Rita

When I think of a principal of a school, I envision a strong leader of faculty, but also a leader of students.  In the current state of education, it is difficult for an administrator to focus on students because of the growing amount of accountability that administration and teachers are facing.  Often educating the ‘whole’ child is thrown to the wayside and the attention and focus is placed on achieving positive results on a standardized test.  However, educating the ‘whole’ child and obtaining educational success is possible; Rita Martinelli has the vision and the characteristics of a leader who could hurdle the obstacles and win the ultimate prize!

If Rita Martinelli were placed in the David School as an administrator, I believe the common vision would stay intact, but Ms. Martinelli would implement some revisions and encounter some challenges.

Ms. Martinelli is highly focused on viewing her campus through a social justice lens.  It would be vital for her to extend this perspective to her staff.  Some of the staff members at the David School seemed attuned to the unique needs at the David School, but not all of them in the video appeared to have a sincere interest in the outcome of students’ progress.  The students of the David School would benefit if the staff attended social training that instilled an understanding of these children and to explore strategies that would reach this unique group of high school students.

The David School did not appear to have a character education component intertwined in the curriculum.  There was an obvious lack of outward respect between the students and the staff.  While this may be a strategy used so that students feel comfortable in this environment, the David School students will ultimately have to concede to common social norms in the workplace.  Rita Martinelli would implement a program to teach reciprocal respect and social skills to promote a positive learning environment.  The program would mirror efforts that Ms. Martinelli utilized in her classroom.

Ms. Martinelli will face several challenges at the David School.  Her background includes working with at-risk students in the classroom, but Rita’s administrative experience was primarily with high-achieving, upper-middle class students.  She will be faced with a different type of student, parent, and community at the David School.  Rita possesses the drive to learn and mold her awareness which will ensure her success at the David School.  Rita’s flexibility was evident in her days at Wilson as a teacher and an administrator. 

At the end of the day, kids are still kids and most respond to a kind and nurturing environment that considers the social problems that students face and their various demographic backgrounds.  Rita will be successful because she is cognizant of these differences and takes the initiative to make favorable changes or create programming that fosters a tolerance for diverse environments.