Professional Portfolio of Elvis Agard

Through reflction papers I am able to summarize and provide highlights of specific activies connected with my leadership and administrative experiences in various competencies and standards and. An synthesis paper provides an overall reflection of my experiences and anwers such questions as:

• What models/ concepts/ theories were effective or not effective?
• What deep seated beliefs guided your actions and experience?
• How did the history/ traditions /culture of the district/ school. affect your actions?
• How did your emotional state/moods affect your actions and experience?
• How did the availability or lack of resources affect your actions?
• How did the on the job experience change your beliefs and, actions?

Summary of Local Project(s) (2.4)

(see MAJOR PROJECTS tab)

• Need for the project
• Goal of the project
• Resources available
• Timeline
• Method of evaluation

After reviewing all results obtained in my internship I compiled a prioritized list of all results that led to increased learning and school improvement. A second prioritized list is compiled as recommendations for increased learning and school improvement.

Updated Vita (4.5)

• Progress toward meeting the standards
• Successes and failures in the intern experience
• Reflections in and on action
• Self, peer, and superior evaluations
• Position and leadership goals

Facilitating the Vision

• Reflection Standard 1 (113.97 kB)

School Culture & Instructional Program

• Reflection Standard 2 (148.97 kB)

Managing the Organization

• Reflection Standard 3 (257.62 kB)

Collaboration and Community Engagement

• Reflection Standard 4 (94.35 kB)

Ethics and Integrity

• Reflection Standard 5 (152.73 kB)

Understanding Publics

• Reflection Standard 6 (55.21 kB)

Technology

• Reflection Standard 7 (152.39 kB)

Personal Philosophy

• Reflection Standard 8 (118.77 kB)

Research & Evaluation

• Reflection Standard 9 (86.72 kB)

Description of Experience

I was invited to be a part of the evaluation team for a Seventh-day Adventist academy. The assignments were to be a member of the technology committee, and chair of the philosophical foundations committee. It was an opportunity to assess and evaluate a school program and give commendations and recommendations for school improvement. It was also a key opportunity to collaborate with other education professionals, and gain a wider perspective of how the SDA system of education functions to maintain a quality education program.

Relation to Leadership Competencies

1a Philosophical Foundations:

• Being part of the committee for philosophical foundations afforded me the opportunity to analyze how and if the philosophy of the school was implemented in tangible ways across the school program.

1b Ethics, Values, and Spirituality:

• The chair of the evaluation team provided an excellent example as well as provided guidelines for approaching the task in an ethical way.

1c Learning and Human Development:

• This was a new experience for me provided a wider perspective of the Seventh-day Adventist education system.

2a Effective Communication:

• As chair of a committee I had to collaborate with team members, formulate the document would present our findings, as well as make a verbal report to the evaluation team.

2c Social Responsibility:

• This opportunity allowed me to understand how education leadership was help accountable to the wider education system for maintaining a quality education.

3b Legal and Policy Issues:

• The policies of the school were scrutinized to see if they were being implemented as written.

3c Organizational Behavior, Development, & Culture:

• The entire staff was interviewed to assess the organization's culture and climate.

3d Implementing Change:

• The recommendations and commendations were geared toward facilitating change in the school.

3e Evaluation and Assessment:

• The entire four-day experience was one of evaluating and assessing the school's program.

5 Leadership through Technology:

• Being part of the technology committee I had the opportunity to assess whether technology was being applied in appropriate ways towards student achievement.

• Supervised school activity in absence of principal including scheduling and discipline issues (school size: over 200 students, Pre-K thru 8th grade, 11 teachers).
• Collaborated with principal to acquire and integrate instructional and support technology throughout the school
• Designed a student database for the school.
• Organized schedule to better facilitate block scheduling and team teaching for grades 5 - 8.
• Instituted a student leadership program & award that enabled 8th grade student participants to develop, exhibit and document leadership competencies that span community service, intra-school service, home experiences and spiritual growth.
• Created school website with a learning management system to extend the learning community to the internet, act as a communication interface between the school and parents, as well as a student recruitment tool.
• Adapted and proposed cross-curricular and cross-grade level writing program developed by The Institute for Excellence in Writing(c) towards progressively improving writing for all students.
• Piloted student brass and wind ensemble and tutored grades 3-8 students primarily in brass
• Initiated the development of the annual school yearbook that engaged significant student participation in its content, design and layout.
• Initiated fund raising activities towards the purchase of interactive whiteboards for the school to enhance instruction delivery.
• Revamped school application form for more thorough collection of client data.
• Aided in the design of the school's student/parent handbook.
• Mentored a peer in classroom management strategies under the conference's mentoring program.

