Education Commons^™

Starting A Charter School In Benton Harbor, Michigan, Donald W. Pearson

Masters Theses

This project investigates the process of starting a public school academy (i.e., charter school) in Benton Harbor, Michigan and completing the authorizing application. The dynamics of the project is documented in four phases. The first is the inquiry phase which is identifying, clarifying and documenting the problem. Phase two is designing a comprehension strategy in response to the problem. The third phase is implementing, creating and submitting a viable application for authorization to an educational institution and which is to be submitted to the Michigan State Department of Education for a charter school grant. The last phase of the project …

Climbing Into The Ivory Tower: A Look At Administrative Perspectives On Sexual Assault On The College Campus, Tasha Nichole Turner

Masters Theses

This study examines the attitudes of administrators about sexual violence on campus, as well as their knowledge of disciplinary policies and procedures to prevent and redress rape and sexual assault on campuses. This study begins the discussion about how administrators understand their current policies as well as the attitudes that may affect their understandings. I use Thematic Analysis to analyze responses to a series of open-ended questions surveying participants on their attitudes towards their universities policy and procedures for handling sexual assault. Findings suggest that the participants have overwhelming confidence in the established policies, the extent of their knowledge of …

Superintendent Leadership And School Governance Performance, Ronald Drzewicki

Masters Theses

This action research project examined the link between school board governance and effective school district operation. In particular, the link between superintendent leadership, board of education professional development, and community support was studied. The three-year project focused on positive board-superintendent relations and effective board governance. The goals of the project were to establish roles, responsibilities, and procedures for board relations, improve the public image of the school district, improve evaluation systems of school programs, and develop and communicate a district mission and vision. The project documented improvement in community support in multiple areas.

The Leadership Style Of An Administrator: Influence On Teachers' Willingness To Implement Selected Instructional Strategies, Brenda Lopez Martinez

Masters Theses

This project examined an elementary public school principal with regard to their leadership style and how it influences classroom culture or climate. A 45- questionnaire was administered to one principal in a public school setting and a classroom survey instrument was administered to nine teachers in his building.

Significant findings based on literature in this project indicated a transformational leader was more inclined to support teachers and utilize different instructional modalities than a principal whose leadership style is transactional. The teacher survey collected data from teachers' perception about their administrator across different instructional domains. The researcher utilized statistical means to …

A Superintendent's Guide To A Successful Bond Proposal, Scott D. Mollenberndt

Masters Theses

For most school districts it has become increasingly difficult to gain voter support for bond referendums. In addition, there is little information available for the superintendent and board of education to reference when considering a bond campaign in their community.

In response to these concerns, "A Superintendent's Guide to a Successful Bond Proposal" was developed to provide campaign strategies, timelines and a sequential list of events for the superintendent to consider. Examples of campaign strategies employed by the Edwardsburg Public Schools, Edwardsburg, Michigan during their successful bond referendum are included as appendices throughout the guidebook.

Through this research, seven essential …

Avoiding Pitfalls In Administrative Internships, M. Scott Korpak

Masters Theses

Educational leaders and researchers are concerned about the number of qualified candidates for school leadership positions (Tracy, G. & Weaver, C. 2000). In response to this need, many school districts are promoting administrative internships. Through this project, the author sought to learn more about the following challenges: What does the current research literature say about administrative internships, and what are some of the common pitfalls that administrative interns face, especially in the area of journal preparation and the corresponding guidelines of the Human Subject Institutional Review Board.

Through this project, recommendations were formulated for future interns and their advisors. Common …

A Decision-Making Model For Adding, Revising, And Terminating Vocational/Occupational Programs At The Van Buren Vocational-Technical Center, James R. Allen

Masters Theses

This project for the Van Buren Vocational-Technical Center, Lawrence, Michigan, was designed to provide management with an instrument to assist them in their annual vocational program planning activities. The result was the development of a decision-making model that applies objective evaluative methods for determining occupational program additions, revisions, and terminations.

