Leadership Disposition 9 Reflection BLOG
The primary Leadership Disposition for this ELD550 course is LD #9 according to the EDL550 Module Two Internship Assignment. LD9 states ‘To promote each student’s academic success and well-being, effective educational leaders: 9. demonstrate a work ethic required for high levels of organizational performance.’ Throughout the EDL550 coursework, competency in this LD 9 was demonstrated. This is true in terms of work ethic, as I maintain a high 98 percentile while working as a school director 60 hours per week. It is also demonstrated in my school's organizational performance as seen in the initiatives I am pursuing and the gains we are making.
This Leadership Disposition aligns with the Transforming Professional Practice Domain 1: Leadership Competencies (Strike, et al, 2019), most specifically in terms of demonstrating a work ethic, 1a. Establishes a Solid Foundation (Epitomizes resilience) and 1d: Adheres to a moral Compass (encourages and inspires others to higher levels of commitment, performance, and motivation). An additional area of alignment is in Domain 2: Professional Learning and Growth Practices, including 2a. ‘Demonstrates competence as an educational leader,’ and 2b. ‘Fosters and facilitates continual improvement’ (Strike et al., 2019, p 179-180) and includes the following examples: identifies target areas and evaluates strategies for growth; monitors progress of instruction and evaluates student learning; and evaluates programs and processes on a regular basis.
This course can also be compared to the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) Standard 6: Professional Capacity of School Personnel: ‘Effective educational leaders develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each student’s academic success and well-being,’ (National Policy Board for Educational Administration, 2015).
Throughout EDL 550, including the review of budgeting, digital leadership and tools, Innovative Mindsets, school finance, Restorative Practices, and Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS), course readings and writing assignments, I focused on many aspects of school management. The goal I created for the SONIA Principal Internship Goal Setting and Action Plan was to map the Instructional, Curricular, and MTSS Coach initiatives. The SMART goal was listed as follows:
S: I will complete an initiative mapping process for ICMC role. DONE
M: it will determine goals aligned with my UIP and quantify leading and lagging indicators for progress monitoring and success. BEGUN
A: The initiatives are launched and now need action steps and benchmarks for success. BEGUN
R: It will provide structure to sustain and complete initiatives. BEGUN
T: The initiative mapping process can be completed by week seven of this course. MOSTLY DONE
The steps to meet this goal are enumerated here:
1. Work with my professional coach, and my Instructional, Curricular, and MTSS Coach (ICMC) to identify goals in alignment with the UIP. DONE
2. Determine action steps (leading indicators, or inputs). DONE
3. Assign roles such as owners and Implementors. DONE
4. Articulate supports such as meetings, PD, and coaching required. DONE
5. Determine measurable stages and tools (lagging indicators) and levels of success. BEGUN, not all goals quantified
Here is the Initiative Tracking Doc as an artifact where most of the SMART goal and steps are shown as completed. Modifications were not needed for the SONIA Internship goal.
Through other assignments I demonstrated proficiency in LD 9. In the EDL550 M1 Discussion Post I describe how my school can better use established technology tools to support students and communicate with Parents. In the EDL550 M2 Discussion Post I describe the school’s newly implemented Behavior Flowchart as a way of supporting both students and teachers. That process further encouraged organizational performance and is described in the EDL 550 M6 Critical Thinking Assignment ago within a larger School-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention Support (SWPBIS), (Center on PBIS. n.d.) and (Colorado Dept of Education. n.d.). Another way I demonstrate this Leadership Disposition is in the budget work I am doing as outlined in the EDL 550 M3&4 Critical Thinking Slides and Video. In these I make a connection between spending priorities and their impact on achievement. Lastly, my Safe School Plan (Schoolsafety.gov, n.d.), submitted to the district annually and expanded upon in the EDL 550 M5 Critical Thinking Assignment, demonstrates my work ethic and commitment to achieving high levels of organization performance.
My understanding of this LD has only changed slightly: I now better understand the time investment required by the job and these CSU global courses. The work ethic demanded by these has been demonstrated throughout my four years as a school leader and this last year as a principal candidate, but is currently negatively impacting my capacity to do important work with teachers and children. While budgets, discipline through Restorative Practices and SWPBIS, writing safe school plans, considering DoJ Case studies in reference to ELLs, and reviewing the political platforms of local officials while national officials disassemble the Department of Education and many student protections, I feel the need to refocus on the people in my building and to let organizational performance take are of itself for a while. I will continue to work with the staff and the Instructional, Curricular, and MTSS Coach (ICMC) to guide and encourage higher levels of organzational performance to the best of my ability, but I will not serve anyone if I burn myself out on tasks that do not directly benefit teachers and students. .
References
Center on PBIS. (n.d.). Center on PBIS | School-Wide. PBIS.org. Retrieved February 23, 2025, from https://www.pbis.org/topics/school-wide
Colorado Dept of Education. (n.d.). Colorado Multi-Tiered System of Supports (COMTSS) Resources | CDE. Colorado Department of Education. Retrieved February 23, 2025, from https://www.cde.state.co.us/mtss/resources
Schoolsafety.gov. (n.d.). Foundational Elements of School Safety. SchoolSafety.gov. Retrieved February 17, 2025, from https://www.schoolsafety.gov/foundational-elements-school-safety
Strike, K. T., Sims, P. A., Mann, S. L., & Wilhite, R. K. (2019). Transforming Professional Practice: A Framework for Effective Leadership. Rowman & Littlefield.
National Policy Board for Educational Administration (2015). Professional Standards for Educational Leaders 2015. Reston, VA: Author. https://www.npbea.org/psel/