Leadership Framework

Stephanie Smith-Weatherton

Philosophy of Education

I believe all students have the right to a quality education conducive to learning 
regardless of their gender, race, and/or socioeconomic status. Students must learn to think 
critically in order to investigate, interpret, analyze, and synthesize information accessible to them
through the Internet, college professors, society, and/or the workforce.  With the vast amount of 
information available to individuals today, students must use these vital skills as citizens of a 
community to render thoughtful and responsible decisions.

I believe the school as a whole provides all students with a positive, respectful, and safe 
environment, which offers students opportunities before, during, and after school, that allow 
every student the chance to reach their full potential.  The administrators, teachers, and support 
staff are role models for the student population fostering appropriate relationships with them. 
Professional Learning Communities allow the opportunity for administrators, teachers, and 
support staff to collaborate for the purpose of aligning standards and curriculum to ensure all 
students learn the content of required courses regardless of their individual teacher. Even though 
teachers have differing teacher styles, the content and expectations must align, so that any 
students, regardless of where they come from, have the same opportunities for success.

I believe teachers should have high expectations for all students in their classrooms. 
Teachers should create rigorous curriculum related to local, state, and national standards to 
develop meaningful and creative lessons to engage students in mastering the content. Taking the 
time to develop relationships with students, along with data from summative and formative 
assessments will help guide teachers in differentiating lessons so that each student can 
experience academic success.  A teacher’s appreciation and knowledge of their content and 
teaching should always be visible in their classroom and academic activities.

Philosophy of Leadership

Great schools have great leaders because these leaders have the ability to create an 
environment in which faculty, students, and the community share a vision for the school.  
Leaders realize success stems from a “school family” with excellent communication skills and 
the motivation to thrive. The leader not only earns respect through their compassion and 
understanding of the education system, but for their ability to form strong and lasting 
relationships with their staff and their students.

Great leaders also realize that change does not happen overnight. Through the creation of 
short­term goals, the leader focuses on starting small to finish big! Respecting teachers time to 
accomplish classroom needs, allows for short­term goals to be accomplished without 
overwhelming teachers. Less stress equates to happier teachers. As short­term goals are 
accomplished, a great leader celebrates the accomplishment with their staff allowing for them to 
feel appreciated as valued members of the school family. As short­term goals are completed, they
should form a bridge to the long­term goals the school has set for itself, which makes it easier for
the school, as a whole, to reach these goals.

A great leader is present every single day. From visiting with students in the hallway to 
observing classrooms, the administrator is aware of what is occurring in every aspect of the 
school.  A leader is available to guide all teachers though a process, in which providing positive 
and timely feedback is a must, and acknowledging the need for constructive feedback is 
necessary for personal growth.  They lead through their actions, not just the words they preach.

Vision for Learning 

Technology is changing the dynamics of learning. Information, through the Internet, is 
readily available to all students. Students must learn to critically evaluate and apply the 
information available to them to make responsible decisions in our community. In addition, 
students must learn the skills to adapt to technological advancements throughout their 
lifetime. This starts in the school, where teachers model how to appropriately use technology and
they teach students how to evaluate information for accuracy and purpose of application.

Students learn differently. When constructing new items, manufacturers give directions 
through written, visual, and audio instructions. While some individuals chose to construct these 
items through inquiry, others follow the method conducive to their learning style. It is my 
opinion that differentiation of content material is the key component to student learning because 
not all students learn in the same manner. Often times, educators misinterpret differentiation as 
differing instruction for high and low level learners in class, which is also beneficial, instead of 
delivering content material in a variety of methods. Through differentiation of material presented
to students in schools, every student should have the ability to master their learning in all content 
areas. 

Responsibility is often learned at home but should be reinforced in school to aid in the 
formation of citizens who contribute to our society in a meaningful way. Students learn 
responsibility from high expectations in the following areas: classroom preparation, homework, 
outside reading/projects, and studying for assessments. While learning content in the core areas 
is the main focus of education, educators can foster responsibility through the above areas to 
prepare students for college and the workforce.

Vision for Teachers 

Teaching is an art. This art oftentimes seems unappreciated; however, masters of the art 
are rewarded on a daily basis. 

