Mott Hall II Positive External Environment Audit

There is a middle school in New York City called Mott Hall II, located at 1260 Franklin Avenue. Due to a lack of available classroom space, the school can only accept a maximum of 400 students at any time. Registration, however, is only at 395 pupils; therefore, this potential is not being met. The New York State Board of Regents has authorized a nonprofit to manage the school on behalf of the State Education Department. The City of New York’s Department of Education does not control the school’s budget or administration (NYDOE). The school was given a five-year charter on June 27, 2011—five years after its official inception. The charter was reaffirmed for another three years, bringing the new expiration date to March 30, 2022. The institution is now negotiating a charter renewal for a further three years. Income earned by the institution is exempt from federal income taxation according to the provisions of Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c) (3). Since the school is not for profit, it does not have to provide tax information in its financial reports. It is safe to say that when it comes to ethnic and linguistic diversity, Mott Hall II is the best bet in the District. The school’s policy of welcoming pupils of all racial and ethnic origins enriches the educational experience for all students. High levels of cooperation between parents and teachers contribute to positive student results.

The School and Neighborhood

Descriptive Analysis Regarding Current External Environment

Widespread socioeconomic disparities are one of the most noticeable problems in metropolitan communities, notably in the public schools in New York City. These disparities may either be widened by the educational system or eradicated. Administrators, legislators, and other stakeholders in New York City’s public schools have tried to address these disparities for decades. Despite progress in this area, there are still major inequalities in the state’s population. To put it simply, New York City is one of the most populated megalopolises in the whole country. Consequently, the student body is more likely to reflect a wide range of ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic compositions (“NYU Steinhardt,” 2022). Since public schools are more likely to enroll children from low-income and culturally diverse homes, they are more likely to have a population that is disadvantaged by these factors. Most of these children will be linguistic minorities, including English language learners (ELLs), who face unique challenges in the classroom. Private schools, on the other hand, tend to outperform public ones since most of their pupils come from affluent, less diverse homes. People who are not immigrants are more likely to be fluent in English, which helps teachers run smoother classes. There are almost 1,800 schools in New York, with an estimated 1.1 million pupils attending them (“NYU Steinhardt,” 2022). Educators and school administrators have unique challenges when dealing with large student populations. Increased student engagement is one way in which diversity benefits education. By sharing their perspectives and learning from one another, students from different cultural backgrounds become more empathetic and skilled in meeting the needs of people from all walks of life.

Positive External Environment Elements

The Mott Hall II does not seek financial gain. Therefore, it is not subject to federal income tax. Thus, the majority of the tax-free funding for the school comes from federal and state subsidies. In addition, these schools are free from sector-specific rules that might impede success, allowing them to concentrate on principle-based models that improve student results. Transgender and gender-nonconforming pupils in the state are guaranteed a secure educational setting according to state regulations. That means these pupils are more likely to be able to study in safe, welcoming spaces free from bias. In addition, each year, the state’s education administration sends out questionnaires to parents asking for their thoughts on their children’s academic progress at various schools. As a result of this poll, parents may learn about their children’s schools’ racial and ethnic makeup, their pupils’ test scores, reading comprehension, and arithmetic aptitude. With this knowledge, parents may make educated decisions that are in their children’s best interests. Organizational results improve when parents are given the option to enroll their children in public schools that cater to their ethnic and cultural preferences.

External Threats

In most of the country’s public schools, the financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 epidemic were substantial. Despite recent improvements, New York state public schools continue to struggle due to a lack of funding after many sponsors were compelled to cut ties. In addition, the government had to provide funds to meet the medical needs of its pupils. Because of these obstacles, public schools like Mort Hall II cannot get more money from municipal initiatives. With New York City being one of the most populous places in the nation, the state of New York also has some of the highest rates of crime and insecurity. Recent mass shootings in Brooklyn, Mount Vernon, and Buffalo are a sobering reminder that New York is still struggling with safety issues (Munson, 2022). In most school shootings, just a few pupils are involved. However, more than just the victims, all of the pupils may learn from what they went through. Those in the school community who witness or participate in a shooting are at increased risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Experiencing such emotional turmoil may have a significant impact on academic success. Because of the varied student body, schools like Mort Hall II are more prone to suffer shooting threats. Due to the absence of expert involvement, most kids may have long-lasting unfavorable responses.

