WELS Continuum of
Principal Development
August 2019
A Note about the
WELS Principal Standards and Continuum
The WELS Principal Standards were first developed in 2012 by a coalition of WELS leadership stakeholders from Martin Luther College (MLC), the
Commission on Lutheran Schools (CLS), WELS elementary schools, public universities, and public school systems. The standards were created to guide MLC’s
master’s level training for Lutheran principals and were approved by the CLS and by the MLC Graduate Faculty Council in November 2013.
The team used the 2008 Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards as a starting point, but soon found that many of the
Lutheran school principal functions were beyond the scope of most building principal positions. Lutheran principals also perform duties related to
superintendents, such as working with school boards, communicating with stakeholders, and establishing sustainable budgeting. Additionally, Lutheran
principals lead the private school functions of marketing and enrollment management. Most importantly, the Lutheran principal is the school’s spiritual
leader. The resulting WELS Principal Standards uniquely reflect these varied important functions.
The CLS Growing Educators in Ministry (GEM) committee requested in July 2016 that the standards be developed into a continuum similar to the
one previously developed for WELS teachers. Using the Principal Leadership Development Framework (Hall, Childs-Bowen, Cunningham-Morris, Pajardo &
Simeral, 2016) as a guide, a small team set out to create a continuum that could be clearly understood and reflect a Lutheran school context so that any
teacher, principal, or lay leader can easily identify a principal’s current understanding or skill level. A glossary helps identify any jargon or terms that may be
confusing, and a bibliography points to resources to guide further study.
The WELS Principal Standards Continuum articulates the standards as they appear in common practice. The continuum divides the principal’s
practice into four stages: Unaware, Conscious, Action, and Refinement.
Unaware Stage: A school leader in this stage is simply unaware of the given responsibility. A school leader’s task is complex and takes years of training
and experience to become fully aware of all responsibilities. For example, a school leader may be unaware that he should both coach and evaluate his
teachers. A principal’s improvement task is to learn about the responsibility and ways to carry it out.
Conscious Stage: A school leader in this stage is aware of the given responsibility but hasn’t been able to apply it in his setting. Alternately, the school
leader may be trying to address it but is not familiar with common or best practice in carrying it out. The school leader may make up some procedures
that work for him or catch an idea from a peer, but the enactment falls short of what is necessary. A leader may have learned how to carry out the
responsibility, but the knowledge is shallow, and so he adapts the practices in ways that are convenient or make sense to him, but prevent the efforts
from being fully successful. For example, a school leader may be aware that his is to visit his teachers’ classrooms and create a report, but he is unsure
how to do it. He visits the teachers and has some conversations or fills out an end-of-year evaluation form but is not sure what to do and his teachers
find the practice unproductive. A school leader’s improvement task is to learn best practice and implement it.
Action Stage: A school leader in this stage is aware of a given responsibility and has been trained in how to carry it out. The leader follows the
procedures as learned. The results of his actions are moderately successful. For example, a school leader learns about formative and summative
teacher supervision and has some tools to carry it out. He regularly carries out the tasks, and some teachers are benefitting. A school leader’s
improvement task is to gain more insight through experience, practice, and reflection.
Refinement Stage: A school leader in this stage understands and is experienced in best practice so he can refine it in ways that increase its
effectiveness in a particular setting. He is acknowledged by his faculty as carrying out the responsibility well. For example, a school leader has
developed a program of teacher coaching and assessment that is focused on student-learning. The process provides accurate summative data and
helps all teachers grow and improve. A school leader’s improvement task is to continue refinement and serve as a resource to other school leaders.
We believe this continuum serves the needs of WELS principals well for the following reasons:
1. The continuum represents stages that WELS principals can easily recognize.
2. It continuum allows principals to exist in varied stage levels depending upon the criterion.
2. The stages are consistent with the varied WELS principal training approaches.
3. The stages are intuitive, requiring minimal training for wide understanding and use.
4. The stages are progressive, allowing reflection and growth.
This continuum is intended to be used as a reflective tool by a Lutheran principal to identify areas of strength and areas for growth. It is expected
that principals will vary in their understanding and skills among the criteria and elements. No principal should expect to be at the upper and lower end of
the continuum in all categories. At no time should this continuum ever be used as an evaluative tool to rate a Lutheran principal or to determine fitness for
the office.
Reference
Hall, P., Childs-Bowen, D., Cunningham-Morris, A., Pajardo, P., Simeral, A. (2016) The principal influence: A framework for developing leadership capacity in
principals. Alexandria VA. ASCD
Standards for WELS School Principals
Domain I: Spiritual Leadership
STANDARD ONE: An effective Lutheran school principal is a person of faith.
1.1 Understands personal need for daily growth in one’s own faith
1.2 Treasures all Scriptures’ teachings as the absolute truth in matters of life and salvation
1.3 Models faith both personally and professionally
1.4 Displays Christ-like love for all
1.5 Is a spiritual leader to faculty, staff, students, families, and, if applicable, within the associated congregation
1.6 Acts with integrity, fairness, and ethics
STANDARD TWO: An effective Lutheran school principal fosters a Christ-centered vision for the spiritual and academic success of all children under
his care.
2.1 Collaboratively develops and implements a shared mission and vision
2.2 Collects and uses data to identify goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and promote organizational learning
2.3 Creates and implements plans to achieve goals
2.4 Promotes continuous and sustainable improvement
2.5 Monitors and evaluates progress and revise plans
Domain II: Instructional Leadership
STANDARD THREE: An effective Lutheran school principal knows how to teach.
3.1 Understands and utilizes the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod (WELS) Teaching Standards
3.2 Understands the developmental needs of children
3.3 Designs and implements differentiated instruction and culturally relevant pedagogy to meet learner needs
3.4 Has command of a variety of learning theories and instructional methods
3.5 Employs good classroom management
3.6 Plans and organizes systematic instruction to meet students’ diverse needs and accomplish learning outcomes
3.7 Uses informal and formal assessment strategies to measure student progress
STANDARD FOUR: An effective Lutheran school principal fosters a culture of student spiritual growth and academic achievement.
4.1 Creates a climate in which all reflect Christ’s love and strive for excellence in using His gifts
4.2 Develops, monitors, and sustains a Christ-centered curricular and instructional school program together with the faculty
4.3 Maximizes school time spent on quality instruction
4.4 Advocates for and fosters affirmation, respect, and inclusion of a diverse student body
4.5 Promotes the use of technology to support teaching and learning
STANDARD FIVE: An effective Lutheran school principal enables, supports, and coaches teachers and staff to faithfully serve God’s people through
the growth and use of their gifts
5.1 Guides the development of beginning teachers
5.2 Uses formative supervision to guide teacher performance toward improved student learning.
5.3 Communicates teacher and staff performance through summative evaluations
5.4 Works collaboratively with teachers to design comprehensive professional growth plans
5.5 Builds teacher capacity to carry out a Christ-centered vision and curricular goals through planned programs of collaborative, sustained, and
job-embedded professional development
5.6 Develops and maintains a shared faculty Christian culture of trust, collaboration, reflection, and professionalism around student learning.
5.7 Effectively communicates with faculty and staff.
Domain III: Administrative Leadership
STANDARD SIX: An effective Lutheran school principal wisely manages the school facilities and resources for a safe, efficient, organized, and
effective learning environment.
6.1 Organizes the environment to support quality instruction and student learning
6.2 Monitors building operations
6.3 Obtains, allocates, aligns, and efficiently utilizes human, fiscal, and technological resources
6.4 Promotes and protects the welfare and safety of students and staff
6.5 Uses distributive leadership strategies that recognize and utilize the many gifts God gives to his church
6.6 Supports and works closely with the school’s governing board
Domain IV: Community Leadership
STANDARD SEVEN: An effective Lutheran school principal reaches out to and engages the school, congregation, synod, and local community.
7.1 Builds and sustains Christ-centered relationships with students, families, caregivers, congregation, and community
7.2 Engages families and the local congregation in school decision making as appropriate
7.3 Collects and analyzes data and information to understand and to respond to the needs of the school’s environment
7.4 Utilizes community and synod resources to carry out the school’s mission
7.5 Promotes the school among school families and within the congregation and community
7.6 Promotes understanding, appreciation, and use of the community’s diverse cultural, social, and intellectual resources
7.7 Works cooperatively with synod agencies
7.8 Participates in district and synodical responsibilities
STANDARD EIGHT: An effective Lutheran school principal understands both the local and broader context in which the school exists.
8.1 Serves as an advocate for children, families, and caregivers
8.2 Acts to influence congregational, syndical, local, state, and national decisions affecting student learning Lutheran education
8.3 Assesses, analyzes, and anticipates emerging trends and initiatives in order to adapt leadership strategies
Domain I: Spiritual Leadership
STANDARD ONE: An effective Lutheran school principal is a person maturing in faith in Christ.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
1.1 Understands personal
need for daily growth in
one’s own faith.
● Does not recognize the
need to be most
concerned about one’s
own faith
● So busy feeding the souls
of others that personal
faith is neglected
● Is at times unaware where
sanctified living is at
variance with the faith
professed
● Aware of lifelong need to
grow in grasping Christ’s
grace
● Aware that it is hard to
encourage others toward
growth in faith without
personal growth
● Is painfully aware of
places where sanctified
living is at variance with
the faith professed
● Forms plans for how to
make regular time
available for personal
Word and prayer
unrelated to ministry tasks
● Begins to learn what it
means to apply all ministry
related study of Word first
to own heart and life
● Looks for ways to make
daily return to the death
and resurrection of
baptism a part of
sanctified living
● Time in Word and prayer
has become a non-
negotiable part of day
and source of joy and
strength
● Both personal study and
ministry preparation in
the Word have become
regular tools for personal
growth
● In sanctified living gives
evidence of a daily return
to the waters of baptism
for death and life
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
1.2 Treasures all Scriptures’
teachings as the absolute
truth in matters of life and
salvation.
● Satisfied with depth of
Scripture knowledge
gained in years of pre-
ministerial training
● Little awareness of any
need to gain a clearer
grasp for how every
teaching of Scripture
finds its meaning in
Jesus
● Satisfied with passing
acquaintance with how
Lutheran Confessions
testify to biblical truth
● Aware that personal
biblical knowledge needs
to grow significantly
throughout life
● Aware of specific
doctrines of Scripture
where not aware of their
connection to God’s
grace in Christ
● Recognizes the
importance of the
Lutheran Confessions as
tool for spiritual growth
● Has developed a plan
through formal and or
informal study to deepen
grasp of all of Scripture
● Takes steps to grasp how
true it is that no doctrine
of Scripture is unrelated to
the good news of Christ
● Has developed a plan to
read regularly in the
Confessions
● Makes digging deeper
into biblical truth a life-
long pursuit
● Finds joy in seeing ever
more clearly how all
Scripture relates to Christ
● Is gaining an ever
deepening appreciation
for how the Lutheran
Confessions focus on
proclaiming Christ
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
1.3 Models faith both
personally and
professionally
● Does not see a need to
model faith personally or
professionally: “faith is a
personal matter”
● Dismissive of others who
are zealously living their
faith
● Aware of need to model a
life of faith personally
and professionally, but
carries it out
inconsistently
● Aware of the importance
of encouraging others to
live their faith zealously
● Intentionally plans ways to
model one’s faith
personally and
professionally
● Facilitates school-wide
discussions about living
faith zealously
● Consistently models and
maintains a school-wide
culture of displaying faith
personally and
professionally
● Collaboratively
implements school-wide
plans for zealously living
out lives of faith
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
1.4 Displays Christ-like love
for all
● Displays self-centered
‘what’s in it for me?’
attitude in decision
making and interaction
with faculty and students
● Disengaged from spiritual
care and concern for
faculty, students, and
families
● Engages in and promotes
formation of cliques
among faculty, students,
or parents
● Desires to be consistent
in showing love for all
● Sometimes showing
spiritual care and concern
for faculty, students and
families
● Aware of the detriment
of personally fostering
cliques among faculty,
students, and parents
● Actively seeks to build a
school wide culture that
displays Christ like love.
