Appraisal Report

Aaron Kemp
Principal
Mangawhai Beach School
May 2014


Introduction and Overview

Principals are required, under the terms of their Employment Agreement, to be formally appraised
annually.

Aarons appraisal process commenced in June 2013 and has been on going. I have met with Aaron
regularly throughout the last 12 months. The purpose of these meetings was, initially, to assist with the
development of his performance agreement. Later meetings were designed to facilitate a process of
critical self-review and reflection. Information was also gathered through a 360 Survey designed to
obtain constructive feedback from trustees. Six trustees were invited to complete the survey and 3
accepted that invitation.

The appraisal focused on the following aspects of Aarons performance:
Personal Goals
Professional Standards

This report reflects my overall professional judgement informed by my observations of effective
principals in other schools and the synthesis of:
The evidence that Aaron has produced during our meetings
Reflective discussions recorded in Aaron's Reflective Journal
Feedback provided by the trustees completing a 360 survey

Appraisal Goals

Aaron's Performance Agreement included 4 Appraisal Goals which were identified at the beginning of
the appraisal process. They were:
A. To facilitate a thorough review of the schools vision and strategic direction
B. To continue to strengthen teacher knowledge and understanding of the elements of effective
teaching practice and teaching as inquiry
C. To review the schools performance management systems to ensure that they are coherent and
robust
D. To facilitate the achievement of the schools student improvement targets

Progress in each of these areas has been monitored throughout the year and Aaron has identified the
deliberate acts of leadership that he has used to facilitate their achievement. His deliberate acts of
leadership have been recorded in his Reflective Journal which is one component of his Portfolio of
Evidence. This report will focus on the effectiveness of his leadership (i.e. the outcomes he has
achieved).
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GOAL A: To facilitate a thorough review of the schools vision and strategic direction

When Aaron selected this goal he also identified a number of expected outcomes and he believes that
the following assessments represent a valid indication of the extent to which each has been achieved.

Expected outcomes:
Not achieved Achieved
1 2 3 4 5 6
The schools vision statement will clarify and provide coherence
to the purposes and activities of the school.




Teachers will be able to articulate the purposes of the school.


Teachers will have participated in, and been engaged in, the
formulation of school purposes





Leaders are making visible the learning horizon for teacher
colleagues.




Leaders are developing coherence of classroom practices and
assessment procedures from classroom to classroom.





Aaron also identified a number of other positive developments resulting from his leadership in this area:
A display at the front of the school featuring 25 reasons why being associated with Mangawhai
Beach School should be a source of pride. (i.e. To be the best school in Northland)
The school virtues and the BEACH aspirations are being actively promoted through a variety of
initiatives including the establishment of clear procedures and displaying the BEACH aspirations in
classrooms, fore fronting the virtues in newsletters and fostering the development of a caring
committee of learners (e.g. House Captains, Peer Mediators, Bus monitors)
School leaders have high expectations and are closely monitoring critical aspects of effective
teaching and learning including routines, book standards, and classroom environments and student
well-being
The schools vision statement has been explicitly linked to the school Charter

All 3 trustees providing feedback through the 360 Survey strongly agreed that Aaron has led the
development of a shared vision for the school that is generally supported by the Board of Trustees and
community. All 3 also agreed that he provides effective support for the board in the management of the
strategic planning process.

Aarons personal assessment is that although this goal has been substantially achieved it is still a work in
progress and that he needs to continually reinforce the schools vision and strategic direction through
the staff appraisal process and also through increasing parent engagement in their childrens learning.

GOAL B: To continue to strengthen teacher knowledge and understanding of the elements of effective
teaching practice and teaching as inquiry

As with the previous goal Aaron identified a number of expected outcomes and assessed the extent to
which each has been achieved.

Expected outcomes:
Not achieved Achieved
1 2 3 4 5 6
Teachers will be clear about what students need to learn and
what the gaps are in student learning



Teachers planning will be detailed and aligned with clear
learning intentions, success criteria, models, and learning tasks




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Expected outcomes:
Not achieved Achieved
1 2 3 4 5 6
Teachers will be continuously inquiring into what they do and
how they might do it better.



Teachers will be competently engaging in sustained dialogue
with their colleagues in order to improve the quality of teaching
and learning.




