Introductions

Hello,
I'm in my 6th year of teaching social studies currently at Scottsbluff
high school in their pilot alternative education program called
CHOICES. The last two years have allowed me to dive deeper into
individualized and project based learning. I write to you today
preparing to go on our schools "intensive", a camping trip where we
hire a team builder to bring our program together. It's the experience
of many kids life, hiking, s'mores, archery, zip line and for many if
them their first experience sleeping in a tent. Our program is a small
fully representative group of the high school grades 10-12.
In my spare time I sing and play guitar as well as train hunting
retrievers and guide waterfowl and upland trips. I also coach girls
basketball in Scottsbluff which is rewarding after being a WNCC cougar.
I grew up in Gunnison Colorado but have always felt at home in
Nebraska. I've included some pictures of my fianc and I hunting, our
new puppy, the old dog and a picture from a project in my class in
which they had to reenact history or personify an event.
I'm looking forward to the intern experience and developing my skills
and understanding of the roles and responsibilities.

Forum 1:Planning an Effective Internship

Experience
What a task. Define your leadership style. As I've read many
classmates post and searched through a dozen articles during which
I've truly struggled to identify and align my beliefs as well as my skills
with a particular or a few sub categories. Articles suggest there are
between 6 and 8 primary educational leadership philosophies
including; coaching, coercive, democratic, affiliative, pacesetting,
authoritative, directive, supportive, participative, achievementoriented, and transformational according to various articles from the
University of Vermont, and the National College of Teaching of
Leadership. All of these describe pros and cons some are even defined
as "best practices" or "least affective." If I were to align myself to one
of these It would have to be coaching and authoritative. I believe in
leading towards a vision, making choices to obtain goals and working
with people and supporting them as they develop to become impactful
parts of the process and systemic approach. This being said, I don't
believe this is an accurate reflection of my leadership style.
Values based leadership is en emerging philosophy which consists
of 4 main principles:
1) Self Reflection and a willingness to reevaluate
2) Balance and perspective working towards solutions and
progress.
3) True Self Confidence and the ability to empower and
support others and their gifts and talents.
4) Genuine humility to value each person.
This is absolutely the type of leader I hope to be. This aligns
with what I believe to be important and valuable about leadership.
Values-based leadership best matches some of my personal strengths
as well as serves students, staff, the community, and school well. I
believe these principles works towards maximizing others as well as
moving a culture towards factors which are most motivating for people;
their own values. Also, on a personal and human level is one is truly to
lead, it must be in such a manner and direction that they are
comfortable and moved by if they hope to have the ultimate impact.

Kraemer, H. 2011. The only True Leadership Is Values-Based

Leadership. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/ 2011/
04/26/values-based-leadership.html
Mauer, T. (2013). 5 leadership styles for effective management.
Retrieved from https://learn.uvm.edu/blog-business/5-leadershipstyles-what-styles-do-you-use
National College for Teaching Leadership (n.d.). Leadership styles.
Retrieved from
https://www.nationalcollege.org.uk/transfer/open/adsbm-phase-4module-4-understanding-the-leadership-of-organisations/adsbmp4m4s2/adsbm-p4m4s2t3.html

Forum 2: A Vision for Success

The chapter is most effectively synthesized to me through the
notes of Nanus, 1992, "There is no more powerful engine driving an
organization toward excellence and long-range success than an
attractive, worthwhile, and achievable vision of the future, widely
shared." This statement speaks to the power and magnitude of the
extent to which a vision can impact an organization, and or a school.
The purpose behind the vision to is incorporate an entire organization,
each branch and entity that helps facilitate, or lead to success and
general function and come to terms with a long-range measurable
goal, which can be agreed upon. The use of stake holders and
representatives to create a holistic vision is necessary to ensure buy in
from all parties. The developmental process is long and methodical
especially when attempting to incorporate and tie data and strategic
pans and targets to the process. However, this part of what happens
in our district in particular. A vision with out an implementation plan,
strategy and or initiatives is just a nicely worded motivational phrase.
This being said our district is working hard to develop and new and
transcending vision for not only our schools but our community as
well. Scottsbluff Public Schools is taking on the all child imitative in
which the vision states that there must be an education and
opportunity for every child, every day created not only by the
schools but the community too. This vision move has been almost
slogan like and is attached to district offices letterhead as well as our
weekly staff emails. I find this to be an interesting method; almost
propaganda like in communicating the vision was an imminently vital
to its success. Personally I believe in a more personal approach in
addition perhaps to the emersion of the concept. It is more suited to
my leadership style to rally people behind a belief and the idea, which
is our vision, than it is to overwhelm them with our slogan. I believe
that if I am able to share my excitement about our direction, our goals,
and perhaps most importantly our plan, also known as our vision, that I
will be able to influence more people more powerfully. One of many
things I have truly appreciate about our district an our recent change in
direction, is their continued courage to strive for better, and their
comprehensive approach, of communication, tactics and programs to