● Intentionally shows
spiritual care and concern
for faculty, students, and
families
● Intentionally fosters plans
to break down
interpersonal barriers
between faculty, students,
and parents
● Has created and is
actively maintaining a
school-wide culture that
displays Christ-like love
● Creates a school wide
culture of mutual
spiritual care and
concern among faculty,
students, and families
● Creates a culture of
Christ-like love and
respect where faculty,
students, and parents
break down
interpersonal barriers
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
1.5 Is a spiritual leader to
faculty, staff, students,
families, and, if applicable,
within the associated
congregation
● Does not understand the
importance of personal
and corporate study of
God’s Word
● Is not participating in
regular worship within
the congregation
● Does not integrate God’s
Word into discussions
during positive and
challenging
circumstances
● Sometimes models
personal and corporate
study of God’s Word
● Sometimes participates in
regular worship within the
congregation
● Sporadically integrates
God’s Word into
discussions during positive
and challenging
circumstances
● Consistently models
personal and corporate
study of God’s Word
● Consistently participates in
regular worship within the
congregation
● Consistently integrates
God’s Word into
discussions during positive
and challenging
circumstances
● Models and influences
others to participate in
personal and corporate
study of God’s Word
● Models and Influences
others to participate in
regular worship
● Models and influences
others to integrate God’s
Word into discussions
during positive and
challenging
circumstances
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
1.6 Acts with integrity,
fairness, and ethics
● Is unaware or dismissive of
integrity, fairness, and
ethics when making
decisions
● Decision making is
influenced by selfish gain
or personal gain of others
rather than the mission
and ministry of the school
● Is unaware or dismissive of
governing authorities’
rules and regulations
● Sometimes acts with
integrity, fairness, and
ethics when making
decisions
● Decision making is
sometimes based on
what is best for the
mission and ministry of
the school
● Is aware of all governing
authorities’ rules and
regulations but
inconsistently carries
them out
● Acts with integrity,
fairness, and ethics when
making decisions
● Decision making is
regularly refocused on
what is best for the
mission and ministry of
the school
● Intentionally follows all
governing authorities’
rules and regulations
● Influences others to act
with integrity, fairness,
and ethics when making
decisions
● Influences others with
decision making ability
based on what is best for
the mission and ministry
of the school
● Creates systems where
others understand and
follow all governing
authorities’ rules and
regulations
Standard Two: An effective Lutheran school principal fosters a Christ-centered vision for the spiritual and academic success of all children in His care.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
2.1 Collaboratively develops
and implements a
shared mission and
vision
● School may or may not
have a mission or vision
statement.
● Adheres to mission as
outlined in school.
● Primary focus is on daily or
yearly routine and
functioning.
● No articulated vision for
the school exists.
● The school has a mission
and vision statement.
● The principal articulates a
vision for the school.
● The mission and vision
are communicated, but
few can articulate it.
● There is little evidence
that the stakeholders are
all working toward the
same goal or vision.
● Most stakeholders
embrace the school’s
mission.
● A formal vision exists as a
result of intentional
stakeholder input.
● Most stakeholders are
familiar with the vision.
● The vision represents a
realistic picture of most
stakeholders’ hopes for
the school.
● The vision represents a
shared, collaboratively-
created path for the
school.
● The mission / vision is
enacted in every action
or decision of the school
and embodied in each
stakeholder.
● An established schedule
exists for regularly
reviewing and improving
the mission/vision.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
2.2 Collects and uses data to
identify goals, assess
organizational
effectiveness, and
promote organizational
learning
● Is unaware of data sources
available to assist with
school decision-making
and goal setting.
● Collects data through synod’s
annual standardized testing
program and sends home
testing results once a year,
i.e. with year-end report
cards.
● Provides no additional
explanation of data other
than written information
provided by the test
company.
● Shares standardized
testing results with the
school community as a
trend over time.
● No analysis of data is
conducted to examine the
effectiveness of the school
instructional program.
● Inconsistently uses data
for decision-making and
goal setting.
● Collects data through
synod’s annual
standardized testing
program and shares
results with school board,
teachers and parents on
an annual basis.
● Provides explanation of
test scores to assist
stakeholders in
interpreting scores, i.e.
hold parent meetings to
explain standardized test
scores; provide teacher
professional
development on
interpretation of test
scores.
● Occasionally collaborates
with teachers to analyze
testing data and consider
its impact on the school’s
instructional program
and student growth.
● Organizes a systematic
plan for data collection
that includes multiple data
sources both formative
and summative.
● Utilizes data consistently
to inform goal setting and
decision-making in the
strategic plan that affects
organizational learning
and effectiveness.
● Implements a coherent
and systematic plan for
data collection that is
deliberate and purposeful
across the organization
and is understood by all
faculty and staff.
● Continuously
evaluates/examines
multiple sources of data
for their relevance to
decision-making and goal
setting.
● Impacts organizational
learning and effectiveness
through the quality of
data collection.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
2.3 Creates and implements
plans to achieve goals
● Establishes no strategic
plan to achieve school
goals.
● Sets annual goals for the
school year and only
shares with a limited
portion of the school
community, i.e. board
only.
● May or may not align
school goals with the
school mission and vision.
● Does not accompany nor
frame school goals with
action steps in a long-
range strategic plan.
● Engages in no long range
planning beyond the
current school year.
● Recognizes the need to
develop strategies and
plans to reach goals and
link to the school vision.
● Sets annual goals for the
school and purposefully
shares goals with the
school board, teachers
and parents, i.e. places
goals on opening of the
year school agenda for
board, parents and
faculty.
● May or may not directly
relate some goals to the
school mission and vision.
● Accompanies school goals
with 1-2 action steps but
lacks an overall strategic
plan format with action
steps/strategies, person
responsible, measurable
outcomes, timeframe and
resources needed.
● May develop a few multi-
year goals, but most
school goals are annual.
● Does not utilize a formal
feedback process on
school goals unless
initiated by stakeholders.
● Facilitates the
collaborative
development and
implementation of school
goals and the
development of a
strategic plan/blueprint to
achieve them.
● Directly ties all goals to
the school’s mission and
vision.
● Establishes measurable
campus goals with
identified strategies,
resources timeline, and an
evaluation plan to form a
strategic plan.
● Develops both annual and
multi-year goals to reflect
long range planning.
● Facilitates a process in
which the campus goals
are systematically
monitored leading to a
refinement and
adjustment of
strategies/resources/
evaluation methods in an
ongoing basis throughout
the school year.
● Represents shared values
and goals of the school
community in the
strategic plan.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
2.4 Promotes continuous
and sustainable
improvement
● Is unaware of the need to
implement a process for
continuous school
improvement.
● Has no defined plan or
process to show whether
or not the school is
improving.
● Shares some limited data
with the school
community as a trend
over time i.e. increase or
decrease in school
enrollment, student
attendance, budget and
student achievement/
standardized test scores.
● Presents trend data at
beginning of the school
year and does not tie to
goal setting or decision-
making.
● Recognizes the need to
have a continuous
improvement process in
place.
● Measures school
improvement through a
limited number of
identified areas, i.e.
student attendance,
school enrollment figures,
increase or decrease in
budget, student
achievement, etc. on an
annual basis.
● Uses limited data
measures for goal setting
and decision-making.
● Shares data on a limited
basis with stakeholders,
i.e. items placed on school
board agenda at the
beginning of the year.
● Does not seek school
accreditation, i.e.
Wisconsin Evangelical
Lutheran Synod School
Accreditation (WELSSA),
National Council for
Private School
Accreditation (NCPSA),
etc..
● Intentionally implements
and supports a continuous
improvement framework
with strategies
(what/how), data
(sources), responsibilities
(who?), timeline (when?),
resource (what/how
much?) and links
improvement indicators to
the school vision.
● Maintains up to date
accreditation through an
accreditation agency, i.e.
WELSSA, and actively
implements improvement
suggestions.
● Implements and sustains a
faculty norm of
continuous and
sustainable improvement
as a means to respond to
student needs leading to
academic and spiritual
success.
● Utilizes the continuous
improvement framework
as the driving force to
strengthen the collective
ability of the school
stakeholders to effectively
respond to student needs
and the changing
environment.
● Maintains up to date
accreditation through an
accreditation agency, i.e.
WELSSA, and actively
implements improvement
suggestions and evaluates
the effectiveness of
changes made in meeting
student needs.
● Selects areas for
improvement based on
random feedback from
stakeholders – not tied to
strategic planning.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
2.5 Monitors and evaluates
progress and revise
plans
● Generates a few annual
school improvement goals
, but does not develop a
school improvement plan.
● Publishes annual goals at
the beginning of the
school year, but does not
revisit them to monitor or
evaluate their
effectiveness.
● Monitors and evaluates
school goals annually
based on a few sources of
data, i.e. attendance,
enrollment, achievement
test results, and/or limited
survey data.
● Does not have a defined
process to monitor and
evaluate the effectiveness
of school goals during the
school year in order to
make needed
modifications/
adjustments.
● Occasionally revisits some
school goals during the
school year as part of
faculty meetings or board
agendas if a specific need
arises or random
stakeholder voices
concern.
● Creates structures and
processes to
collaboratively monitor
and evaluate the school
improvement/ strategic
plan, i.e. the school
improvement plan is
monitored through
agenda items at school
board and faculty
meetings.
● Monitors and evaluates
school goals/strategic plan
throughout the school
year with a systematic
process i.e. quarterly,
semester and year-end.
● Consistently collects
multiple sources of data as
evidence over time to
ensure the fidelity of
implementation and
effectiveness of the school
improvement/strategic
plan (school goals).
● Sustains an established
process for the
ongoing/continuous
revision and refinement of
plans as needed or
evidenced by data
sources.
Domain II: Instructional Leadership
STANDARD THREE: An effective Lutheran school principal knows how to teach.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
3.1 Understands and utilizes
the Wisconsin Ev.
Lutheran Synod (WELS)
Teaching Standards
● Is aware that the WELS
has adopted teaching
standards, but does not
reference them or make
use of them.
● Cannot articulate the
content of WELS teaching
standards.
● Posts the WELS teaching
standards in classroom or
office.
● Shares WELS teaching
standards with
faculty/staff and board in
writing through inclusion
in faculty materials, i.e.
teacher handbook.
● Has limited to no
discussion of WELS
teaching standards with
faculty and does not
reference standards as a
self- assessment tool for
principal or faculty to
gauge professional
development needs.
● Does not aspire to
standards.
● References WELS teaching
standards as a self-
assessment tool for
principal and teachers.
● Builds ongoing familiarity
of self and faculty with the
standards throughout the
year, i.e. regular
discussions of what the
standards look like in
practice occur with faculty
and a plan exists to work
through all the standards.
● Consistently works
towards proficiency in
WELS teaching standards
in self and continually
references standards in
efforts to support faculty
growth.
● Demonstrates proficiency
in the use of the WELS
teaching standards within
one’s own (principal)
classroom and is able to
model and or identify
exemplary practice of the
standards across all grade
levels.
● Continually builds the
capacity of the faculty and
staff to reflect about one’s
teaching effectiveness
based on WELS teaching
standards leading to
increased student
achievement.
● Utilizes WELS teaching
standards as the basis for
faculty evaluation and
professional growth plans.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
3.2 Understands the
developmental needs of
children
● Exhibits minimal
knowledge of
developmental
characteristics of age
group and does not take
them into account when
setting instructional goals,
selecting
activities/materials, and
assessment strategies.
● Is unaware of different
approaches to learning
that students display and
as a result does not
consider them when
planning instruction.
● Possesses accurate
knowledge about
developmental
characteristics of students
across grade level taught.
● Usually considers
developmental
characteristics when goal
setting, selecting
instructional strategies/
materials and choosing
assessment strategies for
the class as a whole.
● Seldom plans for the
needs of specific
individuals whose
developmental
characteristics,
background knowledge
and learning styles may
vary significantly from the
whole group.
● Exhibits a strong
knowledge of
developmental
characteristics of age
group and always takes
characteristics into
consideration when
planning lessons, goal
setting, selecting
curricular
materials/activities and
assessment strategies.
● Regularly plans instruction
and selection of curricular
materials to take into
account all students’
needs including prior
knowledge, experiences,
learning styles and
developmental
characteristics.
● Builds the collective
capacity of teachers to
consistently design and
implement lessons that
address the needs of all
students taking into
account prior knowledge,
experiences, learning
styles and developmental
characteristics.
● Provides professional
development
opportunities and
resources to aid teachers
in addressing
developmental needs of
children.
● Consistently models
instruction in which all
lessons connect to
students’ prior knowledge,
experiences interests and
developmental needs
across all content areas
and grade levels.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
3.3 Designs and implements
differentiated
instruction and
culturally relevant
pedagogy to meet
learner needs
● Provides one size fits all
lessons for all students.
● Makes no effort to plan
and deliver differentiated
instruction to meet
individual students’ needs
or to consider how
students’ backgrounds
and culture may be drawn
upon to strengthen the
lesson.
● Basically follows the
teacher edition and
teaches content rather
than teaching for student
mastery.
● Displays little knowledge
of students’ interests or
cultural heritage and does
not indicate that such
knowledge is valuable.
● Designs instruction with
no intentional connection
to students’ prior
knowledge and
experiences.
● Occasionally adapts
lessons to address the
needs of some students in
an attempt to provide
them with the opportunity
to master what is being
taught.
● Acknowledges the value of
understanding students’
interests or cultural
heritage, but
inconsistently adapts
instructional goals and
materials to address this
diversity. For example,
efforts to include
culturally relevant
materials sometimes
occur on special occasions
such as Hispanic Heritage
month (September 15-
October 15) and Black
History month in
February.
● Sometimes designs
instruction to connect to
students’ prior knowledge
and experiences, and or
preferred learning style.
● Designs and implements
differentiated
instructional methods and
content to ensure most
students have the
opportunity to master
what is being taught, i.e.
small group and
individualized instruction
as needed.
● Adapts most
lessons/instructional goals
to address individual and
culturally relevant learning
needs of all students.
● Values, respects and
affirms each student’s
interests and cultural
heritage and consistently
uses this knowledge to
differentiate instruction
for individual students and
the whole class.
● Integrates culturally
relevant materials into the
curriculum throughout the
year.
● Is knowledgeable about
students’ learning styles,
interests, background, life
experiences and skills, and
● Builds the collective
capacity of teachers to
consistently design and
implement lessons that
address the needs of all
students taking into
account prior knowledge,
experiences, learning
styles, cultural relevance
and developmental
characteristics.
