Shauna Catalano

ELCC Standards 2

ELCC Standard 2.0: A building-level education leader applies knowledge that promotes

the success of every student by sustaining a school culture and instructional program

conducive to student learning through collaboration, trust, and a personalized learning

environment with high expectations for students; creating and evaluating a comprehensive,

rigorous and coherent curricular and instructional school program; developing and

supervising the instructional and leadership capacity of school staff; and promoting the

most effective and appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning within a

school environment.

ELCC STANDARD ELEMENTS:

ELCC 2.1: Candidates understand and can sustain a school culture and instructional

program conducive to student learning through collaboration, trust, and a personalized

learning environment with high expectations for students.

ELCC 2.2: Candidates understand and can create and evaluate a comprehensive, rigorous,

and coherent curricular and instructional school program.

ELCC 2.3: Candidates understand and can develop and supervise the instructional and

leadership capacity of school staff.

ELCC 2.4: Candidates understand and can promote the most effective and appropriate

technologies to support teaching and learning in a school environment.

EAD 519 Artifact

Case Study: Dress Code

Shauna Catalano

Grand Canyon University

EAD 519: Clinical Internship 1: Learner-Centered Leadership

Dr. Toni Walker

May 25, 2023

Part 1: Case Analysis

  1. 1. Brief summary of the case:

The assistant principal of a suburban high school with 2,400 students, 150 staff members and has a 10-year-old dress code policy. The dress code also sates that students must wear ID cards which is from the district for a safety policy. The dress code has had 2,000 infringements and students not wearing their ID has had 2,500 infringements. The teachers are not comfortable fighting with the students on dress code and therefor often ignore the issue. The current consequences are not working and yet parents email or call and complain about how students are dressing.

  1. 2. Identify the issues to be resolved:
  • Review the dress code policy from the district.
  • Which students are continuously breaking the rules, are there repeat offenders?
  • Find out what is the biggest issues are, tight leggings, tank tops, sagging pants, etc.
  • Is there a greater consequence than ISS to deter this from continuing?
  • What is the guideline on the ID badges from the district.
  1. 3. Stakeholders involved in the issues:

The stakeholders are the administrators, the teachers, school staff, students and the district. The parents are also a part of this since they are one of the main causes for the complaints by email or phone. They are also the ones who are responsible for what their kids are wearing to school.

  1. 4. Existing laws related to the issue:

“In 2018, the ACLU and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund raised concerns when a Florida school turned away a Black first grader for wearing locks on his first day of school” (Sherwin et al., 2023).

“Under Federal laws protecting against discrimination in education – including Title IX, Title VI, and the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection guarantee, public schools cannot enforce a dress code based on gender- or race-based stereotypes about appropriate dress or appearance” (Sherwin et al., 2023).

  1. 5. District Policies related to issue:

The only policy I found on dress code is related to employees. It is Policy 4119.22: Dress and Grooming where they expect employees to maintain professional standards of dress and grooming that demonstrate their high regard for education. They also have 7 law cases provided about not discriminating on gender identity, hairstyles, religious dress, etc. The middle school and high school have their own dress code policies for students. Usually no gang related wear, racists or sexiest quotes, no baggy pants, girls cannot show mid-section and a certain length on shorts and tank tops. Students are also not allowed to wear flip flops and if wearing sandals, they have to have a back strap.

  1. 6. Possible solutions to the issue:

As an administrator I would encourage teachers to follow the policy. If a male teacher is not comfortable sending a female out then they can call security to take her to the office and let admin deal with it. I also think they should be checked at the entrance of school. We have security at all our entrances and they can easily be trained to stop it at the door. If they have no ID badge or out of dress code then they can’t come in.

  1. 7. The solutions chosen:

The school would need to provide clothing for them like some really bright t-shirts or tie-dyed shirt and sweats, or they will need to go change into their PE clothing. If they continue to be repeat offenders of these rules then they can serve a Saturday school. I would encourage the student store to sell cool looking lanyards for their ID’s and maybe even allow them to clip them on the side of their pants. If the purpose of the ID badges is safety then as long as they can be visible from some part of their clothing. Ramifications for this can also be Saturday school, and I would again have security teams check for these at the door in the am. In between passing periods teachers have to stand by their door so they can also require them to show the ID before going into the classroom.

  1. 8. Action Steps and timeline (2-5):
  • Review the board policy.
  • See if any updates can be made.
  • Train security on the dress code policy and safety plan for the ID’s.
  • Have security check for dress code and ID’s in the am.
  • Provide extra clothing or their PE cloths.
  • Have teachers stand by their doors at passing period to enforce these policies.
  • Be consistent with giving Saturday school if this is done maybe 3 times.
  • Train security.

