Major Questions:
� What can be done to respond to a changing population at a school?
� How can instructional programs support students who are operating below required standard?
� In a high-stakes environment, how can a principal provide support for his staff and maintain solidarity among them?
�The Tortoise or the Hare?�
Ryan is in his fifth year as principal of a medium sized urban middle school. His initial experience in the position was difficult, but he has developed some grounding and feels better about the direction he is moving the school. Unfortunately, his gains are not quite what they need to be to meet federal standards. This is partly a feature of the population shifts that have occurred at the school over that past several years. Attendance zone lines have shifted, providing the school with a lower income base than in the past. In addition, this zone has overwhelmingly faced the
There have been several additions to the staff that Ryan has pushed for over the last few years. He has funded these partly through re-assignments within the school, but has also been successful at seeking additional funds from the school board. Among staff members, several are able to act as translators for the benefit of Spanish speaking families. One new position is a family support specialist who can organize activities for family involvement and act as a conduit for teachers who need support from families. An additional counselor has also been hired to provide support for students in this higher poverty environment, where needs are increased.
Instructional programs have also been developed to handle new challenges. These include a technology teacher who collaborates with core teachers and reading-across-the-curriculum training for teachers. There has also been momentum to have students take pre-algebra or algebra before leaving middle school, which has been associated with greater success in high school. The number of positions in math and reading has been increased to allow for lower student-teacher ratio in those classes, which are the focus of federal standards requirements. Together, the hope is that this collection of programs will improve students� achievement and allow them to be successful.
Unfortunately, there is some dissention among the ranks of teachers on one grade level. Many of these teachers are frustrated with the low comprehension skills of many of their students and they do not believe material can be successfully taught to the students until this situation is remedied. The principal disagrees with this assessment, believing that there need only be a broader array of instructional approaches to reach struggling readers. The problem is that this discussion has not occurred directly between the principal and the teachers, but through the intermediary of the Instructional Lead Teacher. This has allowed teachers to feel like they have not been heard or had any clear direction on the issue.
Ryan has made some strides toward success with implementation of new programs in the school. Both the affective and academic initiatives he has made are the kind of moves that are likely to yield results. However, he will need to make certain that he is clearly communicating with the staff to accomplish everything that is necessary. If many teachers do not buy-in to the direction of the school because of peripheral issues, instruction will suffer. This could be damaging for the students in this time of heavy demands from the Federal Government, and could be personally disruptive for the principal and his staff, who could be reassigned or relieved of employment if sufficient gains are not made.