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PBL: Reforming Hickory Ridge High School Kenna Dawson, Courtney McAnany, Linda Sharp, Lisa Slivoski Florida Gulf Coast University

** Introduction ** Four years ago, the School Board of Wingfield School District established a mission and vision for the district to be technologically driven and innovative. The Board and the community felt that technology driven curriculum and instruction would directly impact student achievement by significantly raising student standardized test scores and producing students with critical thinking and technological skills. The Board and Superintendent’s initial step in moving toward this goal was the hiring last year of Principal Jim O’Connor. The Board determined that the focus of the reforms would be school based at Hickory Ridge High School with Jim O’Connor leading the reform movement. As the superintendent of the District, I have collected data and monitored the progress of Hickory Ridge High in its movement toward meeting the goals of an innovative and technologically driven school with high achieving students. The high school began with formulating a mission and vision for the school. Stakeholders, including Board members, teachers, administrators, and parents participated in and supported the reforms. Implementation of school reform began with a core of Hickory teachers selected to participate in technology based industry tours and attend training on the implementation of pilot programs in other schools. The groundwork was established, but the teachers and administrators disagreed about the best means to proceed. After one year, Hickory High has been unable to meet guidelines of the new reforms. Classroom computer usage by students and teachers has been disappointing. Standardized test scores were slightly higher last year, but some students scored in the bottom quartile. In addition, the high school has increased enrollment with a number of recent immigrants bringing new needs and challenges to Hickory Ridge High School. Hickory Ridge has a high percentage of aging veteran teachers. In order to promote school reform, I placed 27 new teachers at Hickory Ridge, all with strong technology skills and high potential for advancement within the district. It was assumed that the veteran teachers would assist the new teachers with instructional skills and strategies and the new teachers would help the veteran teachers become technologically advanced. Unfortunately, the plan and collaboration among the groups did not materialize. Many of the new teachers are complaining about Principal O’Connor and the veteran teachers. They find them out of touch with modern times, bureaucratic, and overly concerned about the community and parents. They are worried that the principal and veteran teachers will hold back their careers. Principal O’Connor complains that the new teachers are inexperienced and lack knowledge about the history of the school, students, parents, and the community. These conflicts between staff members, the principal, and the community are forming divisions between the older and younger staff. The staff at Hickory Ridge High School demonstrates a lack of adherence to the District's vision of being technologically driven and innovative. They also lack teamwork, mutual respect, and collaboration toward colleagues and administration. However, I firmly believe that the principal and teachers have the knowledge, experience, and skills to be successful in reforming the school. I am committed to helping Principal O’Connor gain the respect of the faculty and will work with him in implementing the following plans by: · Providing support to the principal as he works with all stakeholders in the development of new mission/vision statements that align with the District’s vision · Pairing a principal/mentor with Mr. O’Connor · Fostering teamwork through the development of strategies/staff development opportunities · Collaborating with Principal O’Connor on building an innovative and technologically driven high school ** Mission and Vision ** As superintendent of the Wingfield School District, I feel it is extremely important for me to openly support Jim O’Connor as the first step in providing a united front to the Hickory Ridge High School faculty and staff as well as all stakeholders. I will start by giving Principal O’Connor recognition for his exceptional work with the community. This will be handled at the Board level and also at the school level. I will invite him to the next School Board meeting and have the Board announce the award. Then I will present the award to him at the next Hickory Ridge High School faculty meeting. I want to ensure that all school stakeholders understand that Principal O’Connor has the full support of the Board and me. I will take an active role in working with Jim to ensure that he understands my concerns. We will collaborate and plan strategies for leading the school in a new direction. The next step will be to schedule weekly meetings with Mr. O’Connor. We will review school data (including demographics, standardized test scores), school climate (especially the rift between the veteran and new teachers), and the progress toward an innovative and technologically driven school. With the end in mind, I will recommend that Jim begin the process of revising the mission and vision of Hickory Ridge High School. According to Gow (2005), a mission statement defines the purpose of the school and provides “justification for the school’s existence”. Mission statements “represent a set of pillars that support the workings of the school down to the smallest detail” (Gow 2005, p.28). Mission statements should define who you are as a school and where you are going. When mission statements are developed by all stakeholders, they are the most effective. Parents, students, faculty, staff, administrators, community leaders, and business partners should all be engaged in the task of developing a school’s mission statement because all are partners in ensuring school success. The primary key in developing and obtaining commitment to the mission statement is participation. I will support Principal O’Connor as he plans the process. Generally, development of the mission statement begins with committee work. This might include staff involvement in professional learning communities and community members, business partners, parents, students, and staff participation in the school advisory committee. Relevant school data should be analyzed by all participants as part of the development process. Self-analysis allows the school community to take the first giant step toward establishing common goals and developing a clear sense of direction (Helfer, 2010). Members should analyze the current functioning of the school but also future goals. Overall, participants should examine how best to serve students. Participants need to keep in mind the Board’s directive for an innovative and technologically driven Hickory Ridge High School. The committees, professional learning communities, and other groups will develop the mission statement over an agreed upon amount of time. Then group leaders will convene to edit and finalize the statement. In order for a school to be effective, all stakeholders commit share the mission. Development of the mission statement fosters collaboration among all stakeholders. According to Helfer, it helps all school personnel understand why they do what they do (2010). It also helps them focus on what it means to be part of the school. As a result, individuals who contribute to the everyday activity of the school benefit from a strong sense of belonging (Helfer, 2010). The process of creating the mission statement connects all parties and is especially important in unifying Hickory Ridge High School staff at this time of crisis within