Leadership

Competencies:

Demonstrate leadership by collaboratively assessing and improving culture and climate
Demonstrate leadership by providing purpose and direction for individuals and groups
Model shared leadership and decision-making strategies
Demonstrate an understanding of issues affecting education
Through a visioning process, formulate strategic plans and goals with staff and community
Set priorities in the context of stakeholder needs
Serve as a spokesperson for the welfare of all learners in a multicultural context
Understand how education is impacted by local, state, national, and international events
Demonstrate the ability to facilitate and motivate others
Demonstrate the ability to implement change or educational reform

Reflection:

My leadership development has been shaped by both my graduate coursework and the hands-on experiences I’ve gained through leading teams across multiple school environments. Through my program, I deepened my understanding of leadership theory, systems thinking, democratic leadership, and organizational culture. These concepts helped me build a stronger foundation for guiding teams, facilitating shared decision-making, and setting a clear purpose rooted in equity and student-centered priorities. In my practicum, I applied these skills across two elementary buildings and extended school year programming, where I facilitated SPED team meetings, supported instructional teams through complex cases, and helped redesign special education structures to better meet student needs.

These combined experiences strengthened my capacity to influence school culture and climate, motivate teams through change, and align staff around shared goals. Whether guiding evaluation processes, leading PD on culturally responsive practices, or collaborating with administrators on program redesign, I learned how to balance clarity and empathy while fostering a collaborative environment. I now feel confident in my ability to lead with integrity and purpose, drawing on both theoretical grounding and practical experience to support staff and students across diverse contexts.

Artifacts

Example SpEd Team Meeting Agenda - E.Ganion

Sample Sped Team Meeting Agenda

The special education team meeting agendas I developed and facilitated demonstrate my ability to lead structured, collaborative, and purposeful professional conversations. Each agenda reflects intentional design—beginning with shared norms and grounding practices, followed by targeted professional development, data review, evaluation monitoring, and problem-solving structures. By incorporating elements such as the SpEd Data Sheet overview, caseload checks, and updates on evaluations and IEP timelines, these meetings supported legal compliance, improved workflow efficiency, and strengthened team ownership of processes. The thoughtfully organized agenda ensured that staff remained aligned around shared expectations and maintained clarity on action steps, responsibilities, and follow-up.

Facilitating these meetings also allowed me to refine my leadership skills in guiding adult learners, managing group dynamics, and helping staff navigate complex student needs. The inclusion of a rotating recognition component, such as the “Tiny Traveling Trophy,” helped build a positive team culture rooted in appreciation and relational trust. The problem-solving section of each meeting encouraged staff to bring forward concerns, analyze data collectively, and collaborate on next steps—strengthening the team’s ability to support students proactively. Through this ongoing facilitation, I gained valuable experience balancing operational tasks with professional learning and relational leadership, and I saw firsthand how consistent structures create stability, clarity, and shared purpose within a multidisciplinary team.

E. Ganion - Case Management 101

Case Management 101 PD Slideshow

The Case Management 101 professional development session was a collaborative effort that I co-developed with Jennifer Smith, one of the case managers on my elementary team. Together, we identified the areas where staff most frequently needed clarification and created a session that outlined essential components of effective case management in an accessible, practical format. Building this PD required us to integrate leadership principles from my coursework with the day-to-day realities of coordinating evaluations, timelines, and services across multiple programs. Our goal was to streamline processes, increase staff confidence, and create shared understanding around expectations related to due process, communication, progress monitoring, and family partnership. Presenting this content to staff further strengthened my skills in leading adult learning, facilitating discussion, and adapting delivery to diverse experience levels.

Collaborating with Jennifer also provided valuable insight into the questions and challenges case managers encounter, which shaped both the content and tone of the training. The conversations sparked during the session highlighted opportunities to refine systems, provide additional coaching, and strengthen consistency across teams. This PD reinforced my commitment to building equitable, student-centered, and legally sound special education practices. It also affirmed how collaboration between building leaders and case managers can support clearer communication, more efficient systems, and better outcomes for students and families.

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