Kristy S.

Garner, EdS
11/11/13
Organizational Analysis
COUN 7445 Fall 13
Dr. Bergin

Presenting, emerging, discovered problem

Problem and underlying causes
The problem of ECMS is communication. The main cause of the communication
breakdown is due to the multitude of persons in similar positions throughout the school
and no one takes complete responsibility. The secretaries are at the front desk,
principal, instructional supervisor, assistant principal, counselors office, and we have a
data clerk and parent liaison. All of these persons work interchangeably at various
times to accommodate for absences and lunch breaks. Certified staff will also step in to
help when in extreme need. With so many hands in the fire, it is difficult for everyone to
be doing the same thing.
For example, my son was having an allergic reaction to a wasp sting at his
elementary school. The assistant principal of that school (who happens to be my
brother) called ECMS to get in touch with me due to the fact that Travis needed medical
attention. It was thirty minutes before my classroom was actually called. Why would it
take so long for someone to reach me with my son having an allergic reaction? First of
all, the front desk secretary who takes all calls was at lunch and a fill in substitute
teacher was there (not even another secretary). She called my room when the call
came in, but I was not in there because according to the schedule, I was in another
teachers class for co-teaching. Which brings about the other issue our school has
which is scheduling. Each grade level is on a different bell schedule. I happen to be a
special education teacher and I am the only person in the school with my particular
schedule because I work with the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. If the person at the
front desk is not experienced with reading the schedule, it is extremely difficult to find

the right person at the right time in the school. I did not understand why the person did
not do an all call for me, but I later found out that they did not know how to do that,
which brings about the question, why did they not ask someone? I was eventually
contacted and I was able to get my son to the doctor, just not until after he sat in the
nurses office crying for a while and waiting on me to get there.
Perceptions of administration, faculty, students, and parents
The administration is perceived as being supportive and quite frankly, the best
we have had in years. The principal trusts us to make the right decisions and leaves
the decision making to the teachers and faculty as much as possible. He is the exact
opposite of a micro-manager and he has earned our high respect and hard work as a
result. The assistant principal position has improved greatly since the last few years.
We used to have two assistant principals and they simply took turns dealing with
behavior issues. There was not a lot of consistency with discipline due to their lack of
communication. One of the assistant principals moved on to be the principal at another
middle school and discipline has improved greatly now that one person handles it all
and is consistent. The instructional supervisor does an outstanding job of providing
teachers with relevant and up-to-date resources for the classroom. She also works
hard with analyzing data and making effective decisions for our curriculum and
classroom needs.
The faculty is seen in a multitude of ways and it depends on the particular
teacher as to how everyone is perceived. One teacher can spoil the view of the entire
school. In general, the teachers are seen in a positive light by all those involved. Since

becoming a special education teacher, I am seeing a lot more discontent from

administration and parents towards certain employees. The main cause of the
discontent is either the refusal of the teacher to communicate at all with the parent, or
that their communication is ineffective in that they lack the skills to talk with parents in a
respectful manner.
The students are perceived in two main ways according to who is asked. If you
ask an employee of ECMS, the view point is that our students are the absolute best
children who work hard to achieve success. We may have some difficult days, but even
the more challenging student is one we all can find ways to love and still want to help. If
you ask someone who is not in our school district, our students are perceived as drug
addicts and behavior problems. From outsiders our school is viewed as being 99%
minority when in actuality it is 31% in comparison to the 10% and 13% by the other two
middle schools in the county. We hear definite racial discrimination comments from the
ignorant members of society outside of our school lines.
Parents are perceived in two ways and it depends upon who you ask and the
parent in reference to. In general parents are viewed as valuable resources in working
with their children. Parents show their support of the teachers and we have a good
working relationship. There are the choice few (which happen to be the more verbal
parents) who want to put down everyone and blame others for the concerns of their
child.

Communication
The existing communication appears to be open; however, there tends to be
break-downs often. Students have complete access to the faculty at all times as they
are working with the teachers all day. The faculty is able to reach administration
through email at all times, however, it may not be returned for a day or two. If an
administrator is needed as soon as possible for assistance with an unruly student, the
black button on the wall is pressed and within a minute one will be at your door. It can
be difficult at times to reach an administrator due to their constant visibility throughout
the school. They are never just sitting at their desks in their offices. They are out and
about the school being utilized when needed.
The parents can easily access faculty through email which tends to be the most
effective form of communication as it also acts as documentation. However, phone calls
and conferences are also forms of communication. The students have constant access
to administration because they are walking amongst the students on a daily basis. The
students are able to see all of the administrators during lunch every day as the
administrators are the ones who have lunch duty.
How we contribute or ameliorate the problem
The administrators are now working to ameliorate the issue of communication.
Our principal has an open door policy in that we can ask him anything and he will
answer it to the best of his ability. We used to feel that administration was trying to hide
things from us as teachers because we were not getting pertinent information needed to
teach the children. However, we feel that this concern, while not yet solved, it is