Top Priority

Mott Hall II should collaborate with other groups to fund school and curricular development. Most of the school’s pupils come from disadvantaged socioeconomic situations that are less able to provide for their children’s educational requirements. In light of this, school leaders must take swift action to restore normal operations. Conversely, security risks from mass shootings may call for long-term consequences to maintain adequate student safety. Even though New York State has among the strongest gun laws in the country, the city’s insecurity is a result of the numerous legal gray areas. Administrators should cooperate with state lawmakers to draft laws that effectively deter these behaviors and boost kids’ self-esteem.

Trends and the Present Situation

Housing Data

The New York Mayor’s Office Report (2017) found that the state of New York has a total of 3.45 million dwellings. Only 33% of the dwellings are located on privately owned property, while the remaining 67% are leased (Mott Hall II, 2022). Half or more of New York City’s renters spend at least a third of their earnings on housing costs, while a similar percentage spend upwards of the half on rent. New Yorkers, in 2017, spent an average of $1,450 per month on rent and utilities. For the whole state, the vacancy rate in 2017 was 3.63 percent, much below the 5 percent figure mandated by law (New York Mayor’s Office Report, 2017) and indicative of tight housing markets. Based on these numbers, there are around 79,190 unoccupied dwellings in a metropolis, with a total of 2.2 million.

Statistics of Households

Seven hundred thirty-nine thousand one hundred ninety-seven people were living in New York’s 3rd Congressional District in 2020, as reported by the United States Census Bureau (51.4% female and 48.6% male). Sixty-four percent of the population identifies as white Americans. Although there are a significant number of black residents (3%), Asian residents (19.5%), and Native American residents (0.3%), the District is home to people of many different cultural backgrounds. Twelve percent of the city’s population is Hispanic, making them the second biggest ethnic group in the area. It is estimated that between immigration and births, the city’s population grows by 0.71 percent per year. It is estimated that the typical household income in New York’s Third Congressional District is $123,412, which is much greater than the federal and state poverty thresholds. It is estimated that households earn a median income of $107.000 per year. Since most locals have jobs, inhabitants enjoy more significant median salaries than in most other U.S. states.

Residential Educational Levels and Crime Statistics

The District has a 54.4% average college graduation rate. Many people in the state are also believed to complete their high school studies, with an average high school graduation rate of 92.9% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019). Consequently, most residents are known to complete their middle school education, implying that Mart Hall II is essential to the state’s education system. New York state continues to record increasing crimes since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The number of murder cases in the state has risen steadily over the past four years. However, these figures remain lower than the crime rate mortalities experienced about 30 years ago when the U.S. government launched an attack against illegal drug businesses in the country (Akinnibi & Wahid, 2022). Despite the surge in crime rates, the state government has responded by enacting strict policies to curb future insecurity incidents across the state.

Social Amenities and Commercial Districts

The largest concentration of schools, hospitals, business areas, and worship centers in the United States may be found in New York Metropolis, the most populated city in the country. More than 1,800 state schools educate over 1.1 million children (“NYU Steinhardt,” 2022). The World Bank and the United Nations both call this city home, making it a worldwide powerhouse in the financial sector. Moreover, the state’s high immigration rates have contributed to a rich religious mosaic.

The State and Region

Current Political Climate and Political Opportunities

Since the elections of 1988, Democrats have held statewide office in New York. Approximately 68% of the state’s registered voters are assumed to be Democrats, giving the party sway over most state posts. In part because of this population’s wide range of backgrounds, the state has been able to wield considerable political clout in the U.S. and beyond. Kathleen Hochul, running for governor on the Democratic ticket, was victorious in the 2021 election (Reisman, 2022). As a result, there is a greater possibility of state cooperation with President Biden’s agenda. Additionally, with the Democratic Party in control, the state is less prone to see political squabbles that might derail educational initiatives. Republicans in New York’s state assembly have established a task committee to investigate how school violence affects students’ security. The task committee is supposed to come up with suggestions on how to fix the problem so that kids have a better place to study (Reisman, 2022). As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the state administration has also promised an increase in financing for K-12 education and the streamlining of educational programs. Online learning and other academic enhancement initiatives are anticipated to benefit from these funds. I think the state provides a good atmosphere for education.

