Educational Leadership Internship

 

Case Study Six

Page history last edited by Terri Dudley 1 yr ago

Standard Six

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.

 

Title: School Councils: Influencing Communities, One Parent at the Time

 

 Questions:
1. What is the purpose behind a school council and what is the principal's role?
2. Do school councils influence the decision making processes within a school? And if so, how do they influence it?
3. How do administrators use school data, trends, etc. to influence the understanding of the school council and further impact the understanding of the community and how does this lead to harmony among all members of the school community? 

 

 

THE ADMINISTRATOR FACILITATES PROCESSES AND ENGAGES IN ACTIVITIES THAT:

  • the environment in which schools operate is influenced on behalf of students and their families 
  • communication occurs among the school community concerning trends, issues, and potential changes in the environment in which schools operate 
  • there is ongoing dialogue with representatives of diverse community groups
  • the school community works within the framework of policies, laws, and regulations enacted by local state, and federal authorities
  • public policy is shaped to provide quality education for students
  • lines of communication are developed with decision makers outside the school community

 

 

Description of the Case
      Parents are an important part of any school community and Greystone County Consolidated School is no exception. The small rural school has a strong tradition and community support for the school and its students is evident. However, parental participation in the PTO and Booster's Club had been down significantly in recent years. Attendance at PTO meetings and teacher conferences is also reduced from several years ago. With the establishment of a "School Council" in 2000 because of the A+ Education Reform Act, parents are able to voice their opinions, ask questions, and a provide the point of view from parents. The administration at Greystone County Consolidated School understands that parents and the community are pertinent to the successful operations of the school and that the lines of communication must be established and kept open. Within the past two years, academic achievement, graduation rate, changes in the laws that affect schools, attendance rate, and programs or grants awarded have been explained. The team meets several time per year at Greystone County Consolidated. The adminstrator of the school clearly and definitively expresses the laws and changes with education to the parents at these meetings so everyone understands the processes (economic, social, cultural, and political) that affect the school community.
 
 
Answers to the Question
1. What is the purpose behind a school council and what is the principal's role? The goal of a school council is to bring communities and schools closer together. Their purposes are to improve academic achievement, solve problems in education, provide support for school personel, and bring parents into the school decision making process. In 2007, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia amended the requirements of the original law that was established in the year 2000. Now a majority of the members of a school council must be parents and two of those parents must be business persons within the community. The parents and teachers act a liasons between the school and the community and help inform the public on issues occuring within the school. Information such as standardized testing, programs being implemented, and student attendance policies are often discussed in these meetings. The principal's role in the group is one who shares information, answers questions, identifies issues, and explains trends in education and the school. The principal must keep confidential information protected, but is required to share information on testing that is not protected by law by the Open Records Act.
2. Do school councils influence the decision making processes within a school? And if so, how do they influence it? School councils often can influence some of the decision processes within a school through dialogue with the teachers and adminstration that is present. Because they are stakeholders in the school, the principal is willing to listen and respond to concerns and comments about the school. Also, according to  http://www.gsci.org/councils/laws.html, which is a website that is set up for school councils in Georgia, some school councils even are part of the principal selection process.
3. How do administrators use school data, trends, etc. to influence the understanding of the school council and further impact the understanding of the community and how does this lead to harmony among all members of the school community?  Within school council meetings, administrators share testing information on groups within the school. Passage rates on tests such as the GHSGT and the CRCT are often discussed in these meetings. Staff training and programs that are implemented to impact student academic achievement are shared with parents at the meeting, as well. Parents on the council are asked to share this information  or to express how to access school publications such as newsletters and the school website with others in the community so that other stakeholders understand that the education of our students requires the all of us working together. By encouraging other stakeholders to take part, even in an electronic format, in knowing what is going on in the school, it provides for students and their families to partipation.
 
Evaluation of Leadership Style
The level of performance in this case study is accomplished. There are several reasons that I feel that the level of performance demonstrates the level of accomplished. First, the principal recognizes the importance of community understanding and feedback on programs being implemented in the school. A principal at the accomplished level clearly expresses and explains trends in education, achievement rates, and potential changes that will affect the school community. Also, an accomplished principal protecting student rights while improving the opportunities for students. Another reason that I feel that this case study is advanced is that the leadership style demonstrated is recognized that their may be viewpoint other than her own and she was willing to listen and discuss viewpoints other than her own.  The leadership provided also allows for the democratic process of majority rule make decisions for the group. The administrator is knowledgeable and actively uses the law to express how the school must work within the framework of the law. The administrator is willing to talk to the parents on the school council or any other parent whenever their is an issue that arises. She always has the best interest of students, the school, and the community at the forefront of her decisions. 
 
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