Organization+and+Management+Issues

EDLD 5339 Organization and Management Issues was an alternative course to replace EDLD 5368 Instructional Design. Dr. Abernathy allowed this switch so that I could stay on track for my graduation since EDLD 5368 was not offered at the time I needed it. This course is designed around school, instructional, and administrative leadership. As a future leader for educational technology, I found it to be a great course to take and I would recommend it to anyone who will have to deal with a technology budget. ISTE’s standard VII is covered as it relates to budgets and scheduling of technology. Through this class I had the opportunity to understand how Site-Based Decision Making (SBDM) is involved in developing and implementing the campus budget and master schedule. As I approached this assignment, I did not have a great understanding of the many facets of a campus budget and master schedule. Typically in the lunch room or teacher’s work room you hear complaints from teachers how they do not like their schedule or the need for more money for supplies or classroom needs. My thought has traditionally aligned with those teachers, thinking to myself that I could not understand why the principals did not make those requests happen. Deal and Peterson (1990) discussed how leaders know from experience that to build a successful school, one must work simultaneously on staff needs, school goals and work within the dynamics of political power (Deal & Peterson, 1990).In other words: it’s complicated. Before this course I knew basically two things about a campus master schedule: one. they do ask for input from the teacher, and two it is based primarily on students’ needs as well as the instructional needs for the course. I knew we had a budget and that budgets were developed from several sources. What I discovered during this course’s journey was that both components, schedules and budgets, are influenced by a multitude of factors, each of which interweaves with another. Good campus leadership, at its core, strives to weave the resources of financing, facilities, and faculty together to create a highly successful and efficient school system. During my interview with campus leaders, I discovered that our school uses a variety of budgetary policies to get the right resources in the right place. For example, computers can be purchased through a one-time request as capital outlay. But computers could also have been purchased through PTA gifting funds, departmental budgets, school club budgets, grant money, or through a district bond campaign. The building principal has a great deal of flexibility as the campus leader to get the right resources in place. However, he must consider his campus improvement plan (CIP) that he has developed with his Site Based Improvement Committee (SBIC) before he spends the money. Through this assignment, I’ve had a chance to rethink how I spend my athletic budget. I now try to consider the goals and vision I have for the team. I work to find money from a variety of sources so that I can ultimately help my athletes by the most effective and efficient means available. For example, I really try to plan with my athletic director how to get my large technology needs met. Most people do not understand that to run and a modern swim program, you have a myriad of technology needs. For example, 4 different software programs track swimmers and divers at meets and throughout the season, timing systems interconnect to video display boards that allow swimmers, coaches and parents to see their times and results immediately; diving hardware that is wifi enabled to connect with scoring software and display boards all allow instant access to information and help to keep a large, or small meet, running smoothly and efficiently. All these needs must be planned and met either through my team budget, sports club and boster club gifting budgets or through fundraising efforts. Every Campus Improvement Plan contains a goal or objective relating to courses offered to the students. The schedule should be created to meet the needs of as many students as possible. In my case, for my school, most students require AP or pre-AP classes, as about 98% of the student body attends a 4 year college or university. I am now in the process of redesigning how I place my athletes into competition level groups so I can better meet their current needs and long term goals. This assignment allowed me to try to remember to see things from a variety of perspectives. For me, learning the variety of methods for decision making and management styles has allowed me to adapt some of these methods for use in the classroom. As a campus leader, I must decide what methods I’ll use to make decision and how I want to share my vision. “True genius is in finding ways to make a vision reality” (Johnson, 2009, p.106) Budgeting and scheduling are part of the task that a effective leader must do in his job, but the goal is to create the best combination of resources of equipment, space, and staff to better meet the needs of all students. As a lifelong learner, I still need to continue to reflect on my individual leadership style and decision making process. “Seize times for reflection, such as while driving in a quiet car or while sleepless” (Rooney, 2008, p. 88). I have a 30 minute drive home, so I guess I better start reflecting.
 * [|course based reflection wk 3 5339 organization and management issues.doc]
 * Conduct interviews about campus organization and management, Site-Based Decision Making (SBDM), and development and implementation of the campus budget and master schedule.
 * Analyze the processes in place for campus budgeting and scheduling and their alignment with the Campus Improvement Plan (CIP). ||
 * ** Self-Assessment **
 * Learn as a Learner**
 * Lifelong Learner**

References Deal, T. E., & Peterson, K. D. (1990) //The Prinicpal’s Role in Shaping School Culture//. Washington, DC: US Department of Education. Johnson, D. (2009). Head for the Edge. Leadership or Mangement. //Library Media Connection//, 28(2). Rooney, J., (2008) What do We Believe? //Educational Leadership//, 65(3). ||