Mott Hall II and the Role of Policy

By making it easier to administer the personalized education program, which is projected to enhance student experiences, the boost in state funds could improve conditions for students in Mott Hall II. 77% of the student population is members of ethnic minorities, many of whom may not have ready access to educational resources (Mott Hall II, 2022). The school-safety task group will develop new regulations to boost students’ faith in the classroom, which will have a positive effect on their performance. The majority of Mott Hall II students come from low-income families and are unable to pay for their academic programs fully. Therefore, they must depend on government funding and nonprofit organizations’ support to carry out their missions. Given the state’s cultural richness, it is likely that many pupils will be ESL/EFL students who need extra help in the classroom.

Intercultural Climate, Trends, and Current Status

New York has a sizable immigrant population, earning it the moniker “cultural capital” of the world. With its inhabitants speaking more than 800 languages, this state boasts the most cultural variety of any in the globe. Despite having a predominantly white population, most of its citizens are of Irish, Jewish, and Italian ancestry. Although whites and blacks still comprise most of the state’s population, Asian and Hispanic Americans make up a significant fraction. The bulk of the students at Mott Hall II is from low-income households. Therefore, they are less likely to invest in young people’s education. These folks are also preoccupied with economic issues, which results in limited parental involvement in their children’s education. Children from these homes are thus disproportionately affected by academic challenges. According to data on New York’s rental market, most families spend more than 30% of their income on housing expenses. These findings suggest that families are less likely to raise their child’s higher education expenses. Less money may be spent on the diet and health of the kids, which might interfere with their capacity to study.

Internal Environment Audit of Mott Hall II

Conceptualization, Design, and Implementation of Organizational, Physical, and Technological Features

Mott Hall II is a middle school that houses pupils in grades 6, 7, and 8. The school and PS 165 share a historic building on the fourth and fifth levels. The classrooms are well-lit because of the building’s high ceiling. With the three-year charter the school was granted in 2021; it can now accommodate slightly more than 400 kids. Despite this, there are now 395 pupils enrolled at the institution. With such a high percentage, it is safe to assume that most classes are at or near full. When more than 62% of students originate from economically disadvantaged homes, it might strain a school’s ability to provide enough support for each of them (Mott Hall II, 2022). Several kids transferred from PS 165, which had served grades PK-8 but is now just for grades PK-5. In addition to a well-defined corporate structure, the school’s administration and employees each have well-defined responsibilities. There is a straightforward procedure in place within the educational system that helps ensure the smooth rollout of new initiatives.

Improving students’ technical and computational abilities is another priority at Mott Hall II. Hence, they utilize the Scholastic Reading Inventory to place pupils in the Read 180 curriculum. Many students at the school are still learning English; therefore, it is essential that this program succeeds in helping them become proficient readers and writers. In order to make place for new students with lower levels of computer literacy, the program phases out pupils who achieve computer competence. More than 63% of kids were projected to have basic computer abilities by the end of 2021, indicating massive technology enrolment in the educational system.

Students Community

Since 2014, student enrollment has increased, filling Matt Hall II. For 2014–2017, the school might admit 315 students. Despite consistent capacity, enrollment has steadily increased. One hundred ninety-one students enrolled in 2015. 2016 had 247 more learners than 2015. 2017. Three hundred ninety-five pupils is a considerable rise from the previous maximum and actual enrollment levels. Enrollment rises when a school’s charter is extended, signaling a significant investment in new buildings. Recent research reveals that most Matt Hall II students are ethnic minorities. Whites make up approximately 23% of pupils, which is low for a white-majority country. Hispanic students dominate Mott Hall II (“Mott Hall Ii,” 2022). 42.3% of students are in this category. 26.3% of pupils are African-American. This school’s minority population is less than 10%.

