Strengths & Weaknesses

1. Strengths & Weaknesses

2. Necessary Conditions for Improving Our Agency StrengthsWeaknesses --Effective Leadership --Information System --Quality Staff --Policies in place and practiced --Technology --Resources

3. Core #1 – Ensure Desired Results StrengthsWeaknesses --Collaboration of --Monitoring of agency staff in creating: performance • Mission statement • Beliefs • Vision

4. How does the agency build capacity to ensure desired results? Responses: • By working together in a timely fashion toward goals. • The agency unites as a team and discusses ways to meet the desired results; holding each other accountable. • Bi-annual staff meetings are held and agency mission is discussed with collaborative group • All-staff meetings where everyone is given the chance for input on beliefs/vision of ESU 2. • through scheduled meetings with specific agendas, site visitations, interviews with employees and districts being served • Every employee develops a professional growth plan consisting of 3 goals and action steps to meet those goals, which is reviewed by appropriate leadership. • Supports staff and districts to assist with meeting needs and goals • All staff have an opportunity and a duty to provide input in our AIT process. • By hiring and training quality personnel and building an infrastructure for them to work with • Agency improvement team meets on a monthly basis Leadership Retreat with all consultants Six all staff meetings each year • The ESU #2 builds capacity by providing educational services for school districts, families, and students. • Leadership Retreats • Allows us to attend conferences which builds our individual capacities within all of our roles at ESU #2 • By allowing us as individuals to improve our skills and bring them back to the organization level to share with others. • The ESU has training for the new techniques for the schools. • At all staff meetings we all work together on what we can do for improvements and what our vision/ beliefs are. We then have smaller committees that meet more often that focus on different aspects of the ESU. • People at the agency work together and the goal is known to all. • Staff training • We are building towards a atmosphere of systems thinking as evidence by the inter-departmental cooperation, goal setting and training. • The agency builds capacity to ensure desired results by holding all staff meetings on a regular basis, which in turn allows employees from all disciplines to interact and ask questions. • .The agency is building capacity through a grass-roots decision making process. • Reviewing data and communicating with schools. • Through the mission statement created by all employees. • The agency builds capacity to ensure desired results through professional staff, education and implementation of those lessons with the finest resources available to those professionals. • All staff meetings; continuous restatement of AdvancEdsteps; trainings; • Reaching out to the community, providing workshops, and supporting their staff. • Meet periodically to assess progress and suggest needed actions. • Implement the vision and beliefs of the ESU • By involving staff in decisions that would clearly affect their performance. To allow staff to use their time more effectively without useless time taking tasks. • We work together through collaboration, communication, and leadership to ensure desired results. • Working together as a team. • Meetings and committees

5. How does the agency use data to guide continuous improvement and to monitor the results of efforts to improve? Responses: • For decision making while striving to make a better world for our children. • I am new have not yet been evaluated so could not give a highly functional, yet. We create professional goals and give ways we will meet these goals. • The data committee meets on a regular basis and reports to the staff at annual and bi-annual meetings, committees I believe but can't verify are formed based on some of these findings. • Special Education Department gathers data from districts as to service needs for speech, OT, psychologists. • through surveys of employee performance and services provided • Each service department utilizes one or more tools to gather client demographics and specific services data. As an agency we have examined and drawn conclusions from this data and have formulated improvement plans. • We are just starting to really focus on the data component ~ really focusing on district needs and interests - we have data but need to continue to analyze it to help guide us • The data committee has presented information to all of the staff in an effort to let all be aware of the direction of our ESU. • This is just emerging and this survey is but one step in the process. • Data Retreats in place each year to analyzed department data as well as student achievement data from the State of the Schools Report • ESU #2 uses data to facilitate improvement through angel posts, staff development meetings, and student services meetings. • State of the Schools Report Surveys from Workshops • ESU #2 has looked at recent surveys and is addressing the "needs" shown in the surveys through various committees, internal and external changes and all-staff discussion groups. • comparing current data with previous data to see what works and having meetings to make sure we are all engaging in these improvement processes. • Beginning to see the data in more meeting and using to base decisions on. • There are committees that look at the data and then share this information to the rest of the employees. • Use student data to ensure we are making improvements. • Surveys • Available data is being collected on an informal basis. Admin Team meetings are then used to take available staff information and school information to set direction. Also, attaining school data to assist us in moving forward is underway. Both the formal and informal methods will assist us greatly in the future. • The agency receives survey results from the state and discusses the results with the staff. • The agency has implemented a data committee to organize and analyze data. The process to systematically review and study the data for decision-making purposes is being developed. • Results are shared with staff and modifications are made if necessary. • Data from various departments of the agency is shared and analyzed annually with all employees, to discuss necessary actions regarding the data collected. • The agency uses data to guide continuous improvements and monitor the results of the efforts by identifying weakness and strengths of the core group and encouraging the action to build upon those. • regular review by all staff of previous and new data to share information to all staff • Discuss areas of need and develop plans to address the needs • Use survey results and evaluation feedback. • We have a lot of data and am not certain we are using it to guide some of our efforts • By surveying staff for input. • Data allows us to see our areas of strength and areas that need to be worked on. Therefore we can use the strengths to improve the weaknesses. • The agency looks at the data to see if there is improvement or not and works from the findings. • data committee and staff meetings reviewing data