This could all be accomplished within a week, no later than two as it should be shared at a staff meeting to make sure everyone will be consistent. Make sure same gender adult is checking same gender student for dress code, if they can not find someone then they go wait in the office.

  1. 9. Potential Moral and Legal Consequences:

Their can be moral and legal issues with dress codes. School is a place for learning and certain dress can take the focus off of learning. Morally, dress can offend people’s race, religion, political affiliation, show gang affiliation, gender identity, be provocative or inappropriate. Law suits could occur from the issues I listed and they have already occurred. Students have been suspended for wearing political shirts and parents and families have sued for their suspension. As a principal they do have to make sure they are following all district and school guidelines for dress code. It is our goal to keep our students safe and prepare them to be productive members of society, and clothing can represent the support needed for their adult lives. With the ID situation, if there is a school shooting or a natural disaster and a student is missing or needs to be identified then they must wear the badge. A parent can sue if their child is not identified properly.

Rationale Part 2

Dress code has been an issue for middle school and high schools for decades. Uniforms were designed in mind for students to be able to have no other distractions and be focused on school. If a high school is having 2,000 to 2,500 dress code infractions then the policy may not be able to be changed, but the procedures can be. That is why I would change the procedures of the ISS room for each infraction to focusing on the repeat offenders for a more severe punishment with Saturday school. I feel that taking the pressure off of the teachers for dress code and having security be in charge of it can make this a more consistent system. Maybe not all 150 staff members can enforce dress code but a well-trained consistent security team can. If security has issues then the students need to go to the office and see the administration team for follow up. Having students change into their PE cloths will eliminate some of the disruption in their learning.

As for the ID badges, this is a safety issue. With natural or man-made disasters students need to be able to be identified. Maybe the students need an assembly on why this is important and then make alternative ways to display the badge. Maybe they can clip it on their backpacks as long as they are worn or have a clip for their belt loops. The student store can sell these clips or a variety of popular lanyards for more student buy in to wear them. I do feel the students should be checked for these when entering school and when entering a classroom. Students who can not follow this rule should have an immediate consequence like detention then Saturday school if they are repeat offenders.

References

Sherwin, G., Morris, L., & Wachtel, E. (2023, April 19). 4 Things Public Schools Can and Can’t Do When It Comes to Dress Codes | ACLU. American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/news/womens-rights/4-things-public-schools-can-and-cant-do-dress-codes

Rationale of Artifact EAD 519 Case Study

 The above case I picked as an artifact since dress code has been and issue for decades in public school. Mny public school settings have different views on dress code and a variety of rules which varies from school to school or to different age groups. Dress code policy can be a district one or one the school made up. After the research of dress coeds I was surprised to see that actual lawsuits have come from dress code. I picked it under this standard as future leaders are the ones that have to make the school a success with focused learning as a top priority. The school culture needs to be safe and conducive to the students learning. Dress can be distracting and our students might not be able to focus on learning. The safety issue of our students has become a huge focus with school shootings, and even natural disasters. I liked how this school wants them to wear the school ID badge. We have a number of jobs in society that require you to wear a badge and that have a dress code. If our goal is to make them functioning adults in society, then start teaching it early. Use the community to support these ideas for the well-being, health and safety of all the students that attend school.

Benchmark Schoolwide Character Education Proposal Artifact 1 EAD 520 ELCC 2.1 & 2.2


Artifact Rationale EAD 520 ELCC Standard 2.1, 2.2

I chose this ELCC standard 2.1, shows an example of human development in the school system. For the programs above in the powerpoint, leaders would require a lot of collaboration to come up with programs about schoolwide character education. In this standard leaders are to incorporate cultural competence in development of an curriculum programs whether academic or social emotional programs. The CHAMPS program would promote the trust and respect we would be demonstrating to teach students appropriate behaviors at school, in the community, and ultimately in life. In ELCC standard 2.2, evidence based research needs to in any curriculum or instruction to be used within the school setting.  The program would need to be adopted first and the staff would have to be trained to implement a character building program for all to use. I think in this day and age we have to realize that the world is changing in education. We are not just here to teach academic standards, but we are here to help shape the minds of youth to be productive adults in society in the 21 century.  Design of programs that can support positive student success help not only improve the school and the community but each student can strive for positive student outcomes.

Artifact EAD 523 ELCC 2.3

Clinical Field Experience B: Improving New Teacher Induction Strategies

Shauna Catalano

Grand Canyon University: EAD 523

Dr. Clay

September 20, 2023

Benefits of Induction Plan

Induction is a two-year program designed to support new teachers through a system of having a mentor and participating with individualized support with the mentor. The teacher I spoke to said that the mentor pair up is with someone who teachers your subject and or grade level which he said is a benefit. His mentor was also on the same campus as him which allowed him to get support beyond what induction requires, such as things he needs to know about the way our school runs.