• Proposed strategic plan for cross-site school networks and greater collaboration of stakeholders for the purpose of school improvement.
  
• Created website for conference's office of education to act as forum for professional collaboration among member education personnel, and a communications hub for office and its clientele.
• Participated in mathematics and technology committees for recommendations to improve instruction in these areas conference wide.
• Conducted a mathematics workshop for grades 5-8 teachers.
• Proposed a plan for using the website to engage conference education stakeholders (teachers, principals, school board personnel, home & school personnel, church education secretaries) in collaborative activities for instructional and  professional development, and greater member cohesiveness.

• Member of  school evaluation team for Union Springs Academy, Union Springs, NY-serving on the philosophy, mathematics and technology committees (2008).
• Contributed an instructional unit to Teacher Bulletin (vol. 6), a union-wide resource for integrating faith and learning  (2006).

1. The Formative Use of Summative Assessment. This is qualitative study that I conducted at my school to consider the effects of using summative test in formative way while preserving the different purposes of the two types of assessment. In involved the teachers of grade 5, 6 and 8.
2. School Trends in IOWA ITBS Test Scores. Six years of IOWA ITBS scores were analyzed to discover trends the school may need to address in order to improve instruction.
3. Journal Article Critiques. These are academic anayses of research articles. This is demonstrates a crucial skill since not all research may be appropriate to the needs or goals of my leadership context. It is important to understand to strength, weakness and scope of any research documents in order to determine its applicability to my leadership context.

School Presentations

• Research-based strategies for improving instruction (based on an ASCD publication by Robert Marzanno)
• Hardwiring teamwork and collaborative problem solving (based on research by Glaser & Associates)
  
• Aligning personal visions with the mission of the organization (self-created)

2. Staff In-service workshop, Greater New York Conference of SDA, Manhasset, NY (2007): Conducted a professional development program to assist district teachers in delivering mathematics instruction more effectively.

3. Cyberbullying presentation, Oakview Preparatory School of SDA, Yonkers, NY (2007): As technology in my school began to become a native part of the instructional program new challenges arose. These included the need for children and the school to be protected from unsavory activity via the Internet. Cyberbullying is such a treat. This presentation was delivered for the Home & School Association (akin to the PTA of public schools) as a way to make both teachers and parents aware of the issue, as well as provide ways to prevent it.

4. Graduation Commencement Address. In June 2007 I was invited to be the speaker to give the Commencement Address for an 8th Grade class' graduation proceedings. The title of the address was, For we walk by faith and not by sight.

Church Presentations

5. Education Seminar, Mamaroneck SDA Church, Mamaroneck, NY (2007). As part of Education Day Conducted a workshop on hardwiring teamwork and collaborative problem solving (based on research by Glaser & Associates)

6. Adventist Heritage Seminar, Mamaroneck SDA Church, Mamaroneck, NY (2004).  Conducted a short workshop  series on SDA heritage using publications by George Knight for reference.

7. Preaching Appointments. As part of the Sabbath worship I have had the opportunity to deliver Biblical messages that have been in concert with a Seventh-day Adventist worldview. Key among these have been a sermon entitle, Beyond forgiveness--restitution, that explorers the Biblical model of forgiveness and restitution that is still applicable to our lives today.

8. Music Workshop. Partnering with a fellow musician and Christian we designed and executed a 2-day workshop exploring the God's design for music, rudiments of music, and practical ways it can be used to enhance the worship experience (and pitfalls to avoid). The target audience was choir directors, organists, praise team leaders, and any individual that led the musical experience of the church.