the school. Once the mission statement is developed, the next step is to create the vision for Hickory Ridge High School. I will encourage Principal O’Connor to follow the same process in developing the vision statement as he followed in the creation of the mission statement. Assay, Doverspike and Vaiana (2005) believe that a vision statement extends and clarifies the mission statement. The vision serves as a summary of the school’s educational philosophy and defines the school’s underlying goals and values (Assay et al., 2005). Serving as a guide to action by specifying goals and desired future states, the vision statement should include measureable objectives and have built-in means to monitor and evaluate success. Core values should be addressed in vision statements and need to be embedded in the daily work of the school. Management processes and school procedures should be aligned with the school’s mission and vision. All school tasks must relate to the mission and vision, including curriculum and instruction, professional development, evaluation of students and staff, and instructional leadership duties. ** Principal Mentorship ** Jim O’Connor, previously a middle school teacher for eight years and assistant principal for thirteen years is currently in his second year as the principal. Mr. O’Connor’s strong ties to the community have been an asset to the school and District. However, his lack of communication with the younger staff has fostered a rift among the faculty. It is obvious that Mr. O’Connor has a desire for Hickory Ridge High School to succeed; however, he has been unsuccessful with bringing the staff together and leading all groups toward the mission. Given the complexity of the staff dynamics and the fact that Mr. O’Connor is a relatively new principal, all involved would benefit from significant support through his involvement in a professional mentorship program. Mentoring will not automatically solve the problems that Mr. O’Connor faces as a new administrator, but it is an important way to assist him as he develops skills and confidence needed in leading an organization (Saban & Wolfe, 2009). Mentoring not only benefits the principal and teachers, it also benefits the students. According to Robinson, Horan and Nanavati (2009) the effects of improved leadership on student engagement and achievement are positive. Mr. O’Connor would benefit from learning through the professional support that a mentorship provides. It will allow him to build his leadership capability being specific and results-driven in a non-threatening and collegial environment (Robinson et al., 2009). The relationship he builds with his mentor will also serve as a model for the type of professional relationships he can create with his staff members. The assigned mentor will benefit Mr. O’Connor in these ways in addition to developing skills in relationship building. The differing views at Hickory Ridge High have begun splitting the staff and breaking down necessary relationships which are needed for the school’s success. The teachers do not feel trusted which in turn creates a lack of respect for Mr. O’Connor. The daily interactions between instructional staff and administrators have a direct affect on the trust and morale of the organization (Saban & Wolfe, 2009). His mentor will assist Mr. O’Connor in recognizing how increased encouragement will motivate the staff and motivate them to share in the vision. In order for the staff to change their view of Mr. O’Connor, he must build relationships based on trust and confidence. Saban and Wolfe (2009) express that when relationships are solid, people leave their comfort zones and take more risks. Mr. O’Connor can begin this type of relationship by recognizing accomplishments and showing appreciation for the work and effort shown by his staff. Assuming this is an area that is difficult for him; his mentor would be wise to provide specific examples of where this applies. The principal’s role is constantly changing and requires a continuously expanding knowledge base. According to Cunningham and Cordeiro (2009) many school districts have developed institutes to provide administrators with an opportunity to enhance leadership knowledge and skills. In fact, through the National Mentor Program, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and Nova Southeastern University (NSU) created the first national mentoring certification program for principal mentors (Hall, 2008). Seasoned principals interested in mentoring new administrators attend the Leadership Immersion Institute and have the ability to earn the National Principal Mentor Certification. Working with a mentor trained to this level, would be beneficial for any new principal especially Jim O’Connor. In addition to connecting Mr. O’Connor with a mentor through the National Mentor Program, he will also have direct connection with another experienced administrator within the District. This relationship will provide Mr. O’Connor will have access to someone who can answer specific questions about District operations and provide helpful insight from a district perspective. This mentor will serve as a colleague and not someone directly supervising Mr. O’Connor. A mentoring program will benefit Mr. O’Connor, staff, parents and community in many ways. The tangible support that he will receive with the professional mentorship through the National Mentor program and local administrator will assist Mr. O’Connor in building relationships with and among staff members. This will create an environment where staff members feel trusted and in turn gain respect for Mr. O’Connor as a trusted leader. ** Team Building ** As stated earlier, I have placed twenty-seven new teachers at Hickory Ridge High School in the hopes that they would share their newly acquired skills, resources, and talents with the existing staff. These new staff members have been identified as the top ten percent in their program and have high potential for upward mobility. I expected the existing staff at Hickory Ridge High School to welcome them and share their knowledge of the community and the District's history. These two groups have divided themselves and do not understand that they can learn and benefit from each other. As the superintendent of the Wingfield School District, I believe it is important that school faculty work together toward one common goal: student achievement. Hickory Ridge High School staff will benefit from positive relationships and communities within the building. Mr. O’Connor must provide a collaborative environment for his staff. To implement this, he should use simple teambuilding strategies at faculty meetings and in-service trainings. These activities should be fun, enjoyable, and quick. This would allow veteran and new teachers to interact and get to know each other in a non-threatening way. Once teachers are more comfortable with each other, Mr. O’Connor should introduce professional learning communities. According to Nugent, Reardon, Smith, Rhodes, Zander, and Carter (2008), learning occurs most effectively in a community. Professional learning communities are a successful way for Mr. O’Connor to bring staff together, especially teachers who work together on a frequent basis. Collaborative work becomes stronger when teachers take responsibility for a common group of students (Haun & Martin, 2004). Teachers share ideas and visions, which in turn lead to improvement and student achievement. Mr. O’Connor should also set up a mentoring program within the school between veteran and beginning teachers. It would be important that all involved realize that this is a program designed to help both parties. Mentoring should be viewed as a means of collaboration rather than a new teacher requiring assistance. All parties benefit from this program through self-reflection, mutual