Teacher Induction Plan Interview

Induction did not prepare him how to set up his classroom or how to get ready for the first day of school. He said he was hired, then after a few weeks of teaching he was assigned to a mentor, then the induction classes began a month after school started. He set up his class and prepared for the first day with using what he learned in his credential program. Once induction began he said that induction did go over classroom management and it was one of the topics chosen for his ILP. The ILP is the candidates Individual Learning Plan that aligns with the California Standards for the Teaching Profession. He said the ILP can be positive if the induction work is related to the job assignment, since at times he felt some of the information and learning was redundant from his credential program. Working with a mentor once a week is another positive as it allows for collaboration and support, but he said it was time consuming doing all of the ILP work and the classes for induction at night while being a new teacher.

New Knowledge and Two More Questions

He feels that he should have been given a mentor earlier on after he was hired instead of towards the end of the month. It made it more difficult to assimilate with the staff and the school not having support from day one. I asked him what has been the most helpful thing your mentor has helped you with, he stated the curriculum. He said in credential programs you don’t have the publishing companies’ units, and are usually required to write your own lessons using the standards. Once hired he said he had to figure out a way to use the curriculum and how to implement it into his teaching. He said that the department had a curriculum mapping guide with links that helped, but he also had to learn the content being taught. I also asked him what has helped him in his learning and use of good classroom management. The induction program allows you to observe other teachers and he was able to see three teachers at the high school that teach his subject, and he observed two teachers at the middle school. By observing others, he saw great examples of good classroom management, the district uses a program called CHAMPS for student behavior and it helped him to learn appropriate and positive classroom management techniques.

PSEL Standards 6 and 7 and Implications for Future Practice

As a future leader I think that the principal should understand the induction program and know who the candidates and mentors are. The principal can go to an induction meeting to support the mentor and mentees. PSEL standard 6 is one to help “personnel to promote each student’s academic success and well-being” (NPBEA, 2015) which is why the induction program is so important to make sure that even the new teachers can be effective in supporting and encouraging student’s success and academic achievements. Leaders also need to promote and support their staff and welcome new teachers into a school community where they can thrive and be an effective teacher. In PSEL standard 7, leaders need to promote and support their staff for professional learning which can occur with supporting the induction program (NPBEA, 2015).

References

National Policy Board for Educational Administration (2015). Professional standards for

Educational Leaders (2015). Reston, VA: Author


Rational of Artifact ELCC 2.3

The reason I chose the interview with an induction teacher for this artifact, is because administrators need to always support new teachers. As an administrator I will have to observe new teachers a few times in their first two years and every few years thereafter. If the administration does not know what the new teachers are learning in induction, then they may not have the whole picture when it comes to the observations. In ELCC 2.3 it states that we need to understand and supervise the instruction of our school staff. As a leader I will need to support teachers on ways to improve their teaching by support their professional learning. For new teachers I should work with them to develop and design their instruction to become high-quality teachers. The first two years of teaching are vital in showing that the principal can be a leader that supports their staff. They need to feel welcome to come to you if they need support in their growth as teachers. They need to believe in your leadership to have the resources to help them become strong and secure in their instruction.

EAD 533 Artifact ELCC 2.1

Benchmark – Clinical Field Experience D: Leading Leaders in Giving Peer Feedback Related to Teacher Performance

Shauna Catalano

Grand Canyon University

EAD 533

Steven Bebee

March 22, 2024

Develop and Supervise Instructional and Leadership Capacity (B)

In this field experience I was able to work with one of the administrators who has been at our school for only this year. We planned to observe an 8th grade English class led by a teacher that is permanent. She is a veteran teacher and tenured so she does receive a formal observation every five years as a permanent teacher. Our district has forms they use for observations and Ms. Jones was given a pre-conference form where she had to explain the lesson she would teach, the standards that align with the lesson, what strategies she would use, and a place to add other information she would like us to look at. Once she turned in the form we set up a time to meet with her on her prep period to go over the pre-conference form. She shared that the students were reading a novel about Vietnam and refugees, her lesson would focus on the central idea of the novel where she would be using group activities, smartboard, Jamboard, poster board, and a worksheet. We asked her if she had any questions, and she felt comfortable and ready to be observed the next day during period 1. The administrator did ask how did she select the novel for the lesson and how would this lesson support student learning and engagement. We discussed that the notes she wrote will be helpful when we have to fill out the observation report that our district uses.