● Provides professional
development
opportunities and
resources to aid teachers
in addressing
developmental needs of
children.
● Consistently models
instruction in which all
lessons connect to
students’ prior knowledge,
experiences, interests,
cultural heritage and
developmental needs
across all content areas
and grade levels.
consistently plans and
delivers culturally relevant
instruction to support
student growth.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
3.4 Has command of a
variety of learning
theories and
instructional methods
● Primarily utilizes one
mode of instruction at all
times and provides little
variety in teaching
resources resulting in
passive and limited
student engagement, i.e.
whole group direct teach
using textbook.
● Mainly poses student
questions at the
remember and
understand level levels of
Bloom’s taxonomy.
● Inconsistently applies a
variety of instructional
methods leading to
sporadic student
engagement.
● Randomly attempts to
integrate a wider variety
of instructional strategies,
resulting in sporadic
student engagement, i.e.
uses cooperative learning
as part of a unit or
integrates an interactive
technology application.
● Provides few
opportunities for students
to use different types of
thinking (analytical,
practical, creative and
research based).
● Poses questions at the
remember, understand
and apply levels of
Bloom’s taxonomy.
● Utilizes a variety of
instructional strategies
and learning theories to
meet the needs of most
students resulting in high
engagement.
● Regularly provides
opportunities for students
to use different types of
thinking (analytical,
practical, creative and
research based).
● Utilizes/asks questions
that encourage all
students to engage in
complex higher-order
thinking, i.e.analysis,
synthesize, and evaluate
levels of Bloom’s
taxonomy.
● Consistently utilizes a
wide variety of
instructional strategies
and learning theories to
meet the needs of all
students, including those
with special needs,
resulting in high
engagement.
● Always provides
opportunities for students
to use different types of
thinking (analytical,
practical, creative and
research based).
● Consistently provides
opportunities for students
to generate questions that
lead to further inquiry and
promote complex higher-
order thinking, problem
solving and real world
application.
● Conducts an audit of
instructional strategies in
use across the campus and
supports faculty in
acquiring a variety of
methods to best meet
needs of students leading
to active learning.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
3.5 Employs good
classroom management
● Does not establish
norms/standards of
classroom behavior and or
students are confused
about them.
● Does not monitor
classroom behavior and is
unaware of what students
are doing.
● Lack of classroom
management impedes
learning in the classroom.
● Does not post classroom
rules.
● Primarily uses the law for
classroom management.
● Establishes
norms/standards of
classroom behavior for
some situations and most
students understand
them.
● Usually is aware of
students’ classroom
behavior, but may miss
some off-task behavior.
● Occasional lack of
classroom management
impedes learning in the
classroom.
● Posts classroom rules.
● Utilizes the law and gospel
in classroom
management.
● Clearly establishes
standards of conduct for
most situations and
student behavior reflects
an understanding of them.
● Is attentive to student
behavior at all times and
responds to misbehavior
promptly.
● Does not allow student
behavior to impede
learning in the classroom.
● Develops and implements
standards of conduct for
the school as a whole and
ensures rules are posted
in every classroom.
● Clearly defines student
code of conduct in the
student handbook
● Motivates students’
positive classroom
behavior through the
Gospel.
● Develops clear
norms/standards of
behavior/conduct with
student participation.
● Prevents student
misbehavior through
subtle monitoring and use
of positive reinforcement.
● Enhances and encourages
self -directed student
behavior.
● Facilitates ongoing
collaborative analysis of
student behavior data to
determine trends and
patterns of behavior and
make appropriate
adjustments to school
discipline policies and
conduct of conduct.
● Leads the faculty in
promoting the use of the
gospel to motivate
students’ classroom
behavior.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
3.6 Plans and organizes
systematic instruction to
meet students’ diverse
needs and accomplish
learning outcomes
● Does not align lessons a to
content standards (state
or national).
● Has no scope and
sequence in place for the
delivery of the curriculum.
● Seldom aligns and
sequences goals,
activities, materials and
assessments to lesson
goals.
● Does not have a
systematic assessment
system in place.
● References scope and
sequence to organize
lessons for the year.
● Aligns most lessons’,
activities, materials and
assessments to lesson
goals/objectives.
● Ensures lessons are
relevant to students and
are appropriate for
diverse learners.
● Ensures formative and
summative assessments
are in place and aligned to
lessons.
● Plans and formats lessons
to include weekly, unit
and annual/block.
.
● Creates and consistently
utilizes a scope and
sequence for delivery of
curriculum in a coherent
manner.
● Aligns all activities,
materials and assessments
to lesson goals/objectives.
● Utilizes formative and
summative assessments
to identify
areas/objectives for
targeted instruction.
● Follows a uniform
template for all lesson
planning that consistently
reflects effective elements
of instructional planning
and includes weekly, unit
and annual/block
planning.
● Consistently seeks out
resources and strategies
to strengthen instruction
and works to actively
integrate them into lesson
plans.
● Utilizes and reflects upon
results of assessments,
both formative and
summative to inform
revisions of scope and
sequence of the
curriculum and ensures
alignment to standards.
● Aligns all activities,
materials and assessments
to lesson goals/objectives
and also integrates and
reinforces concepts across
disciplines.
● Designs/arranges
curriculum to provide
tiered instruction or
multiple levels of
instruction to help all
students achieve mastery.
● Models and assists faculty
in refining the lesson
planning process to best
meet student needs.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
3.7 Uses informal and
formal assessment
strategies to measure
student progress
● Mainly utilizes summative
assessment measures
(quiz or test) to provide a
grade for report cards.
● Does not make
instructional decisions
based on student progress
towards lesson mastery
when planning and
delivering instruction.
● Seldom provides feedback
on student work other
than formal grades.
.
● Relies heavily on
summative assessment
measures for the purpose
of providing feedback to
students in the form of
grades.
● Inconsistently uses
formative assessments,
(i.e. pre assessments, exit
tickets, etc.) to monitor
student progress and
inform instructional
planning and adjustment
of instruction.
● Inconsistently provides
quality feedback on
student work with only
some elements of high
quality present.
● Consistently utilizes
formal and informal
assessments to monitor
student progress and uses
assessments to inform
instructional planning and
delivery to connect to
specific instructional
strategies.
● Consistently provides high
quality feedback in a
timely manner to
students, families and
other campus personnel
as needed.
● Promotes/facilitates a
school wide assessment
culture that consistently
utilizes appropriate formal
and informal diagnostic,
formative and summative
assessments to monitor
student progress and
inform instructional
planning and delivery.
● Always provides
substantive, specific and
timely feedback with the
expectation that students
make prompt use of
feedback in their learning
and build an awareness of
their own strengths and
weaknesses including the
tracking of their own
progress.
● Devotes time in faculty
meetings to examine
student work on informal
and formal assessments
and discuss sample
assessments.
STANDARD FOUR: An effective Lutheran school principal fosters a culture of student spiritual growth and academic achievement.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
4.1 Creates a climate in
which all reflect Christ’s
love and strive for
excellence in using His
gifts
● Does not know how the
principal’s actions impact
the creation and
maintenance of a positive
and healthy school
climate, which reflects
Jesus’ love for all.
● Does not intentionally
plan to assess the quality
of and enhance school
climate, i.e. no school
climate surveys are
administered.
● Striving for academic
excellence is sometimes
emphasized as part of the
school climate or culture
and may or may not be
part of the mission and
vision of the school.
● Is aware of the need for
the principal to take on a
leading role in creating
and maintaining a school
climate which reflects
Christ’s love and strives
for excellence in using His
gifts, but does not have
data by which to measure
the health of the school
climate on a regular or
ongoing basis.
● May administer a climate
survey to stakeholders
when asked to do so or as
a specific need arises, , but
does not analyze the data
collected nor take action
on it, i.e. WELSSA
accreditation review.
● Creates and implements a
positive school climate in
which interaction of
teachers and staff with all
students is caring,
responsive, supportive,
and respectful – reflective
of Christ’s love.
● Creates and implements a
climate with high
expectations for staff and
students to use their gifts
to the best of their ability
to honor God.
● Collaboratively
administers, compiles and
shares results of school
climate survey on an
annual basis to measure
the health of the school.
● Facilitates the
collaborative
development of an action
plan to promote a healthy
school climate based on
data results.
● Develops, nurtures,
implements and sustains a
positive school climate in
which the interaction of
teachers and staff with all
students is caring,
responsive, supportive,
and respectful – reflective
of Christ’s love.
● Develops, nurtures,
implements and sustains a
climate with high
expectations for students,
families, faculty and staff
to use their gifts to the
best of their ability to
honor God.
● Builds the collective
capacity of
staff/stakeholders to
continuously monitor the
health of the school
climate using and
analyzing data from
multiple tools, i.e. open
forum, written survey,
survey of organizational
health, etc.
● Facilitates the
collaborative
development,
implementation and
evaluation of an action
plan to support, sustain
and enhance a healthy
school climate based on
data results.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
4.2 Develops, monitors and
sustains a Christ
centered curricular and
instructional school
program together with
faculty
● Has no coherent
curriculum with scope and
sequence in place for the
school.
● Makes annual plans based
on textbook publisher
materials, but does not
horizontally and vertically
link plans to other
classrooms and grade
levels.
● Teaches religion as a
separate subject not
integrated into all subject
areas.
● Ensures that all teachers
have annual curriculum
plans including unit plans
for their respective grade
levels.
● Some attempt at vertical
and horizontal alignment
of the curriculum exists,
but no defined process for
curriculum updating is in
place other than when a
new textbook is to be
purchased.
● Implements a scope and
sequence for the
curriculum, but has no
defined process for
developing, monitoring
and updating it.
● Seeks occasional input
from faculty and staff on
resources needed for the
instructional program.
● Leads a collaborative
process to develop and
implement a Christ
centered curricular and
instructional school
program.
● Facilitates an established
curriculum renewal
process/cycle to ensure
the school curriculum and
related assessments are
updated as needed.
● Allocates appropriate
resources (time and
money) to support
curriculum
revision/updates.
● Embeds professional
learning as part of the
curriculum revision
process.
● Facilitates ongoing faculty
collaboration regarding
horizontal and vertical
alignment of curriculum to
ensure that students do
not experience
fragmented, incoherent or
repetitive learning
experiences.
● Ongoing/continuous
collaboration with faculty
to strengthen and sustain
quality implementation of
the Christ centered
curriculum and school
instructional program.
● Collaboratively develops
and implements a
curriculum renewal
process that includes:
1. monitoring fidelity of
implementation of
curriculum;
2. researching best
practices and changes
in educational
standards;
3. evaluating scope,
sequence, vertical, and
horizontal alignment;
4. adapting curriculum
based on student data;
5. continuously seeking
out and providing
needed resources; and
6. establishing a process
for faculty and parents/
stakeholders to provide
input to the curriculum.
● Embeds powerful
professional development
as part of the curriculum
development and
evaluation process
including the study of
effective instructional
practices.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
4.3 Maximizes school time
spent on quality
instruction
● Has no master schedule
for instruction other than
individual teacher
schedules on file.
● Is not guided by a
curricular rationale for
teacher scheduling
practices.
● May or may not adhere to
legal requirements for
instructional time in the
schedule as mandated by
state policy.
● Provides guidance on
building annual master
schedule and school
calendar to ensure
adherence to all legal and
policy requirements for
required instructional
time as mandated by the
state.
● May or may not design
master schedules to align
to a curricular rationale,
i.e. intentional scheduling
of literacy block to avoid
fragmented instructional
time.
● Does not make an effort
to gather data from
stakeholders and other
sources on the
effectiveness of class
schedules, master
schedule and school
calendar in meeting
student learning needs.
● Facilitates the
collaborative
development of the
master schedule by
providing a supportive
curricular rationale,
educational research, legal
mandates, and data based
on student needs to guide
the work.
● Facilitates a collaborative
analysis of school and
classroom data, policies,
schedules and practices to
examine the use of
instructional time and
how it impacts the quality
of instruction across the
campus.
● Makes an intentional
effort to protect time
from nonacademic
interruptions, i.e. has
system for handling phone
calls, opening doors, etc.
● Consistently plans for
necessary staffing to
ensure classroom
instruction isn’t
interrupted in the case of
faculty absences.
● Facilitates an ongoing
collaborative process in
which faculty is proactive
in making changes to
schedules and plans based
on data in an effort to
maximize school time
spent on quality
instruction.
● Builds the collective
capacity of the campus to
continuously monitor,
evaluate, adjust/modify
and sustain changes made
to schedules, policies and
practices to ensure
instructional time is
maximized and supports
quality instruction.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
4.4 Advocates for and
fosters affirmation,
respect, and inclusion of
a diverse student body
● Is unaware of the needs of
culturally and linguistically
different students
including those with
special needs.
● Does not recognize or
respect the need to
promote cultural
sensitivity in school’s
instructional materials,
activities, programs and
outreach.
● Makes no effort to learn
about the background of
students (family,
language, culture, prior
experiences, etc.) in an
effort to acknowledge and
affirm diversity.
● Does not seek out or
utilize culturally and
linguistically diverse (and
special needs) resources
to connect with all
students and families in
the school.
● Acknowledges the need to
promote cultural
sensitivity in the school’s
instructional materials,
activities programs and
outreach, but has no
intentional action plan.
