Dustin Bradshaw

EDL 646

Steve Kelish

10/26/16

Principal Interview

I sat down with Ms. Doolan to ask her questions about her duties as

principal of a small school of Kindergarten through eighth grade students.

Ms. Doolan is a first year administrator of the school of 31 students. She is

not only the school principal; she is also the schools superintendent and

resource teacher. She spends the first part of her day teaching resource and

spends the rest of the day wearing the hat of an administrator. She showed

me her organization system that helps keep her sane in doing her required

duties. She is an instrument of change. She is not a status quo administrator.

She has established restorative practice techniques which has helped her to

not have to suspend students as much as was previously done before her.

She really leads by example. This is her leadership style. She has had to get

the other teachers on board of her new behavior techniques. She has many

veteran teachers that were used to doing things differently before she came

there. She has provided all of her employees with professional development

on Restorative practices and that has contributed to the programs success.

98 percent of the students are on free and reduced lunch. This means most

are of the low socio economic level. Because of this, they qualify for the After

School program Grant (ASES). This allows students to participate in

enrichment activities past school hours. She states that she contracts with

Northern Humboldt to do her budgeting. She is aware of the money that is

available to her. She is currently working on renting out part of the school to

Humboldt County office of Education to bring in more resources for her

school.