Standard 1 Standard 3 Case Study Where do we eat? 1. Did the administration have a contingency plan for the loss of the cafeteria facility? 2. Did the administration follow the state rules and regulations regarding student safety while at lunch during this time of turmoil? 3. What modifications were made to the make-shift situation after no immediate solution could be found? Scenario On Monday morning in a small high school located in a mountainous region the custodians noticed several tiles had fallen from the ceiling of the cafeteria and long cables were dangling from the open wholes. After the fire department was called and a closer evaluation was done of the building the frame of the building and the foundation had several severe cracks and breaks. On the mountain behind the school construction workers had been using dynamite to blast through a mountain to build a road. The blasting had caused breaks and cracks in this free standing cafeteria building and it was deemed unsafe for students and employees. This was in August and the administration contacted several local fast food businesses and set up arrangements for a different fast food restaurant to deliver food each day of the week. The students could buy drinks from the vending machines and each grade level was assigned to eat lunch in a certain area outside. The plan was logistically hard for teachers to take the orders of all the students in the first period class. Then the secretary had to call in the order to the business and the food was all delivered at one time. By the time the students got to eat the food it was cold and the quality was less than desirable. The first day it rained presented a new problem. The students were all assigned a classroom to have lunch in. The teachers and students were not happy about the new development. As more and more time passed no news was being shared with the faculty about the progress of the repairs to the cafeteria. Many parents and students were unhappy with the lack of information and the lunch options. The situation continued and the building repairs were finally completed after Christmas break. The administration only sent home one letter to parents over the entire 5 month ordeal. Questions 1. Did the administration have a contingency plan for the loss of the cafeteria facility? No, the administration was not prepared with an emergency back-up plan for the loss of the cafeteria facility. 2. Did the administration follow the state rules and regulations regarding student safety while at lunch during this time of turmoil? Students were not in violation of safety procedures if they were being monitored by teachers during this time. However the state rules and requirements for lunches were not followed. None, the school did not come up with an alternative plan after the building repair was delayed. Evaluation of Administrator Action: The administration did a poor job of handling this situation in an effective manner. The administration was not prepared to handle the loss of the cafeteria building and then did not take the proper action to reconcile the situation after no immediate solution could be found. The administrators did not follow state rules and regulation and as a result the lunch program that is vital to supporting student learning was compromised. A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families and other community members, responding to diverse community interests. Case Study: Community Communication Committee Questions: Scenario: The new principal at High School High stated at the first faculty meeting she was committed to the school operating as a valuable part of the community. She added that by collaborating and communicating with families and community members we can increase student achievement. Mrs. C the new principal formed a Community Communication Committee. The job of the committee was to develop a plan and strategies to get the parents and community more involved in the school. The committee developed the following chart and presented it with to the faculty at the next meeting.
Action Needed Key Factors Strategies to Implement Action Collaboration with families and community Diversity Utilizing Community Resources
Standard 2
Standard 3
Standard 4
Standard 5
Standard 6
Standard 1
A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community.
Case study 1: Root Cause of Student Achievement Stalemate
Questions:
1. Can data gained from End-of-Course-Test Scores be utilized to help students reach school vision guidelines and school improvement plan?
2. Can test data be used to adjust the master schedule to support the school vision and school improvement plan?
Scenario:
MB County High School hired a new curriculum and instruction Assistant Principal for the upcoming school year. While reviewing the score reports for the End-of-Course-Test (EOCT) subjects, Math, Science, English, and Social Studies, Mrs. Brown noticed no data analysis was being done with the results. Mrs. Brown immediately called a meeting of the department heads from each area. In this meeting she discussed how data analysis would help teachers identify content specific trends, areas of strength, and areas of weakness. This data could be used then to help generate curriculum maps, pacing guides, and units for each subject. She explained to the teachers that the EOCT is the only major standardized test that relates directly to the performance of one teacher and affects the students' final grade in the course. Mrs. Brown ended the meeting to explain to teachers how analysis provides information to help target gaps between standards assessed on the test and standards that may need more instructional emphasis within the classroom and as a result can be aligned to the performance standards. Using this tool the school will be able to provide the"rigorous, diversified and balanced education that will enable them to contribute and compete in a global society," as stated in the school's vision statement.