● Inconsistently implements
efforts to develop positive
relationships in an effort
to acknowledge and affirm
diversity with all school
families.
● Occasionally seeks out or
utilizes culturally and
linguistically diverse
resources to connect with
all students and families in
the school – usually
around a one-time
event/cultural celebration.
● Does not maintain
ongoing connections with
all students and families.
● Does not intentionally
improve/grow skills and
new competencies and
pedagogies to be more
culturally and linguistically
sensitive to all students
and families.
● Fosters affirmation,
respect and inclusion of all
students by intentionally
promoting cultural and
linguistic sensitivity in all
school’s instructional
materials, programs,
activities and outreach.
● Consistently implements
efforts to develop positive
respectful relationships in
an effort to acknowledge
and affirm school and
family diversity.
● Treats all members of the
community with respect
and develops strong
positive relationships with
them.
● Builds the capacity of the
staff to utilize and seek
out culturally and
linguistically diverse
resources and
professional development
needed to grow new
competencies to affirm
and respect diversity as
part of the school culture.
● Is successful in securing
feedback from all school
● Continuously leads the
faculty to examine and
reflect upon one’s own
assumptions,
relationships, beliefs, and
practices; and modifies
practices and relationships
as needed to ensure a
welcoming and inclusive
learning environment for
diverse students and their
families.
● Collaboratively develops,
implements, monitors and
sustains new culturally
and linguistically
responsive competencies
and pedagogies to
successfully engage the
diverse needs of all
students.
● Actively seeks out
feedback from all school
families especially those
who are culturally and
linguistically diverse and
takes action to ensure the
school community is
welcoming and inclusive.
● Administers surveys to
school families on some
issues, but makes no
intentional /deliberate
effort to ensure that the
voices of culturally and
linguistically diverse
families and special need
families are included.
families including those
who are culturally and
linguistically diverse.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
4.5 Promotes the use of
technology to support
teaching and learning
● Does not include
technology integration as
part of the school’s
instructional vision for
teaching and learning.
● Possesses a basic
understanding of the
potential of technology to
support teaching and
learning, but does not
share this understanding
with school board and
stakeholders to prepare
them for the additional
resources needed.
● May have a few short-
range technology goals
primarily focused on
supplemental instruction
and management
functions not technology
integration.
● Is unaware of the extent
to which faculty are
integrating technologies in
the classroom or their
level of expertise; and
provides limited or no
professional development
support.
● Begins to develop a
shared vision and build
buy-in for comprehensive
integration of technology
to support student
learning, i.e. discussion
about which tools are
essential: document
cameras, smart boards,
LCD projectors, internet,
etc.
● May include a few long-
range goals related to
technology integration as
part of the school’s
strategic improvement
plan.
● Integrating technology
varies from classroom to
classroom depending on
teacher interest and
access to equipment.
● Mostly makes professional
development
opportunities and new
equipment available to
teachers who show a
strong interest in
technology integration,
i.e. early adopters/tech
savvy.
● Collaboratively facilitates
the development and
implementation of a
shared instructional vision
for comprehensive
integration of technology
including established
standards and
measurement of them as
part of teacher evaluation.
● Builds the capacity of the
faculty to self-assess their
progress towards the
integration of technology
across all subject areas to
strengthen and maximize
student-learning
opportunities.
● Makes a continuous effort
to secure adequate
resources/funding to
support short and long-
range technology goals
identified in the strategic
improvement plan.
● Creates a culture of
awareness with all
stakeholders regarding
potential benefits of
integrating technology
to maximize student
learning.
● Collaboratively, with all
stakeholders, sustains and
updates a shared vision of
comprehensive
technology integration
that encourages the
continuous exploration of
new technologies for their
potential to enhance and
maximize student
learning.
● Strengthens the collective
capacity of the faculty to
collectively apply new
learning on technology
integration including
research, best practices
and emerging trends by
facilitating professional
learning communities.
● Builds the capacity of
stakeholders (faculty,
congregation members
and families) to seek out
additional resources and
grants to fund campus
goals for technology
integration.
● Facilitates campus
involvement in external
professional learning
networks to expand
● Does not implement an
overall plan to grow new
skills and technology
competencies of faculty
and staff.
● Makes some attempt to
stay current with
educational research and
emerging trends regarding
effective use of
technology.
● Seeks out special
monetary gifts to support
technology. as the need
arises.
learning opportunities;
and expose faculty and
stakeholders to new ideas,
emerging trends and
technologies.
STANDARD FIVE: An effective Lutheran school principal enables, supports, and coaches teachers and staff to faithfully serve God’s people through the
growth and use of their gifts
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
5.1 Guides the
development of
beginning teachers
● Complies with the request
that all first and second
year teachers participate
in the WELS New Teacher
Induction Program, but
does little to arrange and
support resources for it,
i.e. required weekly
contacts, meetings and
observations with
program mentor.
● Solely relies on the
guidance provided
through the WELS’ New
Teacher Induction
Program as the lone
support for new teacher.
● Is unaware of the
feedback provided to new
teachers through the
WELS’ New Teacher
Induction Program.
● Does not include the
program cost of WELS
New Teacher Induction
Program in the school
budget.
● Does not include support
and retention of new
● Arranges support and
resources for beginning
teachers to participate in
the WELS New Teacher
Induction Program.
● Includes the cost of
participating in WELS’
New Teacher Induction
Program as part of the
school budget.
● Relies on the WELS’ New
Teacher Induction
Program mentor as the
main support and
guidance for new
teachers.
● Sometimes allocates time
to meet with new teacher
and mentor to determine
further support of new
teacher growth at the
campus level.
● Actively monitors
beginning teachers’
participation in the WELS
New Teacher Induction
Program to ensure the
program is carried out
with fidelity including
required weekly contacts,
meetings and
observations.
● Coordinates with the
WELS’ New Teacher
Induction Program mentor
to enhance the support
and resources to
contribute to the growth
and effectiveness of new
teachers.
● Facilitates the
establishment of strategic
plan goals that address
support and retention of
new teachers.
● Facilitates and sustains a
campus culture that
prioritizes the
development and support
of new teachers through
its investment of time and
resources of which the
WELS New Teacher
Induction Program is but
one part.
● Facilitates continuous
professional growth
opportunities of all
teachers including
beginning teachers
through high functioning
professional learning
communities in which
collective learning and
application of learning and
shared personal practices
is ongoing.
● Facilitates the continuous
evaluation and adaptation
of strategic plan goals
related to the support and
retention of new teachers.
teachers as part of school
goals.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
5.2 Uses formative
supervision to guide
teacher performance
toward improving
student learning
● Maintains a professional
teaching culture in which
there is no norm or
expectation of feedback
for teacher growth.
● Does not provide oral or
written feedback or
coaching to teachers
during the school year to
strengthen practice and
influence student
performance.
● Has no ongoing support
system in place to provide
teachers with written or
oral feedback during the
school year.
● Does not formally observe
teachers in the classroom.
● Does not implement a
comprehensive and
systematic plan to
provide consistent/
ongoing meaningful
instructional feedback to
teachers based upon
evidence gathered
through classroom
walkthroughs and
observations.
● Conducts random
classroom walkthroughs
but seldom provides
meaningful feedback
leading to teacher
reflection and growth.
● Conducts one formal visit
each year mainly for the
purpose of completing the
year-end teacher
evaluation form, or visits a
given classroom when
there is a concern.
● Makes some attempt to
impact the professional
teaching culture by
occasionally promoting
peer observations or
instructional dialogue
amongst faculty, but no
system including training
● Develops a comprehensive
plan to gather and analyze
evidence on teaching and
learning based on
classroom walkthroughs
and formal observations
for the purpose of
providing teacher
feedback and coaching to
enhance professional
dialogue and teacher
reflection around impact
on student learning.
● Intentionally plans,
implements, and monitors
a professional learning
community to support
ongoing teacher growth
through multiple
collaborative
opportunities to engage in
instructional dialogue i.e.
analyze student work,
performance assessments,
and observation data, etc.
● Intentionally implements,
monitors, evaluates and
sustains a professional
learning community
/culture to promote
teacher growth and
student performance.
● Facilitates and promotes a
collaborative professional
learning
community/culture as the
main source of formative
feedback to teachers
about their impact on
student learning.
● Continuously gathers and
evaluates evidence/data
that faculty’s collective
learning and application of
learning results in
changes/growth/
improvement in teacher
practice and student
learning and uses data to
shape professional
learning.
or tools is in place, i.e.
protocols to promote
instructional dialogue and
guide feedback.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
5.3 Communicates teacher
and staff performance
through summative
evaluations
● Completes a formal
written year-end teacher
evaluation that is not
evidence-based
(walkthroughs,
observations and or
formal observations).
● Has not established nor
discussed with faculty
agreed upon evaluation
criteria.
● Inconsistently implements
a teacher evaluation
process that results in a
written summative
evaluation with little or no
input from faculty on the
criteria and process.
● Provides minimal training
on the teacher evaluation
process.
● Mainly views completion
of summative teacher
evaluations as a year-end
compliance event.
● Provides limited to no
opportunity for the
summative evaluation
process to be used as a
tool for teacher growth,
i.e. collaborative dialogue
about professional growth
and future goal setting.
● Collaboratively designs
and implements an
evaluation process with
timelines, policy and
agreed upon/articulated
criteria.
● Ensures a consistent
process is in place in
which all teachers and
staff receive a summative
evaluation and are given
sufficient opportunities to
engage in collaborative
dialogue about it and set
future professional
development goals.
● Utilizes multiple sources
of data as the basis for
summative evaluation, i.e.
classroom
walkthroughs,formal
observations, student
performance results, etc.
● Intentionally plans,
implements and monitors
the implementation of a
professional learning
community to support
teacher growth and
engage in collective
application of learning.
● Collaboratively
implements, evaluates,
modifies and sustains an
evaluation process with
timelines, policy and
agreed upon/articulated
criteria.
● Models and sustains a
school wide culture of
continuous professional
growth and improvement
for teachers and staff.
● Collectively analyzes the
multiples sources of data
that support summative
evaluations to determine
schoolwide goals for
teacher professional
development.
● Models and sustains
collective learning and its
application and links it to
faculty/staff’s professional
goals.
● Collectively holds each
other accountable for
completion of professional
development goals.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
5.4 Works collaboratively
with teachers to design
comprehensive growth
plans
● Setting professional goals
and designing professional
growth plans are not part
of the campus evaluation
and support system nor
campus teaching culture.
● Mainly assists teachers to
set professional goals and
design growth plans when
issues arise related to the
inability to carry out
professional teaching
responsibilities.
● Is inconsistent with the
monitoring, follow-up, and
encouragement of
teachers’ professional
growth.
● Does not have an
established process to
help all faculty, regardless
of experience level, to
develop professional
growth plans with specific
professional goals.
● Facilitates the
collaborative
development of
comprehensive growth
plans, which include
professional goal setting
as part of a clearly
articulated evaluation and
support system for all
faculty members.
● Actively supports
teachers’ professional
goals by the consistent
monitoring of progress
towards goal attainment
and providing resources as
needed.
● Holds collaborative year-
end conference to
determine if professional
goals were successfully
met and establish new
goals for the following
year.
● Collaboratively facilitates
the development of a
school culture which
promotes teachers’
professional goal setting.
● Promotes and sustains a
school culture in which
teachers share their
professional goals and
receive feedback from
others on their progress
towards goal attainment.
● Proactively supports the
attainment of teachers’
professional goals and
encourages goal
modification as needed
based on performance
data.
● Collaboratively facilitates
and sustains a school
culture which
continuously promotes
teachers’ professional goal
setting, monitoring, and
accountability for
completion of goals.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
5.5 Builds teacher capacity
to carry out a Christ
centered vision and
curricular goals through
planned programs of
collaborative, sustained
and job-embedded
professional
development
● Does not engage in
collaborative dialogue
related to teachers’
professional growth
needs.
● Mainly offers professional
development
opportunities based on
individual teacher interest
rather than teacher or
campus needs; and
professional development
takes place off site.
● Provides no funds or an
insufficient budget to
accommodate all teachers’
needs for professional
development and
continuing education.
● Promotes or engages in
minimal collaborative
dialogue on teachers’
professional development
needs.
● Randomly attempts to
provide some
collaborative learning
opportunities for teachers
at the campus level, i.e.
book studies, peer
observations, faculty
courses by MLC, etc.
● May or may not align
professional development
opportunities to campus
curricular goals and or
student and teacher
needs.
● Is unaware of the impact
that professional
development
opportunities have on
teachers’ classroom
practice and student
achievement; and as a
result may spend valuable
resources on activities that
do not promote growth.
● Builds teacher capacity by
facilitating the
development and
implementation of a
coherent plan by which
faculty are offered
opportunities at the
school site to
collaboratively engage in
professional learning
aligned to student and
teacher needs, i.e. book
studies, lesson studies,
learning walks, action
research, peer coaching,
etc.
● Provides sufficient time,
money, and support for
learning, implementation,
reflection, and
reinforcement.
● Measures the impact that
professional development
opportunities have on
teachers’ classroom
practice and student
achievement.
