How Can We Change Our Leadership Style to Improve Student Outcomes in English I?

Danielle Petters • Cahn Fellow 2018

H. Grady Spruce High School is located in an underserved, under-resourced area of the city of Dallas. The school has had a turbulent twenty-odd years. Our mascot was changed in 2004, alienating generations of alumni. Because of persistent academic underperformance, the school was reconstituted in 2009, sending the sophomore and the senior class to other high schools to finish out their high school years. Tragically, this move decimated varsity athletics, extra-curricular activities, and any sense of school pride while failing to elicit any improvement whatsoever in academic achievement. Compounding these systemic changes, Spruce has had a consistent turnover in the principalship, with 14 principals serving in the last 24 years. Tellingly, 10 years ago, Spruce only graduated 30% of the senior class. My goal for this fellowship project was to grow as a leader in the area of knowing when to be directive and when to be collaborative so that I could help my team figure out what we need to do to improve student achievement in English Language Arts, starting with our 9th graders in English I.