6. Core #2 – Improve Teaching & Learning StrengthsWeaknesses --Equity of learning --Student involvement for all students in a student learning --Districts’alignment community of assessment with curriculum/instruction

7. What services does the agency provide that support and improve student learning? • In-services, and keeping up with the electronic world. • The agency provides highly knowledgeable professionals to serve students in the best way using new techniques and strategies that are out there. • The staff members that build professional development, technology and special education are in the school districts working, they are familiar to staff and various schools and hopefully educators know who to contact with questions and direction • Every six weeks, SPED staff meeting held for SPED updates, etc. Trainings also held for area resource/speech in IEP writing, para trainings, HS transition, etc. • workshops for teachers and parents; curriculum resources for teachers and parents; parent, teacher, and student involvement in program development psychological services, counseling services, speech language services, behavioral services, • I am only qualified to speak about web-based student and teacher resources, examples are World Book Web, Gale databases, Noodle Tools, Discovery Education, Visual Thesaurus, and a digital (e-book) library initiative. These resources are available to students and families, as well as to educators. These resources are interactive and collaborative. • Special education services and assistance technology & media training and assistance Professional development trainings - RtI, Dibbles, standards, etc. • The SPED department, media and PDC have a strong mission to provide student learning support. • Since Special Services is really the only one working with students in the schools they are the main source of support. Media has begun working with students as well as teachers while PDC and Technology still work primarily with teachers and administration. • Principal Meetings Access to online resources for all schools Marzano Research Academy Instructional strategies classes School improvement retreats • The service unit provides professionals such as Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and School Psychologists to school district in order to support student learning. • Many workshops Data meetings with schools Curriculum development • Professional development staff are out and in the school buildings training staff and assisting them in any way they can. Special Education works with PD to blend the two programs and meet the needs of the teachers/schools. • Student workshops, teacher workshops, and school to career. • ESU provides the online programs available to the students, if the school is involved in the program • Professional Development offered to School staff, Occupational Therapy, School Psychology, Speech Pathology services, technology services, online Books for checkout for participating schools, Discovery Education, World Book online, etc. • Professional development opportunities • Staff training, resources available from library, consultation w/ Service Agency staff to schools • The ESU 2 professional development staff has a huge task for getting all the above done. Never seen such a hard working group trying to provide services that will assist our schools. • The agency provides information on a variety of workshops designed to meet the needs to the students to staff, parents and students. Additionally, the agency assists with Transitional workshops for students and staff in the ESU 2 area. • Facilitating the school improvement process with school districts. • On-line courses. • Workshops for administrators, para professionals, special education staff. • Students are more responsible for their educations more than ever before...student led parent teacher conferencing, online data resources, public speaking...the avenues are endless with this generation. • Collaboration with schools, teachers, staff, and students. • Professional development • each department provides training to staff in areas that support student learning • By providing training to school staff and supporting student services. • The ESU provides technological resources as well as family service coordination, speech and OT services. • Support for area schools in all aspects of education. Speech services, Counselors, School Psychologists, Service coordination, Occupational Therapist. • Data meetings with teachers, RTI trainings, Curriculum evaluation and implementation assistance