ensure a quality educational experience for all students. I have

learned that there is truly not one right way to accomplish something,
but rather that it takes many people, working together in many
different ways for the same reason, or vision to accomplish something
and that the ultimate reason for most success is a unified and
comprehensive strategic action plan.

Forum 3: School Culture

Culture, can only be achieved through cultivation, which is to
intentionally plant, fertilize, weed out the negative and nourish the
particular thing you intend to harvest and grow. The same is true for
culture in schools. Culture, must be cultivated. Positives must be
reinforced, expectations made clear, and common language as well as
goals laid. The previous was a cookie cutter answer. Idealistic,
metaphorical and spoken in absolutes. The words are my own but the
concept generic.
The reality is that a positive school culture is selfless, positive,
encouraging, honest, frustrated. A school that is excited about what
it's doing, who it's students are, and what they are accomplishing and
visa versa for the staff. In addition, its people questioning their
choices, re-designing curriculum, searching for better, pushing for
more and never resting. Does a school culture include positive
examples, clear expectations and acknowledgment for achievement as
our text from Standards- Based Administrative Internship suggests,
absolutely. However, isn't a school that invites students to risk effort,
refuses to accept failure, demands work be turned in and doesn't offer
0's a more positive learning culture than one that just merely
appreciates achievement and sets expectations? Isn't a school where
teachers share triumphs and failures, challenge the status quo and
have hard conversations a more enlightening culture than one where
teachers use objectives, build relationships, and teach to state
standards?
Point is simple. If you want to define or identify a positive school
culture in my opinion you look at places. First, the classroom: what are

the conversations students are having? What is the expectation of

them and themselves? Culture is define and created by what peers
allow for themselves. It is not what superiors define and allow for
them. Secondly, and the same is true, look at staff PLC's. What are
teachers talking about? Are they having meaningful conversations,
using one anthers experience, sharing ideas, and looking for solutions
attempting to grow? Furthermore, where is the expectation coming
from? Again, culture is created and established by peers not superiors.
A positive school culture has a clear mission and vision acknowledged
by the students and staff and guided by themselves not by others.

Forum 5: Developing Collaborative Partnerships/Building

Community
In the design and implementation of our CHOICES program as
well as our school bond issue we have had a clear and purposeful focus
on the community as they are the life line to public schools. This being
said, this is exhausting, tireless work and takes massive effort, as well
as time. To be clear, I refer to time in this context with two meanings.
First, the requirement of time put towards establishing partnerships,
building relationships, getting businesses and community members
involved. Second, the allotment of time for relationships, trust and
collaboration to create a paradigm shift within the community. It has
been my experience that these partnerships require multiple meetings,
conversations and information before they took root in a school or
program.
According to Sergiovanni in 1994, "If we want to rewrite the script
to enable good schools to flourish, we need to rebuild community.
Clearly, this process of engaging and educating parents, students,
stake holders and community members about the needs and diversity
of their schools is an in-depth process. Additionally, raising awareness
does not correlate to mobilizing action and require further investment
from all facets of the to be reconstructed school system. This is where
the relationships that are formed between staff, administrators,
agencies, parents and programs become vital to the paradigm shift
which is the goal. While awareness does not dirtily correlate to action,

action and involving students in their communities and communities

with schools does correlate to increased student success according to
Hackmann, Schmtt-Oliver and Tracy, 1992.
Lastly, the text categorizes the partnership effort by "collaboration
with family and community members, responding to diverse
community interests and needs, and mobilizing community resources."
To me this connects to the managerial cycle on page 97. The
evaluation comes from responding to diverse community interests and
needs, setting up applicable and needed goals based on the
community and its population. Next, planning is implemented through
collaboration with family and community and finally controlling takes
root through the management and effective utilizing of community
resources.

