Name Carolyn Gassmann

EPPSP Group 39
Butler University

The Experiential Program for Preparing School Principals

STANDARD:
24. Explore district funding and assist in the creation of a school’s budget Explore sources,
structures, ramifications of school district-wide funding. Become acquainted with the various
intricacies involved with the funding of local school districts. Specific attention will be given to
the disparity in funding between districts within a similar geographical region. Become
involved with various aspects of a building-based budget project. These budgetary activities
may include purchasing, extra-curricular accounts, bool rental collection, lunch money
dispersal, and fundraising activities. (ELCC 3.2)

Summary:
In the spring of 2021 I moved from the role of JV cheerleading coach to varsity coach. With this
change in role also came the change in responsibility. I have learned more about leading an
organization through this process than any other during my career thus far. One of the biggest
management pieces I have learned is that of financial management. I have spent countless
hours scrutinizing, balancing, and growing our budget.

When I first inherited our account it had less than $100 in it. Cheerleading is a fairly expensive
sport. The biggest things we pay for throughout the year are competition routine choreography,
apparel, and competition entry. Apparel costs are covered by the athletes’ dues, but I had to
figure out how to acquire the rest of the necessary money.

In the process of doing this, I worked closely with our school treasurer to ensure that every bit of
our account was accurate. I worked with families to assess how I could meet their individual
needs in terms of meeting their financial obligation. I organized a handful of fundraisers,
including a cheer clinic for elementary school students, to raise the necessary money.

As we move from summer into the school year, I now have a steady quantity of money in our
account that will be used for competition choreography and entry. While this experience took a
good bit of my time, I am very proud that I was able to cover these costs without having to ask
families to pay for anything more than their apparel.

Reflection:
When I first inherited this financial account and saw the balance, my biggest worry was giving
the cheerleaders the experience they deserved within the financial means of their families and
our school. They are so talented and well-rounded young adults, and they deserve to know that
their skills will take them far in life. Cheerleading is a great opportunity for them to grow in
physical and mental strength and character, and I am honored to serve as their coach and help
them achieve some of their athletic and life goals. With this responsibility on my back, I knew
that I had to find ways to help them without overspending. As stated in the summary, I was able
to do this, and I am very pleased that the work I put in has paid off. As a current athletic leader,
but hopeful school leader, it is important to tie this experience back to leading a school and
helping all children succeed.

Just like I believe all of my cheerleaders are capable of greatness and I will stop at nothing to
give them the experiences they deserve, I believe that with the right tools any student can
succeed. I am fortunate to teach in a school district with so many opportunities for students, but
I know that is not always the case. If I were to become the principal in a school district that lacks
funding and opportunities, I would have to respond in a similar way to how I did with the
cheerleading budget.

In that process, I analyzed the current situation, determined where I wanted to get to, and
planned the necessary financial steps to do so. In doing this with a school, I would have to do
the same. For example, if I were to lead a school that had low reading scores on standardized
assessments year after year, I would determine that to be a significant need. I would then
analyze our current budget for reading resources. From there, I would determine what
resources I would most like to purchase and implement in the building and figure out how I
would need to adjust and reallocate accordingly. Once this is determined, I would explain the
necessary changes to any pertinent stakeholders and make the adjustments as needed. From
there, I would implement the determined changes and resources, analyze their effectiveness,
and make adjustments for the next school year as needed.

While budgeting is a very time-consuming task, it is necessary to a school’s success. Not only
does money determine so many opportunities, it also determines how students are directly
impacted by our decisions as leaders. When we keep students at the center of our decisions,
financial decisions can be made logically and wisely.

Artifacts: