Standard 5 - Managerial Leadership
Principals will ensure that the school has processes and systems in place for budgeting, staffing, problem-solving, communicating expectations and scheduling that result in organizing the work routines in the building. The principal must be responsible for the monitoring of the school budget and the inclusion of all teachers in the budget decision so as to meet the 21st century needs of every classroom. Effectively and efficiently managing the complexity of every day life is critical for staff to be able to focus its energy on improvement.
Element Va. School Resources and Budget: The principal establishes budget processes and systems which are focused on, and result in, improved student achievement.
As part of my coursework for DPLA, I had the opportunity to look at the quantitative and qualitative data for a school and then make decisions in a SIT format in order to make decisions pertaining to how the budgetary funds should be spent. Additionally, at Bethesda, I collaborated with the Instructional Leadership Team in order to create a funding proposal for an after-school tutorial program that would specifically address increasing student achievement.
Element Vb. Conflict Management and Resolution: The principal effectively and efficiently manages the complexity of human interactions so that the focus of the school can be on improved student achievement.
As a part of our formative assessment day, we had to prioritize conflicts in the order we would address them as an administrator. Then we were instructed develop a tentative plan for a resolution. This experience has helped me as a current school leader and will continue to assist me in the future with understanding time management, delegation of tasks, and understanding when I need to contact additional team members or district leaders to resolve an issue. It was extremely important to use sound judgement in order to successfully manage the caseload with which we were presented. Additionally, after I transitioned back to Bethesda, I became the 504 coordinator. On my caseload, I had a student who was still in the "pending" stage due to a conflict between the parents in terms of what this student needed based upon the medical diagnosis. My first step was to reach out to find additional information from our district 504 contact. Below you will see an email that I received from her pertaining to advice moving forward. When we met as a team, we were able to come to consensus based upon the needs of the child and ensure that everyone was on the same page moving forward. Since our meeting, both parents have been incredibly happy with the supports that are in place for their child, the teachers are encouraged that the student is receiving the needed accommodations, and the student has been making progress!
Element Vc. Systematic Communication: The principal designs and utilizes various forms of formal and informal communication so that the focus of the school can be on improved student achievement.
As part of the Instructional Leadership Teams at both Neal and Bethesda, we created a variety of documents in order to communicate efficiently with stakeholders. Below are two examples of communication. Additionally, I regularly communicated with stakeholders via email, phone, text, ConnectEd messages, and face-to-face in order to meet a variety of needs. I also created a flowchart for discipline infractions so that all staff members had the information in order to follow our PBIS expectations for managing student conduct. Below you will also find examples of text and ConnectEd communication with parents.
Element Vd. School Expectations for Students and Staff: The principal develops and enforces expectations, structures, rules and procedures for students and staff
At Neal, I had the opportunity to create a game in order to review the staff handbook expectations that had previously been shared with the staff via the electronic handbook. It was a fun way to review the expectations to ensure that all staff members were aware of the highlights of the staff handbook. Additionally, I created a list of the non-negotiable expectations for students, teachers, and administrators so that the school community is fully aware of the expectations.
Coursework
Distinguished Leadership in Practice with NCPAPA
Problem of Practice
School Budgeting Class ProjectSchool Law
Professional Development and Specialized Trainings
Crucial Conversations
Crucial Accountability
BB&T Leadership
Readings
How to Win Friends and Influence People (Carnegie)
The Law and Special Education (Yell)
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Covey)
The Principal's Guide to School Budgeting (Sorenson & Goldsmith)
The Strategic School: Making the Most of People, Time, and Money (Miles & Frank)
Distinguished Leadership in Practice with NCPAPA
Problem of Practice
School Budgeting Class ProjectSchool Law
Professional Development and Specialized Trainings
Crucial Conversations
Crucial Accountability
BB&T Leadership
Readings
How to Win Friends and Influence People (Carnegie)
The Law and Special Education (Yell)
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Covey)
The Principal's Guide to School Budgeting (Sorenson & Goldsmith)
The Strategic School: Making the Most of People, Time, and Money (Miles & Frank)