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Knowledge Centered
Gannons Principal Certification Program
I. KNOWLEDGE CENTERED
A. Link to Leadership Standard: How did this project address the ELCC Standard (s)?
This plan helped me propose and share a vision for the future of disciplinary
practices at ECS. It allowed me to use research, analysis, and problem solving to rectify
a practice that is being proven harmful to our student population. It also allowed me to
better clarify our vision and ensure that current practices meet that vision.
B. What knowledge (from research studies, journal articles, books, state or
district reports or documents, instructor provided resources, etc.) provided the
rationale for or guided this project?
I began to research the issue through a local advocacy campaign through the
educational advocacy group, One Pittsburgh. Their goal is to eliminate suspensions in
grades K-5 due to non-violent behavior. The organization is working through the
Education Rights Network and with the Education Law Center to bring light to this
common practice in order to create policy to end it. Much of the research and
information I found came from these organizations publications. I also used our current
ECS student handbook, teacher trainings, and internal discipline documents to analyze
ECSs current suspension policy.
This project and our school community have dedicated ourselves to an increased
focus on inclusion and support of culturally diverse students and students with
exceptionalities. After our audit by Temple Lovelace, we created a 5 year plan to
address issues of equity and diversity. I selected this topic to fit into the larger plan
which included changes to our lottery enrollment policy, an on-going professional
development in the areas of equity and diversity, and increased cooperation between
the community and our organization. This project helped me to identify an unexamined
practice that definitely needs addressed to properly take on equity challenges in our
community. Students of color and students with exceptionalities are disproportionately
disciplined across all schools and feel disengaged and alienated from learning
communities due to this.
This project was a direct action plan to address our student disciplinary system.
Unfortunately my proposal has yet to be officially adopted. But I expect it to be included
in the new adoption for the 2018-19 school year and included in the student handbook
and code of conduct. To put it into place there are supports that need to be provided
and roles that may shift in order to fill the needs of the plan I created. Once they
improved system is in place, students will be in their learning environment instead of
removed from it. When they face challenges they will spend time building connections to
school and adults in our school instead of creating division. They will feel engaged and
reminded that they belong in our community.
B. Understanding of Diverse Learners.
This project allowed me to focus on whether or not our organization was putting into
practice systems that upheld our values. The research and best practices we studied in
class helped me to grow in my knowledge of how discipline has direct impact on student
learning, especially for students with exceptionalities. It also allowed me to see the
damage to a students education that comes with unequal practices such as overuse of
out of school suspension.
B. What changes would you make to improve the quality of the product, activity,
or outcome?
In order to properly institute the plan and recommendations I made, I would need to
amend the budget to add additional positions to our student support or administration
team. This would include creating a behavior coach and perhaps an in-school
suspension type specialist. These positions and all teachers and administrators would
also be trained in restorative justice and culturally responsive classrooms. The funding
for this would have to come from somewhere, so I would need a better understanding of
many of the budget lines and what can and cannot be cut from the budget to fund those
programs and positions.
A. How has this project enhanced your understanding of the importance of your
role in forming ongoing relationships with colleagues, students, parents, other
districts, and the community to enhance student learning?
V. REFLECTION
This project allowed me to assess and analyze our disciplinary practices at ECS and
determine what improvements can be made. It also helped me to understand the
consequences of overuse of suspension and discriminatory patterns in consequences. I
grew as a leader in understanding and awareness of the effects of disciplinary policies
and patterns that are emerging nationally and locally.
VII. DISPOSITIONS
A. What was learned from the experience of creating this entry and how did this
learning relate to professional dispositions that are consistent with the ideas of
fairness and the belief that all students can learn?
Throughout this project and this class, I thought a lot about my personal decisions
and how they play a role in the larger world of education. Discipline is a complex art,
especially when concerning diverse students, students with mental health challenges,
and students who need behavioral support. Many times we are forced to give a
consequence to a student who we know is in crisis, because it wouldnt send the right
message to the person who was hurt by the students actions. But at times the
consequence is a day of suspension, during which the student learns nothing and does
little to rebuild their relationship with the peers and teachers affected. I hope to bring this
perspective on discipline into my role as a leader.