● Implements a professional
learning calendar that
encourages and supports
teachers’ learning by
creating time, policies and
● Collaboratively builds
teacher capacity through
the nurturing and
sustaining of a
professional learning
community in which
continuous ongoing
opportunities to grow
professionally are
available to all faculty and
staff and aligned to
campus needs.
● Facilitates collaborative
decision making about
professional development
opportunities to include
requirements that all
offerings be sustained,
job-embedded, and
supported as well as
demonstrate measurable
impact on classroom
practice and student
achievement.
● Models and maintains a
school wide culture of
professional learning and
improvement for all
teachers and staff.
● Consistently follows
research-based practice
for effectiveness when
incentives that promote
learning across the
campus.
implementing professional
development.
● Actively leads campus
stakeholders to seek out
funding opportunities to
support professional
development
opportunities in addition
to school budget.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
5.6 Develops and maintains
a shared faculty
Christian culture of
trust, collaboration,
reflection, and
professionalism around
student learning
● Maintains a school culture
and climate that
encourages teachers to
work in isolation apart
from one another and
often compete for
resources.
● Does not plan and provide
intentional opportunities
for teachers to engage in
activities and discussion
with one another or be
involved in decision-
making.
● Limits access to the
principal.
● Does not make intentional
efforts to welcome new
teachers.
● Is unaware of the quality
of adult relationships at
the campus.
● Maintains a school climate
that reflects
friendly/congenial
relationships amongst
faculty.
● Seldom provides
opportunities for staff to
collaborate with one
another related to
professional practice.
● Does not engage in
consistent and intentional
efforts to build a
collaborative/ trusting
environment amongst
faculty and staff and often
limits them to one-time
team building
activities/events that take
place at certain times of
the year such as back to
school.
● Rarely empowers teachers
to make decisions or take
risks and identifies
principal as key decision
maker and initiator of new
ideas.
● Inconsistently offers open
access to the principal.
● Facilitates the
development of a
collaborative and collegial
school climate by
intentionally providing
ongoing opportunities for
staff to meet and
collaborate on school
issues to build trust,
respect and
professionalism.
● Builds the capacity of the
faculty to regularly
participate in collaborative
and reflective discussions
about professional
practice and student
learning outcomes by
providing training on skills
that support collaborative
and productive teams, i.e.
setting norms, active
listening, understanding
guidelines for dialogue,
consensus-building, using
protocols to examine
student work, etc.
● Consistently empowers
teachers in decision-
making and encourages
risk taking.
● Intentionally builds and
promotes trust amongst
● Prioritizes the continuous
nurturing and sustainment
of a school climate in
which open and trusting
relationships are valued as
the key to a successful
professional learning
community and improved
student outcomes.
● Models reflective practice
and professionalism and
continuously ensures
faculty receive ongoing
professional learning on
best practices about the
collaborative and
reflective process.
● Continuously nurtures and
sustains a transparent
campus’ decision making
process that is
collaborative, utilizes
multiple data sources and
focuses on solution finding
processes rather than
blaming individuals.
● Nurtures and sustains
collaborative learning
cultures/professional
learning communities with
high levels of trust as
evidenced by faculty’s
sharing of personal
faculty through leadership
actions that model
sincerity, reliability/follow
through/accountability,
benevolence,
competence, honesty and
openness.
● Supports and recognizes
faculty and stakeholder
strengths.
practice, collective
learning and application of
learning.
● Maximizes faculty and
stakeholder strengths to
build up individuals and
school.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
5.7 Effectively
communicates with
faculty and staff
● Primarily engages in one-
way communication that
disseminates information
and directives to the
faculty through limited
channels, i.e paper memos
or email.
● May or may not
disseminate information
in a timely matter.
● Rarely engages in two-way
communication with
faculty unless required,
i.e. teacher requests a
conference.
● Primarily engages in one-
way communication with
faculty through a variety
of channels for the
purpose of disseminating
information, i.e. school
newsletters, faculty
memos, twitter, Facebook,
text messages, email,
automated phone calls,
etc.
● Sometimes seeks faculty
input through written
surveys, faculty
discussions or
instructional dialogue, but
has no established process
to ensure such two- way
communication is
occurring on a regular
basis.
● Takes more time than
needed to communicate.
● Does not evaluate or
measure the effectiveness
of communication with
faculty and staff.
● Leads faculty meetings for
the purpose of
disseminating information
with limited faculty input
on the agenda and little to
no time for faculty
● Facilitates the design and
utilization of various forms
of formal and informal
communication with
faculty and administration
that ensures two-way
communication regularly
occurs.
● Implements effective
strategies to consistently
gather faculty input on all
school issues and
structures adequate
opportunities/ time for
discussion and
collaborative decision-
making with faculty and
stakeholders.
● Consistently models and
promotes effective
meeting facilitation and
team building through use
of tools such as agendas,
setting of group norms,
conflict resolution
strategies, consensus
building, etc.
● Communicates
productively with all
audiences and
understands the different
ways to meet the needs of
various audiences.
● Collaboratively develops,
implements, evaluates,
modifies and sustains a
highly effective and
formalized
communication plan that
includes clear and
consistent processes to
ensure ongoing two-way
communication amongst
all faculty and staff.
● Builds faculty’s capacity to
build team and facilitate
productive meetings
through the consistent use
of protocols/tools to allow
for the discussion of
difficult topics, resolve
conflict and reach
consensus.
● Ensures that faculty is
informed about what
decisions were made and
who was involved in
making key decisions
through the use of a
clearly defined decision
making matrix/tool.
● Empowers faculty
involvement through
productive and
frequent communication
that is transparent,
current and timely.
discussion and decision-
making.
● Inconsistently models
effective meeting
facilitation and team
building through minimum
use of tools such as
agendas, setting of group
norms, conflict resolution
strategies, consensus
building, etc.
STANDARD SIX: An effective Lutheran school principal wisely manages the school facilities and resources for a safe, efficient, organized, and effective
learning environment.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
6.1 Organizes the
environment to support
quality instruction and
student learning
● Primarily makes decisions
as a continuation of past
practice with little
reflection of the impact on
instruction or student
learning, i.e. school
calendar, master
schedule, class schedules,
grade configurations,
room arrangements,
recess, learning space,
technology utilization (lab,
mobile cart or computers
in classroom, one-to-one
computing), allocation and
distribution of resources,
policies, etc.
● May disrupt instructional
time and student learning
with school functions and
processes, i.e.
announcements, lunch
schedule, assemblies,
supervisory duties, extra-
curricular activities, etc.
● Is unaware how the
environmental elements
impact quality instruction
and student learning.
● Generally, attempts to
make environmental
decisions with the intent
to positively impact
instruction and student
learning.
● Is somewhat aware as to
the extent environmental
decisions have impacted
instruction and student
learning. Examples may
include – school calendar,
master schedule, class
schedules, grade
configurations, room
arrangements, recess;
learning space, technology
utilization (lab, mobile cart
or computers in
classroom, one to one
computing), allocation and
distribution of resources,
policies, etc.
● Ensures most school
functions and processes
do not disrupt learning,
i.e. announcements, lunch
schedule, assemblies,
supervisory duties, extra-
curricular activities, etc.
● Intentionally facilitates
collaborative planning and
implementation of all
school functions and
processes to enhance
quality instruction and
student learning, i.e.
announcements, lunch
schedule, assemblies,
supervisory duties, extra-
curricular activities,
policies, etc.
● Facilitates an analysis and
review of school and
classroom data, policies,
practices and procedures
to determine how
instruction and student
learning is impacted.
● Keeps learning at the
center of daily activities.
● Facilitates an ongoing
collaborative analysis and
review of school and
classroom data, policies,
practices and procedures
to ensure a positive
impact on instructional
quality and student
learning, i.e. school
schedule, maximizes use
of instructional time, etc.
● Systematically monitors,
evaluates, and adjusts
schedules/policies/
functions, etc. to respond
to all students’
instructional needs and
create and sustain time
for teacher collaboration
in an effort to maximize
quality instruction and
student learning.
● Creates and sustains a
culture that prioritizes
learning and limits the
number of initiatives the
campus can take on
successfully and not
impede learning – planned
abandonment.
● May or may not adhere to
all legal and policy
requirements.
● Inconsistent attempts to
intentionally design school
schedules and calendars
to address the learning
needs of diverse student
populations.
● Adheres to all legal and
policy requirements
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
6.2 Monitors building
operations
● Has no written plan for
building operations or
facilities management, i.e.
at a minimum there may
be a general cleaning
schedule and attention to
basic safety and code
compliance.
● Unaware of the
importance of maintaining
facilities and its impact on
teaching and learning and
fails to address
maintenance costs in
overall budget and or
school plans/goals.
● Has no written policies
related to building usage
and usually gives verbal
permission.
● Gives little attention to
the safety and security of
the students and the
building.
● Coordinates facility
maintenance activities
with the
congregation/board of
trustees.
● Addresses most facility
issues as needs arise and
budget allows and
minimally reflects
maintenance costs in the
overall budget and or
strategic plan.
● Maintains a minimal
maintenance schedule for
the school including items
that need weekly, monthly
and annual attention
(waxing floors, cleaning
carpets, monitoring fire
extinguishers, etc.) and
ensures basic safety and
code compliance.
● Tries to contain energy,
supplies, and maintenance
costs.
● Establishes some written
procedures/policies for
building use and maintains
a calendar of events for
the week, evening and
weekends.
● Includes building
maintenance as part of
the congregation’s
strategic plan and budget
● Promotes active
conservation of energy,
supplies and maintenance
costs by all stakeholders.
● Collaboratively develops,
implements and monitors
an effective written plan
for facilities’ maintenance
so that facility problems
don’t affect teaching and
learning, student and staff
health or the fiscal health
of the school.
● Collaboratively develops
clearly articulated plans,
procedures and policy
related to overall building
usage.
● Regularly reviews safety
and security of the
building to ensure it is
made a top priority to
protect students and staff.
● Collaboratively monitor,
evaluate and modify an
effective written plan for
facilities’ maintenance to
proactively maximize
student learning, student
and faculty health and
fiscal health of the school.
● Maintains an ongoing list
of recommended
improvements [short and
long term] that ties facility
improvements to budget
and school improvement
goals.
● Intentionally prioritizes
competing demands on
resources tied to building
operations to meet
student and staff needs.
● Builds the capacity of
faculty, staff and
community to advocate
for improvement of school
facilities/ maintenance as
a strategic goal that
supports student learning
and safety.
● Gives ongoing attention to
the safety and security of
the building to protect
students and staff.
● Is inconsistent in taking
into consideration the
impact of maintenance
and facility issues on
teaching and learning.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
6.3 Obtains, allocates, aligns
and efficiently utilizes
human, fiscal, and
technological resources
● Lacks understanding of
need to align resources
with the school goals.
● Manages resources as
needed with little thought
as to how they fit into the
big picture or school goals.
● Does not seek out
additional resources to
accomplish school goals.
● Understands and can
explain the importance of
allocating resources to
support school
needs/goals.
● Inconsistently aligns
resources with the needs
of the school and has no
process to measure the
impact of resources on
school goals.
● Occasionally seeks out
additional resources
beyond the
congregational budget to
accomplish school goals.
● Aligns resources with the
needs of the school and
effectively monitors the
impact of resources on
school goals.
● Analyzes school
improvement data to
strategically plan for the
allocation of human, fiscal
and technological
resources to maximize
outcomes for students.
● Designs structures and
processes that enable
shared responsibility of
the faculty and school
community to make
recommendations and
decisions for the
allocation of resources
that ensure equitable
outcomes for all students
and align with school
goals.
● Empowers, encourages
and supports school
stakeholders in seeking
outside funding sources to
ensure the long term
viability and sustainability
of school programs.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
6.4 Promotes and protects
the welfare and safety
of students and staff
● Attempts to implement
basic safety and code
compliance requirements,
i.e. fire drills, lockdown,
severe weather, shelter in
place, reverse evacuation,
etc., but is unaware of the
extent to which
compliance is met.
● Has no written and
articulated policies to
promote student and staff
safety.
● May or may not adhere to
all legal and policy
requirements
● Facilitates the required
legal compliance for
conducting basic school
safety drills – i.e. building
evacuation (fire drill),
lockdown, severe
weather, shelter in place,
reverse evacuation, etc.
● Has some written policies
and or action plan(s) in
place to promote student
and staff safety.
● Explores the need to
implement procedures for
building perimeter
security including visitor
safety, security and
surveillance systems with
faculty and school board
that may or may not result
in action taken to improve
student and staff
safety/welfare.
● Collaboratively develops
and implements a
systematic written and
articulated school safety
plan, supported by
policies and procedures,
to ensure ongoing student
and staff welfare.
● School safety drills are
intentionally implemented
to move beyond mere
compliance to
continuously improve
emergency/safety
procedures for all
students and staff
including those with
special needs (i.e. ADA).
● Keeps an active list of
appropriate community
resources to refer families
to as needs arise.
● Collaboratively builds
teams of staff and
stakeholders to lead,
manage, evaluate adjust,
and sustain components
of school safety
procedures.
● Facilitates the ongoing
empowerment of all
stakeholders as an active
part of the decision
making process related to
school policies and
procedures on school
safety/welfare, i.e.
provide input through
open forums or focus
groups.
● Proactively seeks feedback
to continuously improve
student and staff welfare
and safety – i.e. school
safety audit.
