Educational Leadership Philosophy:
Beliefs about educational leadership: Leadership is a way of being. I have been molded throughout my life to embody and model servant leadership. I believe it is through education that our world will become a better place. All students can learn and every adult has a responsibility to serve our students, grow in their role, and inspire all students to reach their full potential. As a leader, it is my responsibility model this responsibility in holding this value for each adult that interacts with students.
I have had many leaders that inspire me and I try to emulate. One leader who truly informed my leadership approach is Mr. Cliff Hardison. He was the head guidance counselor when I went through high school and since high school I was able to follow and learn from his journey to principalship.
I hope I leave a legacy like Mr. Hardison. If you watched the video, you saw that he touched so many lives, both students and the adults he came in contact with and expected everyone to keep learning to meet their full potential that they could not see even in themselves.
Educational leadership activities and initiatives:
Professional Learning Communities: I led the initiative with a team of teachers to begin Professional Learning Communities in the building where I served as a math specialist.
Guided Math: I led the implementation of Guided Math in my building.
Micro-credentials: Once becoming a professional learning specialist, I worked to develop the system of micro-credentialing for VBCPS.
Online learning: I worked to expand online and flexible professional learning. These initiatives impacted students because the adults became more efficient and were developed in their capacity to serve students.
My strengths include the ability to:
mediate and find agreement
be a team-player
be patient
truly listen and value the other person
see big picture but consider the details in planning,
adapt to change and technology
Impact and Influence: I live for moments where my students, whether children or adults reach a milestone and have that aha into who they are, what they know, and how they want to serve. I am most proud of the teachers with whom I serve every day. Whether they were a teacher I coached or someone who attended a class, when I hear or see them growing and developing, I am proud and amazed. I am proud of the students that have felt my impact. I have never encountered a student I was not proud of in some capacity. I expect all to grow into adults that continue to make me proud. I find value in working with the adults in the district because I see my impact on students through working with them.
Future Aspirations: The more I have grown as a leader, the more impact I see my service making. I like to challenge myself to grow as a leader in different capacities. Being outside my comfort zone is my comfort zone. I want to continue to engage in dialogue, be in situations, and grow as the level-headed, intelligent, empathetic leader that I am. Our nation is at a critical juncture for our education system and for our youth. I want to be a part of the formation and change that happens in our nation. I hope to one day work for the United States Department of Education and serve on my local School Board. I hope to be a change maker - because that is what the next generation needs. Someone who can lead change in service for our youth!
Vision: During my administration, through the course of their career, every employee, in their capacity, will grow to become a leader of learning to result in multiple pathways of post-secondary success for themselves as well as their students that will sustain beyond my assignment.
Mission: In service, I will create a nurturing environment that motivates all employees and students to embrace a love of learning and knowledge that generates satisfaction and empowers others towards self-discovery and agency, through building relevant programs that foster leadership contributions.
While we have moved to the Compass to 2025, I have been a champion for our division's strategic framework since I began working in this division. Our strategic framework, coupled with leadership led to our division achieving 100% accreditation of every school. The work does not stop there. We are always looking to improve.