The School District of the City of Harrisburg

Board of School Directors

2017-2018 Superintendent Objective
Performance Standards
At its September 17, 2018 the Board of School Directors determined that Superintendent Dr. Sybil Knight-
Burney met the mutually agreed upon objective performance standards for the 2017-2018 school year. The
mutually agreed upon objective performance standards are as follows:

Category I: Educational Leadership

This category considers whether the Superintendent provides leadership: (a) to improve business
operations of the School District, teaching and learning, including putting programs and improvement
efforts into action; (b) to develop a mission and establish clear goals for the School District, for the
Superintendent and for each of the administrators of the School District; (c) to provide direction in
achieving the stated goals; (d) to encourage others to contribute to goal achievement; and to secure
committee to a course of action from individuals and groups.
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
Performance Demonstrates: Performance Demonstrates:
o Articulates and causes the adoption of a clear o Limited, or absence of, goals for the School
goals for the School District, the Superintendent District, the Superintendent or administrators
and administrators o Unclear or trivial instructional goals and low
o Adopts and/or adheres to specific procedures expectations for students.
and processes to establish high expectations for o Little or no awareness of resources, materials,
self and others and technology available through the school or
o Encourages innovation and improvement in district or professional organizations
teaching and learning o Inappropriate or incoherent plans or goals
o Sets and clarifies measurable objectives o Inappropriate assessments of student learning
o Generates enthusiasm and works to persuade not aligned to the instructional goals nor
others to work together to accomplish common adapted as needed for student needs
goals o Lack of demonstrated enthusiasm by one or
o Builds and fosters relationships with businesses more district groups
and the community to improve the quality of o Inability to reduce or eliminate controversy
teaching and learning and to obtain additional
resources for the school district
o Consistently articulates expectations regarding
the performance of others clearly
o Acknowledges achievement and
accomplishment of others
o Seeks commitment of all involved to a specific
course of action
o Is perceived as an educational leader by the
professional staff of the School District
 The School District of the City of Harrisburg
Board of School Directors
2017-2018 Superintendent Objective
Performance Standards

Category II: Teamwork

This category relates to the Superintendent’s efforts and effectiveness in seeking and encouraging
involvement of team members including the School Board, administrative team, staff and the community;
modeling and encouraging the behaviors that move the group to task completion; supporting group
accomplishment.
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
Performance demonstrates: Performance demonstrates:
o Solicits and supports the ideas and views of team o Infrequently solicits or supports the ideas and
members to solve problems views of team members to solve problems
o Encourages other to share their ideas o Rarely or infrequently encourages others to
o Contributes ideas toward achieving a solution share ideas
o Assists in the operational tasks of the team o Rarely or infrequently contributes ideas to
o Seeks input from others regarding their own achieving solutions
ideas and solutions o Rarely or infrequently seeks input from others
o Assists the team in maintaining the direction o Rarely or infrequently assists the team in
needed to complete a task maintaining the direction needed to complete a
o Seeks consensus among team members task
o Consistently models professional and proper o Rarely or infrequently seeks consensus among
behavior team members
o Keeps all constituents fully informed of all o Does not consistently keep all constituents fully
material information needed for effective informed of all material information needed for
decision making effective decision making
o Does not consistently model professional and
proper behavior

Category III: Sensitivity

This category relates to the Superintendent’s efforts and effectiveness in perceiving the needs and
concerns of others; dealing tactfully with others in emotionally stressful situation or in conflicts; knowing
what information to communicate and to whom; effectively relating to people in different interest
groups.
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
Performance demonstrates: Performance demonstrates:
o Consistently interacts professionally and tactfully o Does not consistently interact professionally
with others and tactfully with others
o Consistently and effectively voices disagreement o Does not consistently and effectively voice
without creating unnecessary conflict disagreement without creating unnecessary
o Consistently communicates necessary conflict
information to the appropriate persons in a o Does not consistently communicate necessary
timely manner information to the appropriate persons in a
o timely manner
 The School District of the City of Harrisburg
Board of School Directors
2017-2018 Superintendent Objective
Performance Standards

Category III: Sensitivity-continued

Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
o Expresses when appropriate verbal and/or non- o Does not always express when appropriate
verbal recognition of feelings, needs and verbal and/or non-verbal recognition of
concerns of others feelings, needs and concerns of others
o Consistently takes action to divert or minimize o Does not consistently take action to divert or
unnecessary conflict minimize unnecessary conflict
o Consistently responds to others in a timely o Does not consistently respond to others in a
manner timely manner

