Short Essay #1
In developing the vision for the school, I believe the first step would be gathering
the input of all stakeholders. This includes students, parents, teachers, administration,
and all other contributing members of the community. The input would be organized in a
Likert-Scale type format that would allow the stakeholders to prioritize cultural and
academic goals at their own discretion.
Once the input has been received, it is imperative to have an administrative
meeting to discuss and review the results. The top two to three results should be
considered and deliberated on until a majority consensus is achieved. Should there be any
indecision, as acting principal, I would make the final judgment call.
Following the completion of the school vision, the dialogue would shift to the
implementation phase. The budget, resources and time need to be considered and
allocated appropriately. At this juncture it is important to delegate some of these
responsibilities to trusted team leaders and administrators within the school to oversee its
success. The framework of the school vision has already been outlined and the leaders
and administrators are free to work within those constructs to help execute that vision.
It is important to be as transparent as possible with our aspirations when
addressing all stakeholders. Although there may be some disagreements and even
skepticism in the school’s approach and implementation, it must always be noted that the
end goal is ultimately what is most important. The success of the student should always
be at the forefront of any decision or consideration. So despite conflicting views on what
and how that student success may look like, the unity amongst all stakeholders must be
consistent. Should there continue to be additional questions, concerns, or ideas along the
way, leadership teams are the first line of communication and act as the primary
advocates and bearers of the school vision.
As the principal that oversees the leadership groups and administrative team, it is
important for me to continually check in and provide feedback. Weekly meetings would
be instituted to address any potential updates or changes. These weekly meetings also act
as a measuring tool to track progress as well as a forum to discuss any necessary
modifications or alterations.
Short Essay #2
As an educational leader, the most integral component to a successful learning
environment in my opinion is safety. By creating a safe learning environment, this opens
the door to relationships with colleagues, students and teachers. When those relationships
are fostered, the willingness and eagerness to come to school is far more apparent. This
type of atmosphere also allows colleagues the opportunities to grow, question, and
develop their professional skills. The modernistic approach of self-improvement and
discovery that educators try to implement in their classrooms is more effective because
the workplace allows the teachers themselves to grow in that same capacity.
Furthermore, the uniformity of the modernistic approach both in the classroom
and school as a whole, allows for consistency in all aspects. Both students and teachers
alike are able to question and cultivate their own line of thinking within the constructs of
a greater picture. The teachers act as guides and provide feedback to the students, while
the administrators do the same for the teachers in their content area and teaching. By
allowing all parties to take control of their own teaching and learning, motivation levels
are increased due to the personalized nature of what is taking place.
My role as the educational leader in this modernistic approach would be that of a
facilitator. This would allow teachers to become more effective in their work due to the
ability to continuously self-evaluate while also integrating the feedback provided by
observations. The organic feel of the classroom allows for more cooperation and
collaboration as opposed to direct teaching style. The fluidity is important because it
highlights the uniqueness and contributions of each individual while also providing
guidance and feedback in reaching an outlined goal.
Short Essay #3
As a school administrator, I believe it is important to be cognizant of the needs of
the students, parents, and caregivers in the community. The plan of action I would
implement in this case would require open communication and two clearly stated
objectives. The first objective would focus on the importance of communication. By
sending out weekly newsletters, email notifications, updating school webpages and active
social media accounts, the school can correspond with the community in a myriad of
ways. This allows for the most current information and developments to be
communicated while also allowing for an open forum for questions and concerns to be
addressed publicly. This type of instantaneous communication combined with monthly
in-person meetings before school (i.e. coffee with the principal, bagels with teachers, etc.)
allows for more private and intimate discussions as well.
The second objective would highlight the need for continued involvement and
diligence. This applies to all parties and would require support from all stakeholders as
well. With teachers and administrators already on the same page in regards to school
vision, it is important to carry out those ideals in a realistic manner. Teacher feedback to
the students is already a given, but correspondence with parents via email or in-person
meetings is integral as well. Students who are struggling in class should take the most
precedence and should receive additional support if necessary. In-person meetings should
be conducted between stakeholders and parents to outline the progress of the student in
relation to his or her peers. Administrators or teachers in this case, can offer solutions to
the parents in conjunction with any additional supports the parent may feel are necessary.
Once the plan has been outlined it is imperative that progress is recorded and
communication is made on a regular scheduled basis. Copies of the implemented
solution, progress tracking, and correspondence should be issued to all parties involved to
ensure accountability and consistency. Any modifications can be made at any point in
time as long as all parties approve.
Short Essay #4
Ethical behavior is the fundamental driving force behind all decision making.
Parents spend their entire lives trying to teach their children right from wrong, while
teachers and faculty reinforce those fundamental core values within school grounds.
From a young age, students are taught the importance of honesty, fairness and equity in
all aspects of life. These ethical behaviors are demonstrated at home, in school, in
collaboration, and in competition.
By modeling these desired behaviors at school, teachers and faculty help reinforce
its importance and relevance in life. Students should always be mindful of these concepts
when tasked with making a decision, because ultimately these concepts will affect the
final outcome. The golden rule is something that is universally understood across the
globe, it emphasizes the significance of treating others as you would like to be treated.
This is because we ultimately receive what we put out in the world.
So as a leader, it is important even in my own leadership, that I stress the
importance of equity and fairness. By using honesty in my correspondence, I am valuing
the people around me enough to give them a fair and truthful take on any situation good
or bad. The equity and fairness comes from treating my colleagues and students as
respectable individuals. As one of the primary leaders of the school, it is my job to set
this type of precedence for others to follow. Through my words and actions, others will
follow due to the expectations I have set. It is also my duty to hold others accountable
when they fall short, but in a respectable manner. Alas, the golden rule is universal for a
reason, its daily application applies worldwide and certainly within the school grounds.