improving greatly. We are getting more information when a child enrolls in our school
which is used to teach the child more effectively from day one.
The faculty still seems to fall victim to gossiping and making assumptions without
all of the facts. It seems a natural response for teachers to talk during the down times
and these conversations become skewed and tensions seem to rise. Regardless of our
principals strong suggestion to come to him when there is a question regarding
decisions made, teachers still resort to gossip. Conversations which focus on the
genuine concern for the children result in decisions which prove to be effective for the
academic success of the students. Conversations which focus on the opinion sharing of
the faculty result in the demise of the holistic morale of the school.
Students fall victim to gossiping as well, but they also add in the peer pressure
factor. Students also tend to have a condition we teachers have coined as selective
hearing. This term means that they hear what they want to hear, or they select what
they want to hear. This incomplete communication is the result of confusion, tension,
and stress among all involved. Creating an environment of clearer communication will
definitely alleviate much of the concerns.
The main issue with parents is again, communication. They want to complain
and yell rather than sit down and collectively work on an effective plan for the academic
success of their child. Much of their information is coming from their children or skewed
ideals from other parents or those uninvolved at all. This lack of correct information
adds fuel to the discrepancy fire which feeds the fury felt by parents regarding their
childs educational needs. An upset parent is simply one who is not ready to listen to

reason or any concrete plan to bring about positive change with their child. The focus
must first be on bringing peace to the parent and then focusing on effective academic
procedures. This deviating focus is often a hindrance to the goal of quickly coming to
an effective solution.
Decision-Making
Decisions are made at all levels, but the decisions which affect the school
holistically are made by administration. Depending upon the nature of the decision is
what determines how it is carried out. For example, I suggested that we have a free
jeans day on Friday to show appreciation to the faculty and staff for their hard work.
The assistant principal made the decision in agreement of the suggestion and I was the
one who sent out the school-wide email stating the opportunity. If a suggestion can be
made to correlate with school morale or the academic success of the students, then you
will see mountains moved. More involved decisions such as the new emergency
evacuation procedures are made with a committee and the final say is made by the
principal. These decisions are communicated through meetings, emails, and practice.
Evaluation
Our school is evaluated academically by the state standardized testing and
Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) which can be found at www.gadoe.gov. The faculty and
staff are evaluated by our primary evaluators which are administration. We have GTOI
evaluations which can be found on our intranet. Administrators and the evaluated staff
are the ones who have input over their own evaluation. The administration is evaluated
at the board office level by the superintendent and assistant superintendent. The

teachers also fill out yearly evaluations on each administrator where we have the
opportunity to anonymously provide feedback as to the effectiveness of their position.
Organizational Description
The first impression when entering the school is positive as the school building is
only five years old. There are signs on all doors which point to the actual door which is
to be entered. If you walk in the correct door, you are immediately faced with the front
desk secretary to your left as you enter the office. She is incredibly nice and helpful
with a sweet disposition, yet firm at following the procedures for child pick up. The office
complex shows openness to parents with gathering information and access to
administration when needed. Any of the administrators or staff can be immediately
contacted through the use of the radio and they are quick to respond when a parent is
requesting their assistance. It is evident that the administrators and counselors have a
effective working relationship with how they communicate with one another. There is
evident mutual respect, yet the atmosphere can be light and jokingly when appropriate.
Symbolic Aspects
The school mascot is the Panther and its head is incorporated with the high
schools Effingham E. Upon entering the main hallway of the school, you will see a
series of built-in cases which are full of trophies and memorabilia of the school
throughout the decades. The walls and floor of the school are colored blue, white, and
gray (silver) which are the school colors as well as those of the high school next door.
Students that enter school before 7:45 can wait in the foyer until the 7:45 bell
when they are release to go to the cafeteria. Students leaving the busses are to also

report straight to the cafeteria where all students are to wait until the 8:00 bell when they
can report to homeroom. Students are to eat breakfast and be in homeroom until 8:30
when the first class of the day begins. At the end of the day, car riders are called to
release over the intercom at 3:40 and the bus riders are released at 3:45 by the bell.
There are specific procedures for attending assemblies. The secretary will call
for eighth grade to report first to the gym and there is a particular door in which they
enter. The seventh grade is called next and they enter a different door. The upper
grade levels are to be seated first because the sixth grade is required to sit on the floor
in front of everyone due to the lack of adequate seating in the stands.
The lesson plans are to be completed on a weekly basis at least; however, some
teachers will complete them on a unit basis which is multiple weeks or even a month in
length. There is a specified form in which the plans are to be completed where the
standard, essential question and various parts of the lesson are to be specified. These
plans are to be submitted electronically to our primary evaluators on a public drive
located on the school-wide server.
The oft-repeated slogan would have to be No Child Left Behind! This statement
is made with sarcasm to explain how a student could be in the sixth, seventh, or eighth
grade and still possess the inability to read or compute basic math skills. The belief is
that children keep getting passed to higher grade levels so we do not have to take
responsibility for their lack of academic progress. We want to see the child succeed,
but it feels like we are expected to make chicken salad from chicken poop.

