Full Menu
Fiscal Year 2020 → Question 1
ANSWER:
The Board of Education, the superintendent of schools, and the employee associations have committed
to creating and sustaining a culture of respect throughout Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). This also is a priority for the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) based on the Maryland School Survey that will be administered in spring 2020 to hold every school district accountable by measuring four domains: safety, environment, engagement, and relationships. (Attachment A.)
Annually, MCPS administers a staff climate survey and a parent engagement survey to gather feedback on staff and parent perceptions of the school environment. These data are analyzed centrally and at individual schools to determine areas of strength and need and to take the appropriate action to resolve areas in need of improvement. These current tools are not as comprehensive as necessary to accurately assess and improve the overall climate and culture in MCPS.
The vision for the priority work of the climate and culture specialist or a consultant would focus on designing a framework comprised of structures, processes, tools, and data sources to accurately and objectively assess the current climate and culture at the district and school-levels. The data would drive the collaborative development of a systemic comprehensive plan to reach our desired state. A draft job description; knowledge, skills, and abilities; and duties and responsibilities follow.
Draft Job Description
Under the direction of the deputy superintendent in the Office of School Support and Instruction (OSSI), the climate and culture specialist collaborates with school-based and non-school based employees and leaders of the employee associations to build, improve, or sustain an organizational culture of respect and civility between staff, students, families, and community partners; design a framework comprised of structures, processes, tools and data sources to accurately and objectively assess the current and desired state of climate and culture at the district and school-levels; facilitate the active engagement of stakeholders to identify challenges that impede or obstruct respect, trust, communication and collaboration; and implement solutions to improve these areas.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Examples of Duties and Responsibilities
The Board recommended climate and culture specialist position be a consultant to the school system. It currently is reflected in the budget memorandum as such based on this recommendation.
A priority of the Office of School Support and Improvement (OSSI) is to provide direct service and support to school-based administrators, staff, and the school communities we serve, while simultaneously responding to an increasingly high volume of requests, inquiries, and concerns of diverse stakeholders that are shared in person, by telephone, and through written communication.
Directors of leadership, administration, and achievement (DLAAs) serve as instructional coaches and supervisors of principals, and work with school-based leaders on instructional leadership, effective teaching and learning, and the school improvement planning process, including analyzing student data and monitoring and impacting performance of schools and school clusters. In their supervisory capacity, DLAAs use the MCPS System Professional Growth System and Professional Standards for Educational Leaders and work collaboratively with other central office leaders to support, coach and evaluate principals. DLAAs conduct formal and informal school visits aligned to student achievement, effective school operations, and strategic goals; attend school-based meetings and events to foster a culture of engagement and accountability among staff, parents, and community; foster vertical articulation; and collaborate with district leadership to provide targeted and differentiated system resources that address the needs of schools. The job description for this position is provided as Attachment B.