Reflection on Leadership Standard 6 As a department head of mathematics and instructional coach, I promoted the success of all students by understanding,

responding to, and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context. Applying the different literacies required of a leader helps ensure the success of students and the system in which we lead. For example, I used some of the leader literacies in analyzing the work of Potter Junior High School, which was aided by collecting and reporting accurate records of school performance. Considering the context in which the school operates helps ensure that the school operates consistently within the parameters of federal, state, and local laws, policies, regulations, and statutory requirements; this can be done explicitly through the construction of a context map. While I have worked with the governing board and district and local leaders to influence policies that benefit students and support the improvement of teaching and learning in my own district where I work, I have also attended and participated in board meetings in my home district. While working within my own district, I have fought to support all students including those at the lower end of the performance spectrum, influencing and supporting public policies that ensure the equitable distribution of resources and support for all subgroups of students. For example, besides leading an effort to adopt algebra readiness curriculum and later an improved curriculum for the same course, I also led the push to provide a guaranteed and viable curriculum for our developmental math classes and our special education classes. I generated support for the school by two-way communication with key decision-makers in the school

community like my former superintendent, my current Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, and the Director of Curriculum and Instruction. In order to have this influence and maintain this influence, one must view oneself as a leader of a team and also as a member of a larger team. One needs only to collect some district documents to realize that they are part of a larger team. Further members of the team can be found by opening the school to the public and welcome and facilitate constructive conversations about how to improve student learning and achievement. We have done that in past at Potter Junior High School through the incorporation of student and parent panels and are in the process of doing the same at Mary Fay Pendleton School this year under our new principal. Next steps include joining school site council to observe and participate with the various stakeholders in school site leadership while employing the literacies of a leader. By reflecting on the context in which we lead and learn, I hope to champion the cause of English learners and special education students, subgroups the site has been historically challenged by; however, improvement in the school program will only come as I acknowledge my place in the larger leadership structure and listen to the opinions of all stakeholders.