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Strategic Leadership and Management Functions in Practice

Rebekah Pierce

EAD 536

February 7, 2024
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Strategic Leadership and Management Functions in Practice

Background

For this assignment, I worked with Mrs. Sells, my principal mentor, as well as Jonathan

Ribbeck, the Chief Elementary Academic Officer, who is over all elementary schools in our

district.

Community Presence

Mr. Ribbeck said administrators will use their climate survey data to gather strengths and

opportunities for improvement. They are highly encouraged to be proactive in meeting with the

community to discuss the needs of the school and request resources. Mrs. Sells said she tries to

engage in the local community through athletics, churches, businesses, and the West Iredell

Ruritan. She said she attends when I am able or when she is invited to listen to their needs and

share what's going on at Sharon, because this creates dialogue and relationship between us. She

continued to say that service and give back is important to her as a leader so our school also uses

our fundraisers to give back to the community. This way, when we share needs they are more

than willing to help support us.

Ethical Responsibilities

Mr. Ribbeck said school administrators must follow all laws (federal and state) when it

comes to their resources. They must be transparent by sharing how much funding they are

allotted and how they spend it. For example, as a principal, I would share our budget report and

how funds were spent at each SIT Meeting. When funds were spent, we were required to show

how purchases were aligned to the school mission and vision and this should be indicated in the

School Improvement Plan.

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Mrs. Sells said she buys small teacher requests or school needs but any big purchase goes

through our school improvement team. She said she also tries to connect the purchase with our

school improvement plan so it all goes back to student growth. She includes our budgets on

weekly leadership PLCs as well as the SIT minutes, and these are easily accessible to all staff as

well as Mr. Ribbeck.

PSEL

The Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) Standard 2 emphasizes the

importance of ethics and professional norms, resonated throughout these discussions (National

Policy Board for Educational Administration, 2015). Adhering to ethical principles ensures

responsible resource management and community engagement. PSEL Standard 8, focusing on

the collaboration with families and stakeholders, was evident in the collaborative meetings held

with our SIT as our SIT team includes parents and members of the community. Engaging the

community in decision-making processes aligns with the standard's emphasis on shared

leadership.

In applying these insights to my future professional practice, I will prioritize transparent

communication, community engagement, and ethical decision-making. By establishing a

continuous presence in the community, maintaining transparency in resource allocation, and

fostering collaborations, I aim to create an environment where all stakeholders contribute to the

school's success. These principles will guide my leadership to ensure effective resource

utilization and community support for the betterment of students and families.
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Reference

National Policy Board for Educational Administration. (2015). Professional standards for

educational leaders (PSEL). http://www.npbea.org/wp

content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-Standards-for-Educational-Leaders_2015.pdf