2. Organizational Management
a. Demonstrate an understanding of organizational systems
b. Define process for gathering, analyzing, managing data to plan and make decisions for programs
c. Schedule personal and organizational work establishing procedures to regulate, delegate and empower
d. Demonstrate the ability to analyze need and allocate personnel and material resources
e. Develop and manage budgets and maintaining accurate fiscal records
f. Develop an understanding of facilities development, planning and management
g. Understand and use technology as a management tool
Reflection
An effective school leader must have an in depth understanding of their school as an organizational system. Not only do they need to have the ability to accurately utilize data to drive decisions for programs, but also be able to develop and manage budgets and fiscal records. As a school leader, all of these are critical to the success of the school.
The ability for a school leader to see the school as a system will impact many programs. Resources must be effectively utilized so that students are benefiting from the decisions being made. Staff members need to know that they can trust their leader to make the best decisions about resources, including personnel and materials, to best meet the needs of their students.
During my field experience, I was able to demonstrate my ability to utilize data to make decisions. I was charged with the task of determining the needs of the new Gift and Talented Program at Eagle Ridge Junior High. I wrote grants to seek resources for this program. In order to know what grants to search for, I had to analyze the needs of the program. One particular grant that I wrote was submitted to the Qwest Foundation for SmartBoards, which is attached as an artifact. Through this process, I determined that there was a need for all classrooms to have SmartBoards and I had to explain how we would effectively implement the use of them. Research was conducted on how SmartBoards impact student’s ability to learn effectively and also data around the technology use in our school. This experience allowed me to see how we could allocate resources that we already had and seek additional ones.
I also had the privilege of being the area leader for the Career and Technical Education department at Eagle Ridge Junior High. With that, I was able to oversee budgets and fiscal records for our area, determining how the money will be spent. The artifact attached shows a specific budget for the Family and Consumer Science department. It explains the budget and how the money was spent in this particular area. I hold a district purchasing card, in which I am able to make purchases for my department and manage records. The experience of managing financial records online with Wells Fargo has given me the knowledge and understanding of budget codes and classifying purchases. I have had to submit receipts and records for district approval. This experience has allowed me to see a small picture of what it will be like to manage records for a school. Being able to know and understand the different budgets, codes and utilization of these will benefit me when I become a leader.
I believe that being an effective school leader involves being able to see and manage the school from a systems perspective. Everything impacts something else and a great organizational manager will be able to see these impacts and make the best decisions possible about finances and resources. These skills are used on a daily basis for school leaders and are very important for them to possess.