Clinical Field Experience E: Strategic Leadership and Management Functions in Practice

As part of my clinical field experience at Great Hearts Trivium Archway in Goodyear, Arizona, I had the opportunity to collaborate with my principal mentor and a district-level community outreach coordinator to explore how resources are obtained and strategically utilized within our school. We discussed how human resources, budgeted items, and donated materials are aligned to support our classical education model rooted in the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness.

To maintain a strong community presence, our administrators actively participate in local chamber of commerce meetings, host campus tours for prospective families, and organize events such as curriculum nights and family reading circles. These efforts help develop productive relationships and cultivate a shared vision for student success. According to Young et al. (2020), effective leaders foster engagement by valuing input from all stakeholders and promoting collaborative solutions.

My principal mentor emphasized the importance of aligning financial decisions with the school’s mission and the educational outcomes we aim to achieve. She meets monthly with the Great Hearts operations team to review budget reports and make data-informed decisions. Donations—such as literature collections, science equipment, and volunteer time—are carefully matched to curriculum and student needs. This stewardship reflects the ethical responsibility of transparency and intentionality when allocating school resources (Green, 2017).

I was also able to observe a community engagement meeting where we discussed expanding our mentoring program with local university students. This partnership will strengthen student support while enhancing academic resources at no additional cost to the school.

This experience highlighted how PSEL Standard 2 (Ethics and Professional Norms) and Standard 8 (Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community) are foundational to effective leadership. I learned that modeling integrity and using resources in a manner consistent with the school’s mission fosters trust and long-term support from stakeholders (National Policy Board for Educational Administration [NPBEA], 2015).

As a future administrator, I will prioritize collaborative, ethical decision-making when it comes to resource allocation. I will also seek opportunities to connect with local partners, not only to enhance our school’s offerings but to ensure that we are genuinely responsive to the needs and strengths of our community.

References

Green, R. L. (2017). Practicing the art of leadership: A problem-based approach to implementing the professional standards for educational leaders (5th ed.). Pearson.

National Policy Board for Educational Administration. (2015). Professional Standards for Educational Leaders 2015. http://npbea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-Standards-for-Educational-Leaders_2015.pdf

Young, M. D., Crow, G. M., Murphy, J., & Ogawa, R. T. (2020). Handbook of research on the education of school leaders (2nd ed.). Routledge.