Leading and sustaining the school improvement process is one of the most important tasks of a school leader, and in this course, you have completed several assignments that have enhanced your knowledge and skills in the school improvement area. You have analyzed data, identified a target in need of improvement, and you have researched strategies that addressed the target area. This course has provided you with a blueprint for dealing with several resource and fiscal management issues that face school administrators on a day-to-day basis. From dealing with budgetary constraints; to effective communication with staff, students, parents and the outside community; to the effective recruitment and retention of teachers, school administrators take on many of the same roles as the CEO of any other business. This assignment is necessary to meet the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Review the standards anytime on the CAEP website (Links to an external site.). Complete Parts 1, 2, and 3 and compose your responses in a 7- to 10-page paper (not including the title and references pages). Write an introduction and conclusion for your paper. Use APA format for the paper, title page, references page, and in-text citations. Note: This assignment’s rubric is specifically designed to assess specific skills and knowledge related to your program. Please review all rubrics carefully prior to submission. For this Final Summative Assignment, you will compose a 7- to 10-page paper (not including the title and references pages), demonstrating evidence of mastery in the following six Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) skill areas: Applications of data literacy Use of research and understanding of qualitative, quantitative and/or mixed methods research methodologies Employment of data analysis and evidence to develop supportive school environments, Leading and/or participating in collaborative activities with others such as peers, colleagues, teachers, administrators, community organizations, and parents Supporting appropriate applications of technology for your field of specialization Application of professional dispositions, laws and policies, codes of ethics and professional standards appropriate to your field of specialization Part 1: Planning an Opening Staff Meeting You will assume the role as a new principal in your building. You have had the opportunity to examine your school’s School Improvement Plan (SIP) and made a recommendation on one prioritized instructional target on which to focus in the upcoming school year. Plan out an opening staff meeting where you have 120 minutes to work with your staff on this targeted area. Step 1. Create an agenda which outlines the purpose and intent of the meeting. During this meeting, you will include the PPT created in Module 4. Include a hyperlink in the agenda linking to the PPT. (Technology) Step 2. Describe and explain your vision and mission for the year. (Professionalism) Step 3. Describe to your staff how you will balance your value system with school and district policy as well as the values of staff, students, and community members. (Collaboration/Professionalism) Step 4. Explain how you, as an administrator, will deal with ethical issues that arise in your school. (Professionalism) Step 5. Describe your top instructional priorities, leading teachers down the path of the focused priority, using data analysis and supporting evidence. (Data Analysis) Step 6. Consider how you will foster a sense of teamwork, togetherness, and school pride among staff members throughout the year. (Collaboration) Step 7. Consider how you will use staff to roll out training/exercises/PD during upcoming staff meetings. Solicit input from staff. What activity/activities will you implement? Be sure to include technology. (Collaboration/Technology) Step 8. Consider how will you implement effective strategies for communicating your building’s vision and instructional mission with parents and community members, including the use of technology. (Collaboration/Professionalism/Technology) Part 2: Budgeting It is now March, and budgets are coming due to the district treasurer. The treasurer requires you to provide in writing a detailed rationale on the needs of your school. Respond to the following prompts to guide you in the creation of the document you will submit to the treasurer. Address each prompt in a separate paragraph. Explain your philosophy of budgeting and objectives you have for your building for the upcoming year. Use the current SIP document as if this is new data. (Data Literacy) Describe how you effectively used data to connect budgeting and other aspects of resource management to student achievement and school effectiveness. (Consider human, physical, financial resources.) (Data Analysis) Explain how systems thinking impacted your budgetary request. (Research) Explain how you prioritized your budget (., faculty and staff requests, physical facilities maintenance, instructional goals, transportation, and food service needs). (Data Analysis) Part 3: Hiring and Retention of Teachers It is now mid-July, and you have hired two new teachers in your building. Respond to each prompt below. Describe what research states surrounding hiring and retaining teachers. (Research) Explain how you approached the hiring of these new teachers at your school. Describe some practices, strategies, and tools you learned about in this course that will help you support these new teachers at your school. (Research)