The model employs separate matrix worksheets for adding, revising, and terminating job training programs. Each classification utilizes five components for completing the worksheet: (1) selection of ten evaluation criteria, (2) criteria weights, (3) criteria definitions, (4) criteria data source information, and (5) criteria cell scores for applying data source values …

Small Michigan Schools: Course Offerings And Methods Used To Maintain Curriculum Despite Low Enrollment, Dona M. Hettle

Masters Theses

Small schools face curriculum limitations because of low student numbers and financial constraints. The purpose of this study was to determine the course offerings and techniques for maintaining curriculum in selected Michigan small schools. Principals of 50 Michigan small schools chosen at random completed a questionnaire listing 79 courses and 15 strategies for maintaining curriculum. Responses were tabulated and listed in rank order. Course offerings in Michigan small schools vary greatly in numbers and kind. Sixty-nine percent offer a basic curriculum enabling students to meet the National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983) recommendations. In coping with small numbers, schools …

Community Education Plan For North Kent Consortium, Charlene M. Bunnell

Masters Theses

The purpose of this project was to design a working document which could be used by the four-school community education consortium in its management practices. The underlying question was whether it was possible to design a document which would be simple and complete, by still address the many needs of four different school systems.

The completed project includes a document which addresses the many facets of administering a multi-district consortium. It outlines the duties and responsibilities of each district at the present time while allowing for the realigning of those duties and responsibilities at a later date.

As a result …

Establishing Interagency Communication Among K-12 School Districts And Government Agencies Through An Intermediate School District, Gary R. Campbell

Masters Theses

The proposed procedure for a local school administrator to establish direct interagency communication between local, K-12 school districts and other government agencies who deal with troubled youth was to: (a) examine the function and organization of the intermediate school district, (b) evaluate the role of its superintendent, and, (c) assist the superintendent in establishment of an interagency discussion group. the This group would meet regularly to discuss mutual concerns in helping troubled youth.

This experience focused on gaining an understanding of the organization and function of a Michigan intermediate school district, the role of its superintendent, and the other non-school, …

A Report Of A Review And Synthesis Of Findings Of Research Studies About Academic Achievement Of Ethnic Minorities In K-12 Education, Harold C. Wheeler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this report is to review and synthesize findings of research studies about academic achievement of ethnic minorities in K-12 education.

In this paper, the literature in Chapter I is related to findings about children as a result of school desegregation. Specifically it focuses on the effects which desegregation has had on motivation, and social-psychologic development of black and white children.

The second chapter begins with a historical background and discusses the life of economic and political oppression and the attitudes toward education that have shaped black school achievement over time.

In Chapter III, race and academic performance …

A Report Of An Internship At The Ottawa Area Center Ottawa County, Michigan, Donna Sue Angell

Masters Theses

The internship was completed at the Ottawa Area Center in Ottawa County, Michigan during the late spring and summer of 1986. It developed in two main areas: (1 ) the design and implementation of an offcampus community based educational experience for trainable mentally impaired (TMI) students and (2) the development of a computer based data system to maintain and examine student records.

Major experiences included the development of a curriculum which would optimally use the resources of the City of Holland, personal contacts with community leaders to explain and gain acceptance for the program, coordination of other activities at the …

A Central Administration Internship In The Kalamazoo Public School System, James D. Arnett

Masters Theses

The Kalamazoo Public Schools serve approximately 14,000 students in 25 schools. Located in Kalamzoo County, the Kalamazoo Public Schools District is one of the largest employers in the county as they have 1,400 employees. The Kalamazoo Public School District is operated by seven member Board of Education and supported by the people that reside within the school district boundaries.

The internship involved 240 hours working with personnel in Central Administration in the areas of public relations, personnel procedures and practices, organizational structure, curriculum development and regulations in special education, financial planning, contract negotiations and federal and state programs.

Mediation: Fact Or Fiction; Force Or Finesse? A Synopsis Of Case Studies, Charles N. Carpenter

Masters Theses

The primary objective of this study was to observe a state mediator in his role during public sector contract negotiations and relate these observations to the tenets of conflict management and power sources.

Conclusions are drawn relative to the impact of the mediation process on collective bargaining.

A Summary Of Experiences In An Administrative Internship With The West Ottawa Public School System, Randal E. Busscher

Masters Theses

The objective of my internship was to become familiar with the role and duties of a K-12 school principal. I was exposed to a wide variety of experiences. Those experiences, through readings, personal interviews, and group meetings are the focus of my internship. My experiences included working with the Challenge Program, which is for the gifted and talented students, and helping to re-word some of the present job descriptions. I also assisted with the realignment of boundary lines and research on teacher evaluations. Absence policies and junior high level programs were also investigated.

