Assignment:
Assignment Description
You have been called in to consult with the new principal of a large urban high school. The principal has just transferred from a smaller school in the suburbs of another city in another state. Her educational background includes one of the most prestigious schools of education in the country. In fact, she has published a handbook for classroom management. Her performance at her previous school was praised for its easygoing and adaptable nature.
She has been at principal rank for three years but is just in the process of acclimating to this more energetic and complex school environment. Although the school is nonunion, its faculty has been in place for many years, and the staff has an average of about seven years of experience. There has been little change in the school administration or organization. At the same time, the student dropout rate is at 51% and climbing, and the student graduation rate is only 46%. The director of instruction for her district has expressed concern about the quality of education in the school.
To begin your consultation, you want the principal to adopt a leadership theory as a general framework for her own development as a leader in this new environment. You have focused in on three likely theories: hierarchical, transformational, and facilitative.
Write a document in which you address the most likely leadership theory for the principal to pursue in this situation and for this background. She will also want to take into account her own preferred styles, so explain how you might help her confirm and document those. For the theory you have selected for consideration, describe the characteristics of the theory, and explain why it is appropriate in this situation, given her background and current circumstances.
Be sure to address the following:
- What reasoning do you give her for using theory as a starting point for behavioral change or organizational change?
- How will this principal distinguish between her management responsibilities and her leadership responsibilities? What are the ethical considerations in both?
- What are a few of the key management actions that this scenario may suggest?
- What are some positive and concrete things that she can do to implement the selected leadership theory in tandem with management actions?
- At what factors will you and she look for in the school to find results of her adoption of the selected theory?
It is not necessary to adhere to APA document style for this submission. However, it is advisable to support your arguments and explanations with citations and a reference page formatted in APA style.