WVUSD: 2016 / 2017 Year-End Results
Introduction:
The Walnut Valley Unified School District( WVUSD) Leadership Team continues to further develop into a cohesive unit, providing support throughout the District with the addition of several key members hired from both within and outside of the District. The Board of Trustees’ support and leadership for the revision of our management salary structure has significantly assisted our efforts to recruit and retain highly qualified administrators throughout the District.
Leadership Development is emphasized throughout the year with all Leadership Team members, through monthly Leadership Team Meetings, our annual Leadership Retreat kickoff event in Palm Springs, and our Leadership Year-End meeting at the Nixon Presidential Library & Museum in Yorba-Linda. Leadership theories and systems, speakers( i. e., Art Athens), various readings focusing on leadership and relationships( i. e., Leadership is an Art) and business approaches to leadership( i. e., Great by Choice), and collaborative conversations make-up the curriculum that centers around Leadership in 4 Directions and The Green Line Theory.
In addition to the monthly Principal Business Meetings, Principals( as well as school site Administrative Teams, and Elementary Learning Specialists) attend monthly Principal Meetings focused on Instructional Leadership Development. Principals are also assigned a“ coach” from the district’ s Cabinet for mentoring, goal-setting, and evaluation. New Principals join a support cohort with an outside consultant serving as a non-evaluative facilitator, while Elementary Learning Specialists meet together on a regular basis( facilitated by a non-evaluative WVUSD Principal).
We continued the Distinguished Speaker Series for leaders at all levels of the organization during the 2016-17 school year. Participants had the opportunity to hear leadership-based speakers such as Vin Scully, Steve Martin, and Captain Scott Kelly.
The Board of Trustees and Superintendent led a comprehensive process to appoint a new Board Member, following the resignation of a veteran Board Member after his election to the California State Assembly. Since the appointment, the Board continues to grow as a team and provide strong leadership and support throughout the district and community. Similarly, the WVUSD Personnel Commission welcomed in a new Commissioner and has worked closely with the Superintendent and Human Resources staff to provide effective leadership through the Merit System.
We continued the Superintendent’ s Student Advisory Council. This council, which meets monthly, provides student leaders across the district an opportunity to enhance their leadership capacity, while participating in two-way conversations and problem-solving with the Superintendent. Students also participated in district-wide initiatives and program development, which often included working with members of our Board of Trustees and / or district management, such as the child nutrition program, the District of Choice( DOC) legislation, and the formulation of the facilities bond campaign and implementation plan.
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