Supervision Of An Elementary School Summer School Program In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Diana Lee Muller

Masters Theses

This project was undertaken so that an in-depth view of the role of an Elementary Supervisor could be experienced. While there are many facets to the role, much of the time was spent attending to paper work, solving unanticipated problems, and keeping staff on task.

It was determined that the role of an educational leader is complex and unpredictable. Each day brought with it unexpected problems which ranged from dramatic to boring. No two days were identical and no day turned out the way it had been planned. It takes a flexible person with the willingness to take risks and …

An Internship In A Public School System, Joann Mulder

Masters Theses

The internship project is a requirement for the Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership. The intern chose to fulfill this requirement in a particular school district. The intern centered her project around the role of an elementary principal.

The school district is located just north of a city with a population of 50,000 on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is approximately 150 miles west of Detroit, Michigan, and 170 miles northeast of Chicago, Illinois. The school system serves students K-12 with a total enrollment of 3,600 students. In addition, the system serves as fiscal agent for a community education program …

A Complete Revision Of The Union School Corporation Board Of Trustees Policy Manual, Alan H. Tasson

Masters Theses

The policy manual of the Union School Corporation had not been changed or updated since 1974. This was a concern of the Board of School Trustees, administration and the instructional staff. It was necessary to research any changes in the law, state rules, and administrative guidelines in advance of completely revising the policy manual. . The newly written manual as presented in this project will be adopted by the Union School Corporation Board of School Trustees during this school year.

A Report Of An Internship With The Albion Public Schools Albion, Michigan, Anthony L. Derose

Masters Theses

This report is a summary of a six-week internship in the Albion Public Schools during the summer of 1984.

The objective of this internship was to introduce the intern to the roles, responsibilities, and duties of the position of Assistant Superintendent and to provide for a general understanding of the operations of the central office administration.

The six-week experience included extensive opportunities to observe and participate in a variety of valuable activities. A considerable amount of time was spent in the development of a new professional staff evaluation and goal-setting system, interviewing and hiring new teaching staff, completing Title I …

An Experiential Project Examining The Development, Organization, Implementation, And Supervision Of Summer Activity Programs, Thomas R. Weaver

Masters Theses

The objective of this experiential project was to examine the function of an administrative position in a recreation department's summer activities program.

Major areas that were studied were program offerings, personnel management, task structure, and budgeting.

Examination of these areas revealed that program offerings are basically determined by community demand since the Recreation Department exists to serve the community. It was discovered that personnel management is an important and ongoing process. It became evident that the organizational aspect of recreation department work i s the key to success fully run programs. Finally, it was learned that budgeting was done on …

The Use Of Performance Data To Monitor And Support The Reorganization Of An Educational System, Ellen Spall Thompson

Masters Theses

The goal of this study was to determine the performance effects on staff and students following the reorganization of a special education facility. The organizational plan was based on the development of teaching teams where students were grouped together according to exit curricular goals. Four interventions were completed in order to assess the overall outcome of the reorganization project. At the student level, the rate of learning was monitored in order to determine whether the implementation of teams affected educational objective acquisition . At the team level, meeting agendas were surveyed to find out what effect they had on student …

An Experiential Project Examining The Dual Roles Of Curriculum Director And Elementary Principal, Michael M. Perry

Masters Theses

The objective of this experiential project was to examine the dual roles of curriculum director and elementary principal as they are carried out by the same person in the Comstock Public Schools.

Major areas examined were: goal development and attainment, textbook adoption, creation of innovative programs, and decision-making procedures.

The major of operation was to observe, question, and interact. The intern participated in daily administrative activities suggested by the principal/ curriculum director and the intern himself. It was discovered that educational administration is a complex process that requires refined organizational skills and a mastery of the ability to establish priorities. …

An Examination And Analysis Of The Department Of Special Education In The Muskegon Heights Public Schools, Doristine Louise Minott

Masters Theses

This project was undertaken so that an indepth view of the role of the director of special education and the Department of Special Education, Muskegon Heights Public Schools, could be observed. While there are many facets in the Department, much of the time was spent reviewing the Michigan Department of Education Administrative Manual for Special Education, working on administrative skills, and getting a feel for operating the Department.