Students will be increasingly able to articulate where they are at
in their learning journey



Students will be increasingly able to identify their next steps
Leaders will be aware of the quality of teaching and learning in
the classrooms in their syndicate




Other positive developments include:
Teaching practices in most classrooms are aligned to the Mangawhai Beach School ecology of
learning
Professional conversations between staff are becoming more frequently focused on quality learning
programmes, student engagement and student learning
Staff discussions are increasingly focused on the progress of target students and priority learners
and occurring more regularly and consistently
Students are becoming increasingly able to talk about their learning

All 3 trustees providing feedback through the 360 Survey strongly agreed that Aaron has led the
development of a school culture that is strongly focused on raising student achievement and one of
those trustees considers that his greatest strength as the schools professional leader is that he is
focused and driven by improving student outcomes.

Aaron considers that this goal has also been substantially achieved but recognises that he needs to
ensure that the momentum is maintained if progress is to be sustained.

GOAL C: To review the schools performance management systems to ensure that they are coherent and
robust

The expected outcomes associated with this goal and the extent to which they were achieved are:

Expected outcomes:
Not achieved Achieved
1 2 3 4 5 6
The appraisal system will be explicitly linked to the school
strategic plan



The appraisal system will be linked to the registered teacher
criteria but will be focused on improving teacher practice



The appraisal system will incorporate a set of school developed
performance indicators.



The appraisal system will include an individual professional
development plan.



Appraisal documentation will provide a formal and structured
system of recording evidence of reflective practice





Other positive developments include:
Teachers are being required to provide evidence that they are meeting the Registered Teacher
Criteria and are being provided with appropriate tools that enable them to record their evidence
(e.g. an online portfolio or Weebly based site has been established)
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Staff are encouraged to include observational records and subsequent discussions in their appraisal
documentation

Trustees providing feedback on Aarons leadership through the 360 Survey were invited to identify 2 of
the most important things that he has done in the last 12 months that best demonstrate his
effectiveness as the schools professional leader. Two of them selected examples that were relevant to
his management of staff performance.

We have had a number of staffing issues that we have been very challenging and Aaron
has had the courage of conviction to follow these through to effective conclusions.

In general showing his staff that he and the Board expect high standards and will do
what it takes (including supporting staff) to ensure these standards (are met).

This goal has also been substantially achieved.

GOAL D: To facilitate the achievement of the school's student improvement targets

The primary task of an effective principal is to facilitate the achievement of student improvement targets
identified in the Annual Plan

As already noted earlier in this report one of the trustees described Aaron as focused and driven by
improving student outcomes. This description confirms my own professional opinion as Aaron has
consistently demonstrated his commitment to high quality student learning whenever we have engaged
in our many professional discussions associated with the appraisal process.

Aaron has completed the Analysis of Variance Report for 2013 as required and has reported regularly to
the Board of Trustees.

Other deliberate acts of leadership

The role of a principal is exceptionally diverse and effective school leaders take on an extensive range of
responsibilities and exercise leadership in areas well beyond those directly linked to their identified
goals. Aaron has identified the following as being particularly significant over the past 12 months:
Facilitating the induction of the newly elected Board Trustees (4/6 newly elected)
Developing a data assessment tool that records all student assessment results across the school
Introducing a Bystanders Code of Conduct in consultation with the deputy principal
Undertaking regular observations of teaching and providing teachers with feedback and feed
forward
Developing, in consultation with staff, a glossary of technical vocabulary to assist teachers with
their planning and strengthen their content knowledge in reading writing and maths
Learning a mihi to be used when welcoming visitors to the school (i.e. powhiri)
Creating a leadership space that he shares with his deputy principals (i.e. shared office)
Working through a disciplinary process with a staff member and supporting the Board of Trustees
Supporting a fellow principal with issues around the Transport Entitlement Zone (TEZ) and
Enrolment concerns
Establishing a Whanau support group focused on building and supporting the schools Maori
students
Completing the development of curriculum indicators for Mathematics and Literacy and an
associated glossary for Literacy
Attending Tai Tokerau Principals Association & Rodney-Otamatea Principals Association meetings
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Supporting and organizing staff for the schools major school fundraiser (i.e. AG Day which raised
$32k)
360 Feedback

As previously indicated 3 trustees provided feedback on Aaron's leadership through a 360 Survey.