Human Resource Aspects

The most blaring human need not being met would be those of the students who
are in need of a remedial curriculum, but due to the process are not getting the help
they need to learn the material and be successful. The incentive is to get the student
the help they need so they can succeed on the standardized testing and improve our
overall school according to the state report card.
People are recognized either by being named the teacher of the year or by the
local news station naming someone a Top Teacher on the suggestion of a student. We
have training opportunities throughout the year, but many times they do not feel
relevant. For example, we are currently having Gifted and Talented training taking place
once a month, but as a special education teacher, this training is not relevant.
The level of employee participation depends on the event and whether or not it is
mandatory. Requirements such as open house and parent/teacher conferences are
met with a higher level of participation than the optional Pantherfest. The Pantherfest is
a type of fall festival on a Saturday where many community institutions come to share
their products and provides a positive outreach into the community. Also, the employee
attendance at sporting events and after school activities is also low. Usually the same
teachers are seen at many events. These teachers are also more successful in the
classroom with behavior because the students have a higher respect for those who
make the attempt to see them outside of the regular scheduled day. These teachers
also have less complaints from parents because of their positive influence on taking a
genuine interest in the holistic success of the student.

Mission, goals, objectives

The mission of the Effingham County School District states that as a community
of learners, in cooperation with stakeholders, is to provide rigorous and relevant
instruction in a safe environment to enable all students to obtain a high school diploma
as a foundation for post secondary success. The mission of Effingham County Middle
School is to provide a high quality education through a structured and differentiated
learning environment. Our goal is to equip students to complete in our global society as
evidenced by ranking in the top 15% of districts in the State of Georgia. Our objectives
are shared with our beliefs which begin with the school staff, parents, students, and
community working collaboratively to promote excellence in academics and character.
Students are provided multiple opportunities for academic success. We believe a safe,
respectful, and intellectually stimulating environment promotes learning while enhancing
positive relationships between students and staff. Student learning and data are the
focuses that guide all decision making for the school.
Rationale for how informal groups work with formal organizations (Organizational
Processes)
The administration is seen as the top of the pyramid in our school with the
teachers next. The hierarchy of teachers is seen as special education, regular
education, and then connections (although the regular education teachers view
themselves as being above the special education teachers). Next we have the
paraprofessionals, the support staff (secretaries, data clerk, and parent liaison), the
cafeteria staff, and then the custodial staff.

Informally everyone has their own person of contact when in need. Not everyone
feels comfortable approaching an administrator, so a department head will be contacted
for questioning. Depending upon the situation, many teachers will come to me seeking
answers because of my involvement in so many aspects of the school. Not only am I
certified to teach all subjects, but I am the Panther Committee Chairman which puts me
as the go-to person for issues relating to morale and the hierarchy of personal needs. I
am also on multiple committees within the school which also places me as the point of
contact for many questions which the faculty and staff feels unequipped to seek the
information from the administration.
The informal organization of the school is seen as how things really get done as
compared to the formal organization with how it is supposed to run as determined on
paper. For example, we are supposed to submit our copies to be made at least fortyeight hours in advanced and then the front desk secretary is to make them during the
allotted time. In actuality, we go to the front office ourselves and make our own copies
when the copier is not in use, and we do so whenever we need the copies right away.
Our teacher handbook is full of step-by-step procedures to follow for a multitude
of scenarios, but most of these steps are ignored. As teachers, we know if there is
something we really need to follow by the book, then the administration will send out an
email and it will be practiced as such. All other procedures are in the book just to say
we have a set guideline, however, it is not practiced or utilized. A good consequence of
this lack of concern is that we follow the informal protocol which is proven to be the
most efficient. All pertinent information is initially passed down by administration in our