It was determined that the Department is a very complex one indeed. Because policies change so often from the state level, it is often difficult to stay abreast of things. Therefore the …

A Comparison Of Teacher And Student Absenteeism In Three School Districts Of Different Size, John Clifton Huffman

Masters Theses

This paper compares absentee rates for teachers and students in three Michigan school districts. The districts under investigation vary greatly in enrollment. This first chapter relates the problem of teacher and student absenteeism to maintaining an assumed level of teacher/student contact time.

The second chapter reviews literature related to student and teacher absenteeism. This includes those studies which evaluate absenteeism based on personal and organizational factors associated with absence.

The third chapter relates the procedures which were used in the comparison. The fourth chapter lists the results of the data collected from the three school districts. The data are compared …

A Report Of An Internship At The Michigan State Department Of Education, Lansing, Michigan, Reiniera Leroux

Masters Theses

The purpose of this report is to describe an internship conducted at the Michigan State Department of Education. The experience focused on gaining an understanding of the State Board of Education and Adult Extended Learning Services, a unit of the State Department of Education. The intern was also given the task of rewriting and updating one of the Department of Education handbooks: "Administrative Guide for Adult High School."

Chapter I is an introduction and background to the State Department of Education, the State Board of Education, and Adult Extended Learning Services. Chapter I also includes the intern's prospectus.

Chapter II …

A Report Of An Internship In The St. Joseph Public Schools, St. Joseph, Michigan, Thomas J. Miller

Masters Theses

This report describes an internship completed in the St. Joseph Public Schools. The internship was devoted to working with the superintendent as he implemented a plan to close schools, reassign students, and find a use for the closed buildings. This report details the planning, process, and leadership styles used to carry out this task.

Chapter I contains a background of the St. Joseph Public Schools.

Chapter II describes the history of past attempts to close schools in the St. Joseph District and an overview of the plan that the superintendent used in the 1982-83 school year.

Chapters III, IV, and …

Instructional Leadership: A Comparison Of The Roles Of Principal And Curriculum Director, Bettina K. Brown

Masters Theses

The objective of this report was to relate the experiences and outcomes of a field experience internship in public school administration.

Specifically, the report focused on a comparison and contrast of the roles, responsibilities, and expectation of instructional leadership as reflected in the separate positions of a principal, a curriculum director, and a consolidation of both positions.

A Report Of An Internship With Senior Services, Incorporated, Kalamazoo, Michigan, Monroe H. Johnson

Masters Theses

This report summarizes a 15-week internship with Senior Services, Incorporated, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, served during the Spring and Summer terms, 1983.

The purpose of the internship was to acquaint the intern with the leadership performance, duties, responsibilities, and actions of the executive director and field supervisor in increasing and maintaining a low income minority senior citizen's nutritional outreach service. The objectives of increasing the number of low income minority senior citizen participants and prepared nutritional sites were the major emphasis of this internship. In addition, the intern was involved with proposal writing and the hiring of two outreach workers.

A Report Of An Internship In The National Office Of The American Occupational Therapy Association, Claire Callan

Masters Theses

This report describes an internship of six weeks, completed by a candidate for a graduate degree in educational leadership, in the educational division of a professional organization (the American Occupational Therapy Association). The plan for the internship is presented; and the host organization is described. The experience is summarized, and it is analyzed from a variety of perspectives.

A central concern of the internship consisted of the development of a training unit for the purpose of assisting clinical educators to improve their skills as supervisors of occupational therapy students. Problems encountered in the development of this unit, and the solutions …

A Report Of A Project In The Central Administrative Offices Of The Jenison Public Schools, Gary W. Allen

Masters Theses

The initial part of the manuscript is a log of the author's activities during his internship at Jenison Public Schools. In addition to the daily entries, weekly summaries of the experience are also included. The second section of the manuscript lists the author's objectives for the internship and how these objectives were obtained. The final portion of the manuscript contains three appendices that pertain to the author's internship prospectus, the development of various school calendars for 1982-1983, and a report on job sharing.