Case Study #5

A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.

 

Key Questions

1.         How does the administrator demonstrate professional codes of ethics?

2.         What are ways the administrator acts with fairness toward the school community?

 

 

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the ways that the school administrator acts with integrity, fairness and in an ethical manner.

 

Description and Explanation of the Situation

Clementine Middle School is struggling to come out from under the needs improvement label.  This school is in its 7^th year of needs improvement according to No Child Left Behind, NCLB.  While the regular education students perform well within passing limits established by NCLB, the special education subgroup has had difficulty achieving the passing standards.  Gains are usually made by the subgroup; however, it is not enough to bring Clementine out of needs improvement.  The school has had department of education personnel acting as liaisons to help focus the efforts of the staff to improvement the presentation of material to struggling students.  Each year brings a new department of education liaison.  This particular year, the department of education sent in a specialist that “guarantees” meeting adequate yearly progress no matter how hard the staff has to work.  This abrupt, demanding behavior has left the facultys’ moral in shambles. 

 

The restructuring plan that has been approved by the county office as well as the state department of education established learning pods within the school based on grade levels.  While this has not been effective in all grade levels, it has produced one grade level that is committed to school improvement.   Clementine has one principal and three assistant principals.  Each assistant principal is directly responsible for the grade level they oversee.  In addition to the assistant principal, each grade level is assigned an instructional coach. The 6^th grade administrator is more of a task manager that does not demonstrate a professional code of ethics.  Comments are made to other educators about their colleagues in a derogatory manner.  The instructional coach for the 6^th grade spends time grading lesson plans and bulletin boards.  This doesn’t treat educators as if they are professionals.

 

The 7^th grade assistant principal and instructional coach do not exemplify integrity when dealing with the school community.  Decisions are made without involving the stakeholders most affected.  Again, educators are not treated with professionalism.  One teacher even reported that the instructional coach stopped her in the middle of her lesson to explain what the teacher was doing incorrectly.  This undermined the teacher’s ability to instruct her students.  Other teachers in the grade level are treated as if they can do no wrong.  The level of fairness in the 7^th grade is nonexistent.  You have to be well liked, not well respected, to be treated with fairness.

 

The 8^th grade administrator recognized early on that the instructional coach was antagonistic toward the teachers.  The administrator dealt with the coach with integrity and fairness.  She attempted to explain her concerns will validating the instructional coach’s expertise.  Eventually, the decision was made to move the instructional coach to a new grade level.  At this time the 8^th grade does not have an instructional coach.  The assistant principal has worked hard building her grade level.  She demonstrates professionalism, fairness and integrity when dealing with students, parents and teachers.  She understands the value of the entire school community.

 

Answers to the Questions:

 

1.         How does the administrator demonstrate professional codes of ethics?

 

            The administrator demonstrates a professional code of ethics by not discussing issues that stakeholders have no involvement in.  One example is disciplinary action taken against a teacher.  The AP approached the teacher quietly and addressed the fact that the teacher was not dressing professionally.  This action was handled in a way that kept the teacher from feeling embarrassed and yet, they understood what needed to be corrected.   The AP also will not discuss student discipline issues with teachers that are not involved with direct instruction of the student. 

            This assistant principal is sought out through out the county to sit on disciplinary hearing panels that deal with students.  She is sought out for her personal code of professional ethics.  She presents herself as being fair and just in her decisions.  She understands the right of every student to a free, quality education.  If a student deliberately hinders other students from achieving this education, they are dealt with swiftly and firmly. 

            Frequently in grade level meetings the assistant principal tells her staff that she will be the “fall guy” for any problems that her decisions may cause.  She understands that the teachers are following her direction and should not have to be concerned with getting in trouble with the other administrators.  She also tells the teachers through written notes how much she values their hard work.  The notes are always specific when praising the good work.

 

2.         What are ways the administrator acts with fairness toward the school

 community?

 

            The 8^th grade administrator acts with fairness toward the school community through her actions.  She deals fairly with all students that she contacts.  She listens with empathy before meriting out her decisions.  Never does she yell or raise her voice.  She works diligently to maintain her personal and professional code of ethics.

            One particular incident that the AP shared with me involved three special education students.  Two of the students chose to start a fight with another student in the boys restroom.  The student that they chose to fight had vision problems in that each eye seemed to look in different directions.  As the two boys approached the other young man, he began to retreat into a corner.  While retreating, he stuck his foot in a urinal and could not get it out.  The incident was hilarious especially when told by the two instigators who could not stop laughing.  The administrator maintained her composure and merited out the punishment.  She shared that only upon the boys leaving the office did she erupt in laughter.  Her goal was to treat the boys involved in the altercation fairly, equitably, and with dignity and respect.

 

This case study shows that the 8^th grade administrator is proficient in her ability to be an educational leader who promotes success of all students by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.  The administrator uses the influence of her office constructively and productively in the service of all students and their families.  She has worked hard to develop a caring school community that fosters success of all students.  She frequently considers het impact of her administrative practices on others.  This assistant principal is only in her second full year and yet she is proficient in many areas that the principal is not.