"The 360 survey model gives principals a multi-lens view of their performance and:
enhances information quality;
targets developmental areas;
provides strong motivation;
facilitates performance improvement;
allows measurement of training effectiveness;
enhances self-awareness;
supports continuous learning; and
improves the reliability and validity of performance information.

In a professional learning community, 360-degree feedback may provide the principal a
tremendous opportunity to build trust and respect by allowing staff members to provide input
on how they are led."

Adapted from Improving the evaluations and feedback process for principals; Bobby Moore

The survey requires respondents to rate some specific leadership attributes/qualities on the following
scale:
Strongly disagree
Disagree
Agree with reservations
Agree
Strongly agree

The Survey also assigns a Rating Average to each item. For example if every respondent "strongly
agreed" the Rating Average would be 5.00; if every respondent "strongly disagreed" the Rating Average
would be 1.00.

All 3 trustees completing the survey strongly agreed (i.e. Rating Average 5.00) that Aaron:
Has led the development of:
A shared vision for the school that is generally supported by the Board of Trustees and
community
A school culture that is strongly focused on raising student achievement
Provides effective support for the board in the management of:
Strategic Planning
The day-to-day operations of the school
Models respect for others in interactions with students and staff
Can make tough decisions when necessary
Ensures that trustees are kept well-informed about student learning and achievement

None of the leadership attributes/qualities included in the survey received a Rating Average of less than
4.00.

See Appendix I for details of the specific leadership qualities/attributes included in the 360 Survey.

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Those trustees surveyed were also invited to identify what they considered to be the two most
important things that Aaron had done in the last 12 months that demonstrated his effectiveness as the
schools professional leader. Their responses are listed below.
An open door policy for staff to talk to him, and work with him to develop their own skills
We have had a number of staffing issues that we have been very challenging and Aaron has had the
courage of conviction to follow through and support the Board to follow these through to effective
conclusions.
Aaron continues to introduce teaching methodology that encourages his team to strive for
excellence; he ensures his passion for continued improvement is shared with the team
On the spot making decisions (e.g. picking up the phone then and there to talk to people so a
decision can be made now). Timeliness.
In general showing his staff that he and the Board expect high standards and will do what it takes
(including supporting staff) to ensure these standards.
Aaron continues to lead by example in terms of his professional development and passion for
education. .

It is important to recognise that the 360 Survey feedback is based on the perceptions of individuals and
is only one indicator of leadership effectiveness or otherwise.

Professional Standards

The Principals Collective Employment Agreement requires principals to be appraised against the
professional standards which identify four specific areas of practice as follows:
Culture
Pedagogy
Systems
Partnerships and Networks

The Professional Standards provide a baseline for assessing satisfactory performance within each area of
practice and form part of the principal's performance agreement.

CULTURE

The professional standards in this area of practice require a principal to provide professional leadership
that focuses the school culture on enhancing teaching and learning


Professional Standards

Achieved
Partially
achieved
Not
Achieved
In conjunction with the board develops and implements a school
vision and shared goals focused on enhanced engagement and
achievement for all students









Promotes a culture whereby staff members take on appropriate
leadership roles and work collaboratively to improve teaching
and learning









Models respect for others in interactions with adults and
students



Promotes the bicultural nature of New Zealand by ensuring that
it is evident in the school culture






Maintains a safe, learning-focused environment
Promotes an inclusive environment in which the diversity and
prior experiences of students are acknowledged and respected







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Professional Standards

Achieved
Partially
achieved
Not
Achieved
Manages conflict and other challenging situations effectively and
actively work to achieve solutions






Demonstrates leadership through participating in professional
learning




PEDAGOGY

The professional standards in this area of practice require a principal to provide a learning environment
in which there is an expectation that all students will experience success and learning


Professional Standards

Achieved
Partially
achieved
Not
Achieved
Promotes, participates in and supports ongoing professional
learning linked to student progress






Demonstrates leadership through engaging with staff and
sharing knowledge about effective teaching and learning in the
context of the New Zealand curriculum documents









Ensures staff members engage in professional learning to
establish and sustain effective teacher / learner relationships
with all students, with a particular focus on Maori students









Ensure that the review and design of school programmes is
evidence based






Maintains a professional learning community within which staff
members are provided with feedback and support on their
professional practice









