Delaware school district ‘grows’ its own administrators

Delaware’s Indian River school district has taken the guess work out of hiring by “growing” its own administrators.

Superintendent Susan Bunting said at a Monday conference session that the district’s Administrative Development Program (ADP) gives teacher leaders an opportunity to learn about and prepare for administrative positions at the school or district levels.

To apply, interested staff members complete a leadership survey, submit letters of recommendation from their principal and peers, outline their career aspirations, and write  an essay about why they want to participate.

The training covers the district’s vision, goals, and program expectations; the school budget process; the instructional program; student support services; human resources; data analysis; and a job preparation session where the teachers polish their resumes and participate in mock interviews.

In addition to completing all homework assignments and class activities, ADP participants are expected to read books on leadership and instructional strategies, plan and lead a book discussion, shadow administrators, conduct rubric-linked “walk throughs,” carry out a project that reflects leadership initiative, conduct a building inspection to ascertain the need for minor capital improvements, and write a summary paper describing how the experience helped them develop personal leadership skills.  

At a culminating event, participants demonstrate their leadership skills by presenting their projects to school board members and key district administrators.

According to board President Charles Bireley and Vice-President Nina Lou Bunting, the program provides a “a pool of highly qualified administrators ready to step in and hit the ground running for any area of district need. By growing our own, we feel confident as we are filling our ranks with the right people at the right time.”

So far, 19 “high-potential” teachers have completed the program. Seven have become assistant principals, one supervises transportation, one supervises secondary instruction, one doubles as both the district’s testing coordinator and new teacher mentoring coordinator, and three are building math specialists.