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TOP SECRET. Case Study: Creating a sense of community. What we know. Upon initial investigation, this is what we discovered. The reality.
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TOP SECRET Case Study: Creating a sense of community
What we know • Upon initial investigation, this is what we discovered...
The reality The educational reality for this scenario is a pre-kindergarten to grade 12 private international proprietary school. The school is a family business where the director/owner of the school inherited the position after the creator, her father, passed away. The board of directors is comprised of four siblings. There are three divisions within the building making up an elementary, middle and high school. Each division is runs an International Baccalaureate programme specific to each division (www.ibo.org) that directs the curriculum being taught.
The schools have a common mission statement but it does not drive the daily work of the staff. The schools run under the same umbrella but are not coordinated in their focus. The school is in a constant state of change and as a result has seen immense improvements. However, the process has exhausted many individuals as the changes are not directed at one main goal in a plan. This has resulted in pockets of individuals feeling included as a part of a community but there is not a sense of overall “inclusive school culture” from some of the stakeholders.
The Suspects The director/owner and the board of directors make decisions concerning financial matters and the facilities. The direct influence to the classrooms is not seen as substantial, but more of a business responsibility. The superintendentis the head of the three schools. The superintendent brings a North American influence to the schools and works on Administration Council with the principals and vice-principals to drive decisions with the three schools. The responsibility also lies here for the policy and procedure development and implementation, as well as the hiring of new teachers and the budgeting. There are three divisional principals that are responsible for each school-elementary, middle and high school. In addition, there is a vice-principal at each division. The principals are responsible for budgeting, timetabling and the managerial aspects of the school. The vice-principals are responsible for the procedural and discipline issues in the schools. Both parties take on non-traditional roles involving staff housing and facilities issues. The programme coordinators are positioned in each division school to oversee the IB programmes and ensure that they are being implemented according to IBO standards. They assist in the planning and implementation of programmes by supporting teachers with resources and supplemental information.
Mission: • The school culture is not developed into a community of learners. • Individuals work within their subject/division level to provide instruction to students, but have not achieved the excellence standard expected from students to be critical thinkers. • There is a hierarchal business approach to the school from both the director and the superintendent, whereby both are afraid to distribute leadership roles for fear of losing power and control. • The mission of the school is not a reflection of what needs to be occurring in the building and the staff are not united in their efforts. There is an immense feeling of three separate schools under one roof instead a whole school approach to the education of students. • The potential to build a whole school community within a continuous program is present but not being acted on.
Upon further investigation... • ...is distinguished in educating and nurturing unique and self-reliant world citizens. • The mission statement was created 7 years ago by a group of teachers/administrators. The goal was to have a one sentence statement to encompass what the school believed in (at the time). • The mission does not drive instruction or create a vision for leaders or teachers.
Analyze information • Recommend a solution...
