Capstone Project Reflection

5

RESOURCES AND REFLECTIVE PAPER

Resources and Reflective Paper

EDU:

02/18/2018

Summary

The objective of public education is the creation of a leader that is not simply an administrator but an executive. The underlying goal in this case is to promote performance improvement. As a result, it consequently follows that school leaders should aim over and beyond maintenance of the status quo. Instead, their concern should be to create schools that could adapt quickly to dynamic changes to improve their performance. To achieve this there is the inherent needs for school heads to create relationships with their staff members based a common purpose. Both the school heads and the staff should work in conformity with this set of values that define decision making. Similarly, the staff should build bridges with students, resulting in more concrete relationships with the parent and student community. Based on the NC Standards for School Executives, this discussion aims at highlighting these standards in relation to a provided scenario.

Regarding the demographics of the data obtained, it can be concluded that the population is diverse. The parameters of interest in this case are race, gender and linguistic background. The monthly rate of absenteeism is 3 % across both genders. The number of students transferring to the school is 3 and no homeschoolers transferred to the institution. In the previous year, three students were referred for special education. The school motto is defined by academic engagement and relationship building in preparation for high school. The reliability of the school program is relatively low in the sense that it is not doing what it is designed to do. The school curriculum as well as the associated benchmarks is state-mandated. Eighty-six percent of the student population comes from low-income families. Half of the teachers have graduate degrees while three of them are national board certified. Most of the teachers have an experience of six years and above. The school also has other support staff members, out of which one is a guidance counselor, .33 school psychologist, five para-professionals and one parent coordinator.

The school has been able to illustrate the standard of Strategic Leadership (STANDARD 1). Specifically, this is in relation to their vision which is staying ‘committed to assisting students with the development of the social and academic skills needed to be college and career ready in an ever-changing society.’ Instructional Leadership (STANDARD 2) has also been demonstrated since the school has adopted 21st century methods of assessment. This is further evidenced by the fact that teachers create conducive class environments based on data. There is the evidence of use of formative assessments in order to impact instruction. There is also evidence of External Development Leadership (STANDARD 6). This is justified by the way in which the school leadership engages the community in decision making. As a matter of fact, education in the school is based on the collaborative effort of parents, teachers, administrators and the community at large. In other words, the systems are designed in such a way that the community is engaged in the responsibility of ensuring success in education. Academic Achievement Leadership (STANDARD 8) has equally been illustrated from the data. There are systems designed to ensure that achievement is measurable, and this is specifically through course assessment, grade assessment and student learning evaluation. The fact that the school acknowledges the importance of culture in its performance is an illustration of Cultural Leadership (STANDARD 3). The Arts and co-curricular programs such as the band, drama, and music and so on are all cultural aspects that recognize the cultural diversity in the school.

Clearly, there is proactive leadership in the school, consistent with the NC standards for executives. Leadership has been demonstrated as a social act as the executives are striving to work with the people, for the people and through the people. It has also been clear that process and systems have been relied heavily upon to make this type of leadership a reality.

References

n.d.Retrieved from

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept09/vol67/num01/Leading-for-Global-Competency.aspx