Glasgow superintendent receives good evaluation

By LISA SIMPSON STRANGE

GLASGOW — Following a first year as superintendent of Glasgow Independent Schools marked by both success and controversy, Kathy E. Goff was given a “good” evaluation by board members Tuesday night during a special-called meeting at the district’s central office.

Board chairman Jerry Ream and board members, Amelia Kiser, Chris Lawrence and Elaine Richardson were present for the meeting. Board member LaDonna Rogers was absent.

The school board used a new evaluation tool for Goff’s performance that was approved earlier this year.

“Our board back in February adopted a format to evaluate the superintendent based on a KSBA document and all board members approved that and it was distributed, I believe, at that time,” Ream said. “So what we’ve come up with is a summative or a summary of what represents the conclusions drawn by each board member and presented to our board team.”

Ream read Goff’s written evaluation aloud to the small group who attended the meeting.

“The Glasgow Independent Board of Education has completed the annual evaluation of Superintendent Kathy Goff for 2008-09. The past year has been a very positive one, as well as a very challenging one for our district.

“The evaluation instrument, developed and approved by the board in February of 2009, focused on: 1) nine professional standards and 2) personal goals developed by Mrs. Goff as part of her Kentucky Department of Education New Superintendent Plan of Action. Because the board must speak as one voice, a composite score was obtained by averaging the numerical scores on each standard or goal, and rounding to the nearest whole number. The ratings are designated as 0) Unacceptable, 1) Needs Improvement, 2) Good, and 3) Excellent. A copy of the standards and goals is attached to this summary statement, and the composite score is noted for each.

“In each of the areas of the nine professional standards, Superintendent Goff received a composite rating of good. A rating of good is defined in the evaluation instrument as: performance reflects a high degree of professionalism and accountability. Her particular strengths are in the standards defined as: 1) Organizational Management, 2) Curriculum Planning and Development, and 3) Student Achievement and Learning. Because of the recent controversy in the district over the hiring of the football coach, it should be noted that a report from the Office of Educational Accountability concluded that Mrs. Goff violated statute in this hiring process. Performance on the standards defined as Policy and Governance, Communications and Community Relations and Human Resources Management have been impacted by this situation. The entire leadership team, including the board, superintendent and administrators, must resolve to work together and not allow this or any controversy to detract from our mission.

“For this first evaluation, the personal goals of Mrs. Goff were in five areas: 1) Analysis of Test Data and Closing Achievement Gaps, 2) Professional Development and Instructional Leadership, 3) Communication, 4) Community Relations and 5) Business and Financial Management. Superintendent Goff received a composite rating of good in each of these areas. Again, Communication and Community Relations have been impacted by the aforementioned controversy.

“The Glasgow Independent Board of Education will be working with Superintendent Goff over the next several weeks to address a growth plan and develop goals for our district for the 2009-10 school year. Student achievement will be our number one priority as we work together to strive for excellence in the Glasgow Independent School System.”

After Ream finished reading the board’s evaluation of Goff, he asked for comments from board members. There were none.

All board members present approved a motion to accept the evaluation and signed the document.

“This is the first time in several years that we’ve had a formal evaluation and I’m glad we adopted the instrument that we used,” Ream said.

Goff read from a prepared written statement, which follows:

“I appreciate those of you who have expressed your confidence in me as an administrator who has effectively led this district over the past year.

“As with state and federal accountabilities such as No Child Left Behind, our goal must always be continuous improvement. When a school or district receives feedback on the progress of their students, they must all strive to achieve the next level of improvement. As a superintendent, I must do the same. For example, if a school or district knows they are reaching proficiency with 80 percent of their students, they must continue to strive for 100 percent. Likewise, as a superintendent if I receive similar feedback, I must always strive for 100 percent.

“I appreciate the board’s time and effort they have put into the evaluation and once again, it is time to get busy. There is much to be done before we open the doors in August and our time and priorities must be focused on preparing for the new school year. My focus will remain on meeting the needs of our students as they work to become successful citizens for the 21st Century.”

Board members voted to adjourn after hearing Goff’s statement.

Goff’s salary for the 2008-09 school year was $101,000. Board members will decide on how much of an increase, if any, she will receive for 2009-10 during a goal-setting meeting during the first part of July, according to Richardson. The amount will then be voted on at the next regular board meeting on July 13. If board members give the superintendent the same 1 percent increase the rest of the district’s certified employees received for the upcoming year, it will be an increase of $1,010 or a total of $102,010.