● Empowers stakeholders to
continuously identify,
build, evaluate, adjust and
sustain partnerships with
appropriate community
resources to provide
additional support to
families as needed.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
6.5 Uses distributive
leadership strategies
that recognize and
utilize the many gifts
God gives to His church
● Engages in top down
decision making in
isolation and usually does
not involve school
community stakeholders
or provide leadership
opportunities to them.
● Is unaware of the wide
variety of talents held by
faculty, staff and school
community.
● Limits input and
involvement to increase
efficiency and reduce
conflict.
● Focuses leadership
strategies on control.
● Usually engages in top
down decision making and
sometimes involves
stakeholders or teachers
in specific decisions or
leadership on a particular
project.
● May distribute tasks to
share workload.
● Occasionally recognizes
some of the talents held
by faculty, staff and school
community.
● Consistently empowers
faculty and stakeholders
in decision making and
encourages them to lead
projects and take
ownership.
● Recognizes and utilizes the
wide variety of talents
held by faculty, staff and
school community.
● Gives faculty authority
and power to make
decisions.
● Intentionally creates an
ongoing culture of teacher
empowerment in
decision-making.
● Intentionally develops and
builds the capacity of
teacher leaders by
providing leadership
opportunities and
professional development.
● Consistently displays a
positive attitude about the
ability of the faculty to
engage in decision-
making.
● Leverages the influence
and synergy of the school
and community
stakeholders to work
together to support the
attainment of school
goals.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
6.6 Supports and works
closely with the school’s
governing board
● May or may not have a
school board or oversight
committee.
● Does not foster a common
vision or set of beliefs and
values with the board.
● Sets the agenda by either
the board or principal with
little input of the other.
● Allows the board to make
most decisions
independent of principal
and stakeholders.
-or-
● Allows the board to
primarily rubber stamp
the principal’s agenda.
● Has a school board in
place.
● Cooperatively sets the
agenda with input from
the board chair.
● Works cooperatively with
the board and is generally
on the same page with
them.
● Demonstrates little
evidence of a working
relationship with the
board beyond regularly
scheduled meetings.
● Mostly sets routine
agenda items with the
board, i.e. school calendar
events/happenings, and
limits discussion of shared
beliefs and values.
● Assists the board in
understanding their role
and provides an
orientation to them.
● Promotes a collaborative
relationship with faculty
and board as evidenced by
mutual respect,
collegiality, and
cooperation.
● Actively sets the meeting
agenda with the board.
● Actively involves the
board in the development
and implementation of
the school vision and
school improvement
process.
● Intentionally ensures
productive board
meetings by continually
focusing on shared beliefs
and values and vision for
the school.
● Utilizes an established
protocol to govern roles of
the principal and board.
● Engages in effective
problem solving with the
board by framing and
resolving issues in a
productive manner.
● Builds a culture of strong
collaboration and mutual
trust, leading to a united
board whose members
know and take ownership
of their respective roles
and practice shared values
and commitment to the
school vision.
● Collaboratively develops
nurtures and sustains the
school vision with the
board and demonstrates
shared accountability for
its success. (Accountability
doesn’t just rest with
school faculty and staff).
● Intentionally builds the
capacity of the board to
act as a team and
effectively problem solve;
i.e. team skills for problem
solving, reaching
consensus, etc.
● Regards the board as a
resource and not a barrier.
● Shares ownership of the
school with the board.
STANDARD SEVEN: An effective Lutheran school principal reaches out to and engages the school, congregation, synod, and local community.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
7.1 Builds and sustains
Christ-centered
relationships with
students, families,
caregivers, congregation
and community
● Primarily communicates
with families already
enrolled in the school
through established
traditional communication
methods such as
beginning and end of the
year mailings, monthly
newsletter, and school
events such as Christmas
programs or sporting
events.
● Primarily uses one-way
communication from
school to home.
● Does not seek out
additional opportunities
to reach out to
congregation and the
community beyond
traditionally established
school events.
● Limits volunteer
/involvement
opportunities to
traditional activities such
as a parent teacher
organization or room
parent.
● Makes some intentional
efforts to communicate
with the congregation and
community beyond
families already enrolled
in the school.
● Seeks some opportunities
to engage in two-way
communication with
families through
traditional events such as
parent teacher conference
day, open house and
school surveys seeking
input on school issues.
● Maintains an up to date
web site and some social
media presence.
● Usually offers volunteer
/involvement
opportunities by invitation
only, i.e. working at book
fair(s), teacher
appreciation luncheon and
sporting concession
stands.
● Occasionally makes
available a parenting class
for families in the school,
● Intentionally builds
trusting relationships with
students, families,
caregivers, congregation
and community through
systematic two-way
communication that
extends beyond
traditional communication
and outreach methods.
● Has and follows a
communication plan that
keeps the school’s mission
and vision before the
parents, congregation,
and community.
● Collaboratively engages
the faculty in the
identification of the best
way to effectively
communicate with all
families and address
needs related to
academic, socio-emotional
and spiritual support.
● Continuously seeks out
opportunities to engage
families, congregation and
community in Christ
centered relationships
beyond traditional events
● Continuously facilitates
the collaborative
development,
implementation,
monitoring, evaluation
and
modifications/improveme
nts of communication and
outreach efforts as
needed to ensure that
productive and trusting
Christian relationships are
in place amongst the
school, congregation and
community.
● Has an active parent
decision-making group to
provide feedback on
school communication
and its related efforts to
build community amongst
school families,
congregation and overall
school area.
● Leverages the influence
and synergy of the school
and community
stakeholders to sustain
intentional Christian
relationships between
families, school,
congregation and
● Offers limited
opportunities for school
families to meet, get to
know each other, build
relationships and support
one another.
congregation and
community to attend.
● Occasionally offers
opportunities for parents
to meet and build
relationships to support
one another and
schedules them at the
convenience of the school,
i.e. once a month coffee
with principal.
such as Open House,
Parent Teacher
Conferences, etc.
● Facilitates the intentional
planning of school
events/gatherings that
allow school families to
build relationships with to
support one another in
Christian parenting
efforts.
● Collaboratively facilitates
the development
/identification of
numerous opportunities
for parents to be part of
the school as a volunteer,
resource (guest speaker or
special talent) or decision
maker.
● Recognizes the variety of
family structures (single
parents, divorced, blended
families, guardians) that
exist and the related
parenting challenges and
actively seeks to support
the diverse parenting
needs through Christ
centered support offered
by the school and
congregation.
community that benefit
students.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
7.2 Engages families and
the local congregation
in school decision
making as appropriate
● Always relies on the board
and/or principal to make
school decisions with no
input from school families,
faculty or congregation.
● Informs congregation and
families after decisions are
made.
● Usually relies on the board
and/or principal to make
most school decisions with
little input from school
families, faculty or
congregation.
● Sometimes seeks
stakeholder input on a
specific school issue.
● Lacks a consistent process
for involving stakeholders
in shared decision making.
● Utilizes traditional parent
involvement efforts such
as a parent teacher
organization to offer input
on items that have limited
or little significance.
● Facilitates and promotes
shared decision making
with stakeholders
(including congregational
members) on a regular
basis through clearly
articulated policies and
procedures.
● Initiates processes to
actively recruit and
involve a wide variety of
stakeholders in shared
decision making groups
and ensures groups reflect
the cultural and linguistic
diversity of the school.
● Builds the capacity of the
faculty and stakeholders
to be an active part of the
decision making process,
i.e. training on
communication and team
building skills.
● Continuously ensures
diverse stakeholders are
an integral part of the
campus culture by
involving them in shared
decision making and the
school improvement
process.
● Facilitates the
collaborative evaluation of
decision making policies
and procedures utilized by
stakeholders, i.e. the
types and quality of
decisions made; and uses
results to enhance future
decision making.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
7.3 Collects and analyzes
data and information to
understand and to
respond to the needs of
the school’s
environment
● Is unaware of the need to
collect and analyze data to
respond to the needs of
the school’s environment.
● Doesn’t conduct a needs
assessment of the school’s
environment.
● Unaware of
congregation’s wishes for
the school or education
needs in the community.
● Makes decisions related to
the needs of the school
environment independent
of data.
● Occasionally engages in
limited data and
information gathering as
issues arise which may or
may not result in follow-
up on an environmental
need, i.e.the school may
administer a survey at
parent teacher
conferences about their
usefulness.
● Is inconsistent with
sharing or following up on
data collection(s) with the
school community.
● Assesses the needs of the
school environment by
facilitating – or –
establishing and
implementing a
collaborative process
which gathers and
analyzes data (multiple
data points) and
information from a variety
of sources to inform
school decision making
and respond to needs of
the school environment.
● Consistently makes the
congregation aware of
school happenings.
● Collaboratively facilitates
the development,
implementation and
evaluation of an ongoing
decision making process
that is inclusive of
stakeholders; is data
driven; and is aligned to
school goals which result
in in modification of goals
and activities in the
strategic plan in order to
address needs of the
school environment.
● Facilitates a collaborative
review of the school
decision making process
and data sources to a)
respond to the needs of
the school environment;
b) determine data to be
gathered; c) ensure
accurate data analysis;
and d) evaluate
stakeholder participation.
● Modifies school goals to
meet student needs as a
results of data analysis.
● Engages congregational
stakeholders in a
collaborative reflection
about how the schools’
mission is fulfilled and
heightens appreciation for
the school.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
7.4 Utilizes community and
synod resources to carry
out the school’s mission
● Has limited knowledge of
synod and community
resources available to
support the mission of the
school.
● Utilizes few, if any,
community and synod
resources to support the
school’s mission.
● Continues to use
community and synod
resources previously
identified without seeking
out additional resources.
● Occasionally seeks out
new community and
synod resources on a
limited basis when specific
issues may arise related to
the schools’ mission.
● Makes some attempt to
stay informed regarding
available synod and
community resources to
support the school’s
mission.
● Makes some use of the
Commission on Lutheran
Schools subscriptions and
services such as Parent
Crosslinks. etc.
● Identifies and utilizes
community and synod
resources available to
carry out the school’s
mission as evidenced in
the school’s strategic
planning process (school
improvement plan).
● Facilitates the
collaborative faculty
development and ongoing
maintenance of a resource
list for the school
community with local
community and synod
resources available to
support school’s mission
and needs.
● Maintains active contact
with an established
network of local
community agencies and
public school districts to
stay informed and up to
date on available
resources appropriate for
supporting the schools’
mission.
● Maintains a close working
relationship with synod
agencies and schools to
support the school’s
● Encourages all
stakeholders to
proactively seek out
available community and
synod resources and
utilize them to carry out
the school’s mission.
● Continually
reviews/evaluates
identified synod and
community resources for
their relevance to the
school’s mission through
the regular monitoring of
the school’s strategic
planning process.
● Is active in working with
the Commission on
Lutheran Schools and
other synod agencies to
identify additional
resources that can be
shared with other WELS
schools in the district and
nationally.
mission, i.e. Commission
on Lutheran Schools,
WELSSA, Martin Luther
College, etc.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
7.5 Promotes the school
among school families
and within the
congregation and
community
● Primarily views
recruitment and retention
as the job of the principal.
● Has no intentional school
recruitment and retention
plan or program for school
families, congregation and
the community.
● May occasionally promote
the school to
congregational families
with school age children at
specific times of the year,
i.e. mailings at spring
registration and
information posted in the
church bulletin and or
newsletter.
● Some attempt at student
retention is pursued each
spring for the purpose of
determining the number
of students returning.
● Lack an overall ongoing
systematic outreach
program to the
congregation and
community.
● Actively promotes
awareness amongst the
school board and faculty
of the need to recruit
students for the school.
● Promotes the school
through established
traditional outreach
activities, i.e. registration
open house, mailings to
families in the
congregation,
kindergarten round up,
occasional newspaper
advertisement and
recruitment during annual
events such as VBS.
● Primarily views
recruitment and retention
as the job of the principal
and teachers.
● Actively attempts to retain
students by following up
with families who do not
re-enroll.
● Collaboratively develops
and implements an
intentional outreach plan
for student recruitment
and retention with school
families, congregation and
community.
● Promotes regular visibility
through church and
community platforms,
such as bulletins,
newsletters, website,
newspapers,
presentations, displays,
etc.
● Facilitates collaborative
efforts by faculty and
school board and specific
parenting groups (PTO) to
identify new opportunities
to promote the visibility of
the school within the
congregation and
community.
● Creates measurable
enrollment goal(s) within
the school’s strategic plan
related to school
recruitment and retention
and devotes identified
resources to support it.
● Collaboratively develops,
implements and evaluates
the effectiveness of a
comprehensive program
of community relations
and congregational
outreach which uses
strategies that will
effectively involve and
inform multiple
stakeholders.
● Annually updates and
revises a comprehensive
outreach plan based on
evaluation of its
effectiveness and
proactively secures
additional resources for an
outreach program as part
of the school’s annual
budget.
● Establishes partnerships
with parents, businesses
and other groups in the
community to strengthen
programs and support
campus goals and school
visibility.
● Develops and nurtures a
mindset across school
staff and families to
actively promote the
● Regularly plans for visible
service to the
congregation and
community, i.e. visiting
assisted living facilities to
minister to the elderly.
