G.

Caroline Joyce
January 17, 2016
DLP # 3.1: Building a Collaborative Culture Through
Distributed Leadership
In order to assess the cultural leadership practices at Tarboro High
School (THS), I gave the survey to four teachers, who are members of
the School Improvement Team, and our principal. My findings show
that the teacher leaders and the principal of the school are of the same
opinion about the state of our schools cultural leadership. After
analyzing the data from the survey, I shall provide recommendations to
further strengthen the cultural leadership of Tarboro High School.
For the first three questions on the survey: communicating strong
ideals and beliefs, creating a collaborative work environment, and
promoting cohesion and cooperation among the staff, all participants
assigned either a four or a five rating. Therefore the staffs actions
demonstrate a culture-of-distinction. I would recommend to continue
the practices of communicating strong ideals and beliefs and especially
extending them to parents. According to the participants, we have a
collaborative work environment that empowers the team for decision
making. I would recommend that all members of the school community
are supported and included in the team. Following the same pattern,
all participants agree that the cultural leadership practices at THS
promotes cohesion and cooperation among staff. Therefore, such
practices that unify the school should continue, being sure that every
staff member feels part of the team and feels cooperatively supported
in all aspects of the school community.
In the next four questions of the survey, the focus was on the
systematic processes of developing cultural leadership, and the
participants were unanimous in agreeing with the strength at THS.
Continuous improvement is explicitly stated in the School Improvement
Plan. According to the participants, THS is unified in their beliefs,
values and vision. The survey indicates a strong sense of community.
Failures and celebrations are systematically acknowledged based on
the survey. Overall, it seems that systems and processes are in place
to promote strong cultural leadership.
At the end of the survey, the agreed responses paint a picture of an
incredibly supportive and responsive environment for staff, students
and parents. All members of the THS community are nurtured with a
sense of well-being, and all members possess a sense of efficiency and
empowerment among staff that results in a can do attitude. This

would extend to the extra support given to all students and staff that
may be struggling, where they feel tremendously supported and that
they can do because the leadership team will do everything in their
power to give them the support and resources to succeed.
Based on the survey results, Tarboro High School is a model of cultural
leadership that exemplifies the very essence of a culture that supports
and nurtures all members of the community. All members of the
community feel empowered and supported. In retrospect, I should have
shared the survey with the entire staff to see if the results substantiate
the small group from the School Improvement Team.
DLP # 3.3 Assignment: Personal Reflection of Cultural
Leadership
How is cultural leadership measured at a school? What does it look like
or feel like? How do students behave? How doe parents behave? How
do staff members behave? How does the administration behave? What
systems are in place to nurture and maintain the integrity of the
community? Can outside observers visit a school with strong cultural
leadership and feel it?
The above questions are just some of the questions I have after visiting
many schools, working under the leadership of several administrators
over the past fifteen years, and having the culturally rich experience of
NELA. Based on my own experience, I believe cultural leadership is
almost tangible, even to the visitor of a school. Cultural leadership is
rooted in community, family and cultural identity. Students, parents,
staff and administration are able to articulate shared values, beliefs
and a vision that establishes a sense of community. The existence of a
sustaining cultural leadership practice is observable in every
classroom, hallway, cafeteria, office, and within the community.
As a school executive, I would ensure that the disposition of cultural
leadership would first be evident in the front office. Every visitor would
be graciously welcomed. The tone of the office would be warm and
respectful. With learning as the primary focus of the school community
our office would have parents signing their students out of school early
kept to a minimum, and students would be punctual at arriving to
school in the morning. Discipline issues would be kept to a minimal
since students are provided a proactive and nurturing environment.
Based on a student survey that I conducted in a biology class, it is
evident that a warm and nurturing environment coincides with the high
level of learning that students feel they experience; whereas, a toxic

environment produces little learning and increased discipline issues. By

instilling a shared vision based on shared beliefs that it is our
responsibility to see that every child is given what he or she needs to
grow and learn, every classroom should embody our vision.
Among teachers, I believe that collaboration and cooperation is the key
to making a strong and unified staff. Trust and teamwork among the
teachers would then be reflected in student teams. As a school
executive, I should be able to walk in any classroom or workroom and
feel the warm climate between and among teachers and students. My
staff would know by my own investment into the quality of their
instruction that student learning is a team effort. Trust would be the
foundation for the professional learning communities where cohesive
lesson plans and the implementation of interventions would be evident
in student growth and proficiency.
I strongly believe that evidence of cultural leadership is embedded
throughout every action of the school and its stakeholders. The
existence of cultural leadership is observable to any visitor, intern, or
parent. Cultural leadership is the most important leadership skill to put
in practice at a school because it builds the foundation for all other
leadership qualities. Trust, communication, shared vision, commitment
to serve our students as customers, and to treat every student as we
would want our own child to be treated is paramount to creating a
nurturing culture that promotes and sustains strong teaching and
learning practices.