Every teacher has their unique style of classroom management and teaching method; 
however, successful teachers share many of the same characteristics.  Teachers are caring, 
compassionate, and considerate of their students while having high expectations for their success.
They foster positive teacher/student relationships while being influential role models for our 
future citizens.  Teachers not only form a community with their students but also with their 
parents. An open line of communication should always be available between a teacher and a 
parent in relation to their student.

Effective teachers work beyond the school hours and days to ensure authentic learning in 
their classrooms. These teachers have taught their students the essential classroom procedures 
and rules so they can focus their limited time on teaching content instead of dealing with 
behavior problems.  Successful teachers are prepared for all situations through research of the 
material, detailed lesson plans, and answer keys to all activities. 

Teachers are team players. They work with fellow teachers to create a safe and respectful 
environment conducive to learning through following school rules. Collaboration occurs between
grade level and content teachers to guarantee curriculum is aligned vertically as well as to state 
and local standards. Beyond content, collaboration allows for teachers to discuss students and 
appropriate strategies for best practices and for mastery of content.

Teachers within a collaborative team hold each other accountable in the classroom as 
well as outside of the classroom.  Teachers must be life long learners, attending professional 
development within the district as well as outside the district. Our field is not stagnant; it is ever 
changing and a teacher must be willing to analyze these changes and adapt to what is required of 
and by them for their students, their school, and their community.
 Vision for Organization

Schools are part of a multi­level organization in which each level is held accountable by 
another level. Within each level, individuals from different backgrounds and philosophies must 
find common ground to collectively work towards a shared vision. Structure, communication, 
and a sense of unity are three characteristics needed for a successful organization.

Organizational structure is important as it provides a framework for the management of 
the organization. The structure provides distinct job responsibilities known throughout the 
organization, which aids in decision­making and the follow through of protocols. 

Communication between leadership and staff fosters positive relationships enhancing the 
culture of the school.  Leaders should have open communication with all of their staff so 
everyone feels included and appreciated. While verbal communication is important leaders need 
to provide written rules and procedures. Additionally, leaders must model and enforce these 
expectations in a fair manner. Through equal treatment of all staff, there is a lack of animosity 
creating a culture of fairness in which all employees can work as a team to accomplish tasks for 
the organization. As trust and appreciation in an organization is established, communication 
between staff and leadership becomes more diplomatic.

Through the creation of organizational structure and the implementation of open 
communication and diplomatic discussion, I believe the organization should begin to feel a sense
of unity.  Through unifying staff, I hope all members will respect each other’s opinions, agree to 
disagree, and work together for success!

Vision for Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment

           Standards are very important to classroom instruction as they provide teachers a goal to 
work towards. All disciplines and grade levels will follow local and state standards to create 
authentic and rigorous lessons.  When local and state standards are not available, teachers must 
provide research­based standards for use in their classroom.  Content/grade level curriculum 
guides, which include assessments, objectives, vocabulary, and lessons, will be developed based 
upon the standards and needs of the students.  Teachers and administrators will work closely to 
ensure the curriculum is implemented in classrooms with fidelity.

         A variety of instructional strategies should be used in all classrooms to ensure each 
student’s success. Direct instruction has a place in every classroom, but should be used sparingly 
to promote students engagement in the lesson. Student­centered activities often provide an 
opportunity for students apply and analyze the information obtained through direct instruction. 
Through the use of technology, teachers are able to increase engagement though interactive 
lessons and provide instant feedback through a variety of quiz programs.

       Instead of equating the word assessment for test, I believe assessment should be equated to 
monitor. Teachers are not testing the student’s knowledge but monitoring their progress in being 
proficient of a standard. On a daily basis, teachers monitor their students understanding of 
content through conversation, assignments, projects, and sometimes quizzes.  Theses formative 
assessments allow teachers to tailor their instruction to the needs of the students in their class.  
Summative assessments, at the end of the unit, ensure students have retained the information 
learned. Data from all assessments allows teachers to refine their teaching practices, monitor the 
progress of their students on standards, and support struggling students.