Analyses and acts upon school-wide evidence on student
learning to maximise learning for all students with a particular
focus on Maori and Pasifika students










SYSTEMS

The professional standards in this area of practice require a principal to develop and use management
systems to support and enhance student learning


Professional Standards

Achieved
Partially
achieved
Not
Achieved
Exhibits leadership that results in the effective day-to-day
operation of the school






Operates within board policy and in accordance with legislative
requirements






Provides the Board with timely and accurate information and
advice on student learning and school operation






Effectively manages and administers finance, property and
health and safety systems






Effectively manages personnel with a focus on maximising the
effectiveness of all staff members






Uses school / external evidence to inform planning for future
action, monitor progress and manage change





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Professional Standards

Achieved
Partially
achieved
Not
Achieved
Prioritises resource allocation on the basis of the school's annual
and strategic objectives







PARTNERSHIPS and NETWORKS

The professional standards in this area of practice require a principal to strengthen communication and
relationships to enhance student learning


Professional Standards

Achieved
Partially
achieved
Not
Achieved
Works with the Board to facilitate strategic decision-making
Actively fosters relationships with the school's community and
local iwi



Actively fosters professional relationships with, and between
colleagues, and with government agencies and others with
expertise in the wider education community









Interacts regularly with parents and the school community on
student progress and other school-related matters






Actively fosters relationships with other schools and participate
in appropriate school networks







Of the 27 aspects of leadership identified in the Professional Standards Aaron has demonstrated
particular strengths in these areas:
Managing challenging situations effectively and actively working to achieve solutions
Ensuring staff members engage in professional learning to establish and sustain effective teacher /
learner relationships with their students
Managing personnel with a focus on maximising staff effectiveness
Interacting regularly with parents and the school community
Areas for Consideration and/or Development

Important areas for school development and improvement over the next 12 months include:
Supporting the schools priority learners with a focus on enabling them to make accelerated
progress
Strengthening inquiry learning through implementing the SOLO taxonomy
The teaching of spelling

Trustees providing feedback through the 360 Survey were given the opportunity to offer specific
suggestions that would help Aaron to become a more effective leader. Two of the 3 who completed the
survey suggested that he could possibly slow down his decision making to ensure the right message is
given and is consistent with previous decisions and demonstrate that he is listening carefully to the
input that he is receiving from others.
Conclusion

Aaron is a very experienced principal who is continuing to provide effective professional leadership that
has a strong focus on improving student learning through quality teaching.

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Trustees responding to the 360 Survey were invited to identify what they considered to be his greatest
strength as a professional leader. Their responses identify some of his most positive leadership qualities:
Always positive, is out there in the community attending events, non-profit meetings etc.
His enthusiasm and love of the school, students and school community.
Aaron is an educationalist who is focused and driven by improving student outcomes.
It is my professional opinion that Aaron is meeting all of the prescribed professional standards and also
meets the service (A minimum of 9 years continuous service as a primary school principal) and
performance criteria required for recognition as a leading principal as specified in the Primary Principals
Collective Employment Agreement 2013-15; Part 4.

Should you wish to discuss further any of the matters or issues raised in the report please do not
hesitate to contact me.



D L McDonald
Appraiser
D Glover
BOT Chairperson
A Kemp
Principal

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Appendix I

Leadership qualities/attributes included in the BOT 360 Survey

Aaron has led the development of:
A shared vision that is generally supported by the Board of Trustees and community
A school culture that is strongly focused on raising student achievement
An inclusive environment where all students are given the opportunity to succeed

Aaron provides effective support for the board in the management of:
Finance
Human resources and staff performance
Property
Strategic Planning
Annual Planning
Reporting
The day-to-day operations of the school

Aaron:
Models respect for others in interactions with students and parents
Develops positive relationships with parents
Actively fosters a positive home-school partnership
Always acts in a manner that reflects positively on the school

Aaron effectively manages conflict and/or potentially challenging situations
Involving students
Involving parents
Can make tough decisions when necessary
Maintains integrity in difficult situations

Aaron is an effective communicator and:
Speaks clearly and is easy to understand
Expresses ideas clearly in writing
Is a good listener
Actively seeks and listens to others opinions
Ensures that trustees are kept well informed about school activities/daily events
Ensures that trustees are kept well informed about student learning and achievement