Mrs. Brown set-up Root Cause Analysis training for each EOCT department. After the training session each teacher took their scores from the Winter 2008 and Spring 2008 and completed the data analysis. Teachers were then asked to reflect on their findings. Next collaborative departmental meetings were set-up to identify trends and patterns for the groups.
Using the Biology scores as our example the findings indicated the strengths were in the categories of Genetics and Ecology and the weaknesses were in the categories of Evolution and Organisms. The Biology teachers also noted that students who Met Proficiency and Exceeded Proficiency changed over the two semesters while the number of students who Did Not Meet Proficiency stayed the same. The teachers concluded that they did not meet the school improvement plan of increasing pass rates by 2% each year.
After the collaborative meetings the teachers were asked to write a reflection based on their individual results. On every reflection the teachers indicated they needed more time to collaboratively plan to address the areas of weakness from the root cause analysis. Mrs. Brown decided that the best course of action would to be to build collaborative planning into the master schedule. After many trials with the schedule the 2009-2010 Master Schedule for MB County High School has collaborative planning for every department.
Answers to Questions:
1. Can data gained from End-of-Course-Test Scores be utilized to help students reach school vision guidelines and school improvement plan?
Data from EOCT's can help to align instruction with the standards so that students will receive more meaningful instruction. The expectations of the course will be clear and concise. The resulting instructional changes start with the individual teachers and manifests itself in school-wide programmic change and increased student achievement.
2. Can test data be used to adjust the master schedule to support the school vision and school improvement plan?
Yes, it can. The master schedule can be adjusted to support collaborative planning. This would allow teachers to align teaching with subject-specific standards. Teachers could work together to create units, differentiate, and brainstorm ideas.
Evaluation of Administrative Action:
Proficient
The new AP recognized an area for school improvement and acted. She used data analysis and reflective practices to target the school improvement plan. While more data will need to be gathered on the test scores after the implementation of collaborative planning, this district is off to a good start. In addition, new school improvement goals would need to be set that would reflect the outcomes of collaborative planning.
Standard 2
A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
Case Study 2: Teachers as Advisors
Questions:
1. Can the implementation of teachers as advisers change the school culture?
2. How can the implementation of teachers as advisors target student achievement and what professional development is needed?
Scenario:
A new principal started at ABC High School the 2004-2005 school year. One of the first things she noticed was negative school culture. The students and teachers showed no school spirit and an overall disconnect from the school. As the leader of the school Mrs. B the new principal immediately decided that this issue must be addressed. Her first action was to form a committee made up of teachers from every department and student representatives to review the problem. Mrs. B met with the group at the initial meeting and explained the reason for the meeting. The group brainstormed ideas and then went back to their peers for ideas. At the next meeting the group reviewed articles and researched positive school culture. They then found local schools in the area and state that had award winning programs that were attributed to the overall school culture. The committee found that each of the schools they contacted had some sort of teacher-student mentor or advisement program.
The committee created a survey for teachers and students that was administered in the first period classes. The results were overwhelming. Students felt that teachers really did not care about them as individuals and teachers felt that they did not have time to get to know the students. In ABC High School there is no homeroom class. The students just have 4 classes per day and a lunch period.
The committee along with Mrs. B proposed the idea of Teachers-As-Advisors. The idea is that the teachers will have a group of students that they meet with on a regular basis throughout the year, advise them on classes, check on their grades, and do fun activities. Four teachers would be paired together as a team and the students would have one of the four each year of high school. They would meet twice a month for 25 minutes during a new Zero Period that would be built into the next years schedule. School would begin 15 minutes earlier each day and time between classes would be shortened to accommodate the new 25 minute class. On the days students were not meeting with Advisors they would be attending remediation classes or tutorials for their academic classes. Teachers attend professional development sessions for the remainder of the year on Character Education and Teamwork. Activities for enhancing school spirit were also offered.
