A LEADER COMES TO XANADU HIGH

Carol Thomas sat at her desk pondering the events of the last 72 hours. As she mused
over the dizzying turn of events, she thought that these were probably the most crucial in
her teaching career and certainly, the most important since she was appointed principal of
Xanadu High School, a mere eighteen months ago.
Carol was an ambitious and energetic woman with a passion for the teaching profession,
and a great love for children. For Carol, teaching was a sacred responsibility that required
her commitment to the development of every student who entered her classes. She felt
strongly that students were at varying stages of development and that the school should
encourage the pursuit of both academic and non-academic endeavour so that students
could build a portfolio of successful experiences that would shape their approaches to
their development in the future.
Such was her commitment to the teaching profession, that she continually sought
opportunities for training and development, and was the holder of a Masters Degree in
Education and a Diploma in Management Studies. The latter, as she put it, was to ensure
that she acquired the skills required to assume the mantle of school leadership. Shortly
after completing the programme, she was appointed to the position of vice-principal of
her previous school.
In the Caribbean nation, Saturn Island, of which Xanadu was the capital city, such
thinking was considered extremely radical as the society valued certification. Students
were pressured by both parents and teachers to succeed at examinations, since it was felt
that this was the ticket to future success.
In fact, during the colonial period of the 1950s and early 1960s, successful graduates
did find access to the better jobs and were promoted much faster than their unqualified
colleagues.
Since gaining its independence in 1968, however, Saturn Island has been forced to
grapple with a burgeoning population that now stood at 125,000 of which approximately
40% was in the 15 34 age group and among whom unemployment was highest
(approximately 30% compared to the national figure of 20%). Saturn Island had been
unable to create jobs in sufficient quantities to meet the growing demands of secondary
school graduates. It came as no surprise, therefore, when the Prime Minister, in his
millennium address to the nation, quoted recent statistics that highlighted dramatic
increases in the illicit drug trade and in organised criminal activity. He indicated that
while his government had successfully wooed foreign investors to the country in its
Developed by Curt P. Wellington, Resident Consultant, UWI/Institute of Business, August, 2002 Page 1

attempts to diversify the economy from the traditional production and export of primary
agricultural products, nationals were not adequately trained to take advantage of the job
opportunities that had been created.
To ensure that the population, and in particular, the young people of Saturn Island
developed the skills to access jobs in the technical field, and to assure the global
competitiveness of the country in the 21 st Century, he announced that his government was
going to place greater emphasis on the provision of technology education while ensuring
that all eligible students would have had access to secondary education.
In subsequent meetings with the Chief Education Officer, the Director of Schools
Supervision, and the Director of Curriculum in the Ministry of Education and Human
Development, principals of the nations secondary schools learnt that officials of the
Government of Saturn Island had reached an advanced stage in their negotiations with the
Inter-American Development Bank to fund the construction of three new secondary
schools, to undertake much-needed infrastructural work on the islands four existing
government secondary schools, and to contract a team of consultants to assist with the
development of a curriculum for the proposed technology education.
While the government-assisted schools were expected to integrate technology education
in their curriculum, the government was unable to guarantee that funds would have been
available before the third tranche of funds were drawn down in three years time, and in
the interim, funding for infrastructural work would be considered only in the context of
the traditional co-financing arrangements. That meant that the government-assisted
schools would have been required to self-finance forty percent (40%) of any
developmental project with the government providing the remaining sixty percent (60%).
All of this had occurred in the first quarter of the year 2000 and Carol Thomas had been
appointed principal of Xanadu High School only six months earlier.
Despite her impressive track record and the relentless recruitment strategies of members
of the board of Xanadu High, Carol received a mixed reception from the staff on her
arrival at the school.
Mainly responsible for this was Harold James, a veteran of thirty (30) years in the
teaching service, fifteen (15) years of which were spent at Xanadu High. Carols
appointment marked the second time that Harold had been overlooked for the position of
principal, and on each occasion, he acted in the position for a period of at least six
months, and was one of the candidates screened by the interview panel. In Carols case, it
was an open secret that members of the board had actively solicited her application and
Developed by Curt P. Wellington, Resident Consultant, UWI/Institute of Business, August, 2002 Page 2

Harold felt slighted by these manoeuvres. With just seven years remaining before his
retirement, Harold had looked forward to being appointed to the principals position, as
this would have guaranteed higher retirement benefits.
A small group of the schools fifty (50) teachers had expressed solidarity with Harold as
they felt that this was no way to treat someone who had served and aligned themselves
with his cause of non-cooperation with the new principal.
On assuming duties at Xanadu High, Carol Thomas decided to spend the first two weeks
familiarising herself with the school environment. She divided her work day into two
distinct segments the first half was devoted to meeting with significant individuals and
groups aligned to the school or she called them, her stakeholders.
During the period, she met with teachers, students, representatives of the Parent/Teachers
Association, members of the schools alumni association and a few influential business
persons who indicated their willingness to support positive school initiatives. She sought
the approval of some of the teachers to observe their classroom delivery, and on occasion,
introduced herself to and talked informally with parents who visited the school to collect
some of the younger students. The rest of her day was usually spent reviewing records of
student and teacher performance, as well as those of the schools finances.
As a result of these initiatives, she made the following notes:
Table 1. Staff Data
No. of Teachers
50