Vision for Professional Growth

Education is a field that is constantly changing. As role models for life­long learning, 
educators must continue learning through professional development offered through the school 
district, professional organizations, and continuing education.

School district professional development focuses on school improvement and/or district 
and school initiatives. These are valuable as they provide teaching strategies and methods to 
support students learning and the school improvement plan. In addition, school districts should 
provide appropriate technology training for classroom technology.  Educators can attend 
professional development conferences offered by their professional organization. This type of 
professional development offers a variety of content related topics in addition to teaching 
strategies and technology. These conferences are more beneficial for individual teachers; 
however, many educators shy away from this type of conference because of the cost.  As an 
administrator, I hope to budget for each department to attend content related conferences either 
yearly or every other year.

Continuing education in the form of a Master’s Degree or additional credits as an 
educator is not only favorable but also necessary. An undergraduate degree in education prepares
teachers for the classroom; however, after a couple years in the classroom, it is necessary to 
revisit classroom practices as well as concentrate on administration, curriculum, technology, 
and/or the content in which you teach. Continuing education furthers an educator’s knowledge of
educational theories and practices while reinforcing concepts from their undergraduate studies.
                                                 Method for Vision Attainment

As a leader, I believe communication, trust, and the ability to accept change are the key to
the success of the school’s overall vision.

Communication between district personal, building administration and staff as well as 
parents and community members is crucial for the success of the vision. Verbal communication 
through emails, press conferences, newspaper interviews, and meetings allows for the 
stakeholders to stay informed of the schools progress towards their vision.  Open verbal 
communication allows for transparency, fostering a positive relationship between the schools and
the community.  Communication between immediate administration and staff, allows for 
relationships to form and a sense of unity within the school. Through written documents, district 
personal and building administration can outline policies, procedures, and responsibilities for all 
staff members to ensure fairness and a positive culture.

Positive and informative communication within the district and school allows for a level 
of trust to be built among stakeholders. The community trusts the school district to produce 
productive citizens, parents trust the school to provide a safe and secure environment while 
providing a sound education, and educators trust the district to provide a positive climate for 
them to educate children. Without trust, teamwork can be accomplished but it is without 
uniformity and complete satisfaction of all stakeholders.

     With communication and trust established, I believe stakeholders will embrace the changes 
needed in order to accomplish our vision.  Change is often hard for individuals; however, 
changing as a uniformed team should make the process easier. Through communication and 
trust, we will work towards the vision, revising and/or changing the vision, as relevant data 
and open discussion lead us, and everyother stakeholder, through the process of reaching an end 
result, the shared vision.

Philosophy of Education
Our education system should be preparing students to be competitive in a global society that is
rapidly flattening and becoming more and more connected. By imparting basic knowledge and
skills from a wide variety of subject matter, schools should be developing well-rounded
graduates capable of comprehending and analyzing a wide variety of issues and topics. Our
education system should be teaching and modeling what it means to be a lifelong, self-guided,
learner and encouraging the critical thinking and twenty-first century skills necessary for our
students to meet their full potential in the world today. Finally, our education system has the
responsibility to prepare our students to become global citizens by supporting and modeling the
characteristics of tolerance, understanding, cooperation, and collaboration.
Philosophy of Leadership
As the instructional leader of the campus, the principal has the responsibility to ensure that all
students, faculty, and staff have the opportunities and environment to meet the goals and
expectations of the campus and district. The principal’s leadership style has a direct correlation
to the success or failure of the campus community in meeting stated goals. In an ideal situation,
the principal should lead following the Participative Leadership model, empowering their staff
and faculty in the decision making process, and trusting in their skills and professionalism to get
the job done. Unfortunately, in many cases, there are a number of factors that prevent this model
of leadership from being effective. As such, I believe that our leaders should follow a Situational
Leadership model where the style of leadership is based on the situation and person at hand. To
ensure success leaders must be flexible, adaptable, and develop a close working relationship with
all stakeholders.

