Values and Ethics of Leadership
Sub-Competencies
- Demonstrate an understanding of the role of education in a democratic society.
- Demonstrate an understanding of and model democratic value systems, ethics, and moral leadership.
- Demonstrate the ability to balance complex community demands in the best interest of learners.
- Help learners grow and develop as caring, informed citizens.
- Demonstrate an understanding and application of the code of ethics for school administrators.
Reflections and Artifacts
Summary: This artifact is a draft document I made to address an issue that arose at a PBIS meeting where certain types of student attire were considered out of dress code (Headbands with cat ears).
Reflection: School leaders must have the moral courage to stand up for what is right in the face of an ethical dilemma. This is most true when that stance is unpopular. In our PBIS meeting, there was a discussion about student hair accessories and how the style was causing students to make fun of one another. I was bothered by this stance because it made the victim the target of enforcement rather than addressing the root issue of students teasing other students. After this discussion, I examined the school district's dress code policies and the building handbook and created a recommendation that would both honor student expression and maintain safety while prohibiting the wearing of costumes. I learned that, as leaders, we must stand up for those who don't have a voice, but also balance this with the safety and concerns of the teaching community.
Summary: This artifact is the agenda of the MN4AI annual thought leaders summit. This conference covers the cutting-edge uses of AI within the education space. Presenters and speakers included superintendents, technology directors, curriculum directors, as well as industry and political leaders. This conference focused on the responsibility of keeping humans at the center of all decisions.
Reflection: When examining and implementing new technologies, school leaders MUST be aware of how they use private data. On the second day of the AI thought leader conference, I attended school leadership sessions focused on the theory and use cases of agentic AI. These sessions explored the next innovation in AI, allowing a string of instructions to be followed by the AI itself. An important centering in this discussion was how VITAL it is that, above all, with technology, human connections come first and data has to be protected. I learned that, as an administrator, it is okay not to dive into the next big innovation in educational technology and instead to take time to critically analyze the use case and the potential drawbacks that quick adoption can create.
Summary: This artifact is my personal ethics statement created in my Ethical Leadership course. This document summarizes how I put my ethics into action as a leader.
Reflection: A school principal must be a leader for every individual who enters their building. This occurs through the conscious decision to live by ethical values in their work. This artifact in my personal ethics statement and is a driver of how I lead within the school. Key to my ethics is removing barriers to others' success. As a school leader, it is my role to remove barriers to students' success to ensure they receive the best possible education.