1. When Rachel meets with the principal to share the information regarding the students, how should the principal respond? In your response, be mindful to consider Rachel’s feelings and accountability measures placed on the principal.
Rachel is the principal’s guidance counselor and her responsibility is to make sure that there are more students who graduate than those who drop out. It is not good for the reputation of the school to have such a high rate of drop out students. Rachel is worried about students and about their future, especially about Eva, who is a very bright young woman. Eva has a baby and her problems and home made it difficult for her to graduate in time. However, the principal offers her to pass GED and drop out instead of graduating from GIHS. Rachel says: “We just looked at this study in my graduate class that talked about how students with GEDs earn significantly less than high school graduates” (Latke 4). It is possible to go to college after passing GED, but students who pass GIHS have better chances in life. The principal should listen to Rachel’s recommendations to give students another chance because it is related to school reputation as well. A high percentage of drop outs is not good for school’s rating. Something had to be changes because the students like Jayson and Tariq were making much effort to graduate, but they needed an individual approach. The school already has a small number of students and it is possible to help them out individually.
2. Provide an example of a Professional Standard for Educational Leaders addressed within the article. Indicate the standard, the specific example, and your rationale.
The example of a Professional Standard for Educational Leaders is the fact that the school has a guidance counselor, Rachel, who takes care of the individual needs of students. School Improvement is the standard addressed within the article. In this case she is trying to work out a solution to keep Eva in school and prevent her from dropping out. The principal suggests that Eva take GED and try to go to colleges afterwards. However, Rachel is concerned: “Rachel thought back to the study she had read about recently in her graduate program that talked about how only 30% of students who take the GED exam the first time actually pass. Didn’t they also talk about how students with a GED have a lower earning potential?” (Latke 4). She is worried about the fact that the school is not making much effort to address the individual needs of students and this kind of school is supposed to do that. There were students in this school who were ungraded because they were taking classed they needed to graduate. Also, less that 50% managed to graduate in four years which is not a good percentage. I believe that Rachel is right in thinking that all of the students should be given the chance to succeed and that they should be encouraged with the individual approach. Eva could have a bright future and go to a community college if they would help her out. Jess is also right in making effort to help Jayson and Tariq since the two of them also need to graduate from high school. However, there are teachers like Ms. Mariano who do not care about students and their needs.
3. In your opinion, which Professional Standard for Educational Leaders should the principal focus on in this school? Please explain your rationale for your selection.
In my opinion, the principal should focus on School Improvement as the most beneficial Professional Standard for Educational Leaders since the motto of the school is “Excellence at Every Step” (Latke 2). Students mentioned in this article are all students who are willing to make effort, but they are not given enough encouragement. They believe that nobody cares about their performance at school and they are right because the principal advises them to drop out instead of trying harder and finding a better way. The principal just wants to get rid of students who are not putting in much effort, but in the case in this article, Eva, Jayson and Tariq are all willing to work harder and in a better way. Jayson may have intellectual disabilities and learning difficulties, but that should have been noticed earlier and now it is too late and he should be helped to get at least GED. Tariq is afraid that he would fail English because Ms. Mariano does not care and that is the wrong approach. However, Rachel and Jess are trying to figure out the standard of School Improvement and how it would work out for the best and help these students graduate by helping them individually. The school system has flaws especially because there are teachers like Ms. Mariano who is not interested in teaching these students. She is even marking them as being absent when they are not and it ruins their spirit and the will to learn. The most interesting example is Eva’s because she has good chances of going to a community college whether she takes GED or graduates from GIHS. However, Rachel wants to help her graduate because of her intellectual excellence. The principal is wrong in trying to make her drop out and take GED because she is capable to graduate successfully. Rachel and Jess are professionals who are making the school system better.
Works Cited
Litke, Erika. "Are You In or Are You Out?" The Power of Teacher Networks. Ed. E Meyers, P Paul, and D Kirkland. Corwin: Corwin Press, 2009. Print.
