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Benchmark - Reviving the Professional Culture

Nevada Fox

College of Education, Grand Canyon University

EAD-513: Shaping School Culture

Dr. Koza

June 29
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Reviving the school’s culture

When looking at what the school is dealing with it seems like there is a lot of disconnect

between the staff and faculty. With the loss of a principal and an assistant principal, it seems to

have kind of torn down the staff’s morale. The school seems to need some revision in the

professional development days. The school also needs to look into the curriculum and how it is

being used within the classrooms and what other resources teachers are turning toward instead of

the curriculum we have purchased.

A mission I would suggest with this school would be: Our mission here are Maynard

High School is to develop well-rounded and caring students by instilling critical thinking skills.

Students will be prepared for success today and every day in the future.

A vision statement that I would suggest is: Every student every day.

A short-term goal I would have for Maynard would be finding replacements for the staff

that is not returning next year. We need to have qualified teachers in those classrooms to ensure

students are getting the education they deserve. Another short-term goal that I have for the

school would be to get teachers to know one another in the school. With a staff of 45 teachers, it

is easy to stick to just your section of teaching, but all staff should be able to know one another

in the school. One long-term goal that I would like for Maynard is to look at the curriculum and

to make adjustments as the staff and I see fit so that all students are getting an equal education in

the school. Any of the 9th-grade students should be able to walk into an English classroom and

the curriculum and resources being used are the same. I want my staff to know that this doesn’t

mean they have to teach the material the same way, they all have a different method of teaching

and they should continue that, but the materials need to be the same. The last long-term goal that

I would want for Maynard High School would be to create a professional development plan to
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have collaboration time with their collaborative learning communities to plan and work together

on the information that was presented to the staff.

“School, family, and community partnerships in high schools have been associated with

increased learning opportunities for students and community development.” (Sanders, 2005). I

want to get to know the community through a coffee talk within my first week of being at the

school. This would give the families/caretakers and community members time to let me know

what they think needs to be done to ensure the best for their students. It also allows me to let

them get to know me and my vision for the school. I would also like Maynard to hold a quarterly

technology night so that way staff and students could show off the projects they have been

working on in the classrooms. These nights would be beneficial has to can show students all that

support their education by showing up to nights like technology nights. One last community

involvement that I would like to do at Maynard would be to intern for a day at businesses around

the school. This allows students to try and find a job that they might want in the future. “The

students can perform tasks such as stocking low shelves, bagging groceries, and pricing items to

get a better understanding of how the business works.” (Admin, 2019).

I want to respond to the families in a positive and welcoming encounter every time I see

them. I can do this by greeting the parents of students through drop-offs or bus duty. I also want

my parents to know who I am and what I stand for. This can be done through coffee talks and

seeing them on campus. Providing multiple ways to communicate with my families is something

else I would like to do to know what they are needing and see what needs to be done on campus.

When building relationships with community partners I have many ideas on how to do

this. I would like to assess the needs of my students and the “ Community partnerships should

enhance existing school-based service delivery models and help fill in the resource and service
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gaps based on the needs of the school.” (NASP, 2016). The school's mission and vision need to

reflect the community as well. We want Maynard students to have learning experiences that are

not just within the four walls of the classroom, but also have 21st-century skills to succeed. I

need to meet community members where they are at so to do this I need my staff and I to do

community walks and let them know what we are hoping to do at Maynard and see if they will

help support our students. I would also like to find ways that community members can contribute

to curriculum lessons happening in the classrooms. This way community members are seeing

what is happening on campus and they can also be a part of the learning experience of the

students at Maynard High School.

When thinking about how I can advocate for the need and priorities of the students,

families, and the community I am serving I first need to be informed about what is happening in

with state and federal education policies. Next, I need to take action by advocating for my

students so that I can improve their education. I can do this through blog posts or by talking to

senators and public officials about educational laws. If I know what my students are facing and

what my staff is dealing with I am better able to support my school with all their needs and

priorities.

I think a lot of the above talks about how this school needs to be and can student-

centered. The community involvement and parent support will help tremendously with making

sure that students are supported and their needs are taken care of in a timely fashion. I want my

staff and students to know that I have their backs. I can do this by providing justice for them by

advocating for them. My staff needs to first put trust in me and I want to build those relationships

up. They just lost their leader I don’t want to come in like I know everything right away. I want

to get to know each one personally and let them get to know my leadership style.
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References

Admin. (2019, September 8). 5 ideas for building school-community engagement. Counselor

Keri. Retrieved June 29, 2022, from https://www.counselorkeri.com/2017/08/29/5-ideas-

for-building-school-community-engagement/

NASP. (2016). A framework for safe and successful schools. Leading across Boundaries.

Retrieved June 30, 2022, from https://www.nasponline.org/Documents/Research%20and

%20Policy/Advocacy%20Resources/

Framework_for_Safe_and_Successful_School_Environments.pdf

Sanders, M. G., & Lewis, K. C. (2005). Building Bridges toward Excellence: Community

Involvement in High Schools. The High School Journal, 88(3), 1–9.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/40364259