Personnel, Academics, and Administration

The student-teacher ratio at Matt Hall II is 14:1, with 29 full-time instructors (“Mott Hall II,” 2022). Additionally, the instructors’ many ethnic origins demonstrate the organization’s ethnic and cultural diversity. Prior charters prompted organizational modifications such as increasing teaching personnel and reorganizing the school administration to meet the demands of a variety of students. Some of the noteworthy developments during this time were marked by the promotion of the assistant principal to the position of new principal in 2016. According to the organizational structure, the principal has immediate access to eight different kinds of reports. These reports offer information on students’ socioemotional health and preparation for college. These modifications were made in order to provide the principal with a thorough overview of the institution.

Additionally, the staffing approach was changed to include co-teaching with more supporting staff who provide tailored education for kids with disabilities and students with varied skills and gifts. The school also provides coaching services with the goal of creating a one-support paradigm that integrates different elements of the education program (NYSED RSVR, 2017). The majority of educators and auxiliary personnel assert that kids, particularly those with special needs, benefit from the co-teaching approach because they have more time to develop their interests and skills. The Danielson teaching approach serves as the foundation for their career and coaching growth. Teachers contend that the organization offers beneficial professional development opportunities and coaching that enhances their classroom instruction.

The institution, however, has challenges with low rates of teacher satisfaction and retention. In order to recruit and retain more teachers, the school board was compelled to implement an incentive scheme and raise pay rates. The school reported a 70% employee retention in 2017, which was seen to be an increase above the 40% retention rate from the prior year (NYSEDRSVR, 2017). More than half of the instructors have less than a year of experience now, which highlights the organization’s significant turnover rates. Teachers work with parents and the community to support children’s academic growth and socioemotional health in the classroom. Administrators and educators encourage parents and the community to participate actively by using multilingual outreach communication strategies such as conferences and newsletters. The educational staff contends that because parents want to make sure their kids are developing advanced abilities in the curriculum, they value ongoing communication on students’ success in such interactions.

Academic Performance

Weighted average English and mathematics results at Mott Hall II have risen over the previous five years, although they remain below the state norm in English and somewhat above in mathematics. According to 2016 state statistics, just 16% of Mott Hall II pupils were at or above basic in English Language Arts. This is a significant increase from 2015’s 9%, although it is still 3% below the district average and 22% below the state average. Mott Hall II found that just 16% of students in the United States were mathematically adept in 2016. A rise from 6% in 2014 is still two points shy of the district average of 14% and 23 percentage points short of the state average of 39% in 2016.

According to 2017’s first academic evaluations, Mott Hall II did not meet most of the Board of Regents’ expectations, as detailed in the Charter School Performance Framework. According to these test scores, the school’s English language arts (ELA) and mathematics proficiency levels are below the state’s mean and benchmark levels. In mathematics, however, they performed somewhat better than the regional average. Low-income and disabled students also had averages below the District’s and state’s expectations. Students taking the exam in English had higher scores in all subjects except mathematics. This statistic, however, has been steadily rising in recent years. According to the school’s comparison report from 2016, the school’s proficiency rates are 6 percentage points above the national average for modern institutions. The school’s low performance relative to district and state norms has caused widespread alarm among its constituents. High worker turnover has made it difficult for the organization to function at full capacity. Most of the faculty are new teachers without a wide range of expertise in education administration, leading to considerably lower average test results.

Figure 1: Mott Hall II School Student Demographics compared to the School District (Source: https://nyccharterschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MottHall.pdf)

Figure 2: Mott Hall II Averages Compared to District and State Averages (Source: https://nyccharterschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MottHall.pdf)

The Psychological and Social Environment of the School

Matt Hall II employs a wide range of strategies to control student conduct. This strategy includes a formal policy, rewards for good conduct, and initiatives to foster strong character. The school has stricter disciplinary measures than other New York City schools. The school consolidated its guidance and socioemotional services departments to create a more all-encompassing approach to managing student conduct. Plans for behavior charts were posted on classroom boards during the visit. The RISE model is another stakeholder tool to encourage good student conduct (Mott Hall II Visit, 2019). Students may earn points for good conduct and exchange those points for prizes like t-shirts and water bottles. RISE assemblies are another way of showing students that their good conduct is valued and appreciated.

