A Blueprint for Action: School Administrators

VI: Administrators

Preamble: Recognizing that the school site administrator exercises authority and influences the actions of students, staff, faculty, parents and families, we ask that such authority and influence be systematically directed to the development and implementation of educational programs which maximize the academic growth of each Black child; and we commit to:

ACTION ITEMS IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES

A. Maximize the time principals are visible and accessible to pupils and staff. 1. Defer activities which can be done after pupils leave school.

2. Schedule and make regular classroom visits.

3. Schedule and make regular visits to hallways and other areas of the site.

4. Make nonscheduled visits frequently with feedback to teachers and staff.

5. Delegate and monitor activities which h are not priorities.

6. Develop and publicize the principal's expectations of pupils, teachers, and staff.

7. Share with parents the principal's plans for observation of teachers and their performance assessment categories.

B. Convene stakeholders to develop expectations for students and performance standards for teachers. 1. Publicize expectations for pupils, teachers, and staff.

2. Develop and implement teacher development programs designed to improve performance in areas of identified weaknesses.

3. Recognize exemplary performance of students, parents, and staff.

C. Require administrators to help teachers upgrade their performance in the school. Involve each teacher in the planning and implementation of staff development activities. 1. Help teachers to assess their needs and provide necessary support.

2. Help each teacher to be better prepared for classroom duties.

3. Provide each teacher with classroom management models.

4. Provide classroom teaching models.

5. Communicate, when appropriate, all matters relating to pupil performance.

6. Identify and discuss with the teacher those strengths and weaknesses that were observed during regularly scheduled observations of teacher performance.

7. Develop and implement teacher development programs designed to improve performance in areas of identified weaknesses.

8. Develop school goals with the assistance of staff, families and community.

9. Hold staff accountable for improvement based on school goals.

10. Require total staff self-evaluation.

11. Provide for intra-school and inter-school visitation of faculty.

12. Provide resources for each teacher that will assist them in improving the teacher's knowledge of Black history and culture.

13. Provide grade level/subject matter articulation K-12.

D. Improve the process for assigning principals and other administrator to schools and other district offices. 1. Analyze current recruitment, selection and assignment practices of the school district as they relate to administrators.

2. Identify administrators who have demonstrated success with African-American populations and isolate their characteristics, methods and behaviors as assignment criteria.

3. Modify recruitment, selection, and assignment procedures as necessary to assure that outstanding candidates will be attracted to, selected and assigned to, schools with Black student populations.

4. Provide opportunities for effective principals to share their strategies and techniques with other principals and potential candidates for the principalship.

5. Publicly recognize and validate exemplary work by fellow educators.

E. Make the principal accountable for knowing and providing instructional programs which teach more than basic skills (e.g., arts, technology and business). 1. Require the principal to state with specificity to teachers, parents and community those skills needed by the pupils attending the school.

2. Require the principal to specify the method to be used by the principal to assure that those skills are taught in the school.

3. Require the principal to specify how teaching skills will be measured in the school.

4. Require the principal to specify what will be done if, upon measurement, it is determined that the identified skills have not been taught in the school.

5. Require the principal to explain to parents and the community the extent to which recognized effective teaching techniques are being used or are becoming a part of the acceptable techniques in the school.

6. Define and articulate acceptable criteria or competencies which match post-secondary entrance requirements, or employer expectations.

7. Assume responsibility for developing skills, talents and competence among peers and engaging policymakers as partners in planning.

F. Require the principal to develop and implement effective means of involving parents and families in the school. 1. Establish inviting, welcoming climate for parents and families. Arrange both day and evening times when parents are invited to the school.

2. Schedule times when parents may visit without having made a prior appointment.

3. Inform parents and families of effective techniques for involvement.

4. Encourage and reward home visits by teachers.

5. Provide regularly to parents and families a schedule of school events.

6. Develop and periodically distribute a parent handbook.

7. Solicit help from religious bodies, community organizations, and businesses to increase family involvement.

8. Require each teacher to inform parents of objectives relating to individual student learning and behavior.

9. Require principals to cultivate attitudes among faculty and staff that make schools more "parent and family-friendly".

10. Utilize available technology to improve and maintain two-way home-school communication.

G. Develop a strategic and tactical plan for achieving academic excellence at the school site. 1. Measure and report the involvement of all stakeholders to the school community.

2. Utilize an appropriate needs assessment strategy.

3. Develop a mission statement.

4. Develop objectives and activities appropriate for achieving the goals of the mission statement.

5. Develop and publicize an implementation strategy.

6. Provide an assessment procedure. Redesign programs and procedures as indicated by the assessment.

7. Sponsor student leadership conferences through planning with students, parents, and community, businesses and organizations.

8. Create a calendar of opportunities to reinforce and support fellow administrators.

H. Accept the responsibility for maintaining a sate, drug-free, peaceful campus. 1. Develop and implement at least one effective self-esteem program.

2. Develop programs for critical thinking, problem solving and life skills.

3. Provide conflict management/resolution services for teachers, students and families.

4. Provide parents with an awareness program for supportive strategies and techniques for a drug-free and safe environment at home and at school.

5. Seek government, corporate. and community agencies and organizations to establish anti-violence, anti-gang, and anti-drug programs.

6. Establish programs to promote peace and celebration of life.

7. Implement a substance awareness program.

8. Allow no weapons or illegal drugs on campus.

9. Accept and act appropriately on reports of weapons from student, faculty and staff.

10. Teach methods of conflict resolution as part of regular school curriculum.

11. Distribute substance abuse prevention, treatment, and anti-violence literature.

I. Advance and promote technology appropriate to function effectively in the 21st Century. 1. Become proficient with application software.