● Views recruitment and
retention as the school
and congregation’s
responsibility beyond
faculty.
school throughout the
year, i.e. parent
ambassadors that recruit
for the school.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
7.6 Promotes
understanding,
appreciation, and use of
the community’s diverse
cultural, social, and
intellectual resources
● Is unaware of the cultural
and linguistic diversity in
the school community.
● Does not seek out and use
cultural and linguistic
diversity community
resources to foster
student learning and well-
being.
● Begins to be aware of the
need to understand and
appreciate cultural and
linguistic diversity
community resources.
● Occasionally seeks out and
uses cultural and linguistic
diversity community
resources to foster
student learning and well-
being.
● Consistently identifies and
promotes an
understanding
appreciation and use of
the community’s diverse
cultural, social and
intellectual resources to
foster student learning
and well-being.
● Consistently establishes
respectful and productive
relationships with families
from diverse home and
community situations and
seeks to develop
cooperative partnerships.
● Nurtures and sustains an
understanding and
appreciation for the
culturally linguistically and
diverse community.
● Builds the collective
capacity of the school to
develop, nurture and
sustain respectful and
productive relationships
with families from diverse
home and community
situations and with
cooperative partnerships.
● Holds appreciation for
diversity of opinions
represented by
stakeholder group.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
7.7 Works cooperatively
with synod agencies
● Rarely accesses colleagues
at the district or synod
level, usually when
specific issues may arise.
● Continues the current
level of synod
involvement/ contact
currently used by the
school.
● Is compliant with minimal
synod reporting
requirements, i.e. testing
programs and enrollment
data.
● Makes use of various
synod agencies as school
needs arise.
● Is knowledgeable of synod
contacts at district level
and nationally, i.e.
Commission for Lutheran
Schools.
● Provides needed
information for synod
reporting requirements on
time as requested, i.e.
student testing data,
WELSSA, new teacher
mentoring program.
● May occasionally serve
the synod in a leadership
capacity if requested, i.e.
presenting at a teacher
conference.
● Facilitates amongst school
faculty the establishment
of respectful and
productive relationships
with district and synod
offices/agencies and
encourages a willingness
to serves on committees
as needed and or pilot
projects.
● Facilitates the
collaborative faculty effort
to willingly meet all synod
reporting requirements
and actively engage in
ongoing and new
initiatives.
● Facilitates the
development, nurturing
and maintenance of
collegial relationships of
faculty, school board, and
families (as appropriate)
with district and synod
colleagues.
● Demonstrates and models
a willingness to serve as a
leader on synod
committees/projects and
supports and encourages
faculty involvement
(teacher leadership) to
serve the district and
synod in leadership
positions as needed and
appropriate.
● Proactively seeks out
opportunities to serve the
synod and district at all
times.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
7.8 Participates in district
and synodical
responsibilities
● Unaware of district and
synod responsibilities as
they relate to the school.
● May participate in district
conventions or
conferences.
● Is aware of the need to
fulfill responsibilities to
the district and synod and
does so as reporting
requirements/
responsibilities arise.
● Supports and encourages
participation of self and
faculty members at
district conventions and
conferences.
● Meets all district and
synod
responsibilities/reporting
requirements on a timely
basis.
● Actively participates in
and promotes
participation in all district
and synod opportunities.
● Uses synod resources for
professional growth in the
school and the district.
● Proactively seeks input
and provides feedback to
colleagues at the district
and syndical level related
to school
responsibilities/issues.
● Takes on a leadership role
in district and synod
responsibilities and
actively promotes
opportunities for synod
support and professional
development among all
schools in the area.
● Continuously collaborates
with synod, i.e.
Commission on Lutheran
Schools, and colleagues to
enhance school
operations across district
or synod.
STANDARD EIGHT: An effective Lutheran school principal understands both the local and broader context in which the school exists.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
8.1 Serves as an advocate
for children, family and
caregivers
● Is largely uninformed
about the specific needs
of children, family and
caregivers and as a result
does not serve as a
significant source of
support.
● Limited communication
occurs between families
and schools.
● Mostly provides some
assistance to families in a
crisis situation when
requested with limited if
any follow up.
● Mostly advocates for and
serves children, family and
caregivers in a reactive
mode as particular needs
and issues arise.
● Makes some attempt to
become aware of the
needs of children, family
and caregivers through an
occasional survey.
● Has no coordinated plan
of service in place to
provide assistance and
support to or advocate for
children, family and
caregivers in need.
● Maintains a list of
community resources for
families, but does not
intentionally update it on
a regular basis.
● Coordinates pastoral care
and limited support from
congregation, i.e. counsels
families and students as
needs arise.
● Uses the Parent-Teacher
or similar organization to
provide parent education.
● Regularly facilitates
established opportunities
for the faculty and staff to
serve as advocates for
children, family and
caregivers based on a
formal needs assessment.
● Collaboratively develops
an established plan of
service to address the
special needs for children,
families and caregivers to
include congregational
and pastoral support as
needed.
● Facilitates the
development and
maintenance of an
accurate up to date list of
community resources to
support children, families
and caregivers in need.
● Intentionally seeks out
and maintains an
established support
network of community
agencies, educators,
synodical resources, etc.
as appropriate to meet
the needs of students and
families.
● Facilitates a collaborative
process that builds the
capacity of the faculty,
staff and stakeholders to:
1. Continuously assess the
needs of children,
family and caregivers
(ongoing through both
informal and formal
means);
2. Continuously analyze
the results of needs
assessments and
ensure a proactive and
effective response that
meets the proactively
respond to needs of
children, families and
caregivers; and
3. Continuously seek out
and identify additional
resources to support
children, families and
caregivers in need
(spiritual, academic,
social, physical) and
evaluate their
appropriateness for the
needs of the school.
● Takes on a leadership role
with the congregation and
synod, community
agencies, area educators,
● Uses principal role to
proactively and
systematically foster
Christ-centered families
and supportive educative
environments.
state, synod, etc. as
appropriate, to actively
advocate for the needs of
children, families and
caregivers beyond one’s
own school.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
8.2 Acts to influence
congregational,
synodical, local, state
and national decisions
affecting student
learning in Lutheran
education
● Sees principal’s role
primarily as communicator
of updates about school
and faculty to
congregation and boards.
● Mostly makes decisions
independently, informing
boards of decisions.
● May seek to influence
congregational or
synodical decision making
on individual matters as
they arise.
● Rarely considers
influencing synodical, local
state, and national
decisions affecting student
learning in Lutheran
education.
● Does not maintain
membership in
professional organizations
and is unaware of one’s
own stand on educational
issues and the impact of
policies on Lutheran
education.
● Positively promotes the
school in a variety of ways
within the congregation.
● Serves as a resource to the
board to inform decision
making when asked.
● Intentionally attempts to
influence the boards’ and
congregational decisions
and shape policy on
specific issues that directly
impact the local school.
● Rarely provides
opportunities for
collaborative dialogue
amongst faculty and board
about educational issues
that have potential
implications for policy
changes in Lutheran
education.
● Attempts to maintain
membership in
professional organizations
that promote educational
policies that advance 21
st
century learning and
needs of Lutheran
education in an effort to
build principal’s
knowledge and awareness
of current issues.
● Creates a culture of school
awareness and advocacy
that results in broad
support among parents,
congregation members of
all ages whether they
utilize the school or not,
and community.
● Understands the decision
making process and
intentionally engages in
actions that influence
congregational synodical,
local state and national
decisions affecting student
learning in Lutheran
education.
● Recognizes the
responsibility to not only
serve as a board resource
but to also shape
educational policy issues
in a positive Christian way
that best serves the needs
of students.
● Maintains active
membership in
professional organizations
that promote educational
policies that advance 21
st
century learning and
needs of Lutheran
education.
● Fosters a self-sustaining
positive school image that
engages stakeholders to
initiate school advocacy
and decision-making.
● Models and promote
actions that influence
congregational synodical,
local state and national
decisions affecting student
learning in Lutheran
education.
● Builds the collective
capacity of the faculty and
staff to proactively
influence congregational
synodical, local state and
national decisions
affecting student learning
in Lutheran education.
● Maintains a leadership
role in professional
organizations that
promote educational
policies that advance 21
st
century learning and
needs of Lutheran
education.
● Builds the capacity of the
board, faculty and
stakeholders to lead
ongoing collaborative
discussions about
● Occasionally engages in
dialogue beyond the local
congregation regarding a
specific educational issue
affecting student learning
in Lutheran education at a
level.
● Promotes ongoing
collaborative discussions
amongst faculty and board
about educational issues
that have potential
implications for policy
changes in Lutheran
education.
educational issues that
have potential
implications for policy
changes in Lutheran
education and take action
as appropriate.
Element
Unaware Stage
Conscious Stage
Action Stage
Refinement Stage
8.3 Assesses, analyzes and
anticipates emerging
trends and initiatives in
order to develop
leadership strategies
● Maintains a culture of
status quo with little
attention to emerging
trends and issues in
education that may
impact the school.
● Lacks sufficient support
through either
administrative release
time or funding to permit
professional growth
necessary to build/gain
awareness of emerging
trends and issues in
education.
● Does not initiate
discussion related to
emerging trends and
issues in education with
faculty and board and as a
result discussion of such
issues is minimal or
nonexistent.
● Does not consider
emerging trends and
issues in the school’s long
range planning or budget.
● Prepares a ministry
development plan that
does not address or
attend to emerging trends
and issues in education
● Mainly seeks to introduce
change based on trends or
initiatives promoted by
other local schools or
special interest area(s) of
faculty or board rather
than an assessment and
analysis of what is most
beneficial to the school.
● Advocates for additional
time and funding to
permit greater awareness
of educational issues and
trends.
● Sometimes provides
opportunities for
collaborative dialogue
amongst faculty and board
about emerging trends
and initiatives and the
possible impact on the
school vision, goals and
budget.
● Prepares a ministry
development plan that
represents a reactive
approach to become
knowledgeable of already
existing practices rather
than proactively seeking a
broad knowledge/
understanding of
emerging trends, issues
● Regularly invests and
manages time in assessing
and analyzing emerging
trends and initiatives in
education to determine
impact on the school
community.
● Possesses and utilizes the
necessary time and
funding for professional
growth in areas of
emerging issues and
trends as outline in the
principal ministry plan.
● Collaboratively leads and
facilitates the change
process based on the
analysis of educational
trends.
● Establishes a process by
which emerging trends
and initiatives are
assessed and analyzed for
their potential impact on
the school community and
leadership actions
needed.
● Regularly utilizes a
network of local school
principals both public and
private (in addition to
WELS principals) to stay
abreast of emerging
● Creates and follows a
ministry development
plan that prioritizes the
need to invest and
manage time to
continuously assess,
analyze and anticipate
emerging trends and
initiatives in education
based on their impact and
alignment with best
practice research.
● Proactively leads,
facilitates and manages
the change process based
on the analysis of
educational trends, best
practice and school needs
to link campus initiatives
to sustainable results.
● Builds the continuous
capacity of all
stakeholders to support
change and continuous
improvement.
● Proactively leads and
facilitates a network of
local school principals and
peers to stay abreast of
emerging educational
trends and initiatives that
would impact the school.
and or best practice
research.
and initiatives in
education.
educational trends and
initiatives that would
impact the school.
● Intentionally creates a
school culture that
embraces continuous
improvement and
supports change.
● Creates and follows a
ministry development
plan that represents a
proactive approach to
obtaining a broad
knowledge and
understanding of
emerging trends and
issues that may impact the
school and their alignment
with best practice.
Glossary of Terms (Alphabetical Order)
Collective Learning and Application of Learning: Collective learning and application of learning is one of five dimensions of a professional learning
community as defined by Shirley Hord. (See http://www.sedl.org/pubs/change34/plc-cha34.pdf .) In professional learning communities, school personnel
work together to solve problems and improve learning opportunities. New knowledge and skills are developed together with ways to apply the new
learning to the work.
Continuous Improvement: Schools wishing to continuously improve over time may engage in a cycle of continuous improvement. This cycle of continuous
improvement utilizes the steps of data analysis, needs assessment, development of an improvement plan, implementation and monitoring of the plan.
(See http://www.tcdss.net/resources/tag/continuous_improvement for videos and guidance on step by step process within a framework.)
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD): In schools the term culturally and linguistically diverse is a term used most often for students enrolled as English
Language Learners. The term, CLD, is also broadly used to describe students from diverse social, cultural and economic backgrounds.
Distributive Leadership: Distributed leadership is the sharing and distributing or assigning of leadership practices. Some examples of distributive leadership
strategies may include principals empowering teachers through shared decision making, encouraging risk taking, and learning from mistakes.
Professional Learning Communities (PLC): A professional learning community, or PLC, is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and
works collaboratively to improve teaching skills resulting in increased student achievement . Schools or teaching faculties that use small-group collaboration
as a form of professional development are often referred to as PLCs. Shirley Hord, an expert on school leadership, came up with a description of the
strategy: “The three words explain the concept: Professionals coming together in a group—a community—to learn.” Hord conceptualizes PLCs as having
the following dimensions: supportive and shared leadership, collective learning and application of learning, shared personal practice, and supportive
conditions (structural and relational). http://www.sedl.org/pubs/change45/4.html
Quality Feedback: Teachers provide quality feedback to students on assignments/work when it includes the following characteristics: goal referenced;
tangible and transparent, actionable, user-friendly,timely, consistent, and ongoing. These characteristics of quality feedback were identified by Grant
Wiggins. See: Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven keys to effective feedback. Educational Leadership, 70(1), 10-16.
