STANDARD FIVE: Managerial Leadership
5a. School Resources and budget: The principal establishes budget processes and systems which are focused on, and result in, improved student achievement.
As part of ELP 554: School Budget, my group created a strategic school-based budget presentation where we aligned the school budget to the school improvement plan of Benson Middle School. We analyzed an existing budget and school improvement plan for Benson Middle School. We reallocated money based on different "types" of money (local, state, or federal) to provide resources and staff members to the school that aligned with the goals outlined in the school improvement plan. Our budget processes equitably managed our financial resources to meet instructional goals. Through this project, I learned that the school bookkeeper is a vital resource and needs to be the school leader's closest ally when making and managing fiscal decisions |
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This artifact is the narrative that describes how my ELP 554 group made the decisions about our strategic school budget. We used the input of many key stakeholders to make our decisions. We analyzed an existing budget and school improvement plan for Benson Middle School. We reallocated money based on different "types" of money (local, state, or federal) to provide resources and staff members to the school that aligned with the goals outlined in the school improvement plan. Our budget processes equitably managed our financial resources to meet instructional goals. |
As part of my residency, I have spent several hours in conversation with our bookkeeper, Lisa Messick, who does a fabulous job of keeping our budget updated daily. She explained to me the budget codes, processes, and her organizational system. I learned how she keeps all her funds (general, supplies, athletic, clubs, etc...) separated, organized, and up to date. She meets with the principal every day to get signatures and go over budget issues. As principal resident, I have been involved in these conversations each week. I've learned that the school leader does not have to know all the budget codes but needs to be knowledgeable enough to know what is happening with the budget each day. |
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Through collaboration with my mentor principal, assistant principals, and the lead secretary, I was able to help make decisions about the preliminary staffing plan for the 2020-2021 school year. I helped make staffing decisions based on staff member's licensure areas, months of employment, and the diverse needs of our students. Our staffing plan uses staff member's strengths to ensure academic achievement for all students. Due to the sensitive personnel information, this artifact is only visible by NCSU program evaluators. |
5b. 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.
One of the specialized trainings I received in graduate school was Crucial Conversations. This training offered techniques that help create a safe space for crucial conversations when opinions differ, stakes are raised, and emotions are high. In my ELP 552: School-Based Planning, Management, and Evaluation in PLCs course, we reviewed the techniques that are essential to Crucial Conversations. This artifact is a reflection of a crucial conversation I initiated, how effective I felt the communication was, and if an agreed upon solution was reached. With this training and my principal residency, I have learned how school leaders manage the complexities of human interactions each day so that the focus of the school can be on improved student achievement. Crucial conversations are one way school leaders manage the human interactions with staff, students, and parents. |
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At Sanderson High School, there are many ways for staff to share concerns in a positive way. One way is during our department chair meetings. These meetings take place once a month and they always begin with a time for each department chair to share concerns and praise from their particular department. This process allows the team to identify and solve school-based problems or conflicts in a fair, democratic way while keeping the best interest of our students at the forefront of every decision. |
As part of my residency at Sanderson High School, I created a weekly staff checkout google form. This form asked for feedback from all staff members about what was going well and what suggestions/questions they had to improve our school. Making sure staff had a voice was a value of our administrative team. I send the link to this form out each week in our admin memo and then compile the information to share each week at our admin team meeting. The admin discusses the feedback and then creates next steps for how to address the concerns. This process helps manage the complexities of having over 130 staff members and ensuring student success is the main focus. |
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5c. 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.
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At the beginning of the year, one piece of feedback I kept hearing over and over from staff members was the need for consistent communication from administration. I approached my mentor principal, Gretta Dula, about creating an admin memo to go out each week with important dates, shout-outs, and pertinent information. This was something she had done in the past at her previous schools and was happy for me to take this task on each week. I compile the memo each week with feedback from administration, student services, office staff, and other key stakeholders. This memo is in the format of a google document so staff can refer back to it easily. This memo is a system of communication that provides for the timely, responsible sharing of information to the Sanderson staff. |
Another new initiative at Sanderson this year was the creation of the SHS Staff Site. This is a google site that is updated daily with staff absences and other important information. This has drastically reduced the number of schoolwide emails that are sent each day. Staff members are asked to email the lead secretary the information they would typically share in an email. Each administrator has access to the site to post information as needed. This site is a system of communication that provides for the timely, responsible sharing of information to the Sanderson staff. |
Updated student attendance is critical to our school records. During one of our intervention team meetings, it was evident that several staff members were not inputting their attendance regularly in PowerSchool. I volunteered to pull the staff attendance report each day and send an email to the staff members who had not completed their attendance for the day. I have noticed the number of staff inputting attendance daily increase significantly since I started sending the emails. Prior to the daily emails, there were 40 or more staff members that were not inputting attendance daily and now it is between 10 and 15 staff members. Several teachers have thanked me for not sending out an email to the whole staff when only a small portion of teachers need the reminder.