Additionally, owing to the low incidence of bullying, most parents think that the school offers pupils a pleasant learning environment. To encourage open communication, the faculty dean promotes many procedures within the institution. This environment offers a better platform for reporting student bullying events. Mott Hall II also incorporates socioemotional development and needs screening and assessment techniques, such as the BASC-3. The findings of the BASC-3 testing are then used to create IEPs for kids to promote academic improvement (Mott Hall II Visit, 2019). Additionally, the school counseling staff conducts socioemotional assessments of all children at the start and conclusion of the academic year. This data is utilized to evaluate the program’s efficacy and motivate constructive changes.

Innovative Methods and Initiatives

In an effort to grow its faculty and student body, the institution has adopted several cutting-edge initiatives. For instance, the institution hosts community outreach programs aimed at local residences. The purpose of these gatherings is to promote interest in Mott Hall II and its many advantages. In order to get a large number of people to sign up for the school’s lottery program, road shows and other forms of advertising are sometimes used. Moreover, the institution regularly reviews and adjusts its admissions policies to welcome students from various socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. To reduce teacher turnover, the institution has implemented compensation improvements such as bonus pay and wage increases for teachers. This strategy also seeks talented teachers and administrators to assist the school catch up in subjects where it is behind regional and national norms. Positive behaviors are reinforced through the school’s reward system, and disruptive students are discouraged.

Associates

Mott Hall II collaborates with several local and international organizations to enhance student growth in the classroom. For instance, the institution collaborates with Global Cities Inc. to assist students’ e-learning experiences within the classroom (“Partnerships,” n.d.). This group focuses on kids between the ages of 10 and 13, most of whom attend middle schools. Due to the large percentage of pupils from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, Mott Hall II purchases technological tools to support its students’ computer instruction. Additionally, the school collaborates with Runaway Art to encourage 7th-grade students to learn about colonial slavery. This group distributes colonial slave advertisements that teach children about the history of emancipation and colonial servitude in the South (“Partnerships,” n.d.). To gain knowledge about the subject, students choose an advertisement and create a visual depiction of it.

Curriculum Snapshot

Descriptive Analysis

Mott Hall II curriculum is developed by teachers and follows the NYSLS and the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. The English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum in many schools is developed with the help of Engage NY and other collegiate readings (Mott Hall II Visit, 2020). However, G.O. Math software is often used to create math lessons, providing educators with various teaching methods. While designing lessons during my internship, I saw firsthand how instructors used tools, including lesson plans, inquiry themes, state standards, learning goals, and age-appropriate terminology. The instructors also planned the sequence of all classroom activities at different lecture stages. In addition, the administration team got together once a week to review and approve lesson plans (Mott Hall II Visit, 2020). Assistant principals in the fields of mathematics, physics, and the humanities all attended these sessions and gave their stamp of approval to the lessons designed to help pupils develop higher-level cognitive skills.

The school also had horizontal alignment team meetings with participation from educators from every grade level. To make sure that all disciplines employed the same ELA standards among students in the same grade, teachers additionally boosted their literacy emphasis and enhanced their horizontal alignments by updating their reading pace rules (Mott Hall II Visit, 2019). The instructional project team also noted that over the summer break, vertical alignment was completed by all subject teams. The Bachelor in MYP and Understanding of Design frameworks are two other vertical alignment approaches. Additionally, I saw little differences in group teaching utilizing graphic organizers, impressions, and tasks. English and Spanish were used to provide the curriculum, meeting the school’s broad language demands (Mott Hall II Visit, 2020). For kids in general education, students with special needs, and English language learners, lesson teaching is often differentiated. The Bachelor in MYP curriculum, which defines several skills-development exercises in the classroom, also caters to advanced pupils.

Additionally, the school provides diagnostic exams to children to determine their strengths and requirements. The outcomes of these evaluations are utilized to create a Multi-Tiered Support System (MTSS) that will enable students with physical and developmental problems to connect with teaching as much as possible (Mott Hall II Visit, 2019). Additionally, this method ensures that gifted kids can develop their academic abilities without being hindered by pupils with special needs. Additionally, the school has a Student Support Team (SST) that evaluates the behavioral and academic needs of the kids. Mott Hall II may identify kids who might need further assessments thanks to these methods. The team then works with the Committee for Special Education (CSE) to evaluate and cater to various student requirements.