8. How does the agency maximize teacher effectiveness that supports student learning? • By developing evaluations and giving teachers prep time. • The agency provides multiple modes available to professionals to use in their daily environment with the students. For examples: IPads, numerous applications, IPods, laptops, Skype, etc. • Staff is in schools working side by side with teachers and offering training opportunities at ESU 2 to further increase their knowledge. • SPED Dept has offered trainings to area school paras, resource, speech staff on transition, self-advocacy, IEP writing, autism, SPED updates (rules & regulations), etc. • workshops, cadre classes, in-service sessions, classroom visitation • I am privileged to attend and report on the proceedings of quarterly meeting with school district superintendents. Department leadership always reports on current activities, responds to questions, shares research and trends, and elicits school district needs. I can only assume that other regularly-scheduled interest group professional meetings utilize similar interpersonal transactions. • We do our best assisting and training teachers with the latest information regarding laws and regulations & strategies for students • PDC, media and SPED all provide teacher support for improving student learning. • Teacher trainings in all areas but availability and actual practice do not always meet in the middle. • New Teacher Academy Instructional Strategies Classes Infusion of technology into workshops Online book studies • The ESU provides opportunities for teachers by providing workshops and informing teachers of workshops and conferences regarding their fields of expertise or areas of interest. • Many staff development opportunities • Through in services, ESU #2 staff out in the schools educating and reinforcing skills that have been taught, tech assistance in all areas. • By helping them gain the tools and knowledge they need to learn to support student learning. • The PDC department is in the schools on a regular basis. • Providing Professional Development, help with curriculum selection and training, providing intervention ideas, providing services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, crisis intervention. Allowing teachers and students access to Discovery Ed., World Book Online, etc. • Professional development opportunities • Providing information on research-based teaching methods • Again, the PDC staff including technical people work overtime on this. However, not until technology is totally embraced as a change/assist agent in this area we will do no more than shoot holes in the traditional wall. Somehow we must find a way to tear down antiquated walls. • The agency provides workshops and conferences for staff and educators on best practices for strategies to assess students' academic and cognitive skills. • Assistance with the school improvement process within school districts. • Workshops and offering on-line media library. • Through constant communication with the schools and their administration, as well as school visits. • The agency maximizes teacher effectiveness by allowing the students the freedom to explore, present and develop more and more talents in producing quality work...online resources, student-led PT conferences, technology, etc. Give the student a resource and watch them go! • Multiple resources available. • Through professional development and technology workshops. • teachers are supported in everything we do • By supporting teacher efforts and successes in their individual school districts and not expecting change for the sake of change and the latest educational trends. • We provide the school districts/teachers with technological resources which helps maximize teacher effectiveness and supports student learning. • Trainings for ESU teachers. • Assisting teachers in identifying what they need in order to get even better.

9. Core #3 – Foster a Culture of Improvement StrengthsWeaknesses --Staff collaboration --Communication --Engaging in practices for continuous improvement