The 2005-2006 school year started with students and teachers opposing the new schedule. However, after just a few short weeks the students and teachers changed there tune. The students liked having a teacher to come to for help with planning for classes and teachers liked the one on one time with a smaller group of students. The teachers also liked the extra time for remediation of students who needed extra help. Data gathered after the first and second semester showed a lower % of ninth grade failures in the academic classes than the previous years. The students also participated in school wide "fun" activities and events. There were also contests for participation at extra-curricular events.
1. Can the implementation of teachers as advisors change the school culture?
Yes! The students and teachers felt a connection to each other and therefore felt better about being at school. The administration is building the foundation for a positive school culture by letting the students know that they are cared about as individuals.
2. How can the implementation of teachers as advisors target student achievement and what professional development is needed?
The teachers as advisors creates a tradition of accountability. The students know their advisor is going to be checking their grades and then assigning them remediation classes as needed. The advisors are also going to be teaching them organization and study skills. The teachers will need professional development in the areas of character education and study skills. They will also need to work with the school counselors to ensure they are advising them in the proper academic pathway.
Evaluation of Administrative Action:
Accomplished
Mrs. B saw a problem and immediately formed a committee to address the problem. The committee did a great job of researching the problem and implementing a solution. The change in the atmosphere of the school show that this administrator is off to a good start. However, more conclusive data needs to be gathered so the program can be adjusted to ensure that it is serving the students in the best manner possible. Also collaborative planning for teachers working with the same grade level students needs to be added to help teachers and students.
A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
Rudimentary
The administration then took the suggestions from the committee and presented them to the faculty. The administrators also developed a time line in which each of the suggested strategies would be implemented and asked for teachers to volunteer to help in each of the three areas identified by the committee.
Questions:
Collaboration with the community can be accomplished by the strategies suggested in the chart above.
The staff will need staff development and diversity. The staff will also need time for collaboration.
Actions taken by Administration:
Accomplished
The administration showed a commitment to the community and the school. The administration is involving the teachers and community with in shared-governance and shared-decision making. The establishment of the Community Communication Committee allowed teachers to take ownership in the community outreach efforts and created strategies with the input of all teachers.
A school administrator is an educational leader who has demonstrated the knowledge and ability to promote the success of all students by acting with integrity, fairness, and in a legal and ethical manner based on knowledge and understanding of Georgia and federal laws, regulations, and judicial decisions affecting education in Georgia. Case Study : Class Requirements Questions: Scenario: Mrs. D was teaching tenth grade English. A student named Jane started the semester strongly with high scores and always turning in her work. After the first 5 weeks Mrs. D started to notice a change in Jane’s class work and her scores on tests began to slip. Jane also started missing school. At the end of the 7th week of school Jane’s parents withdrew Jane and told the school that she had gotten involved with drugs and they were going to home school her the rest of the semester. The student did not go into the hospital homebound program and was completely removed from Mrs. D's roster. Several months later, the week before finals, the counselors sent Mrs. D an email stating that Jane was re-enrolling in school and would be placed back in her English class. Mrs. D had several questions because she had no grades for Jane from the time she was being home schooled or any work from her absence. Mrs. D went to the counselors to get her home-school transcripts. When Mrs. D talked to the counselors there were no records from home school and that she needed to talk to the Assistant Principal of Instruction. Mrs. D then set up a meeting with the AP of Instruction. At the meeting the AP explained that Jane would be allowed to have her final exam count as her grade for the course. Mrs. D immediately objected to this because the student had not been in class for 1o weeks and there was no work or scores from another school to use in her absence. Mrs. D explained that the class Jane was in was a collaborative class and that several regular education and special education were failing the class because they had not completed tests or projects and she did not feel it was fair to all students to allow Jane to have her final count as her course score. Jane scored a 70 on the final and when the grade verification sheets came around for teachers to sign Mrs. D refused to sign Jane’s grade. She instead assigned an Incomplete for the student. The AP of Instruction did an over-ride on Jane’s grades and a passing score went home on her report card. Questions: 1. Did the Assistant Principal handle the re-enrollment of the student in accordance with fairness and with an understanding of Georgia Laws and regulations? No, the AP did not act with fairness or understanding of Georgia Law. The AP was also not acting with the Code of Ethics in mind either. The student clearly did not meet the requirements of the class and was still given a passing score. 