The majority of the instructors at the school acknowledged that they added academic rigor to their lesson plans to help more students achieve their objectives. Most of the instructors said that their lesson plans followed the institution’s high teaching criteria. The manner each kid looked to be participating in class activities varied. In order to enhance student growth, the instructional leadership team stressed the need for data-driven classroom teaching. The instructor used strategies including formative and summative evaluations. Exit tickets, standard examinations, performance-based assessments, and mock state exams were some tools used to evaluate students (Mott Hall II Visit, 2019). After the class, exit tickets were distributed as a summative evaluation to guide the teaching the following day. In order to match the student’s learning rate, teachers were compelled to modify their teaching depending on the lesson from the day before. The instructors also employed diagnostic exams to assess various student requirements throughout the session.

Additionally, the instructors said that every six weeks, they did quantitative and qualitative studies on student performance data. Grade-level teams and assistant principals from various departments in the school administered these questionnaires. Multi-tiered differentiation tactics were created using this data to improve students’ academic performance in the classroom, (Mott Hall II Visit, 2019). In addition to frequent meetings, the school leadership teams revealed that instructors get professional assistance in applying the ORID framework for intelligent data analysis techniques.

The administration supports school-wide decision-making processes by using surveys that collect both qualitative and quantitative data. They made the case that these data-driven studies, which aimed to evaluate the skills and needs of diverse pupils in the school, led to the Saturday academy and literacy initiatives. The school’s management also hires a special education director, who keeps an eye on the execution of individualized education plans (IEPs) to ensure that all academic objectives are achieved. According to the special education coordinator, a language therapist comes to the school twice a week for kids who need speech treatment (Mott Hall II Visit, 2019). Performance performances are often compared to state benchmarks to track a student’s growth in relation to other pupils throughout the state. Teachers from special learning and general education often get together throughout the week to prepare lessons, coordinate classroom activities, and make sure that every student’s requirements are met.

Focus Areas

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

Multiple expert groups inside the school are committed to improving academic achievement. Instructional leadership teams highly value data-driven classroom teaching in an effort to improve student outcomes. Every six weeks, instructors analyzed qualitative and quantitative data on student achievement. Teams from each grade level and vice principals from different departments conducted the surveys. Based on these findings, teachers developed strategies for using multi-level differentiation in the classroom to boost students’ academic performance (Mott Hall II Visit, 2020). The school administration teams have shown that, in addition to holding regular meetings, they provide teachers with expert guidance as they use the ORID framework for data analysis.

Individualized Education Program (IEP) implementation is monitored by a special education coordinator, whom the school employs to ensure that all learning objectives are met. The special education coordinator claims that a language therapist attends the school twice weekly to work with the children who need it most. Accordingly, the school administration must diversify the duties of the student support team (SST) to allow the SST to undertake cultural background evaluations that will aid in making informed decisions. Culture may either be a barrier to or an asset to a student’s education, and these groups will work to determine which it is and then make suggestions to the school administration.

Weaknesses

Because of the wide range of pupils’ cultural origins, teachers at this school may face some interesting problems. Teachers may spend too much time planning lessons and not enough time assessing students’ progress. Furthermore, parent-teacher communication gaps may be a problem when students come from various cultural backgrounds. To provide regular instructors more time to concentrate on student growth, the school management should expand the size of the instructional team to accommodate a variety of kids’ requirements.

Opportunities

Mott Hall II partners with institutions all across the world to help students learn more and become more well-rounded. For instance, the institution partners with companies like Global Cities Inc. to improve students’ use of e-learning and other digital tools in the classroom (“Partnerships,” n.d.). Middle school students make up the bulk of this age range’s target demographic. Because there are many children from low-income backgrounds at Mott Hall II, the school has invested in new technology to improve computer education for its students. In order to teach 7th-grade students about colonial slavery, the school has partnered with Runaway Art. This organization has been spreading old slave advertising to schools to teach kids about slavery in the American South and the fight for freedom. Consequently, the school should expand its partnerships with local organizations to enhance its pedagogical practices and meet the requirements of all students.