2. Plug into the Internet and make it accessible at every school.

3. Purchase publications which inform educators, students and families about trends and innovations in technology.

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NCEBC: National Council on Educating Black Children
P.O. Box 2293
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Website Copyright © 1999 New Horizons for Learning, all rights reserved.
New Horizons for Learning
URL: http://www.newhorizons.org
E-mail: info@newhorizons.org

ACTION ITEMS	IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES
A. Maximize the time principals are visible and accessible to pupils and staff.	1. Defer activities which can be done after pupils leave school. 2. Schedule and make regular classroom visits. 3. Schedule and make regular visits to hallways and other areas of the site. 4. Make nonscheduled visits frequently with feedback to teachers and staff. 5. Delegate and monitor activities which h are not priorities. 6. Develop and publicize the principal's expectations of pupils, teachers, and staff. 7. Share with parents the principal's plans for observation of teachers and their performance assessment categories.
B. Convene stakeholders to develop expectations for students and performance standards for teachers.	1. Publicize expectations for pupils, teachers, and staff. 2. Develop and implement teacher development programs designed to improve performance in areas of identified weaknesses. 3. Recognize exemplary performance of students, parents, and staff.
C. Require administrators to help teachers upgrade their performance in the school. Involve each teacher in the planning and implementation of staff development activities.	1. Help teachers to assess their needs and provide necessary support. 2. Help each teacher to be better prepared for classroom duties. 3. Provide each teacher with classroom management models. 4. Provide classroom teaching models. 5. Communicate, when appropriate, all matters relating to pupil performance. 6. Identify and discuss with the teacher those strengths and weaknesses that were observed during regularly scheduled observations of teacher performance. 7. Develop and implement teacher development programs designed to improve performance in areas of identified weaknesses. 8. Develop school goals with the assistance of staff, families and community. 9. Hold staff accountable for improvement based on school goals. 10. Require total staff self-evaluation. 11. Provide for intra-school and inter-school visitation of faculty. 12. Provide resources for each teacher that will assist them in improving the teacher's knowledge of Black history and culture. 13. Provide grade level/subject matter articulation K-12.
D. Improve the process for assigning principals and other administrator to schools and other district offices.	1. Analyze current recruitment, selection and assignment practices of the school district as they relate to administrators. 2. Identify administrators who have demonstrated success with African-American populations and isolate their characteristics, methods and behaviors as assignment criteria. 3. Modify recruitment, selection, and assignment procedures as necessary to assure that outstanding candidates will be attracted to, selected and assigned to, schools with Black student populations. 4. Provide opportunities for effective principals to share their strategies and techniques with other principals and potential candidates for the principalship. 5. Publicly recognize and validate exemplary work by fellow educators.
E. Make the principal accountable for knowing and providing instructional programs which teach more than basic skills (e.g., arts, technology and business).	1. Require the principal to state with specificity to teachers, parents and community those skills needed by the pupils attending the school. 2. Require the principal to specify the method to be used by the principal to assure that those skills are taught in the school. 3. Require the principal to specify how teaching skills will be measured in the school. 4. Require the principal to specify what will be done if, upon measurement, it is determined that the identified skills have not been taught in the school. 5. Require the principal to explain to parents and the community the extent to which recognized effective teaching techniques are being used or are becoming a part of the acceptable techniques in the school. 6. Define and articulate acceptable criteria or competencies which match post-secondary entrance requirements, or employer expectations. 7. Assume responsibility for developing skills, talents and competence among peers and engaging policymakers as partners in planning.
F. Require the principal to develop and implement effective means of involving parents and families in the school.	1. Establish inviting, welcoming climate for parents and families. Arrange both day and evening times when parents are invited to the school. 2. Schedule times when parents may visit without having made a prior appointment. 3. Inform parents and families of effective techniques for involvement. 4. Encourage and reward home visits by teachers. 5. Provide regularly to parents and families a schedule of school events. 6. Develop and periodically distribute a parent handbook. 7. Solicit help from religious bodies, community organizations, and businesses to increase family involvement. 8. Require each teacher to inform parents of objectives relating to individual student learning and behavior. 9. Require principals to cultivate attitudes among faculty and staff that make schools more "parent and family-friendly". 10. Utilize available technology to improve and maintain two-way home-school communication.
G. Develop a strategic and tactical plan for achieving academic excellence at the school site.	1. Measure and report the involvement of all stakeholders to the school community. 2. Utilize an appropriate needs assessment strategy. 3. Develop a mission statement. 4. Develop objectives and activities appropriate for achieving the goals of the mission statement. 5. Develop and publicize an implementation strategy. 6. Provide an assessment procedure. Redesign programs and procedures as indicated by the assessment. 7. Sponsor student leadership conferences through planning with students, parents, and community, businesses and organizations. 8. Create a calendar of opportunities to reinforce and support fellow administrators.
H. Accept the responsibility for maintaining a sate, drug-free, peaceful campus.	1. Develop and implement at least one effective self-esteem program. 2. Develop programs for critical thinking, problem solving and life skills. 3. Provide conflict management/resolution services for teachers, students and families. 4. Provide parents with an awareness program for supportive strategies and techniques for a drug-free and safe environment at home and at school. 5. Seek government, corporate. and community agencies and organizations to establish anti-violence, anti-gang, and anti-drug programs. 6. Establish programs to promote peace and celebration of life. 7. Implement a substance awareness program. 8. Allow no weapons or illegal drugs on campus. 9. Accept and act appropriately on reports of weapons from student, faculty and staff. 10. Teach methods of conflict resolution as part of regular school curriculum. 11. Distribute substance abuse prevention, treatment, and anti-violence literature.
I. Advance and promote technology appropriate to function effectively in the 21st Century.	1. Become proficient with application software. 2. Plug into the Internet and make it accessible at every school. 3. Purchase publications which inform educators, students and families about trends and innovations in technology.