Category IV: Judgment

This category relates to the Superintendent’s effectiveness in reaching logical conclusions and making
high quality decisions based on available information; giving appropriate priority to significant issues;
exercising appropriate caution in making decisions and in taking action; seeking out relevant data, facts,
and impressions; analyzing and interpreting complex information.
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
Performance demonstrates: Performance demonstrates:
o Consistently takes action within the bounds of o Does not consistently take action within the
appropriate priority bounds of appropriate priority·
o Acts with appropriate caution when dealing with o Does not consistently act with appropriate
unfamiliar issues and individuals caution when dealing with unfamiliar issues
o Carefully evaluates information to determine the and individuals
important elements o Does not carefully evaluate information to
o Consistently communicates a clear rationale for determine the important elements
a decision o Does not consistently communicate a clear
o When necessary, seeks additional information rationale for a decision
about issues and events relevant to the district o Does not consistently seek additional
o Seeks relevant sources of information to confirm information about issues and events relevant
or refute assumptions to the district when necessary
o Consistently and effectively seeks to identify the o Does not consistently seek relevant sources
cause of a problem of information to confirm or refute
assumptions
o Does not consistently and effectively seek to
identify the cause of a problem
 The School District of the City of Harrisburg
Board of School Directors
2017-2018 Superintendent Objective
Performance Standards

Category V: Results Orientation/Decisiveness

This category relates to the Superintendent’s effectiveness in assuming responsibility; recognizing when a
decision is required; taking prompt action as issues emerge; resolving short-term issues while balancing
them against long-term objectives.
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
Performance demonstrates: Performance demonstrates:
o Consistently takes action to move issues toward o Does not consistently take action to move
closure in a timely manner issues toward closure in a timely manner
o Consistently takes responsibility to implement o Does not consistently take responsibility to
initiatives to improve teaching and learning implement initiatives to improve teaching and
o Consistently determines the criteria that learning
indicates a problem or issue is resolved o Does not consistently determine the criteria
o Consistently considers the long- term and short- that indicates a problem or issue is resolved
term implications of a decision before taking o Does not consistently consider the long-term
action and short-term implications of a decision
o Relates individual issues to the larger picture before taking action
and ensures that the school board is kept o Does not consistently relate individual issues
advised how its decisions affect the larger issue to the larger picture or ensures that the school
board is kept advised how its decisions affect
the larger issue

Category VI: Planning and Organizational Performance

This category relates to the Superintendent’s effectiveness in planning and scheduling the
Superintendent’s own work, the work of the administrative and the work of the School Board; in
scheduling the flow of activities; in establishing procedures to monitor projects; practicing time and task
management; and knowing what to delegate to whom.
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
Performance demonstrates: Performance demonstrates:
o Consistently and appropriately delegates o Does not consistently or appropriately
responsibility to others Develops effective action delegate responsibility to others
plans to address problems or issues o Does not regularly develop effective action
o Effectively monitors progress and adjusts plans plans to address problems or issues
as needed o Does not effectively monitor progress and
o Consistently establishes timelines, schedules adjusts plans as
and milestones needed
o Is consistently well prepared for meetings o Does not consistently establish timelines,
o Makes effective use of available resources schedules and milestones Is not consistently
o Consistently establishes rules, forms, guidelines, well prepared for meetings
and procedures to implement school board o Does not always makes effective use of
policy available resources
 The School District of the City of Harrisburg
Board of School Directors
2017-2018 Superintendent Objective
Performance Standards
Category VI: Planning and Organizational Performance-continued
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
o Consistently and effectively ensures that actions o Does not consistently establish rules, forms,
required by the school board are taken and that guidelines, and procedures to implement
proper and thoughtful recommendations are school board policy
given so that the school board can make o Does not consistently or effectively ensure
informed decisions that actions required by the school board are
o Completes all duties in a timely manner and taken and that proper and thoughtful
consistent with requirements in law, under recommendations are given so that the school
contract, or under Policy board can make informed decisions
o Does not completes all duties in a timely
manner and consistent with requirements in
law, under contract, or under Policy