Threats

New York State has one of the country’s largest populations and has one of the worst crime rates and insecurity. Recent mass shootings at schools in Brooklyn, Mount Vernon, and Buffalo demonstrate that safety issues persist throughout the state (Munson, 2022). The victims of these shootings often are not a substantial percentage of the student body. However, not only the direct victims are affected by their experiences, but all students. Educators and students directly exposed to such violence are at a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Students’ academic performance may suffer if they experience this kind of worry. Counselors at schools should maintain consistent contact with at-risk pupils to help them maintain stress-free academic routines.

Analyzing and Reflecting on Leadership Style

This data-driven audit session was really helpful in teaching me new management techniques for classroom management that I will use in my future career as a school principal. It dawned on me that many decisions made by school administrators like principals and school administrators need audits based on data. The principal of a school needs a bird’s-eye perspective of classroom operations so they can make smart judgments about how to improve instruction. For instance, the administrator could learn that their student body represents a wide range of ethnicities, necessitating sensitivity training for all faculty members. To illustrate, let us say that Mott Hall II principal found out that the number of English speakers and Spanish speakers is about equal. As a result, the headmaster decided to hire several Spanish-speaking interpreters to help with the class—this method guaranteed that Spanish-speaking pupils were given the same possibilities for academic success as their English-speaking peers.

I also learned that I had excellent teaching techniques. My classroom management techniques, however, performed worse than the school average. I must do more benchmark assessments as a consequence if I want to enhance my student management abilities. For instance, I discovered that my talents are inferior to those of most of my Mott Hall II colleagues. This audit taught me that improving student achievement in the classroom involves close coordination and strong collaborative abilities. I learned that Mott Hall II instructors often got together to perform horizontal curriculum alignment in order to support standardized instructional language techniques. Additionally, instructors discussed their observations of the classroom, which helped them identify certain student behaviors and needs. Together, they created instructional methodologies to meet those demands universally.

I also discovered that one of the responsibilities of school leaders is task delegation. All of the instructors at Mott Hall II were divided into several teams, each of which had a specific role to play in the educational system. For instance, to find gaps and suggest potential improvement tactics, the instructional team analyzes instructional strategies employed in the classroom. Additionally, we maintained a student support staff that kept track of students’ progress and offered assistance as needed. To minimize educational gaps that can impede student growth, these teams optimized service delivery throughout the school. I was able to overcome several obstacles that prevented the data-driven audit from proceeding. For instance, school authorities’ fears about data privacy breaches prevented me from seeing student indiscipline statistics. The majority of administrators worry that sloppy report-sharing procedures may result in legal repercussions owing to litigation brought about by privacy breach worries. This procedure may also damage the school’s standing in the neighborhood, frightening away the majority of parents and children.

I think that by gaining a broad perspective of how schools are operated, I got closer to the position of being a school-building leader. In addition to successful management techniques like the formation of different specialties that can be used to gather information and promote data-informed decision-making processes, I learned about some of the difficulties instructors encounter in the classroom. I also learned how social and political variables might affect students’ success in the classroom. Through this initiative, I was also made aware of diversity, equality, and community concerns that may come up in educational settings. For instance, I discovered that depending on how the school addresses the problem, diversity might be both a beneficial and a bad element. Through greater cross-cultural contacts that promote overall student development, schools that value diversity encourage various skills.

References

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Munson, E. (2022, May 26). New York has had 76 school shooting incidents since 1971. Here’s what they show us. Retrieved from Times Union website: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/New-York-has-had-76-school-shooting-incidents-17198951.php

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Partnerships | Mott Hall Charter, Bronx NY. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2022, from Mott Hall Charter website: https://www.motthallcs.org/partnerships

Projects | Equity, Access, and Diversity in NYC Schools | NYU Steinhardt. (2022). Retrieved from steinhardt.nyu.edu website: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/research-alliance/research/projects/equity-access-and-diversity-nyc-schools

Reisman, N. (2022, October 14). Education | N.Y. State of Politics. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from nystateofpolitics.com website: https://nystateofpolitics.com/state-of-politics/new-york/education

U.S. Census Bureau. (2019). QuickFacts: New York City, New York. Retrieved from Census Bureau QuickFacts website: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/newyorkcitynewyork