QiLu Sino-Canadian International School


ALBERTA ACCREDITED SCHOOL (QINGDAO)

   齐鲁中加国际学校     阿尔伯塔省海外认证学校(青岛)

 

Teacher Growth Supervision and Evaluation

A. Background (Updated: 2018) The purpose of the Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation administrative procedure is to ensure that each teacher’s actions, judgements and decisions are in the best educational interests of students and support optimum student learning. The Superintendent, Principals, School Directors, and Teachers work together to achieve the Teaching Quality Standard. Meaningful feedback, assistance and opportunities for improvement of teacher performance can affect positive growth in student learning.

Definitions

1. Evaluation: the formal process of gathering and recording information or evidence over a period of time and the application of reasoned professional judgement by an evaluator in determining whether one or more aspects of the teaching of a teacher exceeds, meets or does not meet the Teaching Quality Standard.

2. Evaluator: A Superintendent, Principal, or School Director as defined in the School Act or designate.

3. Notice of Remediation: the written statement issued to a teacher by an evaluator where as a result of an evaluation, the evaluator has determined that a teacher’s teaching does not meet the Teaching Quality Standard.

4. Supervision: the on-going process by which a Principal or administrator carries out duties in respect to teachers and teaching required under Section 20 of the School Act and exercises educational leadership.

5. Teacher Professional Growth: the career-long learning process whereby a teacher annually develops and implements a plan to achieve professional learning objectives or goals which are consistent with the Teaching Quality Standard.

6. Teaching Quality Standard: the authorized standard and descriptors of knowledge, skills and attributes as described in the Teaching Quality Standard Ministerial Order (1997) and any additional Division standards or descriptors which are consistent with the Teaching Quality Standard.

A. Guidelines

1. At the commencement of each school year the Principal and/or school administration shall review this administrative procedure with all teaching staff.

2. The Principal is the individual most responsible for assessing whether or not teachers are performing in a competent way and in accordance with the Teacher Quality Standard.

3. Teachers who hold an Interim Professional Teaching Certificate will have comprehensive evaluations (as outlined in the Teacher Evaluation section of this procedure) in addition to on-going supervision.

4. Teachers who have taught more than one year with in a Qilu Sino-Canadian School Program, hold a letter of authority, or have a Permanent Professional Certificate will have on-going supervision but will not receive comprehensive evaluations unless it is determined by an evaluator that evaluation is required.

5. A program of professional development must be an integral part of a teacher’s professional life and teachers have the responsibility to constantly review their own level of competence and effectiveness and to seek necessary improvement as part of a continuing process of professional development.

6. The purpose of teacher supervision is to ensure that teaching meets the expectations of the Teaching Quality Standard and to promote the professional growth of teachers in order to maximize student learning and achievement.

7. This administrative procedure does not restrict a Principal, the Superintendent or designate, from taking disciplinary or other action, as appropriate, where there are reasonable grounds for believing that the actions or practices of a teacher endangers the safety of students, constitutes a neglect of duty, a breach of trust or a refusal to obey a lawful order of the school administration.

B. Teacher Professional Growth Plan

1. All teachers will pursue annual professional growth plans that will help them support optimum student learning

2. An annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan is expected to: a. Reflect goals or objectives based on self-assessment of learning needs by the individual teacher; b. Show a demonstrable relationship to the Teaching Quality Standard c. Take into consideration the educational plans of the school, and Alberta Education

3. The annual professional growth plan may be a component of a long-term multi-year plan.

4. The growth plan may be a planned program of supervising a student teacher or mentoring a teacher

5. Prior to October 8 of the school year, a teacher must submit an annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan for review and approval

6. Teacher Professional Growth Plans should address the following: goal(s) for the year, objectives and strategies to obtain the goal, results/measures, and a time line for implementation

7. The Principal or designate in conjunction with the teacher, must determine whether the teacher has submitted an annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan that complies with B.2 and above.

8. As part of the supervision process a Principal will maintain an awareness of a teacher’s professional growth plan, the status of progression towards achieving the goal(s) of the plan and may include the provision of guidance and assistance in implementing and/or achieving the plan.

9. Prior to the end of the school year, each teacher will meet with the Principal to discuss the implementation of the growth plan as well as professional growth needs and any implications for the next planning cycle.