cooperation and the development of new skills (Iancu-Haddad, & Oplatka, 2009). The veteran teachers will share information regarding the school district, community history, subject area content for lesson planning, and classroom management strategies. This will be a reciprocal relationship in which they are also learning from the beginning teachers. The new teachers who are recent college graduates, have desired technological knowledgeable about needed reforms. Beginning teachers will assist veteran teachers with implementing technology in their classrooms. Through teambuilding activities, professional learning communities, and the mentoring between veteran and beginning teachers, the staff at Hickory Ridge High School will work collaboratively to meet their student’s needs. These newly formed relationships will create a more open-minded faculty with increased collegiality. Staff will be more likely to take the risk of sharing their ideas or suggestions for school improvement if they feel comfortable with the people around them. ** Technology ** The Wingfield School District has made a commitment to becoming a technology driven district. The lack of progress in this reform at Hickory Ridge High School is unacceptable. The District has sent a core group of individuals to technology-based industry tours and forums on the implementation of pilot programs for technology reform, without seeing tangible results. With the support of the Board, I will implement a four-pronged approach to improving technology integration at Hickory Ridge High School. First, an in-depth climate assessment needs to be administered to determine the level of proficiency among the staff. This assessment should include information on the barriers staff feels may hinder them from implementing technology into their lessons and their level of comfort and proficiency with a range of software and hardware. The District must provide support for those teachers working to attain technological fluency through professional development and on-site knowledge brokers. The second step is to employ on-site knowledge brokers. These individuals will serve as go-betweens from the professional development at the District level and the teachers’ implementation in the classroom. Many veteran teachers are apprehensive to incorporate technology into the classroom due to their lack of troubleshooting abilities. An on-site knowledge broker will be available to assist in the pedagogical implementation of technology as well as the technical mechanics of the hardware and software. Knowledge brokers will assist teachers in choosing the correct technology to implement into their lessons; they are instructional leaders. Teachers are busy keeping current on their content areas therefore; they have little time to include the most up to date trainings on technology. This is where a knowledge broker will come in. The knowledge broker will attend trainings and research innovative technologies to integrate into the classroom. They will then broker that knowledge within the school to assist in the complete integration of technology at Hickory Ridge High School (Plair, 2008). Next, technology implementation will be monitored through lesson plans, professional development plans, and classroom observations. All lesson plans should identify some form of technology used in each lesson. The use of technology should vary depending on the lesson being presented. The knowledge broker will assist in determining what is appropriate for the lesson. Teachers must remember that the knowledge broker is there as a technology leader to guide and assist in technology instruction. Each classroom teacher will also be required to incorporate a SMART technology goal into his or her Professional Development Plan. This goal must be measurable and documented through lesson plans and administrative observations. At the end of each quarter the teachers and students will take part in a technology survey to anonymously assess the success of technology integration at Hickory Ridge. Finally, the district wide use of distance learning for professional development will serve as a model for teachers in the implementation of technology in their classrooms. Teachers will be encouraged through professional and monetary opportunities to take part in professional development offered via distance learning. According to Duncan-Howell (2010), teachers learn best through collaboration and therefore successful professional development must provide for a network where teachers can collaborate and support each other. The teachers and staff at Hickory Ridge are educated on the various forms of technology at their disposal; I believe they will be more apt to integrate it into their classrooms. Technology integration is changing the way teachers teach and students learn. Many veteran teachers are unsure of their role in this changing environment, where they are no longer the keepers of knowledge but the facilitators of learning (Hartnell-Young, 2006). The increase in technology places a greater responsibility on teachers to manage their students and their use of the technology, through proper professional development and knowledge brokering this burden will become the responsibility of the entire school and District. ** Conclusion ** As the superintendent of Wingfield School District, I am willing to support Jim O’Connor in making necessary changes needed at Hickory Ridge High School. After data collecting and progress monitoring, a mission and vision will be developed for Hickory Ridge. As a result, all faculty and stakeholders will know who we are as a school and our direction. Developing these common goals together will give the staff a vested interest in the school's success and create a sense of community. In addition to forming a mission and vision, Mr. O’Connor will participate in the National Mentor Program in which he will have the opportunity of learning from a mentor outside of the District. This program will serve many benefits due to the fact that the principal’s role is constantly changing and requires an increasing amount of knowledge and skills. Mr. O’Connor will also be introduced to an experienced principal within the District that will assist him with district-related operations and procedures when needed. These mentoring relationships will help Mr. O’Connor develop the confidence and skills needed to be an effective and respected leader. Principal O’Connor will build relationships among staff members through simple team building activities at faculty meetings and in-service trainings. He will also develop professional learning communities which will promote collaboration throughout the school. To reduce the divide between veteran and new teachers, Mr. O’Connor will establish a mentoring program at Hickory Ridge. Veteran teachers will be paired with new teachers to bridge the gap and help one another in specific areas such as technology integration and community history. Mr. O’Connor will improve technology integration at Hickory Ridge by providing support to teachers through on-site knowledge brokers and professional development. The knowledge broker will assist in the implementation of technology along with the technical mechanics of the hardware and software. Teachers will be required to incorporate a SMART technology goal into their Professional Development Plan and will also be encouraged to participate in professional development classes online. These innovative changes will be the beginning of the new Hickory Ridge High School. With guidance and support, I am confident in Mr. O’Connor's ability to transform into a successful leader and to turn the school around in a positive direction. I have been told “it takes a few mistakes before you get it right;” this time, I believe I have it right. References ** Kenna Dawson **

