The Challenges of Leading a

Multi-Level SchoolPhilip Conrad

Rockport Middle/High School

Agenda

• Facilitate a discussion of the challenges faced by leaders of multi level schools

• Give participants an opportunity to network with other multi-level administrators

• Discuss common challenges and solicit effective solutions from our peers

• Encourage membership in the Middle/High School Ad hoc Committee

Our Core Values and Beliefs

Rockport Middle / High School, in partnership with families and the community, provides a safe environment that fosters integrity, respect, and success. We promote intellectual curiosity and pride in achievement. We challenge all students to pursue academic excellence, develop interpersonal skills, and value civic responsibility. Students learn 21st Century skills in order to fully participate in a diverse and ever-changing world.

Rockport Middle/High School

2010

1 Principal shared (MS/HS)

2 Deans (1 MS/1 HS)

3 Guidance Counselors (1 MS/2HS)

8 Curriculum Leaders 4 MS/4 HS)

2 NEASC Accreditation Self-Studies

550 Students (250 MS/300 HS)

2010

Shared Seperate

Principal Deans

School Psychologist Guidance Counselors

Nurse Curriculum Leaders

PE/Health (Gym) NEASC

Computer/Tech/IA (Labs) Tower Grant (K-8)

Music (Music Room) Core values and beliefs

Cafeteria School identities

Auditorium Letterhead

Library Handbook

2012

Shared Separate New

Principal Deans 6-12 Assistant Principals

School Psychologist Guidance Counselors

6-12 Director of Guidance

Nurse Curriculum Leaders

PE/Health (Gym) NEASC NEASC

Computer/Tech/IA (Labs)

Tower Grant (K-8)

Music (Music Room) Core values and beliefs

Core values and beliefs

Cafeteria School identities

Auditorium Letterhead Letterhead

Library

Handbooks Progressive Handbooks

Challenge: Faculty Cohesion

• Faculty• Do you have a single unified faculty?• Can they be a unified faculty and still retain

their programmatic differences?• Do you host a faculty meeting, or multiple

meetings, or do you vary it month to month?• Does your culture foster a single vision for

student progress through your grade span?• What are the strengths and challenges of having

multiple grade level teachers together?

Challenge: Administrative Structure

• Administrative structure

• Is there a principal for each level?

• Are you the principal that oversees multiple levels

• How do you share your time between the levels?

• Are you successful at balancing your time?

• Do you find that you spend more time at one level than another?

• Does the faculty believe you balance your time?

Challenge: Discipline

• Discipline• Do you have one code of conduct or two?• Do you have a single handbook or do you have

one for each level?• Do you create handbooks that are progressive?• If multiple people are doing discipline how do

you insure consistency?• How do you split the disciplinary duties? Alpha,

grade level, grade span…

Challenge: Use of Facilities

• Facilities• Was your building built with the current grade

alignment in mind?• DO you share facilities? What facilities do you

share (Café, auditorium, gym, music suite, art classrooms, computer labs, technology labs)?

• How do you schedule so as to fully utilize the facility and the shared faculty?

• Was your building purposeful designed for its current function?

Challenge: Transitions

• Transitions

• Are transitions made easier or harder having students in the same location for multiple grade spans?

• Do you have transitional programs to assist students or parents move between grade levels?

• What are the benefits of having students in the same location for multiple grade spans?

Challenge: Academic Coordination

• Academic Coordination• Curriculum leadership across grade spans• Curriculum leadership within each grade span

Challenge: External Factors

• External factors• NEASC• DESE• Regionalization• Budget Cuts• Administrative Cuts• Building closures

Join Us at MSSAA

• Join the Ad Hoc Middle/High School Committee where we will continue to discuss these issues

• E-mail Linda Hayes at lhayes@mssaa.org to find out about our first meeting in the fall

Thank you for attending!!!

• Contact information:• Philip Conrad, Principal Rockport Middle/High School• 24 Jerden's Lane• Rockport, MA 01966• pconrad@rpk12.org• HS 978 546 1234

http://teacherweb.com/MA/RockportHighSchool/SchoolHomePage/sdhp1.aspx

• MS 978 546 1250 • http

://teacherweb.com/MA/RockportMiddleSchool/SchoolHomePage/SDHP1.aspx

• Fax 978 546 1205• Blog www.rmhsprincipal.blogspot.com• Twitter: PrincipalRMHS

How To Vote via Text

1. Standard texting rates only (worst case US $0.20)2. We have no access to your phone number3. Capitalization doesn’t matter, but spaces and spelling do

How To Vote via WWW.PollEv.com

Capitalization doesn’t matter, but spaces and spelling doTIP

How To Vote via Twitter

1. Capitalization doesn’t matter, but spaces and spelling do2. Since @poll is the first word, your followers will not receive this tweet

TIPS

What Grade levels are in your school?

I am one school Because…

How many faculties do you have

My school was built for its current grade configuration

How is discipline divided

How does DESE see you?