Tiered Instruction: Response to Intervention instructional models are designed to meet the needs of all learners through tiered instruction. Instruction is
organized into three tiers. The tiers are defined as follows: Tier 1 – high quality classroom instruction for all students; Tier 2 - targeted interventions for
students who are in need of extra assistance in addition to classroom instruction; and Tier 3 – intensive interventions for students who need extensive
additional support due to lack of progress with targeted interventions. Tier 3 may include those students with special needs.
WELSSA: Acronym for WELS School Accreditation. See: https://cls.welsrc.net/download-cls/welssa/
Selected Bibliography
Abrego, J. & Abrego, M. (2012). Response to intervention: A school improvement model. In A. Pankake, G. Schrotz & M. Littleton (Eds.), The administration
and supervision of special programs in education. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing.
Annenberg Institute for School Reform. (2005). Professional learning communities: Professional development strategies that improve instruction.
Providence, RI: Author. Retrieved from http://annenberginstitute.org/pdf/proflearning.pdf
Barth, R. (2006). Improving relationships in the schoolhouse. Educational Leadership, 63(6), 8-13.
Brewster, C. & Railsback, J. (2003). Building Trusting Relationships for School Improvement: Implications for Principals and Teachers. Northwest Regional
Educational Laboratory. Retrieved from http://educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/463
Brookhart, S.M. (2008). Feedback that fits. Educational Leadership 65(4), 54-59.
Bryk, A. S., & Schneider, B. (2002). Trust in schools: A core resource for improvement. New York, NY: Russell Sage.
Chirichello, M. (2008 September/October). Debunking myths about change. Principal, 88 (1), 28-32.
Collins, J. (2001). Good to great: Why some companies make the leap and others don’t. New York, NY: Harper Collins.
Cooper, C. W. (2009). Performing culture work in demographically changing schools: Implications for expanding transformative leadership frameworks.
Educational Administration Quarterly, 45(5), 694-724.
Danielson, C. (2013). The framework for teaching evaluation instrument. Retrieved from www.danielsongroup.org.
Danielson, C. (2012). Observing classroom practice. Educational Leadership, 70(3), 32-37.
Dean, C.B., Hubbell, E.R., Pitler, H. & Stone, B. (2012). Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement
(2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Dufour, R. (2015). How PLCs do data right. Educational Leadership. 73(3), 22-26.
DuFour, R., DuFour, R., Eaker, R., & Karhanek, G. (2004). Whatever it takes: How professional learning communities respond when kids don’t learn.
Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
DuFour, R., & Fullan, M. (2013). Cultures built to last: Making PLCs systemic. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.
DuFour, R., & Marzano, R. (2011). Leaders of learning: How district, school, and classroom leaders improve student achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution
Tree.
Fisher, D. & Fry, N. (2014, 2
nd
Edition). Checking for understanding: Formative assessment techniques for your classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Fullan, M. (2014). The principal: Three keys to maximizing impact. San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass.
Gabriel, J. G & Farmer, P. C. (2009.) Developing a Mission and Vision (Ch. 2) in How to Help Your School Thrive without breaking the bank. Alexandria, VA:
ASCD. Retrieved online: http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107042/chapters/Developing-a-Vision-and-a-Mission.aspx
Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Desimore, L., Birman, B. F., & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample
of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915-945.
Gonzalez, R., Pagan, M., Wendell, L. & Love C. (Eds.) (2011). Supporting ELL/culturally and linguistically diverse students for academic achievement.
Redford, NY: International Center for Educational Leadership.
Gordon, M. F., & Louis, K. S. (2009). Linking parent and community involvement with student achievement: Comparing principal and teacher perceptions of
stakeholder influence. American Journal of Education, 116(1), 1-31.
Grogan, M. (Editor). (2013). The Jossey Bass Reader on Educational Leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Gruenert, S. & Whitaker, T. (2015). School culture rewired: How to define assess and transform it. Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Hall, G. & Hord, S. (2015). Implementing change: Patterns, principles and potholes (4
th
ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Hall, P., Childs-Bowen, D., Cunningham-Morris, A. (2016). The principal influence: A framework for developing leadership capacity in principals.
Alexandria,VA: ASCD
Hallinger, P. (2011). Leadership for learning: Lessons from 40 years of empirical research. Journal of Educational Administration, 49(2), 125-142.
Halverson, R. (2010). School formative feedback systems. Peabody Journal of Education, 85(2), 130-146.
Halverson, R., Grigg, J., Prichett, R., & Thomas, C. (2007). The new instructional leadership: Creating data-driven instructional systems in school. Journal of
School Leadership, 17(2), 159-194.
Hattie, J. (2008). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. New York: Routledge.
Heineke, A.J. & McTighe, J. (2018). Using Understanding by design in the culturally and linguistically diverse classroom. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Herzberg, F. (2003). One more time: How do you motivate employees? Harvard Business Review, 81(1), p. 86-98.
Holcomb, E. (2017). Getting more excited about data. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press
Hord, S. M. (1997). Professional learning communities: Communities of continuous inquiry and improvement. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational
Development Lab.
Hoy, W. (2012). School characteristics that make a difference for the achievement of all students: A 40-year odyssey. Journal of Educational Administration,
50(1), 76-97.
Hoy, W.,K. & Feldman, J.A. (1987). Organizational health: The concept and its measure. Journal of Research and Development in Education. (20(4), 30-37.
Hoy, W. & Miskel, C. (2012.). Organizational Climate of schools in Educational administration: theory, research and practice (9
th
ed.), pp. 208-228. McGraw
Hill New York, N.Y.
Kirby, M. M., & DiPaola, M. F. (2011). Academic optimism and community engagement in urban schools. Journal of Educational Administration, 49(5), 542-
562.
Killion, J. & Hirsh, S. (2013). Investments in professional learning must change. Journal of Staff Development, 34(4), 10-20.
Kotter, J.P. (2012). Leading change. Watertown, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The leadership challenge (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Lambert, L. (2003). Leadership capacity for lasting school improvement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Lauersdorf, R.E. (1991). Personal Qualities of a Christian Leader. Paper presented at WELS Conference July 19, 1991, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Leithwood, K., Louis, K.S., Anderson, S., & Wahlstrom, K. (2004). How leadership influences student learning. New York, NY: The Wallace Foundation.
Leithwood, K., & Louis, K. S. (2012). Linking leadership to student learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Leithwood, K. A., & Riehl, C. (2005). What We Know about Successful School Leadership. Philadelphia, PA: Laboratory for student success, Temple
University.
Lencioni, P. (2002). Five Dysfunctions of a team: A leadership fable. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Louis, K. S. (2007). Trust and improvement in schools. Journal of Educational Change, 8(1), 1-24.
Louis, K., & Wahlstrom, K. (2011). Principals as cultural leaders. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(5), 52–56.
Lynch, E.W. & Hanson, M.J. (2011). Developing cross cultural competencies: A guide for working with children and their families. (4th ed.) Baltimore, MA:
Paul H. Brooks.
Marks, H. M., & Printy, S. M. (2003). Principal leadership and school performance: An integration of transformational and instructional leadership.
Educational Administration Quarterly, 39(3), 370-397.
Marshall, K. (2013). Rethinking teacher supervision and evaluation: How to work smart, build collaboration and close the achievement gap. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.
Marzano, R.J., Waters, T. & McNulty, B. (2005). School leadership that works: From research to results. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
May, H., & Supovitz, J. A. (2011). The scope of principal efforts to improve instruction. Educational Administration Quarterly, 47(2), 332-352.
Moll, L.C., Amanti, C., Neff, D., & Gonzalez, N. (1992). Funds of knowledge for teaching: Using a qualitative approach to connect homes and classrooms.
Theory into Practice, 31, 132 – 141.
Mc Ewan, E. ( 2003). Ten traits of highly effective principals: From good to great performance. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
McLaughlin, M. W., & Talbert, J. E. (2001). Professional communities and the work of high school teaching. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Mitchell, C., & Sackney, L. (2006). Building schools, building people: The school principal’s role in leading a learning community. Journal of School
Leadership, 16(5), 627-640.
Murphy, J., & Torre, D. (2014). Creating productive cultures in schools for students, teachers, and parents. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Murphy, J. (2011). Essential lessons for school leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
National Association of Elementary School Principals (2008). Leading learning communities: Standards for what principals should know and be able to do.
Reston, VA: Author.
National Association of Secondary School Principal (2014). Breaking ranks: 10 skills for successful school leaders. Reston, VA: Author.
Northouse, P.G. (2017). Introduction to Leadership Concepts and Practices. (4
th
ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Pankake, A. & Abrego, J. (2012). Building capacity: The foundation of developing others. In A. Pankake and E. Murakami-Ramalho (Eds.), Educational leaders
encouraging the intellectual and professional capacity of others: A social justice agenda. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Pankake, A. & Abrego, J. (2017). Lead with me: A principal’s guide to teacher leadership. 2
nd
Edition. New York, NY: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
Printy, S. M. (2008). Leadership for teacher learning: A community of practice perspective. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(2), 187-226.
Riehl, C. L. (2008). The principal’s role in creating inclusive schools for diverse students: A review of normative, empirical, and critical literature on the
practice of educational administration. Journal of Education, 189(1/2), 183-197.
Rubin, R., Abrego, M. H. & Sutterby, J.A. (2012). Engaging the families of ELLS: Ideas, resources and activities. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
Rubin, R., Abrego, M. H. & Sutterby, J.A. (2015). Less is more in elementary school: Strategies for thriving in a high stakes environment. New York, NY: Taylor
and Francis.
Scherer, Marge (Ed.) (2003). Keeping good teachers. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Sebastian, J., & Allensworth, E. (2012). The influence of principal leadership on classroom instruction and student learning: A study of mediated pathways to
learning. Educational Administration Quarterly, 48(4), 626-663.
Sergiovanni, T.J., Starratt, R.J. & Cho, V. (2014). Supervision: A redefinition (4th ed..). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Sheninger, E. (2014). Digital leadership: Changing Paradigms for changing times. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Joyce, B., & Showers, B. (2002). Student achievement through staff development (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Smylie, M. A. (2010). Continuous school improvement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Sorenson, R., Goldsmith, L.M., Mendez, L. & Maxwell, K.T. (2011). The principal’s guide to curriculum leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sorenson, R.D. & Goldsmith, L. (2017). The principal’s guide to school budgeting (3
rd
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Spillane, J. P., Halverson, R., & Diamond, J. S. (2001). Investigating school leadership practice: A distributed perspective. Educational Researcher, 30(3), 23-
28.
Stoll, L., Bolam, R., McMahon, A., Wallace, M., & Thomas, S. (2006). Professional learning communities: A review of the literature. Journal of Educational
Change, 7(4), 221-258.
Supovitz, J. (2002). Developing communities of instructional practice. Teachers College Record, 104(8), 1591-1626.
Supovitz, J., Sirinides, P., & May, H. (2010). How principals and peers influence teaching and learning. Educational Administration Quarterly, 46(1), 31-56.
Sullivan, S. and Glanz, J. (2014) Supervision that improves teaching and learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Texas Education Agency. (2006). School technology and readiness: A teacher tool for planning and self assessing. Austin, TX:Author. Retrieved from:
https://tea.texas.gov/starchart/.
Thapa, A., Cohen, J., Guffey, S., & Higgins-D’Alessandro, A. (2013). A review of school climate research. Review of Educational Research, 83(3), 357-385.
Tomlinson, C. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners (2
nd
ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD
Tschannen-Moran, M., & Gareis, C. R. (2015). Faculty trust in the principal: An essential ingredient in high-performing schools. Journal of Educational
Administration, 53(1), 66-92.
Valdes, G.. (1996). Con respecto: Bridging the differences between culturally diverse families and schools: An ethnographic portrait. New York, NY: Teachers
College Press.
Wallace Foundation. (2013). The school principal as leader: Guiding schools to better teaching and learning. New York, NY: Author.
Warren, M., Hong, S., Rubin, C., & Uy, P. (2009). Beyond the bake sale: A community-based relational approach to parent engagement in schools. Teachers
College Record, 111(9), 2209-2254.
Waters, J. T., Marzano, R. J., & McNulty, B. A. (2003). Balanced leadership: What 30 years of research tells us about the effect of leadership on student
achievement. Aurora, CO: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning.
Wayman, J. C., & Stringfield, S. (2006). Data use for school improvement: School practices and research perspectives. American Journal of Education,
112(4), 463-468.
Wenner, J.A. & Campbell, T. (2017). The theoretical and empirical basis of teacher leadership: An empirical review. Review of Educational Research, 87(1),
134-171.
Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven keys to effective feedback. Educational Leadership, 70(1), 10-16.
York-Barr, J., & Duke, K. (2004). What do we know about teacher leadership? Findings from two decades of scholarship. Review of Educational Research,
74(3), 255-316.
Youngs, P., & King, M. B. (2002). Principal leadership for professional development to build school capacity. Educational Administration Quarterly, 38(5),
643-670.