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During the summer of my principal residency at Ligon Magnet Middle School, I was eager to begin making a difference. Through conversation with the lead secretary, I realized the time it takes for her to organize the beginning of year required trainings and collect the signed paperwork. I offered to take this task on to help her. I created a google doc that included all of the links to the different trainings as well as the necessary forms. The staff appreciated having all of the information in one place. |
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Prior to the "Meet the Teacher" event at Sanderson High School, I discussed with Ms. Dula her expectations for the evening. I compiled a memo for the staff based on her feedback so that everyone would have the same information. This form of communication developed and enforced clear expectations and structures for the staff. |
At the beginning of my principal residency at Sanderson, I created a master calendar that had all of the meetings for the year listed in one place. This form of communication allowed teachers to know when all faculty, school improvement team, department chair, beginning teacher, equity team, and professional learning team meetings were for the entire year. This calendar allowed staff members to make personal appointments or other meetings (i.e. parent conferences, IEP meetings) for the year that would not interfere with important scheduled school meetings. |
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My NCSU October writing assignment was to create a memo explaining some type of change that was happening at school. This was a timely assignment for me because we were changing the process of our Homecoming Pep Rally and there were many staff members that wanted to know why. This piece of communication was well received by the staff because everyone got consistent information that described the "why" behind the decision. I learned the importance of sharing information with the whole staff rather than answering individual staff member's questions when the decision involves changing the "way things have always been done." |
5d. School Expectations for Students and Staff: The principal develops and enforces expectations, structures, rules and procedures for students and staff.
At the beginning of the school year, the administration worked together to create a "Welcome Back" assembly for students. This brief presentation outlined expectations, rules, and procedures for students. We hosted four different assemblies within the first two days of school so that we could speak to every student in person versus broadcasting on the classroom televisions. We focused on the major expectations, rules, and procedures that we wanted students to know. Each administrator introduced themselves and shared part of the presentation to the students. I learned that clear schoolwide expectations create structures for students that allow for more on-task behaviors and optimal learning time. |
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While doing my handbook assignment at the beginning of my principal residency, one thing I noticed that was missing at Sanderson was a Student/Parent Handbook. I took on the task of creating a handbook with information specific to Sanderson High School as well as WCPSS. I used input from administration and other key stakeholders about what information they would like to see in the student/parent handbook. This allowed a variety of voices to be included in this important document. I compiled all of the information in a google doc that can be edited each year. This process allowed me to develop a clear process for sharing expectations, structures, rules and procedures for students and parents. It was also a way for me to give back to Sanderson High School. |
Each assistant principal supervises one of the two lunch times each day. There are a couple policies in place to keep students in the cafeteria and supervised during lunch. For example, we ask all students to exit the cafeteria during lunch at the center door where an administrator is located. I noticed that several teachers were allowing students to exit the side doors during lunch to use the restroom. I got permission and sent a clarification email about the rules and procedures for students during lunch to all staff members that were at this particular duty station each week. I got several replies that said, "Thank you. I didn't know this was the policy." I learned the importance of sending clarification to staff members before assuming that all staff know the information and they are deliberately going against policy.
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As part of my residency, I have worked closely with the different assistant principals with student discipline. They have helped me use the Student Due Process manual and the Student Incident Reporting System (SIRS) to enforce equitable expectations, structures, rules, and consequences to students. Through this collaboration, I have learned how to handle some tricky situations that I never experienced when I was in an elementary school. |
About an hour before our Fall "Meet the Teacher" event, our JROTC Colonel came to the office to ask about the script his cadets were to read throughout the evening over the intercom. The lead secretary and I were the only ones in the office at the time and did not know anything about a script. I immediately got on my computer and created a schedule and script to announce the schedule of events for the evening. I presented the information to Ms. Dula prior to the start of the event to make sure it met her expectations and intended structure for the evening. She was pleased that I jumped in to create a clear structure for the evening. When it was time for our spring "Meet the Teacher" event, I was able to pull up the script from the fall, modify slightly, and give to Colonel Davis and his cadets in a timely manner! |
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