10. A teacher who fails to submit and/or implement an annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan as required in this administrative procedure, may be subject to disciplinary action as determined by the Principal.

11. The Principal will retain a copy of Teacher Professional Growth Plans for the period of the school year.

12. Unless a teacher agrees, the content of an annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan must not be part of an evaluation of a teacher.

13. Despite B.12 above, a Principal may identify behaviours or practices that may require evaluation in accordance with this administrative procedure provided that the information identified is based on a source other than that in the annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan of the teacher.

C. Teacher Supervision

1. The Principal will be responsible for supervising teachers and for reporting on supervision activities.

2. Supervision of teachers will include:

a. Providing support and guidance to teachers including assisting teachers to become familiar with the professional responsibilities as outlined in the Teaching Quality Standard;

b. Observing and receiving information from any source about the quality of teaching a teacher provides to students;

c. Identifying the behaviours or practices of a teacher that for any reason may require an evaluation.

3. The Principal and other school-based administrators, will participate in supervision through:

a. Communication between the teacher and the administrator;

b. Reviewing the teacher’s annual individualized Professional Growth Plan; 

c. The acquisition of information regarding the teacher’s participating in any aspect of the activities of the school;

d. Frequent informal visits to the teacher’s classroom including the observation of a teacher’s teaching.

4. Where the Principal, through the process of supervision, has reason to believe that a teacher, through non-culpable behaviour, may not be meeting the expectations of the Teaching Quality Standard, a teacher evaluation may be initiated in accordance with the Teacher Evaluation section of this administrative procedure.

D. Teacher Evaluation

1. Evaluation is intended to perform a judgmental function regarding the teacher’s competence in relation to the Teaching Quality Standard.

2. The evaluation of a teacher by an evaluator may be conducted:

a. Upon written request by a teacher;

b. For purposes of gathering information related to a specific employment decision;

c. For purposes of assessing the growth of a teacher for the issuing of a permanent professional teaching certificate;

d. When, on the basis of information received through supervision, the Principal has a reason to believe that the teaching of a teacher may not meet the Teaching Quality Standard;

e. When on the basis of information received, the Principal has reason to believe that the teaching of a teacher may not meet the Teaching Quality Standard.

3. If a concern regarding a teacher’s competence is expressed by a parent or by a student to the Principal, the Principal will:

a. Arrange for the person concerned to discuss the matter with the teacher;

b. If the matter remains unresolved, attempt to deal with the situation through reconciliation, mediation or an investigation;

c. If an investigation leads to the belief the teacher may not be meeting the Teaching Quality Standard, initiate the teacher evaluation process.

4. On initiating an evaluation and prior to formal observations, the evaluator will communicate explicitly to the teacher:

a. The reasons for and purposes of the evaluation;

b. The process, criteria and standards to be used;

c. The timelines to be applied, and;

d. The possible outcomes of the evaluation.

5. A report on teacher evaluation will consist of:

a. A “Profile of Teacher Performance”;

b. A written portion to include classroom observations, strengths, areas for improvement and a summary/conclusion/ recommendation;

c. A teacher statement: “I hereby certify that I have received a copy of this evaluation report and have had an opportunity to discuss the report with the evaluator”.

6. All evaluation reports will be signed by the teacher and the evaluator.

7. A copy of the evaluation report will be provided to the teacher being evaluated and the school Principal. The original report will be held in the teacher’s personnel file.

8. A teacher being evaluated shall be given the opportunity to append additional comments to an evaluation report.

9. A teacher can appeal an evaluation to the Principal on the basis of content, that the administrative procedure was not followed, or that due process was not received.

10. Teachers may review their personnel file.

E. Evaluation of Teachers on Multi-Year Contracts

These procedures are specific to teachers on Multi-Year Contracts and are additional to those described in D.1 to D.10 of this administrative procedure. 

1. Prior to an evaluation being conducted, the teacher to be evaluated shall submit a written request or receive written notification. A copy of such written notification will be kept in the teacher’s personnel file.

2. The following shall be included by the evaluator as part of the evaluation process;

a. Multiple observations based upon establish performance criteria;

b. Frequent conferencing including the evaluator’s observations about a teacher’s strengths/weaknesses in the major performance areas.