“Observations of teaching leads to important insights about our curriculum, about our assessments, and about our instructional strategies” (Duffy, 2021). During the observation the next day once the bell rang the teacher moved into direct instruction reviewing what the students read the day before. The teacher passed out a warm up worksheet with a variety of topics from the story and had the students work in groups to highlight some of the central idea and eliminate the ones that are not a central idea of the novel. The groups had 10 minutes to figure out the paper in their group, then on the poster board that each table group had, they had to copy down the answers they thought were correct. Once the central ideas were reviewed, the teacher had them open a Jamboard where the students had to then create visual representations of the central themes. The warm up was a great lead into the Jamboard and connected the ideas together. We maintained a running record during the lesson of the discussions between the teacher and students when she moved around the room supporting their project. On the observation form there are 6 standards called the California Teaching Performance Expectations where we had to see if she demonstrated knowledge in all 6 areas. After the observation we went to fill out the form and rate each standard with a 1-3 scale with a 1 that meets the standard, a 2 needs improvement, and a 3 is unsatisfactory. After a discussion and a review of our notes she received a 3 in four sections and 2 in two of the sections.

For the post-conference we began by highlighting things that were done well, mentioning the ways she engaged the students, used positive feedback, and had good strategies to teach the objective of the central ideas in the novel. We discussed the areas she received a 3 in, then the administrator went over the areas that need improvement. At the conclusion of the post-conference, we identified goals for her to work towards achieving. She was concerned that she has never received 2’s before, however veteran teachers also need to keep up with the trends and always develop their craft.

Develop Leaders for High-Quality Instruction and Student Learning (B)

The development of leaders is an essential part of a school community. During the field work I was able to work with administration and see use the district forms for evaluations. We discussed if teachers do need extra coaching then an ILT member could be a mentor. We also discussed that during walk throughs we would like to see some of the changes suggested to the English teacher. Throughout the field hours I asked if the forms helped them with the observations and it does since it has you look at specific areas of the TPE standards. During the pre and post conference I was able to ask questions from the teacher about her lesson, and in the post-conference I also added the positive things I saw and suggested having the objective on the board showing what students will be able to do. The teacher did a great job of using different mediums with the poster board, worksheet, then the use of technology with a Jamboard. For the future it might be a good idea when the ILT is doing instructional rounds that they can go in this class so other teachers can see the strategies she used. In the past our school tried to train each teacher to do rounds at some point, this does increase opportunities for professional growth and increase the number of teachers who are able to observe and serve as leaders on campus as well.

Distributed Leadership Structure and Recommendations (B)

At Isbell Middle School there is a basic leadership structure with an ILT, and we have three administrators. The ILT is randomly selected, or some years you can apply, and most of the team only meets once a month to go over ideas the principal has to improve the school. A few years ago, the ILT was trained at the county on how to do instructional rounds and the team did do a few of them in the beginning of the year, but have not been consistent. We also have a school site council that goes over our goals and budget. That team is more diverse with an administrator, two teachers, a staff member, a parent, a student, and a district representative.

Some suggestions for the leadership team, they should have other staff on the team such as a counselor, instructional coach we call TOSA’s here, could also be on it, we have someone who runs the Wellness center that should be on the team as well. The leadership team should be more present in the school instead of just one meeting a month to review things the principal needs support from. “School leadership has an enormous impact on the quality of our schools-second only to classroom instruction” (Leaders – Quality Schooling Framework (ca Dept of Education), n.d.). The leadership team should do more instructional rounds, and they should be following a framework, or be trained on the responsibilities of being on the leadership team. The team is allowed to get a stipend of 10 hours a month, yet I do not see how these hours are used by the members? I do know that they do help coach some of the new teachers or ones that need mentors, but I am not sure of the exact training they have to mentor. The administration should seek help from the district on how to run the leadership team, since it has fallen apart with some new administrators. “Principals must communicate expectations clearly, and then model a successful process for their team to replicate” (admin, 2019).

References

Duffy, M. (2021, November 17). Classroom Observation Is Key to Improving Equitable

Outcomes. NGLC.

https://www.nextgenlearning.org.articles/classroom-observation-improving-

equitable-outcomes

admin. (2019). Building a Leadership Team | How to Build a Great Leadership Team.

CT3. https://www.cteducation.com/how-to-build-a-great-leadership-team/

Leaders – Quality Schooling Framework (CA Dept of Education). (n.d.).

www.cde,ca,gov.https://www.cde.gov/qs/sl/

Rationale

For this artifact I picked the benchmark as it was a profound experience going through an observation process of teachers with a current administrator.  I was able to learn the process that the district uses to evaluate teachers and to see the new administration perform the whole evaluation process. I did feel that this field work of using district forms for observations was a helpful tool to use during the observation. For ELCC 2.1 I was able to understand the school culture better and how instructional programs are run with ILT and some mentoring at the school. I was able to see how the administration collaborated with me, the teachers, and do a great job with coaching and supporting the teachers and staff. The teachers and myself trusted the administration and emphasize high expectations for a positive learning environment for the whole school community.