Males
15

Females
35

Table 2. Distribution of Teachers by Tenure

Tenure
> 20 years service
15 20 years
10 - 14 years
5 9 years
< 5 years

Number
5
15
10
6
14

Table 3. Distribution of teachers by Tenure and Post-Graduate Training

Tenure
> 15years service
< 15 years service

1st Degree
20
30

Dip.Ed.
2
10

Masters
2
6**

** 2 teachers are currently pursuing Masters Degrees through distance learning

Developed by Curt P. Wellington, Resident Consultant, UWI/Institute of Business, August, 2002 Page 3

She noted also that older teachers did not appear to be willing to resume programmes of
study, but were visibly upset by what they perceived to be a trend to favour qualified
applicants for recent appointments.
Teaching styles were generally teacher-centered with very little emphasis on alternative
teaching strategies. As one teacher bluntly stated, We talk. They listen.
Levels of motivation were very low, particularly among the older staff, a small group of
whom seemed intent on arousing feelings of discontent among the rest of the staff.

Table 4. Student Data

No. of Students
600

% Male
35%

% Female
65%

Table 5. Students Academic Performance

All Students
Male Students

% of Students Achieving > 5 CXC Passes

Year 1 (Base Year)
Year 5 (Last Year)
75%
60%
25%
10%

She noted further that students saw the school as having an antagonistic environment
with teachers wielding their authority to ensure students unquestioning obedience to
instruction and conformity to rules. Many students, and in particular, the males, question
the relevance of the current curriculum to the real world and do not feel inclined to
make the effort to pass exams.
The level of discipline has been generally good with just a few isolated incidents of
student indiscipline noted over the past two years.
Parent/Teachers Association: Exists around a small core of parents and a few dedicated
teachers. Claims that their contributions have been largely ignored in the past and their
input is sought only when there is need to raise funds for a school project. Over the last
three years, the frequency of their meetings has decreased from one per quarter to twice
per year. In addition, attendance at the meetings has also been declining with the
chairman being forced to prematurely adjourn the last meeting due to the failure to
assemble a quorum for the meeting.

Developed by Curt P. Wellington, Resident Consultant, UWI/Institute of Business, August, 2002 Page 4

Alumni Association: The association expressed similar concerns to the PTA and felt that
they were largely being ignored by the schools administration. During their meeting
with Ms. Thomas, they reminded her that many of the alumni now resided overseas and
were willing to solicit donations of computer equipment from corporate citizens abroad.
They also expressed a desire to make their professional services available to the school
wherever they could.
Parents: Many parents are concerned about the inability of graduates to find suitable
employment despite gaining five or more CXC passes. Some take an active interest in
their childs development and meet frequently with teachers. However, too many are
content to adopt a passive stance and are often unaware of developments in the lives of
their children.
Business Community: There is concern that graduates are not adequately prepared to
enter the world of work. Some business houses are wiling to assist but would like to
know the specific areas of assistance needed. Some have become very wary of the
plethora of donation sheets that have surfaced in recent years and are becoming les
inclined to contribute to these requests.
Curriculum: Curriculum of traditional subjects being taught. Student choices are
limited and the pursuit of extra-curricula activities is discouraged.
General Environment: School in a state of disrepair. No maintenance work has been
undertaken over the past three years.
There are very limited facilities available for extra-curricula activities. Students are
required to pursue a very rigid academic schedule.
Satisfied that she had collected a wealth of data, Carol called a meeting of all staff for the
following Tuesday afternoon.
Despite the number of weaknesses she identified in her initial analysis, Carol was
determined to maintain a positive atmosphere during the meeting. She shared several
anecdotes from her meetings of the past two weeks and noted that there was a
considerable amount of goodwill among the various stakeholders of the school. She
suggested that this could be incorporated into initiatives for making the school a centre
of excellence among the secondary schools in Saturn Island.
She indicated that her areas of concern were
1. Male under-achievement,
2. The downward trend in overall student performance,
Developed by Curt P. Wellington, Resident Consultant, UWI/Institute of Business, August, 2002 Page 5

