Teacher+Evaluation

Teachers on the Zionsville Middle School staff were hired into their positions because they were the absolute best candidates available. The principal’s recommendation to hire each staff member is an endorsement of that candidate to the school board of trustees. From that point forward, the principal and the teacher are inexorably linked. With that understanding, it is easy to see that the principal is invested in that teacher’s success. Not only is it the principal’s responsibility to provide the best education possible for the students of the school, there is also an intrinsic, vested interest that is shared between the teacher and principal. It is with this in mind that teachers and administrators should enter the evaluation process. Though nerves and discomfort are often associated with evaluation, if the process is entered with the notion that both “players” are on the same side, then the tension eases a bit. To use another sports metaphor, the principal is like a coach whose own job performance is dependent of the performance of her players. It is the coach’s responsibility to instruct players how to improve so that the entire team is successful. The player, likewise, must follow the coach’s guidance to improve individual performance for the betterment of the team. Educators in their first two years in ZCS are evaluated twice a year. The first evaluation is completed prior to January 1 and the second is completed prior to April 1. A formal classroom observation is part of each of these evaluations. Oftentimes people misunderstand the process and confuse the formal observation with the evaluation itself. While these visits are certainly a part of the process, they are in no way the only source of information for the evaluation document. A teacher’s performance throughout the entire semester is considered in constructing the document. This information might initially sound ominous; however, upon closer inspection, one realizes that it takes some of the pressure off of the final classroom visit. The principal is not the only source of support for new teachers at ZMS. Each new teacher is assigned a mentor – even those with experience in other corporations. The mentor is generally a teacher in the same subject area or grade level as the new teacher. The mentor’s role is to assist the new teacher in whichever area a need arises. More often than not, a mentor’s most important role is acquainting the new teacher with the building and with necessary contacts (treasurer, custodian, technology coordinator, librarian, etc.). The mentor can also be a source for instructional suggestions, behavior management tricks, and assessment tools. Perhaps most importantly, the mentor teacher is there to lend a sympathetic ear. With the New Teacher Academy, new teacher meetings within the building, and staff development opportunities, it is our hope to provide a safety net and support system for each of our new educators. New teachers will find that the ZMS staff is a friendly one, and one bent on providing the best atmosphere possible for our new colleagues. Please do not hesitate to ask for assistance. We do not expect you to know all of the answers, and we certainly don’t want you to have to figure them all out for yourself! Take advantage of our experience to make yours a good one!
 * Teacher Evaluation**