Vision for Learners

Children need a safe, encouraging, and comfortable environment in order to learn and meet their
full potential. It is the principal’s responsibility to provide such an environment. When learning
new concepts and mastering new skills, it is important that children have the opportunity to work
with material in a variety of formats. Encouraging our students’ creativity, while working with
new material, is essential for them to gain a deep understanding or the topic at hand. I believe
that children learn by doing, that there is a place in our schools and classrooms for project based
learning. I believe that it is critical that teachers make information relevant to the lives of our
students that by doing so they will spark a level of curiosity in our students, encourage them to
explore further, and develop a love of learning. It is the principal’s responsibility to ensure that
teachers have the time necessary to plan and the materials necessary to deliver meaningful
learning experiences.

Vision for Teachers

Teachers are at the core of a child’s educational experience and the quality of the teacher has a
direct link to the success of the child academically. In order to ensure student success and
achievement, teachers must possess many of the same qualities that campus leaders posses,
including adaptability, flexibly, and a strong working relationship with their students and the
educational community as a whole. Teachers must inspire their students to explore, question and
analyze, and nurture a love of learning in their students. Teachers should model to their students
what it means to be a lifelong learner and demonstrate how they are continuously improving
their skills. In order for a campus to be successful, I believe that a tight working relationship
among all teachers must be established. Time should be made for teachers to learn from each
other and to collaborate with one and other.

Vision for the Organization

The campus is a community of learners where all stakeholders should be striving to excel and
grow with the goal of meeting a set of high expectations. The climate of the school should
reflect this in all areas from its appearance to its academic programs to the expectations laid out
for students, faculty, and staff. Knowing that we should be preparing students to be competitive
in a global society, the educational system must extend beyond the physical walls of the school
building and, as such, must include partnerships and collaborative efforts, not only with parents
and the immediate surrounding community, but also with communities outside of our political
boundaries and cultural settings. Open lines of communication must be established and all
stakeholders should be encouraged to participate in the decision making process.

Vision for Professional Growth

A great teacher is one of the key elements, and perhaps the most important element, to the
success of a student academically. However, for even our greatest teachers, there is always
room for improvement and growth professionally. A strong professional development program,
supported by budgeted funds, must be present for a school to thrive, continuously improve, and
avoid stagnation. The needs and areas of improvement of a campus can be expected to change
over time; therefore, a systematic approach to evaluating where improvement is needed on a
professional level should be put into place. This system should include an analytic look and deep
understanding of academic and professional data, self-reflection on the part of all stakeholders,
and thoughtful response to the question “where are our weaknesses?” Any professional
development program put in place must start with an end in mind and be supported until the
explicit goals are achieved. Programs should be ongoing, periodically evaluated for
effectiveness, and redesigned as necessary. Fly-by professional development should be used
sparingly. It is important to include faculty in the creation of a professional development plan, to
give them a stake in the process and outcome. It is equally important that the campus principal,
as the instructional leader, participate alongside faculty and staff. All teachers, including those
struggling teachers, should be supported and be made aware of their potential to become great.

Method of Vision Attainment

A clearly stated and easily understood vision is critical to the success of the campus. The
campus vision should be taken into account when new programs are being put in place and
decisions are being made. If, for whatever reason, a decision or program is not leading a campus
towards their vision then an alternative course of action, if possible, should be considered. When
developing a campus vision it is important to involve all stakeholders. Parents, students, faculty,
and staff should all be brought into the process and allowed to share ideas and collaboratively
develop the vision. By including all stakeholders ownership is shared and “buy-in” is increased,
both of which are necessary in order to attain the vision. The principal has the responsibility to
make sure that both faculty and staff are continuously working towards vision attainment. It is
critical that the right people are brought on board through staffing decisions. Faculty evaluation
should take into consideration the degree to which employees are working towards the vision and
a course of action must be put in place to ensure that those not working towards the vision are
corrected. A set of periodic, short-term goals, should be in place that will assist a campus reach
its ultimate goal. These goals, along with the overall progress of a campus, have to me
monitored and evaluated on a regular basis. Change is never an easy process for an organization
and can be made even more cumbersome if a completely new vision is established. In order to
facilitate change and assist those that are struggling with a new direction, clear lines of
communication must be put in place and stakeholders should have the opportunity to voice their
concerns in a safe, inviting, environment.