PSU Magazine Fall 2003

belongs: Lo Lhe teacher and Lhe sLUdenLs. While being a principal can be rewarding, it's also humbling, says John Blanck, principal at Maplewood Elementary in southwest Ponland. "To me the job is like trying Lo caLch a waLerfall in a bucket," he says. "You Lry LO caLch one issue and while you're doing LhaL you realize there is some– thing else !lowing righL by you. Some days you go home soaking weL. " ChenoweLh says iL is impossible to train people for every possible siLUa– tion Lhey might encounter in school administration. That is why PSU's pro– gram has iLs participants focus on their core beliefs and values and develop an individualized educational approach. By doing so, he says, they bring their greatest strengths to bear, no matter what the situation. Blanck, who was a school psycholo– gist for 24 years before becoming a principal, says service is at the fore– front of his leadership priorities. He aims to jump in front of the parade. By making sure he's working on Lhe goals of Lhe community, he knows he can count on iLs support. "My community is clearly saying its children's education should be more Lhan just getting high Lest scores. Par– ents want their children to be happy and be excited about learning and Lo learn abouL things that are important Lo Lhem," he says. "So 1 work Lo main– Lain our library, our music program, a physical educaLion program , and our compuLer Leacher. Things like LhaL." aving Lhe support or parents– and having a deep sense of integriLy-can be crucial when the discussion Lurns Lo more divisive areas, says Milwaukie High's Hiu. "I believe a school principal has LO be Lrmhful and always be profes- 16 PSU MAGAZINE FALL 2002 sional," says Hiu. "Strong principals have a vision and al the same Lime accepl their accountabiliLy when iL comes Lo stale assessmenL of student achievemenl. They're respecLful of Leachers, dedicated to the needs of children, and have their finger on Lhe pulse of legislation because of the funding problems we're facing righL now," he concludes. ..!though few studies have docu- 11.1 mented how adminisLrative practices can directly affecL educaLional outcomes, PSU is working Lo find oul. AfLer being named an exemplary pro– gram by national and state accrediLa– tion agencies, the PSU Educational Administration program has been given a Congressional grant of 440,000 to prepare secondary school administrators and collect data from eight Ponland-area high schools and two middle schools about how the PSU program helps to make a differ– ence in the lives and learning of K-12 sLudents. Meanwhile, the school year began afresh this September, served by adminisLrators for whom education is a passion more than a job, a calling more Lhan a paycheck. This qualily can'L be taught as pan of an educaLion curriculum, buL it can be recognized and encouraged in people such as Sims in Ontario. "AL least l can say it's never boring," she laughs. "When people ask me , 'Why would you want to be a school principal in this day and age7' I Lhink, Why wouldn't you 1 It is just so exciting. " D (Merlin Douglass, a Portland freelance write,; wrote the article " ot for the Squeamish" in the spring 2002 P U Magazine.)