In the Zone This Month: February 2008
printer friendly >
The P.O. Zone Archives >
Theme: Mobilizing the Community
Politics are in the air. All of the candidates for our national election are busy mobilizing their communities and supporters so that they can win the hearts and minds of Americans and win the election. Part of the role of a school administrator is to win the hearts and minds of not only their students, but also of their families and communities. This month’s Principal’s Office takes its theme from ISLLC Standard 4: “A school administrator is an educational leader who promotes the success of all students by collaborating with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs and mobilizing community resources.” The Principal’s Office offers ideas about “Mobilizing the Community.” When the community is mobilized, there is a built in safety net to help students feel more valued by their communities.
The Stories from the Field segment features a story about how one school district systemically organized a community outreach program to recruit volunteers. A principal offers suggestions for managing this kind of initiative. The Political Landscape segment highlights three research studies including (1) a new assessment for principals’ effectiveness based on the ISLLC standards, (2) the value of culture-based education for language-minority students, and (3) the findings to date on moving from a middle school model to a K-8 model. In the Professional Readings segment this month, the Principal’s Office offers ideas about mobilizing the community in an article by Dr. Nancy Nestor-Baker, “Being in the Zone.”
This issue of The Principal’s Office reminds us of the African Proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” We hope you gain ideas in this issue to mobilize “your village” in order to raise the concern and awareness about the issues related to children.
Contributors of the Month
Nancy Nestor-Baker, Director, P-12 Project, The Ohio State University
Joy Rose, retired principal
