From Rookie to Reality Case Analysis and Rationale Template

Part 1: Case Analysis

1. Brief summary of the case:

One has become the interim principal due to the permanent leave of absence of the
current principal. Learning has taken place from Mr. King in hopes of becoming the
permanent principal of the school. The school has about 720 scholars in attendance and
great parental involvement. This case is a primary of example of a rookie principal
jumping into action of reality when a homemade bomb is found. Notification from a
parent and student about a suspicious item in the crosswalk leads the principal
investigating a box with tape on the ends of it.

2. Identify the issues to be resolved:

The issues to be resolved is to:
 Not create panic when its not needed.
 Address the problem with the safest way possible for everyone involved

3. Stakeholders involved in the issues:

Teachers, students, parents, police, and community members

4. One or two existing laws or court rulings that relate to the issues:
School safety is more than keeping students protected from bomb threats, it can involve
many apsects such as
Doe V. Taylor School District which held the principal liable for not keeping students
safe and responding to years of allegations from students, parents, colleagues, and
community members through sexual abuse.
Hosemann v. Oakland Unified School District involved a student not being protected and
held the school responsible to ensure that all students and employees be in a school that is
safe, secure, and crime free. A new safety plan is to be developed.

5. District policies that relate to the issues:

 “It shall be the policy of the Caddo Parish School Board to provide a
comprehensive plan for evacuation of schools in the event of a disaster. Disaster
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 may come in many forms such as chemical spills, bomb threats, and/or a state of
National Emergency. In cooperation with the local police and fire departments,
911 Call Center, and the Caddo/Bossier Office of Emergency Preparedness, the
plan shall include all centers and schools located in Caddo Parish” (Caddo Parish
Schools, 2021)
 “Unanticipated tragic events can quickly escalate into a school-wide catastrophe if
not dealt with immediately and effectively. School personnel shall plan in
advance for the welfare, safety, and care of students and staff members. Every
school shall be required to have a Crisis Management and Response Plan” (Caddo
Parish Schools, 2021)

6. Possible solutions to the issues:

I would first start by putting the school on a lockdown in order to continue police and the
school district. I wouldn’t make anyone aware of the problem until it has been confirmed
of what the object is. If it item is for definite a bomb, immediate evacuation would be
needed.

7. The solution you chose to resolve the issues:

Just days before this incident, another incident as such happened at another school so
therefore I would take every precaution for the safety of all parties involved.

8. Action steps (2-5) for implementing your solution, including a timeline for each step:
 Place the school in immediate lockdown mode
 Contact police for immediate response to a potential bomb for observant. I will
ask that police come through a side of the school where students and faculty
aren’t located in silent mode (no sirens). (I’ll be doing this as I am walking back
to the front office to report the evacuation of the building).
 I would then notify the school superintendent about the problems going on.
 Possibly have everyone evacuate the building.

9. Potential moral and legal consequences of the solution:

If school officials do not act with caution and harm comes upon an employee or student,
legal action can be taken as a potential liability charge for negligence.
If as the principal, you take every precaution needed and it is not a bomb, everyone will
feel safer knowing that safety procedures were followed. Showing initiative and care
opens the door creating a more positive culture and climate of the school.

Part 2: Rationale

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Support the case analysis with a 500-750 word rationale explaining the decision you made and
how the decision:
 Supports the school’s vision and mission and safeguards the values of democracy,
equity, and diversity.
 Promotes social justice and ensures that individual student needs inform all aspects of
schooling.
 Promotes collaboration, trust, learning, and high expectations.
Cite the case and any other source documents as appropriate.

School safety is important to the school’s mission and vision. Each school is my area has
a school-wide safety plan that has been planned and developed for the safety of each individual
in the school. There are 720 scholars on campus and as well as employees who have entrusted
their safety in the school district and school. Their families have done so as well. Therefore,
extra precaution must be taken in this situation with more rigorous safety procedures since this
could be a spiraling event with a different approach per the previous school’s event.

Two of the core values exemplified through Caddo Parish Schools is integrity to build
positive relationships through honesty, respect, and compassion and equity to foster an
environment that serves all students and promotes diversity of staff (Caddo Parish Schools,
2021). In order to maintain these two core values, it has to be developed through the actions of
the superintendent and principal of each school. In this case, there has been a previous problem
just days before that required attention. I would have waited to do a lockdown of the school but
since an uproar had already happened and has left the community in a disposition, I went ahead
and called for one. This supports and promoted the vision and mission of making sure the
students and faculty are in a safe and healthy learning environment.

Social justice requires collaboration among school employees. One thing we try to ensure
to do is practice safety protocols to ensure the safety of everyone. At my school, we have drills
all the time to practice the safety procedures established. My principal always says to stay ready
so we don’t have to get ready. By doing this practice, we are finding and ensuring students have
a way out of traumatic event and seeing where we can improve in our safety plan. In order for
that to happen we have to practice the skills in the case of an actual event happening. Being
knowledgeable of students is also require to ensure that their individual needs are met. Some
students have endured some pretty traumatic events and will require special attention just as
special needs students will. As the principal it would be certain for me to approach this in the
calmest way for these type of students and ensuring that it doesn’t cause any more traumatic
disorder in their lives. Each student and employee must be accounted for even in events as such
and a constant update to change must be thoroughly thought out and executed. We know that this
will never be perfect, however, we have high hopes and expectations for when the unprecedented
time comes.

My solution will require a lot of collaboration amongst all stakeholders. Teacher,

students, parents, police, and community members must all collaborate to feel and be safe. When
the safety plan was developed and practiced it required the collaboration of all parties to remain
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in a safe place. Directives have been given and if everyone collaborates with the directives given,
we can approach a situation in the safest way. Additionally, they have to trust the judgement of
school officials in situations as such and believe that every precaution has taken place no matter
the outcome of the situation. I have high expectations that employees and students have taken
each drill seriously to execute it when the time comes. From the previous school incident, it has
promoted me to learn from their actions and to take extra precaution since this could possibly be
an area attack. As an effective school leader, I would follow PSEL standard 5.A to build and
maintain a safe, caring, and healthy school environment that meets that the academic, social,
emotional, and physical needs of each student (National Policy Board for Educational
Administration, 2015). As the principal you never know when something will happen to
endanger those who follow your lead, but ensure that every precaution is taken to promote a safe
and healthy learning environment.

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 References

Caddo Parish School System. (2021). CADDO PARISH SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT

POLICY MANUAL. Retrieved from https://www.caddoschools.org/wp-

content/uploads/2021/05/Policy-Manual-05182021lf.pdf

National Policy Board of Educational Administration, Professional Standards for Educational

Leaders . (2015). Retrieved from https://www.npbea.org/wp-

content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-Standards-for-Educational-Leaders_2015.pdf

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