Welcome to the new home of the Kennebec Consortium for School Administrators.
INTRODUCTION
As part of the educational reform movement of the late 1980’s, new regulations for the certification of all administrators working in Maine schools were enacted by the Legislature. Effective in July, 1988, newly issued certificates and the renewal of existing certificates became subject to the provisions of 20A MRSA 13011 et seq. (also referred to as Chapter 502) and the regulations of the State Board of Education as delineated in the Board’s policy entitled, Certification of Educational Personnel: Standards and Procedures.
The establishment of support systems to assist educators with the renewal of themselves and their credentials was a major outcome of that legislation. The Kennebec Consortium for School Administrators is the designated organization for providing such support to school administrators employed in school districts in this geographic region. The policies and procedures of the Consortium are detailed in the KCSA State Plan, which has been approved by the Maine Department of Education. This printed Guide and its web-based version which is available at www.kcsamaine.com / have been developed to familiarize Consortium members with requirements for the renewal of administrative certificates and to provide a reference to the policies and procedures that shape the Consortium’s recertification process. We hope you find it helpful. We would welcome any suggestions you might have for improving its usefulness.
THE KCSA: ORIGINS, MISSION AND ORGANIZATION
Established in 1989 as an outgrowth of the Kennebec Valley Administrator Certification Pilot Project, the mission of the Kennebec Consortium for School Administrators is to promote and provide professional development activities and peer support for all practicing administrators in the Kennebec Valley area whose school units choose to participate. The Consortium will plan and offer professional growth activities, appoint and train and mentors, process administrator action plans, and make recommendations on renewal of individual administrator’s certificates. The primary goal of the Consortium is to facilitate continuing professional development across administrative roles; certification is an additional outcome of this process.
The specific objectives of the Consortium are…..
- to design, promote and provide professional development activities for school administrators whose positions require professional certification by the Maine Department of Education;
- to implement a system to guide all persons who are candidates for administrator recertification within the Kennebec Consortium;
- to review and approve Administrator Recertification Plans and Recertification Portfolios;
- to build strong relationships among Consortium members.
The KCSA Governing Board establishes policy and provides administrative oversight for the Consortium. Comprised of representation from each participating school district, the Maine Leadership Consortium and the Department of Education, membership reflects a balance across administrative roles. Responsibilities of the Board include:
- familiarizing all administrators in member districts with the goals, procedures and activities of the Consortium;
- planning and delivering professional development programs for members of the Consortium;
- approving Administrator Recertification Plans;
- making decisions on Administrator Recertification Plan time extensions in hardship cases; and
- making recommendations to the Commissioner concerning the recertification of candidates.
The work of the Board is facilitated by two standing committees, one focusing on certification matters and the other concerning itself with professional development activities. Ad hoc committees are appointed as needed to address specific tasks. Decisions and policies of the Board are implemented by the Director, who is appointed by the Board.
In summary, the Consortium develops professional growth activities, appoints and trains mentors, processes action plans and makes recommendations on renewal of administrator certificates. The primary goal of the Consortium is to facilitate professional growth; certification is an additional outcome of the process.