Supervisory Support Program (SSP)

The Supervisory Support Program (SSP) is a professional, voluntary, and confidential site-based assistance and training resource for principals, assis-tant principals, and other supervisory personnel who recognize the need for further professional development, have received a formal warning or U-rating, would like to develop new supervisory strategies, and/or have a reasonable basis for requesting participation.

SSP meets client needs by developing a trusting close relationship that allows for objective and nonevaluative analysis of job performance. An individualized collaborative plan is developed and implemented for each client. The development of a collegial, trusting relationship between clients and SSP team members is a key feature of this program. Supervisory Support Program team members meet with individual supervisors in their schools each week. The number of hours of each meeting vary with need.

SSP was established as a joint effort between the New York City Board of Education and the Council of Supervisors and Administrators. Program goals are designed to assist supervisors to:

• reach and maintain a high level of effective leadership,
• enhance and upgrade supervisory skills,
• utilize time management skills,
• improve staff development techniques, and
• develop new supervisory strategies.

Professional Development

Three days of initial training and follow-up consultation are recommended at either the developer or replicator site. Personnel need to be able to work with staff in elementary, middle, and senior high schools and in all programs offered. A variety of approaches to training is available:

• It is feasible for a skilled group to work independently with the replication manual and sample materials.
• A training session may be needed to analyze materials and to answer questions.
• Personnel may visit a New York City SSP team at work.
• SSP team members could train and shadow personnel for a varying number of days, depending on budget and need.