tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800006.post8991411669871030586..comments2023-05-15T02:14:27.684-06:00Comments on Diogenes' six: Robert Ashley was goodched macquigghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06433039009492338854noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800006.post-33788478332317022752007-09-23T19:06:00.000-06:002007-09-23T19:06:00.000-06:00The mishandling of evidence...another reason why A...The mishandling of evidence...another reason why APD should be independent of APS!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32800006.post-34985440724665433912007-09-23T11:00:00.000-06:002007-09-23T11:00:00.000-06:00Anyone remember Beth's answer to PED when they que...Anyone remember Beth's answer to PED when they questioned her right to appoint an inexperienced Principal to a failing NCLB school?<BR/>Just to refresh your memories...<BR/><BR/>Thursday, June 7, 2007<BR/>Principal's Credentials Trump Years on Job<BR/>By Elizabeth Everitt<BR/>Superintendent, Albuquerque Public Schools<BR/>Last month I announced that Albuquerque Public Schools would be reassigning principals to assure that all students and schools have the same opportunities for success. <BR/>One of those schools was Atrisco Elementary, where I have asked principal Linda Corona to take on the challenge of continuing to move that school forward. As the Journal pointed out in a June 4 editorial, Atrisco has made progress in meeting its adequate yearly progress goals. <BR/>I want to assure that the students at Atrisco continue to succeed and that the school continues to meet its goals, which is why Corona was chosen to lead the school next year. <BR/>Corona came to APS Adobe Acres Elementary as an assistant principal in 2006 and then took a position as assistant principal at Washington Middle School this year. She has experience on both the elementary and secondary school levels. <BR/>Before coming to Albuquerque, Corona was part of a unique program at New Mexico State University, which is designed to prepare a new generation of educational leaders to deal with issues like poverty, cultural and linguistic diversity in schools. <BR/>She was trained in developing equitable curriculum for diverse student populations so that it takes into account issues of language proficiency and how these relate to standardized testing. <BR/>Part of her training also focused on how to conduct community meetings to get to know the issues of a school community— its staff, students and families. <BR/>Corona has experience working with English language learners and bilingual education. These are two areas that public schools in Albuquerque, across the state and around the nation, struggle to find principals who have experience. <BR/>Moreover, school districts must look at more than just a job title when evaluating experience. Does a principal have a special skill set— bilingual education, curriculum development, experience with special education students, expertise in developing specialized math and reading curriculum to serve specific students— that is needed at a particular school? <BR/>We also look at whether a principal has the passion and commitment needed to serve a challenging group of students. <BR/>Experience is not just number of years on the job or in a particular position. It is breadth and depth of knowledge, and recognition of particular skills to serve a particular need. <BR/>With the ever-increasing pressure on public education today, APS provides experienced principals with critical professional development to improve their leadership skills to match today's demands. Administrators entering the profession often come with current skills that are needed for No Child Left Behind and the increase in testing requirements. <BR/>Another aspect of these changes in the Albuquerque Public Schools that I must continue to reiterate is that principals are not reassigned to a new school without support. The APS Principal's Institute provides professional development and training to address issues a principal might have. The district also works with the University of New Mexico to develop training for both principals and teachers. Plus the district provides mentoring for new principals from their successful colleagues. <BR/>Recruiting and retaining the best principal pool means that APS develops new administrators, supports current principals and matches our principals to our communities. <BR/>We want our schools and principals to be successful in meeting the instructional needs of students in Albuquerque. Student achievement is, and must continue to be, the focus of everything we as educators in the Albuquerque Public Schools do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com