Philosophy

My Personal Vision: "I strive to integrate systems and structure into the high school setting to create a focus on curriculum and learning. Creating a culturally diverse 21st Century Learning Environment will create an academically enriched atmosphere where relationships will develop social behaviors and civic values for each student."


Philosophy of Education:

Our school will be one in which the words of Horace Mann, that "Education is the Great Equalizer," will flourish. I believe in the system of education and that with hard work and perseverance, all students can be successful academically and prepared for their future in academia, service, or the workforce. Our school should be one in which all students thrive and are supported in all their needs. The education should be challenging, exploratory, writing-intensive, motivating, and attuned to the needs of each individual student. All students should be given the opportunities to innovate, collaborate, grow, and prosper as they become young adults entering their future.


Philosophy of Leadership:

"Leadership in an ACTION, not a position" - Donald McGannon


Leadership is essentially about ownership and the ability to understand one's responsibility to both those you lead and the organization. A leader in education sets the climate and culture of the building and then reinforces it in all decision-making processes. A leader displays the utmost professionalism and expects the same from those under their supervision to provide a positive example for students who will soon be venturing into their careers.

As the principal, my primary responsibility is to be the instructional leader of the building, and a principal can only do this through trust, respect, and collaboration. The requisite skills are built through honest conversation, understanding needs, clearly communicating roles and responsibilities and allowing for varying viewpoints and concerns to have a voice.


Vision for learning

Our campus should be a place where both teachers and students are inspired to be lifelong learners. We will encourage them to think critically, communicate successfully, engage creatively, and collaborate positively.


Vision for teachers, development/professional growth, and assessment

Students deserve educators that are passionate about sharing their subject knowledge. As such, a teacher should be a master of their content area and have the skills to disseminate that information to a wide range of students. By creating positive relationships with students, the doors are open for the acceptance of learning. Teachers must be empathetic, gritty, resilient, resourceful, and professional. As a teacher leader, the principal should help teachers build and expand upon these skills while keeping the needs of students at the forefront. Teachers should understand social-emotional learning principles and integrate them into daily practice to provide students with a whole education.

Teacher Development and Assessment

Using the available system and teacher evaluation instrument, the principal should expand upon the tool to create a climate of professional growth for all staff members. This growth starts with the understanding that assessments are not punitive, nor are they high stakes, but instead are instruments to recognize areas of professional growth that need to be addressed through professional development practices. By incorporating a walkthrough evaluation of teaching practice to open a recurring dialogue, pressure is taken off of the 2-3x yearly evaluation so that it can become the tool it intended to be at inception. Meaningful professional growth can occur using the above process while adding to a climate and culture in which teachers feel supported and appreciated.


Vision for organization

I am a proponent and student of systems thinking. Systems thinking is a holistic approach to analysis that focuses on how a system's constituent parts interrelate and how systems work over time and within the context of larger systems. In definition alone, it is an amalgam of the school environment in which many different parts constitute the whole. By understanding how all components work individually and interconnect, one can make data-based decisions and improve the organization while eradicating seemingly intractable problems.


Simply stated, by unpacking the individual pieces of a school community, one can improve the organization by ensuring that all parts operate at their highest potential and interconnect efficiently.


Vision for curriculum, instruction, and student assessment

The curriculum should closely comply with state standards. Department heads should ensure this compliance while overseeing the implementation by their department.

Instruction should be given in an optimal learning environment to ensure student success. Below are the characteristics of an optimal learning environment.

  • Students need to feel safe.

  • Students should feel cared for as people first. Foster curiosity.

  • Opportunity for individualized learning and collaboration with other students.

  • Create activities that provide thought, creativity, and discovery.

  • Exercises need to be challenging but attainable.

  • Provide a choice. Students' opinions and ideas should be valued.

  • Provide meaningful and relevant learning.

  • Provide opportunities for innovation.

  • Controlled chaos. Student passion is sometimes noisy, with much movement.

  • Chance to show leadership.

  • Opportunity to reflect.

  • Opportunity to receive feedback.


Student assessment should not be punitive but help student growth and teacher planning. Assessment should help teachers understand the efficacy of their teaching while gauging the understanding of students on a given subject matter. In a society where grades are the primary means of establishing student credentialization, they should be taken seriously and show a student's ability while allowing for social variables to be considered.


Vision for professional growth

My belief in lifelong learning does not preclude my practice. In every position, I have attained, whether teaching, coaching, or the like, I have sought professional development to help my growth. I believe in joining professional societies for the latest information in a given field. I have been enrolled in some level of academic life since the age of 18, currently with an emphasis on earning an Ed.D degree, but with no thought of stopping at that point. Attendance at meetings, conferences, and webinars is essential for professional growth. Taking leadership roles in organizations and events leads to academic collaboration and understanding for a better professional career.