KatieKnopf

EDN411
2/9/2015
LeadershipInterviewReflection
FormyleadershipreflectionIchoosetointerviewLilySmith,theVicePrincipalatMead
Jr.Highofdistrict54whereIcompletedmystudentteachingexperience.Lilystartedhercareer
asanintermediatemultiageelementaryteacher.Shewasoneofthecoteachersinher
classroomofover50students,andapproximatelyonefifthofherstudentswereclassifiedas
havingsomesortofbehavioraldisorderandweremainstreamedinherclassroominadditionto
theirselfcontainedsetting.Lilyscoteachingexperiencehelpedherstarthercareerwith
valuingtheimportanceoflearningfromothersandseekingouttheirresourcestohelphergrow
asateacherandasaprofessional.DuringthisfirstsixyearsofhercareerLilycompletedtwo
mastersprograms,oneineducationaltechnologyandoneinadministration.Shethen
transitionedintobecomingamultiagemiddleschoolteacherattheschoolthatactsasacharter
schoolinthedistrictwherehermainresponsibilitiesincludedcreatingathreeyearrotational
curriculumforlanguagearts,socialstudiesandhumanitiesthatemphasizedthemultiple
intelligences.WhileteachingatthemiddleschoollevelLilyworkedonthedistrictboardfor
revisingthedistrictmissionandvisionforthedistrictandwastherenoticedbysomemembersof
theadministrationandwasencouragedtoapplyfortheviceprincipalpositionatMead.Lily
statedinherinterviewthatatthetimesheappliedforherpositionatMeadshewasNotsure
whereorwhenIwantedtobeanadministratorbutIjustdecidedtotaketheleapoffaithandsee
whathappens.
LilyscentralresponsibilitiesatMeadcanbesimplifiedintothreemainroles.Lilyacts
asaleaddisciplinarianandfocusesondevelopingrelationshipswiththestudentsandstaff.
Lilysmaingoalasadisciplinarianistomakesuresheisfairwitheachstudentshehasto
interactwithandtoensurethatsheisconsistentamongherinteractionswithanyissuesthatarise
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KatieKnopf
EDN411
2/9/2015
underherleadershipsothatallofherteachersequallyfeelliketheycanrelyonher.This
translatesintothesecondmainaspectofherleadershiproleatMead,whichisreflectingonand
shapingthecultureofthebuilding.Thisismainlythroughcommunicatingandconnectingwith
teacherstomakesurethattheyfeelhighlyengagedandsatisfiedwithintheirrolesinthe
building.SpeakingfrommyownexperiencestudentteachingatMead,Icansaywithoutadoubt
thatthecultureoftheteachingstaffatMeadisoneofthemostuniquelyconnectedstaffsthatI
haveeverseenatamiddleschoollevelbuilding.Typicallyinthesecondarysettingtheteachers
canbeveryclosewithintheirowndepartments,butitisraretoseecrossdepartment
communicationandcamaraderie.Thiscultureofunitywasevidenttomeduringtheweekly
schoolinservicePLCs,thefriendlyconversationsIhadwithallstaffmemberswhenwaitingin
lineforthephotocopier,andmostsignificantlywhenapproximately30teachersfromavariety
ofdepartmentsagreedtotoletmetoobservetheirclassroomsandteachingstyle.The
communityandcollaborativecultureisverystrongatMead,andthatisheavilysupportedand
influencedbyLilysleadership.ThethirdareaofadministrationthatLilyisprimarily
responsibleforiscoordinatingthestandardizedtestingandMAPtesting,aswellasdata
collectingandanalysisoftheproficiencylevelsofthestudents.Byspendingasignificant
amountoftimesortingandsiftingthroughthedata,Lilyisabletoprovidetheteacherswiththe
mostessentialinformationthattheyneedtoprovidesupportsforthestudentswhofallinthe
4060thpercentileoftheirclassestoclosethegap,whichisoneofthedistrictwidegoalsfor
theteachersandstudents.
ThethirdquestionthatIaskedLilyinmyinterviewwaswhatdoyouhopethatyour
staffhasgainedfromtheirtimehereatMeadunderyourleadership?Lilyspoketoherown
beliefsfromtherelationalleadershipmodelbystatingthatshewantsalloftheteacherstobe
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KatieKnopf
EDN411
2/9/2015
abletomeettheirpersonalandprofessionalgoalsduringtheirtimeatMead,andherroleastheir
leaderandadministratoristoprovideherstaffwhateverskillsandresourcesshecantosupport
themintheseendeavors.IthenaskedLilytoexplainwhatstepsshetakestostartanewtaskor
projectandhowshebreaksdownthesestepsasaleaderforherstaffmembers.Lilyexplained
thatsheisabigproponentofovercommunicatinginformationandvaluingtransparencywhen
therearesignificantchangesthatareoccurringthatimpacttheteachersandstudents(for
example,thewaythatthePARCCassessmentisbeingadministeredintheirdistrict).Hertips
forsuccessincludebeingopentothechallengesofthesituationandbeingwillingtobeflexible
aboutthechanges.Shealsotalkedaboutherphilosophyofimplementingsharedleadershipin
theschoolbuildingandtakingadvantageofthetalentsandskillsthattheteachingstaffcan
providetothecultureoftheschool.
IconcludedtheinterviewbyaskingLilytwosummaryquestions:Whatisherproudest
momentwhileshehasbeenviceprincipalatMeadandifshehadtodescribeherleadershipstyle
inonephrasewhatwoulditbe?Lilysharedthatshefeltthatherrelationshipsthatshehasbeen
abletofosterwiththeMeadcommunityhavebeenherproudestachievementduringhertimeas
anadministratoratMead.HergoalasanadministratoristomakeMeadabuildingthatshe
wouldfeelhappytosendherownkidstoo,andtocreateaculturethatvalueseveryonesunique
qualitiesandcontributionstotheschoolculture.Myfavoritetakeawaymomentfrommytime
meetingwithLilywashearingherdescribeherleadershipmantraasIfitdoesntchallengeyou,
itdoesntchangeyou.Lilyusesthismantraasawaytoreflectonherleadershipstylewithin
theMeadcommunitytoensurethatsheiscreatingasmanygenuineconnectionsasshecanso
thatsheisabletorelatetothecommunitytocreateapositiveimpactwithinherleadershiprole.