10. How does the agency foster a community of learners dedicated to improvement? • Keeping instruction understandable for all. • As a team we meet monthly to discuss concerns and ways to address those concerns. Open discussions are ongoing throughout the year--in meetings or not in meetings. • Monthly meetings with department are held in my area as well as ongoing communication in department, annual and bi-annual staff meetings are held. • All-staff meetings where everyone's input is welcome! • ESU 2 works closely with districts served through meetings, collaboration on projects, allowing time for interaction among ESU staff • We have regular meetings, have used an online forum for reflection and discussion, have established an agency share space on our web site where communications and resources are posited. Additional collaboration and sharing happens through Google Drive, Wiki Spaces and Zimbra.People are cordial and respectful professionals; we assist and encourage one another! • Allows staff to attend trainings, share out, work with teachers & students to continue to strengthen the education of students • Through the use of ANGEL, all staff have had opportunities to comment on professional development opportunities. • Local ESU PLC which is meeting to discuss several areas of concern and interest here. • Survey of learning needs of staff Mission and beliefs-all staff meetings Discussion of 5 standards to build capacity--all staff meetings/Agency improvement meetings • The agency fosters a community of learners by providing • PLC book study We attend conferences, workshops, webinars, etc. • All staff meeting, special education meetings, ability to voice opinions or concerns if and when necessary without concern of ramifications. • By encouragement and training throughout all different measures of learning. • ESU • We have 3 All Staff meetings during the year and Special Education meetings monthly. However, there is not much time to have peer reflection within your own field of expertise at these meetings. • Everyone knows the goal and works toward it. • goals values vision statements • We are starting to become involved in a systems thinking approach to everything. As that rolls forward "fostering a community of learners dedicated to improvement" rolls with it. Specifically, the identification of personal and professional goals with accountability is important. • The agency fosters a community of learners dedicated to improvement by allowing the staff to attend workshops and conferences in their fields of expertise. • Through the implementation of a grass-roots decision-making model. • All staff meetings every other month. • Through continuous support, communication, and collaboration. • The agency is doing a good job of fostering a community of learners dedicated to improvement by involving more of the support staff here at the Unit. The more opportunities that are given, the more the staff can grow. Communication still needs some work, but it is improving. • Developing goals and working to achieve them. • Periodic meetings • By respecting their individual strengths and asking for input before dictating decisions. • We are continually being provided with learning opportunities such as workshops to increase our area of expertise. • Educating others about the ESU and what it all involves. • The focus is on school improvement and on personal improvement.

11. How does the agency build the capacity of leaders to provide leadership for continuous improvement? • Honest conversations and team work. • Allows for workshops and brings in speakers that are motivating to the staff and they give ways to improve different aspects of each profession. • Training opportunities outside and within the service unit are encouraged and supported • SPED staff are now taking turns at Special Education meetings presenting a 15-minute presentation on something that is working for them with students, etc. • ESU staff continues to research and share information on effective leadership practices. ESU leaderships asks for input on strategies and provides staff the opportunity to present new practices. • Leadership personnel attend professional development opportunities and are expected to be actively engaged in their professional organizations and the ESUPDO. As an administrative assistant, I sometimes accompany my immediate supervisors, having gone to library, media and technology conferences. This allows me to better understand, empathize and support everyone I serve internally and through contact with school personnel. • Continue to look at data, district & staff needs and build on strengthening these areas • The number of opportunities for staff to provide input in the process has increased in the past 3 years. • We do what we can with what we have • Agency improvement rotation of members Weekly bulletin sent out by administrator Shared responsibilities for staff in service days • The ESU #2 provides • Leadership Retreat PLC • trainings, discussions, reading professional materials and discussing it • Through continuous learning with websites, blogs, meetings, and classes. • Many of the staff go to trainings to learn new information for schools • Communicating with others and demonstrating it in their decisions. • Everyone knows the goal and works toward it. • staff training • By doing such things as in-services on "Strength Finder", following up and cycling back to these type of in-services. Also, goal setting provides the avenue for growth as they pertain to the growth and development of the unit. • The agency builds a the capacity of leaders to provide leadership for continuous improvement by asking the staff to share information they have acquired during a conference or training session with the remaining staff. The agency pairs new employees with mentors to facilitate growth and build strong relationships that foster acceptance and community building. • Actively engaging staff in leadership activities. • Workshops which provide guidance. • Through consideration of all employee's opinions and view points. • The agency builds capacity of its leaders in providing leadership for continuous improvement by using everyone's input. Communication and collaboration of services are key...especially during these economic times. • Teaching and educating on current practices. • Attending workshops and conferences • ESU provides/allows opportunities to be a leader through projects/trainings • By allowing them to lead according to their style. • We have administrators that are available when we need to ask questions. They encourage us to be leaders in our districts as well. • Increasing knowledge of those leaders. • Principal meetings, superintendent meetings,