21 COMPETENCIES for School Adminstrators
A competency is a combination of knowledge (factual or experiential) and skills that one needs to effectively implement the practices. The principal may or may not personally possess all of these competencies but must ensure that a team is in a place that not only possesses but also can effectively and efficiently execute them. These 21 competencies are listed in the NC Standards for School Executives to emphasize their importance to make sure they are incorporated into the development of school leaders.
Communication – Effectively listens to others; clearly and effectively presents and understands information orally and in writing; acquires, organizes, analyzes, interprets, maintains information needed to achieve school or team 21st century objectives.
Due to many employees receiving the vaccination for COVID-19. I had to provide coverage for staff members. I ensure that they were provide with lesson plans and activities for students to be actively engaged.
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Change Management – Effectively engages staff and community in the change process in a manner that ensures their support of the change and its successful implementation.
During the past couple months we had to make different shift in the school schedule due to Covid-19. I was able to assist the teaching and learning coach to communicate with staff about the upcoming changes that needed to be made.
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Conflict Management- Anticipates or seeks to resolve confrontations, disagreements, or complaints in a constructive manner.
Due to the pandemic happening this year, I didn't encounter major conflict or confrontations. One compliant I did encounter was the accommodation process for returning to the building. In solving the situation I was able to share all information from Human Resource Department of Durham Public Schools.
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Creative thinking – Engages in and fosters an environment for others to engage in innovative thinking.
With all the changes being made throughout this school year at Merrick-Moore Elementary School. I was able to think and come up with creative ways for us to still implement small groups virtual for our students. We were able to provide extra support to students for some deep dive intervention.
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Customer focus – Understands the students as customers of the work of schooling and the servant nature of leadership and acts accordingly.
With all the changes happening with returning in person for school. It was very hard trying to get students buses to ride. I work closely with one of the ladies from transportation to ensure that two of our students will be able to receive a bus.
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Delegation – Effectively assigns work tasks to others in ways that provide learning experiences for them and in ways that ensure the efficient operation of the school.
One of my roles was to create and assigned duties to staff members for morning and afternoon duty. When planning the duty schedule I was able to ensure teachers had duty free recess and lunch.
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Dialogue & Inquiry – Is skilled in creating a risk-free environment for engaging people in conversations that explore issues, challenges or bad relationships that are hindering school performance.
A teacher informed me of an interaction through class dojo's chat feature that she had with a parent within her classroom. She voiced that she believed the parent was upset and she showed me the conversation. The parent called the school shortly after my conversation with the teacher. I spoke with her over the phone and listened to her concerns and perception of the interaction. From listening to both sides, I determined that this is primarily a case of misunderstanding and that virtual face-to-face conversation would rebuild their relationship. I suggested that to everyone and both agreed to meet.
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Emotional Intelligence – Is able to manage oneself through self awareness and self management and is able to manage relationships through empathy, social awareness and relationship management. This competency is critical to building strong, transparent, trusting relationships throughout the school community.
On Wednesday I use to working with collaborative with our Student Support Team to provide wellness activities for students. I was able to create a PowerPoint of things to help to help with breathing strategies, physical movements to decrease stress levels.
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Environmental Awareness – Becomes aware and remains informed of external and internal trends, interests and issues with potential impacts on school policies, practices, procedures and positions.
Durham Public School made the decide to stay remote for the entire of the year, but due to Bill 37 some decision had to be revisit. In the following, some of the board members made the decision of going in person under Plan B.
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Global Perspective – Understands the competitive nature of the new global economy and is clear about the knowledge and skills students will need to be successful in this economy.
During this year's Woman Month we were able to create a slide show of different woman in music that contribute to our history in time. This PowerPoint slide has examples of traditional women in music with read aloud.
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Judgement – Effectively reaching logical conclusions and making high quality decisions based on available information. Giving priority and caution to significant issues. Analyzing and interpreting complex information.
As part of our School Budget Class we were given the budget of an actual middle school in a nearby county and some background information on the school. After reviewing the school's information and annual budget, we were tasked with preparing a plan to meet the needs of the school within the budget. Our Team made suggestions to add various positions to improve the school per the goals of the school improvement plan.
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Organizational Ability – Effectively plans and schedules one’s own and the work of others so that resources are used appropriately, such as scheduling the flow of activities and establishing procedures to monitor projects.
I worked effectively to schedule and plan formative and peer evaluation for staff. After observing and completing observations, I was able to do a follow-up discussion what I have observed.
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Personal Responsibility for Performance – Proactively and continuously improves performance by focusing on needed areas of improvement and enhancement of strengths; actively seeks and effectively applies feedback from others; takes full responsibility for one’s own achievements.
During my Residency I was able to attend monthly Assistant Principal meetings to grow and strengthen my knowledge in becoming an effective future leader. I also attend monthly principal meetings with my Principal Mentor.
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Results Orientation – Effectively assumes responsibility. Recognizes when a decision is required. Takes prompt action as issues emerge. Resolves short-term issues while balancing them against long-term goals.
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Responsiveness – Does not leave issues, inquiries or requirements for information go unattended. Creates a clearly delineated structure for responding to requests/situations in an expedient manner.
This year one of my duty in person was to be the PPE manager for Merrick-Moore Elementary. With this position I had to place order for extra supplies such as gloves, mask, gowns, hand sanitizer and sanitizer wipes for teachers and staff. I was able to communicate with a teacher and provide her the items she needed in a quickly time manner.
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Results Orientation – Effectively assumes responsibility. Recognizes when a decision is required. Takes prompt action as issues emerge. Resolves short-term issues while balancing them against long-term goals.
I have been working closely with the leadership and other staff members to plan our In-Person Toolkit. As we worked collaborative to implement all guidelines from the district and our procedures to continue keeping students safe and improve learning during this uncertain time.
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Sensitivity – Effectively perceives the needs and concerns of others; deals tactfully with others in emotionally stressful situations or in conflict. Knows what information to communicate and to whom. Relates to people of varying ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds.
Our Trauma Informed Leadership Team was able to share with us strategies and ways that we can reconnected with students returning in person. This program is to help students and teachers to understand and deal with stress and anxiety.
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Systems Thinking – Understands the interrelationships and impacts of school and district influences, systems and external stakeholders, and applies that understanding to advancing the achievement of the school or team.
As a Principal Resident and a member of the SIT team we had to create a plan to address the targeted indicators as evaluated by the SIG grant reviewers. We analyze the different initiatives occurring within the school and determine which indicators they are addressing. We implemented initiatives that will bring growth to student achievement as well as the indicator advancements that we need to comply with the grant.
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Technology – Effectively utilizes the latest technologies to continuously improve the management of the school and enhance student instruction.
In order to streamline this method and to provide quicker feedback during virtual learning. We were able to create forms that allowed for immediate emailed feedback to the teachers and stores the records electronically. In addition it gave the leadership team to analyze trends across the school by reviewing the graphs and spreadsheets that the forms generate.
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Time Management – Effectively uses available time to complete work tasks and activities that lead to the achievement of desired work or school results. Runs effective meetings.
This year I was able to use agendas to run effective meetings with teams. In the agenda it shows where everyone has a part and are able to collaborate with each other. I enjoyed the meetings because it gave teachers time to share ideas with each other.
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Visionary – Encourages Imagineering by creating an environment and structure to capture stakeholder dreams of what the school could become for all the students.
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I was able to put together a culture audit slide to inform everyone of the vison of Merrick-Moore Elementary, This presentation shows where we are trying to go as team to continue building school vision and culture for all stakeholders.