Case Study #1
In order to address the parent and superintendent concerns, I would start with
transparency and open lines of communication amongst all stakeholders. When
discussing the safety and well-being of over 1,000 students and personnel, it is important
that the expectations and communication is fluid. Within the school confines, there will
be posted hours of operation, faculty directory, emergency safety plans and emergency
service information readily available in each and every classroom or large gathering area.
Procedural duties and expectations will be outlined, reviewed, and rehearsed on a
monthly basis. This includes natural disasters, intruders in the building, and any other
emergency situations. The more familiar and comfortable all parties involved are in this
situation, the better. This will allow for more conscious and intentional action during
emergencies as opposed to panic induced actions that could be fatal.
By also integrating emergency services such as the police, fire department, and
medical department into the school prevention and crisis management team, the school is
also better equipped to handle various emergencies and unforeseen dilemmas. It is
important to emphasize the unity amongst all fronts to the parents and stakeholders
because this allows for unchanging expectations and accountability amongst all members.
As for the recent vandalism, the school would begin to implement stricter school
hours in which students can be on campus as well as the aforementioned increased
campus security. This will help reduce the timeframe in which the vandalism can take
place and also allow for greater security due to the tighter scheduling. Students that stay
at school longer than usual hours can find safety and growth in extracurricular clubs and
sports to help keep them accounted for and supervised.
During school hours the faculty will be more cognizant of disciplinary issues
through written logs that detail the frequency and severity of each infraction. As data
continues to grow, the school can readily address specific issues and potential repeat
offenders by assigning more one-on-one help or offering more specified supports to help
students get back on track. For the most part, most disciplinary issues involve a degree of
disconnect to the school, class, or students, and by addressing each of those needs, we
allow for students to feel more safe and comfortable in their surroundings. The goal in
each monthly meeting is to obviously reduce the severity and the number of infractions in
and outside of school, but there must also be a point of reference that points to the
correlation of crime in community and in other schools as well to get a better idea of the
procedural efficacy.
The presentation to the parents and stakeholders would highlight the points
previously mentioned and would also allow for an open question and answer forum. This
meeting would recorded and uploaded to the school website, social media pages, included
in the school newsletter, and any other outlet in which parents could communicate
through. It is also important to emphasize that this is an ongoing process and that is
constantly under revision. Parents and stakeholders can make their thoughts and opinions
known in the monthly meetings thereafter or through email and school social media
postings. This allows for the transparency the school is aiming for as well as a
collaborative effort that allows for open-minded discussion.
This particular method and solution was chosen due to its organic and ongoing
nature as well as its ability to allow for input at all levels. Stakeholders (especially
parents) want to know what measures are being taken and if those measures are actually
effective. The empirical data provided through disciplinary logs, number of incidents
reported outside of the school hours, and even in the community, help provide a clearer
picture of what is going on in the community as a whole. These are the points that should
be addressed in meetings and the data provided will help emphasize the objectives and
points being made.
Case Study #2
I believe the solution to this predicament comes from a unified leadership front.
By providing a vision that emphasizes the importance of democracy, equity, and
diversity, the school can then begin to take measures to help implement those changes.
My leadership style would stress the importance of delegation and trust. A leader cannot
expect of others, what he or she does not already expect of his or herself. The democracy
shown in my leadership style is apparent each and every day with my own colleagues.
This type of modeling allows for others to observe and implement it themselves in their
own line of work.
This type of delegation is not possible without trust in others, but also trust in
yourself. I must be able to realize that as a singular individual, I do not possess all the
necessary knowledge and skills to solve every problem myself. The point of the shared
leadership is to have colleagues you trust to oversee issues or problems that you may not
have time or understanding of. This type of environment is only sustained through
constant communication and understanding of what the ultimate goal is. That goal is to
provide the students the best opportunities to succeed while also ensuring their well-
being.
As a leadership team, we must refer to the school vision and implement
measurable processes to realize that vision. There must be measureable objectives along
the way to track progress while also providing a moment for revision. The leaders around
the principal are image bearers of what the principal believes and it is important for them
to be fully on board with the task at hand. These leaders will be the messengers and
advocates for the principal, so it is of the utmost importance that they are heard and
respected. These leaders come in the form of assistant principals, teachers, food services,
custodians etc. They all play a role in the success of the school and their contributions
cannot be overlooked. By giving each stakeholder a respective duty in the growth of the
school, we can hold each other and ourselves accountable. There is vested interest in each
individual regardless of his or her title. This type of diversity in our approach again,
provides a model in which the students can observe and learn from. Students will emulate
what they see, and if they see a fragmented team, they too will be fragmented.
If we want the students to feel safe and cared for, we must treat each other that
way also. The educational world is too unforgiving to hide your true thoughts and
intentions, so it is important that we act the way we expect others to act. This is how we
safeguard our culture and vision. We cannot hold others accountable if we do not hold
ourselves accountable and this starts from the very top with the principal. I emphasized
modeling and trust from the very beginning. This must come from me first because that
will provide the blueprint for how others respond and react.
I chose this solution because I believe in the contributions of every member and
stakeholder in the school. The world would not be as advanced as it is today without that
diverse learning mindset. It is essential that our contributions are valued and that is
shown through how we treat each other. We will see the change when we become the
change first. The emphasis is on the leaders and teachers to demonstrate just exactly
what it is they are looking for because the students will eventually follow. I know this
will be successful when the teachers feel empowered and valued. By providing them an
open door policy to voice their concerns, I can address them as need, while also
providing feedback that may validate their feelings and contributions. Weekly check-ins,
staff surveys, and leadership meetings, allow me the opportunity to continuously assess
the
general outlook of the school while also allowing me the opportunity to provide
additional supports .
