Section II: Learn

Part A: Capstone Challenge

• Describe your Capstone Challenge and how you identified it.

The challenge that I identified was the lack of PLC meetings expressly for the Special Education staff. This was identified as the most pressing need through the needs survey that I sent out to the Special Ed staff, after getting it approved by our Special Education Director.

• Describe your diverse stakeholders and how you selected them, such as colleagues, parents, students, association members, community members, state or local partners, etc.

The stakeholders I included in my capstone project were the special education teachers from the primary, intermediate, middle, and high schools, as well as the Special Education Director. I selected these stakeholders because they are the people who are affected by the lack of comradery in the special education department.

• Why is it important for your diverse stakeholders that the Capstone Challenge be addressed?

It is important that my capstone challenge be addressed because it was identified as the greatest need of our staff at this time. The special education staff is frustrated that there is a lack of support and a lack of collaboration both within buildings and between buildings.

• In what ways will addressing the Capstone Challenge promote or support the foundational competencies?

Addressing the challenge of special educators not having an opportunity to meet as a staff will support the foundational competencies by allowing the staff to collaborate to find the best ways to support our unique students and their needs as well as explore inequities between the buildings, such as staffing and lack of materials.

• Is it your intention to broaden the existing vision, values and/or culture of the association or to create a cultural shift?  Explain.

The intention of addressing my capstone challenge is to create a cultural shift. Historically, there has been very little communication within the special ed community at Lockwood school, both between buildings and within buildings. This has led to a lot of toxicity within the department, as well as causing hurt feelings and staff not getting the training and support that they need to do their job well. The regular education teachers have scheduled times that they are required to meet as a staff so that they can collaborate and receive needed trainings. If the special education staff had the same requirement, this would help them to feel supported and heard, and lead to a sense of comradery within the department.

• Why might this strategy be a viable solution for your Capstone Challenge?

Having regularly scheduled meetings for the special education staff will help the staff build trust, and allow us to collaborate, which will lead to staff feeling supported and satisfied in their positions. This will also affect the sense of morale and will lead to better teaching for our students.

Part B. Leadership Competencies

• On which two Overarching Competencies will you focus in addressing your Capstone Challenge?  Why are they relevant? 

I will be focussing on personal and interpersonal effectiveness during my capstone challenge. I feel these are relevant to my capstone challenge because both have a focus on working well with others through building trusting relationships.

• If your foundational competency is not Explore and Challenge Inequity, please explain?  Why is it important? 

The foundational competency I will be focusing on throughout my capstone challenge is collaborating purposefully, which is the cornerstone of an effective PLC meeting. We will be working on challenging inequity, but first need to build our own team so that we can work together toward change.

• Which Leadership Pathway competency will you focus in your Capstone Challenge?  Why is it relevant? 

The leadership pathway I have chosen to focus on falls under instructional, and will focus on facilitating collaborative relationships. It is relevant because my whole project involves getting our staff to come together as a team, learn to collaborate effectively, and work together to identify our department's needs and address resolutions to our most pressing issues.

• With whom will you work in addressing your Capstone Challenge?  Who else might you recruit beyond your own cultural and/or professional identity group?

I will be working with the special education teachers and special education director at my school, which encompasses 12 staff members besides myself.

• Which resources (such as, people, money, programs, time and space, etc.) do you have to address in your Capstone Challenge?   What resources will you need?  How will you obtain them? 

I will need the cooperation of the other staff members to brainstorm common times they can meet. I will also need the special ed director's cooperation to obtain a space for us to meet, to schedule any needed training that our staff deems appropriate, and to communicate with our superintendent as needed for funding and resources.