Entrepreneurial
leadership builds a
school’s staff and brand
Entrepreneurs of
education anticipate
needs and invent,
repurpose or rebrand
a product. They are
innovators of new
design, management
and team-building.
16
Leadership
Strategic leaders are able to
build understanding, ownership and alignment across stakeholder groups. To lead
strategically, you need to be a systems manager, instructional leader, transformational
change agent and entrepreneur.
Systems managers prioritize work that
has the greatest impact. Instructional leaders continuously build knowledge and expertise with their teams. Transformational
leaders anticipate changes in their environment and seek divergent points of view.
And entrepreneurs of education anticipate
needs and either invent or repurpose/rebrand a product. They are innovators of new
design, management and team-building.
For example, as new schools were built to
relieve overcrowding, staff at Plummer Elementary School in LAUSD struggled to
maintain their level of service through committees and activities. Some teachers were
exhausted because they held multiple longterm assignments such as governance council and student success team; some teachers
worked only on short-term committees such
as the Halloween committee.
Finally, the school decided to form five
standing committees aligned to the school’s
priorities: technology, parent/community
outreach, events (including social), awards
and safety. Leadership positions such as
governance and instructional design were
considered in addition to the standing committees because leaders assume additional
responsibility.
Over multiple meetings, a similar process
was used to group activities into committees, as well as write committee descriptions
and responsibilities. Standing committees were given the second faculty meeting
of each month to meet. Minutes were sent
electronically to all staff. Committees assumed all duties, including planning, organization, supervision and notifications for
the activities of the committee. At the end of
the year, we reviewed and revised the comBy Angel J. Barrett