3. The need to make the schools curriculum more relevant to the needs of
the society, and
4. the need to expose students to a more holistic education experience.
She invited questions from members of staff and was pleasantly surprised at the response.
She noted, however, that Harold James and his team stood to the rear of the room and
occasionally made a few derisive comments to which she refrained from responding.
The meeting ended on a very positive note and although she had already begun to
formulate her own plans of action, Carol promised to continue meeting and talking to
staff to obtain their input on the direction the school should pursue.
During the next few weeks, Carol continued her meetings and visits to classrooms, as
promised. Harold, in the meantime, dubbed her, The Walkabout Manager as he let it be
known that the job of a real principal was administration and that Carol was a poor
example.
During the fourth week, Carol invited Harold to her office. She greeted him warmly and
indicated that she felt it was time that the two of them had a heart to heart discussion on
the issues that would hamper their smooth working relationship.
At first, Harolds bitterness surfaced as he complained of the injustices and indignity he
suffered when he was bypassed on two occasions for the position of principal. He saw
himself a laughing stock among the school fraternity and opined that no-one could expect
him to function effectively under such difficult circumstances.
Carol empathised sincerely in her response but chose to focus on Harolds many years of
distinguished service that had left a positive impression on several of the schools alumni
who, because of his influence, were now willing to make voluntary contributions to the
schools initiatives. Harold was not prepared for such a response and asked for some time
to contemplate his next move.
As she continued her meetings and informal conversations with the staff and students,
Carol knew that she had to proceed slowly as rapid and system-wide change could have a
negative impact on staff morale. She was determined to involve them at every stage and
to provide as much information as was needed.
By the end of the first month, some of the younger teachers and senior students were
visiting her office to share articles they had researched and to make recommendations on
the way forward for Xanadu High School.

Developed by Curt P. Wellington, Resident Consultant, UWI/Institute of Business, August, 2002 Page 6

Her initiatives had taken root.

By the sixth week, she had received sufficient feedback from staff and students to
formulate the new direction for Xanadu High. She formulated a draft mission statement
as follows:
Xanadu High School will provide its students with a total educational experience
of relevant academic and non-academic pursuits in a student-centered learning
environment through the continued development of its teaching fraternity and the
upgrade and maintenance of its physical infrastructure.
Carol identified the key strategic thrusts as:
1. Addressing the issue of male under-achievement;
2. The introduction of technology education to the curriculum of the school;
3. The construction and equipping of a computer laboratory;
4. The construction of a multi-purpose sports facility; and
5. The training of teachers to introduce alternative teaching strategies as a
pilot project among the Form 4 students.
Once the staff ratified the new mission and direction, Carol met separately with members
of the Parent/Teachers Association, the Alumni Association, and the members of the
business community.
The level of enthusiasm was high as all of the groups agreed to support the initiatives. A
committee comprising representatives of each of the groups was formed to oversee the
fund-raising and implementation initiatives. One minor setback involved the introduction
of the Technology Education syllabus. Because the Ministry of Education had not
sanctioned the introduction of the course, it was agreed that it should be offered as an
externally examinable programme and that assistance should be sought from among the
alumni to teach the course.
By the end of the second school term, Harold James had offered his apologies to Carol
and had pledged his support for her initiatives. His team members had also expressed
their commitment to support the new school direction.
Over the next ten months, the school was a flurry of activity. Construction of the multipurpose sports complex and the computer laboratory had commenced.at projected costs
of $750,000 and $1,000,000 respectively. The first group of teachers has attended a
workshop on Alternative Delivery Strategies and formal discussions were being held
with the Director, Curriculum on the introduction of the Technology Education syllabus.
Developed by Curt P. Wellington, Resident Consultant, UWI/Institute of Business, August, 2002 Page 7

When the Prime Minister delivered his Millennium Address to the people of Saturn
Island, Xanadu High had already mobilised its resources and its stakeholder support to
introduce Technology Education, to develop a student-centered learning environment,
and to address the burning issue of male under-achievement.
The following day, Carol had tactfully called a meeting of her staff and, in a mini
celebration, thanked them for their inputs that allowed Xanadu High to demonstrate
leadership in the education system.
Twelve months later, as Carol Thomas sat in her office, she reflected on her meetings of
the previous three days. Firstly, Harold James visited her office to tell her how much he
admired her leadership of the school and again apologised for his initial indiscretions.
Harold was now leading the project to implement the Technology Education syllabus.
Next, the members of the implementation committee met with her to provide an update
on the construction projects. Not only had they sourced the funding for the schools
contribution to the projects, but they had also sourced sponsors for the computers
required to equip the laboratory and identified funding for the acquisition of the services
of a Technology Education teacher for the first year.
On the third day, Carol had an unexpected visit from a senior official of the Ministry of
Education and Human Development. He called personally to deliver the results for the
schools students who sat the CXC examinations. The results had surpassed all
achievements over the last five years. So impressed were the Ministry officials that a
decision was hastily taken to consider Xanadu High School for funding under the loan
arrangements with the Inter-American Development Bank.
As Carol quietly basked in the moment, she knew instinctively that there would be no
relenting in the ongoing battle for change at Xanadu High School.

This case was developed for classroom discussion only. Any resemblance to characters
or situations, real or imagined, is purely coincidental and was not intentional on the
part of the writer.

The Case is being used with the kind permission of Mr Curt P. Wellington, the
writer.
Developed by Curt P. Wellington, Resident Consultant, UWI/Institute of Business, August, 2002 Page 8