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Activities at the End of the Academic Year

  1. Introduction

    It is critical that the end of the academic year be a time for reflection, self-assessment, and continuing the process of ongoing program improvement. While celebrations can reinforce a sense of community and accomplishment, other end-of-year activities can go far to assist program leaders in examining progress and identifying future goals and tasks.

  2. Tasks

    1. Implement program evaluation (See Standard 9, Illinois Induction Program Continuum)
      1. Administer end-of-year evaluation instruments. Compile and analyze the resulting data.
      2. Determine how evaluation results will be articulated and publicized
      3. Create a plan for program revisions based on evaluation results
      4. Use previous baseline data to compare with end-of-year evaluation data
      5. Use the Illinois Induction Program Continuum as the basis for self-assessment and program improvement
    2. Design and implement recognition activities
      1. Create end-of-year celebrations that focus on the accomplishments of the program, mentors, and beginning teachers
      2. Establish a forum for beginning teachers and mentors to engage in end-of-year reflection
      3. Focus on the following year and its mentoring activities
    3. Plan for sustainability: looking to the future
      1. Conduct a structured discussion on continuous program improvement. This can be done in a mentor/beginning teacher forum as well as in a Collaborative Leadership Team meeting.
      2. Communicate with stakeholders regarding Collaborative Leadership Team findings and plans for the future
    4. Provide for transition of new program leaders
      1. Provide time for outgoing and incoming leaders to meet and share information
      2. Provide history, background, goals, challenges, and other relevant information to new program leaders
      3. Provide new leader(s) with ready access to relevant documents, data, files, and online information
      4. Clearly articulate stakeholder and leadership roles for the new leader(s)

  3. Highly Effective Practices

    1. Evaluation tools should be part of a formative process that leads to practical program revisions.
    2. Program progress and development should be thought of in terms of ongoing program improvement, not merely as an end-of-year celebration.