2.Did the teacher handle the re-enrollment of the student in accordance with fairness and with an understanding of Georgia Laws and regulations? Yes, the teacher acted with integrity and a strong understanding of Georgia Law and the Code of Ethics for Educators. Evaluation of Administrator Action: Rudimentary This administrator did not act in accordance with the Code of Ethics for Georgia or Georgia Course Requirements. The administrator set a terrible example for his teachers and many of the teachers now question his leadership and decisions. The administrator has set a dangerous precedence for the future. A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context. Questions: Scenario: During the week of pre-planning a young first year administrator sent out the following memo via email; T0: Faculty From: AP I To create a positive successful environment I feel students, parents, and community members must feel confident that we as a staff understand societal influences that are apart of our community. Our stakeholders must be able to count on us to respond to these influences in a quick and appropriate manner. As the leaders of the school we must always demonstrate high ethical character that will influence societal factors in a positive manner. We must be up-to-date on models and strategies for conflict resolution that can be applied to political, social, cultural, and economic context of schools. We must be aware of global issues that will affect our students and have an understanding of the law as it relates to education and schooling. We must be able to use the legal system to protect student rights and opportunities. Overall we must be sure to stress the importance of diversity and equity that is the backbone of our democratic society at our school. Please rank our school in each of these categories honestly as we strive to build a new school culture of success, diversity, equity, and enthusiasm. After you have completed the attached survey, please use the back to list suggestions for change or any input you have for change. Sincerely, AP Instruction After the AP ranked the surveys and read the responses he noted that most teachers ranked the school low on community outreach specifically in the areas of political, social, legal, and cultural context. The faculty ranked the school high in the area of ethical character and equity. The faculty gave a great deal of suggestions for improvement. The AP summarized the suggestions into the following list: · Continuing Education courses on societal influences · Ordering Local, National, and Global Newspapers for the library · Administration should contact local and state representatives on a regular basis to establish relationships · Encourage all teachers to be members of professional groups in which national newsletters and magazines are distributed · Administration should attend City Council Meetings and other local meetings to stay informed on policies and when educational issues are being addressed · Administration should write letters, email, and call legislators to express ideas and concerns on educational issues · Create a positive relationship with local law enforcement- Invite them to be guest speakers or help with classroom activities Questions: 1. Was the memo sent to the teachers effective in demonstrating the ideals that the first year administrator wants to use to create a positive school culture? Yes, the administrator took ELCC Standard 6 and translated it into a mission statement. By using this standard as a guide he is setting the foundation for a strong school culture. 2. Was the technique of surveying the teachers on the current status of the school culture and requesting strategies and input for improvement a good example of shared-governance?
Yes, after setting the stage for how he wants the culture to look he then surveyed the group to see how they would rank the school. Next he took suggestions and input. As he employs these strategies the teachers will be able to take ownership in the building of a new culture.
Evaluation of the Administrator Action
Proficient
This administrator is off to a great start. He is using the ELCC standards as his guide and getting teachers involved in shared-governance for the start of his time as one of the school leaders. However, in addition to the survey I think a research and data collection component needs to be added to his plan. After surveying the teachers if he formed some study groups to research the different areas and collect some correct data then they could generate some strategies based on those findings.