Veteran educator loves new leadership role

Nov. 1—Longtime principal Susan Hendricks has transitioned to the role of director of leadership for Ector County ISD and she's loving it.

Hendricks is serving as instructional coach to principals with the goal of building instructional and coaching skills through Ector County ISD's Assistant Principal Academies.

Hendricks is working with principals to tighten up professional learning communities and understanding processes like data driven instruction and planning backward.

"Planning backward is when you take the short-cycle assessment that is at the end of the unit. Basically, you're planning with the end in mind. So, you start from there in the TEKS, or the standards that are going to be taught, and you build lesson plans, not teaching to the test, but making sure that students are getting exposure to high rigor so that they are able to master the TEKS that are going to be on the test," Hendricks said.

Planning backward also includes pacing the lessons they're going to be teaching, making sure teachers have enough time to get through everything.

She is a coach so she works closely with the executive directors of leadership.

"We work together to make sure that new principals are adjusting into their new role from assistant principal to principal and receiving the coaching that they need on their campuses for the instructional practices," Hendricks said.

She's also working closely with principals on improvement required campuses and is there for any other needs that principals have.

Principals aren't shy about asking for help.

"I've built relationships with quite a few of our principals already because when I was a principal, I had those relationships. Having those relationships already built has helped me in this position," Hendricks said.

Since she was an instructional coach herself for years, Hendricks said that also has helped.

"I deeply believe in the coaching process and I feel that the support and the coaching that teachers and principals receive helps grow them faster than just a one time a year evaluation. What I have found is that the principals have been very open to receiving coaching, support and feedback. It's been nice and it's been fun working with them. I really enjoy it," she added.

Hendricks, who was most recently principal at Ross Elementary, mostly works with elementary campuses, but also middle and a high school, Permian High School.

There are four pilot campuses working in conjunction with the University of Virginia, Permian, Nimitz Middle School, and Blanton and Blackshear elementary schools. She works with those principals on their plans.

"Most of it is centered around our district strategic plan and our initiatives which is the DDI (data-driven instruction)," Hendricks said.

She also is the District Coordinator for Student Improvement. She helps principals at improvement required schools build their plan and makes sure the plan is implemented. Hendricks also gives training and helps them achieve their goals.

So far, she said, she loves her new job, which is also a new position for the district.

"I've been in the school setting for 20 years and I've been an instructional coach, been a principal, been an assistant principal. I was ready to make a bigger impact with our district," Hendricks. "The processes that our district has in place I used with fidelity and felt that I could help other principals. You implement these on their campuses, as well."

"I also have a heart for building leaders and I feel that just like our teachers have instructional coaches, our principals should have coaches as well," she added.

Hendricks said she is excited about her job and it's been a lot of fun.

"It is satisfying to do walkthroughs in classrooms with principals and sit down and come up with a plan and give them feedback and see them implement the feedback and the change happens. That's a very exciting process," Hendricks said.

Chief of Schools Keeley Boyer said Hendricks was an exceptional elementary principal.

"She understands the systems and practices necessary for school improvement. Her experience and skills are perfect for her new role developing school leaders," Boyer said in a text message.

An Odessa native, Hendricks said this is her 21st year in education.

She has a bachelor of science in education from University of Texas Permian Basin and a master's in educational leadership from Walden University.

Hendricks said she didn't think about being an educator until she had her first child.

"That's when I decided I wanted to be an educator and then when I became a teacher, I fell in love with education. It's just part of who I am now," Hendricks said.

She is married to her husband, Ethan.

She has two children and two stepsons. Her daughter is a junior attending PHS and her son is a former Marine now attending UTPB. Her stepsons are at Compass Academy Charter School.