ongoing study and implementation of research-based practices

4. Ability to use the latest research, applied theory, and best practices to make curricular and instructional decisions

5. Ability to communicate high expectations and standards for the academic and social development of students

6. Ability to ensure that content and instruction are aligned with high standards resulting in improved student achievement

7. Ability to coach staff and teachers on the evaluation of student performance

10. Knowledge to collaborate with the community, staff, district, state, and university personnel to develop the instructional program

11. Knowledge to align curriculum, instructional practices, and assessments to district, state, and national standards

12. Ability to focus upon student learning as a driving force for curriculum, instruction, and instructional decision-making

Program Outcome Measures:

1) Effective application of self-assessment and use of personal reflection log 

2) Demonstrated ability to utilize data to improve instruction

3) Demonstrated understanding of what effective teachers do differently

4) Application of research to improve teacher effectiveness

5) Demonstrated ability to utilize community resources in school improvement that results in increased student learning