Category VII: Resource Management

This category relates to the Superintendent’s consistent and effective: (a) management of the resources
of the School District; (b) establishment of a systematic budgetary process that addresses the interests of
taxpayers and students; (c) establishment of ongoing and future-oriented facility planning and
maintenance to meet the district’s facility needs; and (d) management of human resources.
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
Performance demonstrates: Performance demonstrates:
o Consistently and regularly seeks all grants, o Does not consistently take action within the
foundation aid, and all delinquent taxes bounds of appropriate priority
o Carefully and regularly monitors budget o Does not consistently act with appropriate
development, purchases of goods and services, caution when dealing with unfamiliar issues
and accounting of the district's revenue and and individuals
expenditures o Does not carefully evaluate information to
o Effectively provides timely analysis and determine the
reporting of the district’s financial position to important elements
the school board and public o Does not consistently communicates a clear
o Implements and consistently follows effective rationale for a decision
systems for o Does not consistently seek additional
recruitment, employment, orientation, information about issues and events relevant
evaluation, in-service and professional to the district when necessary
development o Does not consistently seek relevant sources of
o Provides for the effective participation of information to confirm or refute assumptions
teachers, principals, and other staff members in o Does not consistently and effectively seek to
the preparation of the budget identify the
cause of a problem
o Does not provide for the effective
participation of teachers, principals and other
staff members in the preparation of the
budget
 The School District of the City of Harrisburg
Board of School Directors
2017-2018 Superintendent Objective
Performance Standards

Category VIII: Oral and Written Communication

This category relates to the Superintendent’s effectiveness in clearly communicating; timely
communicating; giving appropriate messages at appropriate times; making oral presentations that are
clear and easy to understand; expressing ideas clearly in writing; writing appropriately for different
audiences in the school district.
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
Performance demonstrates: Performance demonstrates:
o Consistently provides accurate and reliable o Does not consistently provide accurate and
information reliable information
o Consistently demonstrates effective o Does not consistently demonstrate effective
presentation skills; such as opening and closing presentation skills; such-as opening and
comments, eye contact, enthusiasm, confidence, closing comments, eye contact, enthusiasm,
rapport, use of visual aids confidence, rapport, use of visual aids
o Consistently speaks articulately o Does not consistently speak articulately
o Consistently uses grammar properly o Does not consistently use grammar properly
o Consistently tailors messages to meet the needs o Does not consistently tailor messages to meet
of unique audiences the needs of unique audiences
o Clearly presents thoughts and ideas consistently o Does not clearly present thoughts and ideas
in one-on-one, small groups, and formal consistently in one-on- one, small groups, and
presentations formal presentations
o Writes concisely when appropriate o Does not consistently write concisely when
o Consistently demonstrates technical proficiency appropriate
in writing o Does not consistently demonstrate technical
o Consistently expresses ideas clearly in writing proficiency in writing
o Consistently communicates about issues to the o Does not consistently expresses ideas clearly
school board on a timely manner in writing
o Does not consistently communicate about
issues to the school board on a timely manner
 The School District of the City of Harrisburg
Board of School Directors
2017-2018 Superintendent Objective
Performance Standards
Category IX: Community and Board Relations
This category relates to the Superintendent’s effectiveness in developing a strong and effective
relationship with the school board and community.
Exemplary Proficient Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory
Performance demonstrates: Performance demonstrates:
o Consistently informs and advises the school o Does not consistently inform or advise the
board about the programs, practices, activities school board about the programs, practices,
and problems of the school district activities and problems of the school district
o Consistently keeps the school board informed of o Does not consistently keep the school board
developments and administrative actions informed of developments and
o Works effectively to achieve consensus or unity administrative actions
among diverse viewpoints o Does not consistently work effectively to
o Consistently remains responsive to particular achieve consensus or unity among diverse
interests or views of individual board members viewpoints
o Timely advises the school board on the need for o Does not consistently remain responsive to
new and/or revised policies particular interests or views of individual
o Prepares and submits effective recommendations board members
to the school board relative to matters requiring o Does not consistently advise the school board
board action on a timely basis on·· the need for new
o Timely and fully provides the school board with and/or revised policies
appropriate information needed to ensure the o Does not consistently or adequately prepare
making of informed decisions and submit effective recommendations to
o Maintains an effective public relations program the school board relative to matters requiring
so the public is consistently informed of district board action
activities, successes, and needs o Does not consistently or fully provide the
o Consistently responds in a timely and appropriate school board on a timely oasis with
manner to public concerns appropriate information needed to ensure
the making of informed decisions
o Does not adequately maintain an effective
public relations program so that the public is
consistently informed of district activities,
successes and needs
o Does not consistently respond in a timely and
appropriate manner to public concerns