Harpo Allen Middle School Scenario Reflection

Harpo Allen Middle School Scenario Reflection

1. Describe some approaches that could be used to establish a culture of high expectations for students and staff performances at Harpo Allen Middle School.

• First, as a new principal, you will need to acquire an understanding of and appreciation for the culture of the school, then, use your leadership style (such as being a team leader) in order to gain the trust and respect of the staff and students.

• Conduct a school climate survey of faculty, parents, and students to gauge how much of the learning process I taking place and what measures need to be incorporated insure that high quality teaching/learning is taking place for the entire school.

• Create PLCs to promote high expectations among

How would you use the demographic data pertaining to students and their families to develop a school mission and goals for Harpo Allen Middle School? What additional information might prove to be helpful in the process?

• Tailor the school climate and atmosphere around multiculturalism based on the socio-economic environment of the school to help promote pride in the accomplishments of people from different cultures.

• Use a staff development day to take teachers into the neighborhoods to visit students in their homes and meet parents face-to-face to let them know that the faculty cares about each student and has his or her best interest in mind. This is help the teachers understand some of the difficulties that the students face in their neighborhoods, since most of the faculty and staff live in areas outside the school community.

• Create programs to help students to overcome language, academic and behavioral barriers that sometimes interfere with students learning. I might also make sure that there were bilingual instructors on staff to teach foreign languages and ESL classes.

• Include various programs, displays, and learning units on and about multicultural holidays. I would use this as a means to remove obstacles standing in the way of establishing a positive school

What strategies would you use to assess the school climate with the intent of identifying and removing barriers to student learning?

• School climate survey given to parents, students and teachers

• Interviews with students, parents and teachers.

• Monthly forums for parents and teachers

• PTOs

• Create an Advisory/Leadership Committee with members form the faculty, student body, parents and community (not just the principal, assistant principals and school counselors) to help make new policies to identify and remove barriers to student learning. Have monthly meeting with agendas and create action plans to be incorporated into the educational process that will benefit all of the students achievement goals.

• Provide and maintain a safe environment for the faculty and students - this could mean that costly security measures have to be implemented, ranging from Security personnel to metal detectors. However, in the long run if everyone feels safe in the school, more academic achievement can be obtained.

5. What group processes and consensus will Principal Jefferson need?

• Implementing PLCS

• All teachers on board with the changes proposed and implemented – have a win-win-win mindset for all