Cunningham, W. G. & Cordeiro, P. A. (2009). //Educational Leadership: A bridge to improved//

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Robinson, J., Horan, L., & Nanavati, M. (2009). Creating a mentoring coaching culture for

ontario school leaders. //Adult Learning//, //20//(1/2), 35-38. Saban, J., & Wolfe, S. (2009). Mentoring p rincipals around leadership practices. //Catalyst for// //Change//, //36//(1), 2-6.

** Courtney McAnany ** Duncan-Howell, J. (2010). Teachers making connections: Online communities as a source of professional learning. //British Journal of Educational Technology//, 324-340. Hartnell-Young, E. (2006). Teachers' roles and professional learning in communities of practice supported by technology in schools. //Journal of Technology and Teacher Education//, 461-480. Plair, S. K. (2008). Revamping professional development for technology integration and fluency. //The Clearing House//, 70-74.

** Linda Sharp ** Assay, T.; Doverspike, D.; Vaiana, P. (2005) Forming and communicating the vision. //Momentum,// 36(3), 27- 31. Gow, P. (2009). Missions, mantras, and meaning: what should mission statements do? //Independent School,// 69(1) 27-28. Sommers, D. (2009). Information leadership: leading with the end in mind. //Techniques,// 84(4), 42-45.

** Lisa Slivoski **

Haun, D.D., & Martin, B.N. (2004). Attrition of beginning teachers and the factors of collaboration and school setting. //RMLE Online: Research in Middle Level Education//, //27//(2), 1-7. Iancu-Haddad, D., & Oplatka, I. (2009). Mentoring novice teachers: motives, process, and outcomes from the mentor’s point of view. //New Educator//, //5//(1), 45-65. Nugent, J.S., Reardon, R.M., Smith, F.G., Rhodes, J.A., Zander, M.J., & Carter, T.J. (2008). Exploring faculty learning communities: building connections among teaching, learning, and technology. //International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education//, //20//(1), 51-58.