A leader collaborates with the school community to create and implement a shared vision for student success, engagement, learning and well-being.
2023-24
2023-24 Reflection: This School Year I have focused on the following goals:
From the School's Ace Plan the Quality Teaching Flourishing Goal is: To access and utilize the strength of the school community to support student learning (academically, socially and emotionally). With this goal in mind I am working with staff to strengthen community partnerships and remove barriers to provide opportunities to our students.
@crestomereschool (Instagram) @crestomereschool (Facebook). I have worked diligently to share our School's Story on social media.
Through the implementation of New Curriculum I have be able to engage with staff in conversations on purposeful assessment and how we are reporting to all stake holders. This is an area that will need to have a continued focus. We are also a pilot school for PowerTeacher for the junior high.
At Crestomere School we are also undergoing changes to our Collaborative Response Model. I am taking the work that I have done with staff in the past couple year's on Ross Greene and in consultations with Kurtis Hewson I am redeveloping how we gather data on students and discuss their needs. I have also enlisted two staff members to work with myself on developing a living and breathing "Continuum of Supports" for Crestomere School that will meet the needs to all students and staff. This process has also required collaboration with other experts and divisional staff to gather details on how to better meet the needs of our students.
The 2023-24 Time Table was built with a large focus on intervention at all grade levels
Chirs Zarski from CARC has been consulted to help Crestomere Staff build and develop Numeracy Interventions.
Data year over year has shown an continuous improvement and trajectory towards excellence
2022-23
2022-23 Growth Area: Increase my purposeful and direct supervision process of teaching staff.
2022-23 Reflection: This School Year I have focused on the following goals:
A staff analysis and revamp of our Statement of Purpose, Mission and Vision as we ask ourselves what these statements look like and feel like within the school and community.
From the School's Ace Plan the Quality Teaching Flourishing Goal is: To access and utilize the strength of the school community to support student learning (academically, socially and emotionally). With this goal in mind I am working with staff to strengthen community partnerships and remove barriers to provide opportunities to our students.
@crestomereschool (Instagram) @crestomereschool (Facebook). I have worked diligently to share our School's Story on social media.
Through the implementation of New Curriculum I have be able to engage with staff in conversations on purposeful assessment and how we are reporting to all stake holders. This is an area that will need to have a continued focus.
"You have assisted in my classroom, checked in to make sure I am supported, helped find information I need to complete curriculum, etc; and provided time for me to share and work with staff with FNMI info." - Crestomere Teacher, 2023
"Jay is an inspiring leader." - Crestomere Teacher, 2023
"Checking in with the staff and making sure that if we need extra resources or support you are going above and beyond to make it happen for us. Bringing in social media to our school has really improved our communication with parents, such as the daily principal tweet on twitter, the virtual newsletter that gets the kids involved, the get to know the staff write ups, etc. As an admin leader you have many different areas of strength that have really improved our school culture." - Crestomere Teacher, 2023
2021-22
Celebrations:
The Ross Greene book study and commitment to building tier 2 skills and actions inventory
Communication within the whole school community
Mentorship programs and educational programing on mental health and healthy relationships for students.
2021/22 Reflection on this domain:
This domain speaks to Assurance Model and current Ace plan. In the development of the Ace plan I have consulted teacher and parents to seek feedback on our data and actions for the year. From their feedback I was able to develop an action plan for each quarter of the year.
This school year I am also actively tried to connect with all school families before the school year started. Beyond an introduction I wanted to know there thoughts about the school, general questions they had and areas they felt needed improvement. Considering this information and that I collect from staff on their thoughts, wishes and data from our such resources as our AERR I bring forward ideas to staff such our student mentorship program with the grades 4 to 6.
Information collected from the school community also helped me decide to do the Ross Green book study as I felt we all needed to improve our skills to better serve the students.
Areas for Growth:
School assessment: what is purposeful formative and summative and how is it being communicated?
How do we connect a small county school to more hands on learning?
How do I met this standard?
You can't just talk the talk, you have to walk the walk as well. As a leader of a school is it so vital and important that staff and students know who you are and how you will work to sustain a school's values, vision, mission and goals.
My education philosophy is centered around relationships. I want to connect with people so i know they and they know who I am. As a result of them knowing who I am I then do my best to NOT make them follow me but rather WANT to follow me as we move the school community forward.
I work with my admin team to gather student, parent and community feedback and analyze data we have to make the best informed decisions we can
current example: regular surveying of the school community on the Quarter Time-table
I do my best to help students and staff find the passion in what they are doing.
As part of the school's Diamond team I work with students and staff to clarify the vision of the school and school division such as those goals that we have in our ACE plan and Literacy plans
I work with staff on the 12 components of an Excellent Learning Environment through idea sharing, reflection and as a sounding board.
As the administrative leader of our Foundations program I worked with staff to address the needs of our students, plan programming for our grade 10s and move the program forward through the lenses of high school redesign principals and executive functioning skills for students.
I regularly assess and reflect on our schools achievement data, diploma data and my own classroom data to help make informed decisions about teaching and learning.
On a most recent survey (2021) of my staff based on three questions around this element I was consistently rated a 5 out of 5 by current staff members.
Specific Comments from staff included:
The visioning element was especially apparent in your role with the designing of the high school in Blackfalds.
Jay works hard himself to meet the demands of our schools and divisions vision and mission statements. He implements numerous strategies in his classroom and is always willing share his triumphs and shortfalls with regards to classroom initiatives.
Jay is aware of our schools vision and promotes it when and where ever he can.
Jay works hard himself to meet the demands of our schools and divisions vision and mission statements. He implements numerous strategies in his classroom and is always willing share his triumphs and shortfalls with regards to classroom initiatives.
Jay is an active leader in PD days and in staff meetings. Providing examples, explanations and providing support when dealing with new ideas.
Past Surveys and Feedback (2013-2016)
Staff Survey 2013 to 2015:
Through my staff survey results I was rated high on a 5-point scale. Staff comments included such things as:
"Good team leader as well as teammate ... encourages ideas and growth in others"
"I have seen Jay encourage others, including myself, to take on leadership roles. He is not "jealous" of his authority or of the leadership role, which makes it easier for others to step up."
"Yes, Jay is definitely on board with 21st century learning."
"This is evident from comments made at staff meetings. he is a true team player and as such, works hard to promote and carry out the plan and direction/vision of the school."
"I think you "walk the talk", example - the work you did in creating the Science 14/24 course... makes you an authentic leader if you yourself are role modeling with examples of how to implement new methods of course delivery."
"One example of Jay's leadership is his development of blended learning environments. As a member of LCHS science team Jay has provided leadership and been a mentor for the other science teachers."
LPI Survey Results 2016
LPI Survey Feedback
You have a quick and active mind..when concerns or ideas are presented, you grasp the essence quickly and can be helpful very quickly as well. You are fair, a good listener, and you engage others in relationships with ease.
You have great personal skills, great enthusiasm, great energy for trying new things.
Willingness to listen, try new things, and to modify if it doesn't work out - good role model for staff and students
Confidence, Progressive, Personable