Forum 6: Demonstrate Ethical Leadership / Living

the Walk
As a social studies teacher, I teach primary sources as follows:
"Saw it, lived it, was it, did it." . This is leadership in an ethical frame.
Like with most things, if you want it you have to teach it, I believe this
true for administrators too. The principals that I look up to, I observe
doing this constantly, when they are around student's they use the
pedagogy, and approach they are hoping to see, they model behavior,
literally to teachers. But by doing such, they gain instant credibility,
they are not just talking the talk, they are walking the walk. This in and
of it's self is creating an ethics based culture, to ask one thing of your
staff and building and then conduct yourself in a manner that is not
same is by it's very nature "unethical", its a double standard,
hypocritical etc...
Next, I believe that as an administrator you must often times
serve as the moral compass for your team and district. You have to be

willing to make choices based on principal and values rather than

convenience or emotion. As the text states, administrators are
responsible to the entirety of the community, and district, especially
the student's within them. Hackmann, Schmitt-Oliver and Tracy also
write that administrators must develop a sense of worth amongst all
persons in the building (Pg. 159). Not feeling valued is the start to a
slippery slope in school culture, wether it is students, staff, teachers,
patrons.
In addition, I have found it valuable to state through out
my course work at Chadron State College, that I believe a key and
often over looked component of administrators is to empower staff.
Far too often I read posts about how principals must be willing to take
hard lines with teachers and put student's first etc... Do not get me
wrong, these all have their place, and are required at times, however I
believe that building a strong culture begins with building up teachers.
Teachers who love coming to work, feel supported, and entrusted are
powerful weapons for communities, schools and students. On the
alternate side, staff who are fearful, embark in mis-trust of the
administration, and are not passionate about their place of
employment can be a dangerous group. I believe that even when it
comes to ethics, administrators have to understand that a culture that
constantly puts kids above teachers and parents over instructors is
flirting with a dangerous "ethic" of debilitating one of America's great
natural resources, it's teachers.
Finally, my entire motive for pursing my masters in administration
has been my experience with administrators as both a student and a
teacher. They have been impactful to my life, they have not simply
been completing a "task" or doing a "job", they have been invested in
me and worked beyond what was expected of them to help me and my
students find success, that is walking the walk. I believe that using
values to drive decisions, make people feel valued, establish a school
culture, treat kids with respect and empower staff all while
representing the community and the school as a whole requires a
person with broad shoulders and deep character.

Forum 7: Leading Schools in Context

The school principal is a liaison for many different facets of the
community and building. They serve as a first line of communication
often for students, families and communities as schools are essential
pieces of societies structure. As a school leader, you inherently
assume a direct and active role in many of the political groups within a
community including local and state government, interest groups, and

even policy as well as regulation. As schools form the basis and

foundation for communities and children it seems reasonable that they
are held to a high standard of moral fiber and decision making. To
simply lead in a manner that only impacts ones particular building
would be a weak definition of leadership, and does not extend to the
needs of a community to further impact students and their families.
As a building leader, the process for finding and creating programs
within the community or our school would focus on three key areas.
First, are we adhering to our mission and vision and meeting the
needs of all of our students? Second, is the strategy or
program supported by data? Is our goal measurable by the data?
Lastly, are drawing upon the creativity, ingenuity, passion, and talents
of our staff and community to create a meaningful and
powerful education for students. I believe all to often schools look
to outsourcer or purchase programs or strategies. Teachers and
community members are smart, talented, invested people, and I
believe given the opportunity they can create custom solutions
for their students or community. As a leader I would look to create and
facilitate the solution finding progress.