3. The evaluator shall write a written report based upon the established criteria and the evaluator’s assessment of the teacher’s competence in the performance areas. The report shall include either a recommendation that the teacher evaluation process be terminated or that it be extended.

4. Where the evaluator determines that remediation is necessary to raise the quality of a teacher’s performance to an acceptable level, the evaluator will provide a Notice of Remediation to the teacher.

5. A Notice of Remediation will be a written statement issued to the teacher by the evaluator and will describe:

a. The behaviours or practices that do not meet the Teaching Quality Standard and the changes required;

b. The remediation strategies the teacher is advised to pursue;

c. A reasonable time schedule to address the remediation strategies;

d. How the determination will be made that the required changes have taken place;

e. The consequences of not achieving the required changes including, but not limited to, termination of the teacher’s contract of employment; and

f. Notification that the remediation strategies stipulated may replace the obligation of the teacher to develop and implement an annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan.

6. In accordance with the expectations and timelines of the Notice of Remediation and to provide for consistency, the original evaluator shall be involved in the final teacher evaluation. At the Superintendent’s discretion, an additional evaluator may be involved in the evaluation process at this stage.

7. A new (final) evaluation will be undertaken with a focus on assessing the degree to which the teacher has met the performance expectations specifically described in the Notice of Remediation.

8. Following the final evaluation process, the evaluator(s) will make a written assessment of the teacher’s performance and will include a recommendation(s) to the Superintendent.

9. On receiving the evaluator(s) report and recommendation(s); the Superintendent shall conclude the evaluation process, terminate the teacher’s contract, or make another decision which he/she believes is in the best interest of the teacher and/ or school.

10. In the event of termination of contract, the teacher shall be made aware of his/ her right to appeal to the company Director.

F. Evaluation of Teachers on One Year Contracts

These procedures are specific to teachers on one-year contract and are additional to those described in D.1 to D.10 of this administrative procedure.

1. Teachers on one-year contracts will be evaluated during the term of their contract in accordance with this administrative procedure.

2. It is the responsibility of the school Principal to ensure that teachers on one-year contracts receive a copy of the Division Administrative Procedure: “Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation”. The Principal will also discuss the administrative procedures, performance criteria and reporting and appeal procedures with the teacher.

3. Teachers on one-year contracts will be evaluated by the Principal

4. Teacher evaluation reports will be based upon a minimum of 60 minutes of classroom observations over at least two separate visits. Observations will be based upon established performance criteria.

5. Each visit or series of visits to the classroom will be followed by a conference between the teacher and evaluator.

G. Evaluation of Teachers Eligible for Permanent Certification

These procedures are addition to those described in D.1 to D.10 of this administrative procedure.

1. It is the responsibility of the school Principal to ensure that teachers who will be eligible for permanent certification receive a copy of the Division Administrative Procedure: “Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation”.

2. The Principal will also discuss the administrative procedures, performance criteria and reporting and appeal procedures with the teacher.

3. The teacher will be evaluated by the Principal.

4. Teacher evaluation reports will be based upon a minimum of 45 minutes of classroom observations over at least two separate visits. Observations will be based upon established performance criteria.

5. Each visit or series of visits to the classroom will be followed by a conference between the teacher and evaluator. Reference: Section 18, 20 School Act Certification of Teachers Regulation 3/99 (Amended A.R. 206/2001) Practice Review of Teachers Regulation 4/99 Teaching Quality Standard (Ministerial Order 016/97) Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy 2.1.5 Guide to Education ECS to Grade 12 

Professional Development

Over the course of the year the organized aspect of our professional development for QSCIS will take place on the following ways:

1. Face to face whole staff group will happen at three times during the year.

a. The first will be two days of orientation in August shortly after all teachers have arrived in country. Activities will include discussions and presentations on school policy and the contextual situation and best teaching practices of our schools. Staff will have time for collaborative learning groups.

b. Two weekend days in October. Staff will have time to socialize reconnect with collaborative learning groups to further common projects.

c. Two weekend days in April. Exit survey will be conducted with the staff to look at what went well and what improvements could be made for the following school years.

2. Staff can communicate or use the staff network for support during the year through staff WeChat groups. Staff will create a Teacher Professional Growth Plan (Templates and Forms) that is linked to the TQS. This plan will be presented at a meeting with the administration and followed up with another meeting at the end of the year. Goals may be worked on collaboratively with other teachers during the year.