lishing trust and rapport ; engaging in active listening and paraphrasing ; and focusing on equitable policies and practices .
Through coaching and reflective conversations , both the coach and candidate have the opportunity to grow their leadership practice . The coach-candidate relationship spans the two-year induction cycle .
Tom Delgado , LANALP coach and retired administrator , said , “ The ability to work together with candidates to solve problems at the workplace by sharing and discussing ideas , providing feedback and finding time for reflection has been tremendously invaluable .”
Delgado has been coaching Bertha Soto , LANALP participant and assistant principal at Rowan Elementary , for almost two years . Coincidentally , Soto is an administrator at the school where Delgado once served as principal . Regarding the coaching relationship , she said , “ I feel comfortable asking for support and advice on different situations . I feel safe to know an experienced coach is there to support me in growing and reflecting on my practices to become a better administrator . My coach has been an essential part of my professional growth .”
Monica Lara , a non-school site administrator and first-year LAASC participant , has valued her coaching relationship and the impact it has had on her leadership practice : “ Having a coach during my first year as an administrator has been instrumental in developing my leadership skills and boosting my confidence as a new administrator . After my coaching sessions , I feel motivated and inspired as a leader , which in turn , impacts the staff I supervise .”
The investment by both coach and candidate throughout the induction cycle cultivates leadership development through dialogue , reflection and refinement of practice .
4 . Target support to ensure new leaders demonstrate effective leadership practices .
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Once placed in a school leadership position , the type of support administrators need to succeed in their first year differs . Newly assigned administrators must not only know how to open a campus and welcome families on the first day , but must also develop systems and structures for providing actionable feedback to staff members and supporting instructional practice . If new school leaders previously participated in one of the aspiring administrator programs , they may have the foundational skills , resources and professional networks for success .
Regardless , to support new leaders ’ growth in demonstrating effective leadership practices , a cornerstone of the district ’ s new administrator programs – New Principal Support ( NPS ) and Supporting New Assistant Principals ( SNAP ) – is mentoring provided by an experienced administrator .
Each new administrator receives approximately 30 hours of job-embedded support through school site visits , calls and professional development . To ensure that the coaching provided to our new administrators is effective in impacting their leadership practices , NPS and SNAP mentors are recruited from a pool of outstanding school leaders and selected after a rigorous interview process .
Once selected , mentors receive professional development focused on coaching and network facilitation , and are provided with the latest information on the district ’ s initiatives . Through this personalized coaching , NPS and SNAP participants receive the necessary support and guidance to excel in their leadership practice .
Aside from coaching , NPS and SNAP participants attend six critical-issues seminars throughout the year . These seminars are delivered by PLLD staff and provide professional development on effective leadership practices , such as supporting instruction and change management , creating a culture of learning and positive behavior , and developing systems and managing operations . An intentional focus on these instructional and operational areas may best support first-year school site administrators to address challenges and achieve success .
5 . Provide continuous support . Great leaders will never stop learning .
Great educational leaders are always learning about how to best support their students and staff . To ensure success at all levels of the organization , experienced school site and executive district leaders receive continuous leadership support throughout the year .
In most recent years , LAUSD has revamped its teacher and school leader performance evaluation systems . These evaluation systems include a series of reflection activities , evidence collection , conferencing and feedback opportunities , and professional goal-setting activities .
As part of the process of evaluating teachers and school administrators , the evaluator must demonstrate knowledge and ability to capture high quality and objective evidence of practice . The PLLD branch offers multi-day Observer Certification training to be certified to observe , support and evaluate practice .
To ensure continued inter-rater reliability in observation of teaching practice , annual calibration events are scheduled for directors , principals and assistant principals to review the teacher evaluation process , discuss critical components of the Teaching and Learning Framework , and complete a certification assessment .
Effective executive district leaders understand the importance of reflection and mindful practice when focusing on maximizing student achievement . To support our executive district leaders , LAUSD recently implemented a performance evaluation system for local district superintendents and central executive staff . The intent is to improve leadership practice and foster a culture of guidance and support throughout the entire organization .
Outside of evaluation , district leaders require additional guidance through coaching and mentoring . The district ’ s Executive Certificated Leadership Development Program ( EXCeL ) is a year-long mentorship program in which executive district level staff share insight and guidance to assist district colleagues in developing the skills and knowledge needed to lead in situations of ambiguity and complexity , communicate a shared vision to all stakeholders , create and maintain shared leadership opportunities , ensure accountability for student success , and design and implement strategic plans .
Through targeted professional development sessions grounded in the School Leadership Framework , work shadowing and the support of a mentor , EXCeL participants build and refine their leadership skills in