Leadership: Our Many Hats -- Leadership in the Minnesota School of Excellence process

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Joan Maland

Best Practices in Instructional Leadership (September 2008)

Joan Maland, principal
Indian Mounds Elementary School, Bloomington

“…as principals, our needed skill set is daunting.”

Completing the Indian Mounds Elementary MESPA Minnesota School of Excellence application felt like a bona fide success. As a staff we celebrated a job well done. We admired the finished product, and proudly displayed the creation we hope will measure up to MESPA standards. Yet, it was only after the dust of the school year settled that I found time to truly reflect on the process.

Without a doubt it was time consuming. The application process required a significant amount of coordination between the members of the writing teams. The editing process seemed endless. It offered the staff and community an opportunity to see the big picture: what it means to be a “school of excellence.” The self-study and application along with the accompanying artifacts looked very impressive. Still, for me, the most striking feature of the application was not found between the front and back covers, but was the realization that as principals, our needed skill set is daunting.

The convergence of the six National Association of Elementary School Principals “Standards For What Principals Should Know and Be Able To Do” written into one document was a real eye opener!

Standard One - Balance Management and Leadership Roles: In our role as principal, it is paramount to deal effectively with people both in and outside of the schoolhouse as we keep the daily operations running smoothly.

Standard Two - Set High Expectations and Standards: This means evaluating our staff and sometimes making those tough decisions. It is a fine line we walk as we model our expectations for excellence, and still maintain a supportive environment for all who enter the front door.

Standard Three - Demand Content and Instruction That Ensure Student Achievement: The quality of an educational program is determined by the quality of our teachers.We must hire quality teachers and hold them responsible for student learning.

Standard Four - Create a Culture of Adult Learning: As the teacher of teachers, we encourage and expect our staff to stay current with best practices, and that means we, too, must model life long learning.

Standard Five - Use Multiple Sources of Data as Diagnostic Tools: We must be “diagnosticians” and tease from multiple sources of data the information that will help us measure performance and identify strategies for improving achievement.

Standard Six - Actively Engage the Community: This standard requires that we address our stakeholders with a transparent honesty about the bad news, but also utilize our “bragging rights” about the great things going on in the building -- all with dignity and pride.

Dr. Vincent Ferrandino, former NAESP executive director, said, “You cannot have a first-rate school without first-rate school leadership.” The MESPA Minnesota School of Excellence process focused my “first-rate leadership” vision and reminded me of the skill set needed by the principal of an excellent school.

Mission: The Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association is dedicated to promoting and improving education for children and youth, strengthening the role as educational leader for elementary and middle level principals, and collaborating with partners in education to assist in achieving these goals.

Leading schools toward excellence through the MESPA vision to be the premiere resource for preparing today's principals for tomorrow and a strong leading voice for public education.

Minnesota Elementary School Principals' Association

1667 North Snelling Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108

651.999.7310 MN toll free 800.642.6807

Fax: 651.999.7311 E-mail: mespa@mespa.net