grade level faculty meetings during each planning period. Any follow up questions are
addressed either in the meeting or through email.
The policies are congruent with the school mission in that they are designed to
ensure a high quality education in a structured learning environment. However, our
actual environment may not always appear to be structured to someone entering the
school. The school at times may appear chaotic as students are released into the
hallway and expected to travel on their own from class to class. This time opens itself
up to more opportunities for bullying and misbehavior which does not prove to be in the
best interest of the safety of our student population. The policies were developed by a
committee consisting of administration, teachers, and parents. Each year the policies
are revisited and changes are made as needed. The policies and procedures which
have data attached to be reported to the district and state levels are the ones which are
rigorously enforced. For example, we must submit to the board how long it takes to
clear the school in case of a fire drill; therefore, our procedures for these events are
closely monitored for accuracy and diligence.
Political Aspects
Power is shared amongst everyone involved. Since becoming a special
education teacher, I have noticed a great increase in power I now possess. As a file
holder and in charge of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) which are legal
documents which must be met, I have the power to make changes and see that these
needs are met. If the IEP committee sees that a schedule change is necessary for a
child, I then have the power to go to the instructional supervisor and tell her that the

change must be made and she legally has to make the change. As Panther Committee
chairman I also have the power to see that needs are being met of the faculty and staff.
In general, if a person has the responsibility of money, then they have decision making
power which goes along with that responsibility.
A main conflict that exists is the lack of information regarding the discipline of a
student at the administration level. Sometimes we get emails stating that a student has
been suspended and we do not know why. This issue is resolved by a team
representative going to the assistant administrator and asking for the specifics of the
situation. A great amount of trust is placed in our principal because he has not given us
a reason to not trust him. Some persons have mistrust towards the assistant principal
and the instructional supervisor due to a lack of information and the person failing to see
the picture holistically and instead focused more on their own issue. The informal
leaders of the school would be a former Teacher of the Year, the media specialist, the
new counselor, and me.
Exceptions are made for each constituent based on the needs and best interest
of those involved. The organization has a plan in place for dealing with environmental
changes in an emergency situation. In general, we handle changes by fielding the
concerns of those involved and providing reassurance that the best interest of the
children is the number one priority.
Employees are selected based on experience, educational accomplishments,
and hierarchal promotion within the organization. Decisions are made to move within

the school or district before consulting outside sources to fill positions. Overall
successful experience holds greater power than anything else.
School climate (Organizational Climate)
The morale at ECMS is much higher than it has been in previous years. Morale
goes down when we do not meet Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) due to the added
paperwork and constraints placed on our school. However, we have continued to meet
AYP over the past six years which results in an overall higher morale. The hiring of our
current principal, Billy Hughes, has been the biggest boost to our school morale. Mr.
Hughes has a trusting demeanor and a laid back personality which is a refreshing
change after being micromanaged. As far as bosses go, teachers from other schools
want to come to our school simply because they have heard how wonderful it is to have
Mr. Hughes as a boss.
When it comes to data, we focus on the improvements we have made and
communicate these achievements to our students. We do not want to focus on the fact
that we are behind the other two schools, but rather that we are continuing to improve
the most. Our students are proud to be a part of ECMS and they are openly willing to
defend our school just like the faculty. Overall we have a strong sense of pride for our
school and all of those who work in it.
The counselors role is defined as serving students through individual counseling,
classroom guidance, and group counseling. They strive to provide students with
resources to help them be successful in life, as well as in school. They teach Life Skills,
Social Skills, Manners, and Etiquette, Problem Solving, Career Awareness, Coping

Skills, and Character Building. This role definition appears to be appropriate and an
accurate representation of what actually takes place. The counselors spend much of
their time counseling students both individually and in a group. When they are not with
students in their offices, they are out in the classrooms performing classroom guidance.
The two counselors at ECMS work hand-in-hand to produce an effective counseling
program.
Organizational Productivity (Report Card)
The academic strengths as reported by the state are us meeting Annual Yearly
Progress (AYP) in the areas of test preparation and academic performance in
mathematics, language arts, and reading. Our school also had at least 95%
participation in standardized testing. The subgroups of black, white, and economically
disadvantaged all met AYP. Our issue is identified as the subgroup of students with
disabilities who did not meet the state standards for mathematics, however, they did
meet for language arts and reading.
The percentage of students meeting and exceeding standards is 87.15% which
reflects a gain over the prior year of 11.06%. This change was above 95.49% of the
middle schools in the state of Georgia. ECMS received the Bronze Award for the
greatest gain in percentage of students meeting and exceeding standards.
The social strengths identified by the state report card are 45.58% of our student
population being enrolled in Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) which
encourages community involvement by its students. The concern with this percentage
is that it is not quite half of our student body being exposed to working with the

community stakeholders. This percentage is largely due to the volume of students

which are required to be enrolled in the connections remedial math and reading courses
offered at the same time as the CTAE courses.
The professional strengths of ECMS as reported by the state would be the fact
that all teachers are placed in a position of which they are considered to be highly
qualified by the state standards. No student at our school is being taught in a particular
subject by an educator who is not certified to teach that particular course. An issue in
this area would be that a teacher may not necessarily want to teach a particular subject,
however, due to the need for a person who is highly qualified, they are placed in that
position.