Clinical Field Experience D: Protecting the Welfare and Safety of Students and Staff

Sierra Dollar

College of Education, Grand Canyon University

EAD-536: Strategic Leadership and Management in Principalship

Wendy Truvillion

March 29, 2023

 Clinical Field Experience D: Protecting the Welfare and Safety of Students and Staff

Principal Interview

The Master Candidate and her principal mentor recently met to discuss their safety

plans established and how information is delivered to stake holders. The Master Candidate

discussed with her what tasks are most critical for keeping students and staff safe on campus.

She discussed that she believes it is locking school and classroom doors. She discussed that

most school shooting occur when a door is left unlocked or propped open. She discussed that

she expects all doors to be locked and shut and if a teacher habitually has the problem of

leaving their door unlocked or propped then she will ultimately take disciplinary actions. She

went on to discuss that while it may be a small inconvenience it could cause a much larger

safety issue and in her opinion is unacceptable. The Master Candidate then discussed with her

principal how she train teachers and staff for an emergency. She discussed that in our district it

is required that teachers attend a safety and security meeting during preplanning. In addition to

this in person training our district requires an online class that discusses various safety

concerns and the districts expectation on how to handle them. The online class is self-paced

and is required to be completed within the first month of school. The Master Candidate then

discussed with her principal how the drill calendar is planned and who is involved in its

creation. The Master Candidates principal discussed that they actually sit down with both the

fire chief and police chief of the town prior to the school year and create the plan. She

discussed that she does this because half of the drills fire and police will show up not only to

learn and practice the lay out of the school but to also give suggestions to change routes or

expectations. While this is not an expectation of our school district she discussed that the

information gleaned from these observed drills have been imperative in maintaining the safety
of the school in a possible worse case scenario. The Master Candidate then discussed with her

what their plan is if a drill has to be postponed what happens. She discussed that on occasion

they have had rainy days and postponed a drill. However, she discussed that if she can move

them back on the same day that is always her first choice but if they have to then they will

move it to the following day. The Master Candidate then discussed with her principal how she

communicates with families about emergency or safety information. She discussed that

frequently in our district administration uses connect ed calls which will send the same

message to all emergency contacts for a student. She also discussed that it now sends messages

as well so at times she will text messages to parents to send out as a mass text message. She

discussed that at times their phone system goes down but that she can send these messages

through an app on her cell phone as well.

Emergency Plan

The Master Candidate did have the opportunity to view the school’s emergency plan for a

fire drill. In the plan identified every exit route in the event of a fire. In addition, it established

the secondary evacuation route and how to establish a parent pick up area and bus pick up in the

even of a total evacuation. Furthermore, it had a flow map of possible situations and the expected

way to proceed if safe.

PSEL Standard 5 and 8 and Implications for Future Practice

After the conversation with her principal mentor and the viewing of the school

emergency plan the Master Candidate reflects on how this information will influence her own

future practice as a school leader. The Master Candidate believes that a principal’s top priority

should always be the safety and security of the students and staff on their campus. The Master
Candidate believes that to maintain that safety their needs to be clear channels of communication

and high expectations. The Master Candidate concours with her principal that it is unacceptable

to leave doors unlocked or propped on campus. Therefore, she will uphold this expectation when

she is a school leader. The Master Candidate also reviewed the professional standards for

education leaders (PSEL). Specifically standard 5A which states “Build and maintain a safe,

caring, and healthy school environment that meets those the academic, social, emotional, and

physical needs of each student” (National Policy Board for Educational Administration 2015). It

is the duty of the principal to build that environment however students cannot grow academically

or social emotionally if their safety is unsure. Therefore, by upholding high expectations it lays

the groundwork for this environment to be built. Similarly, PSEL standard 8C states “Engage in

regular and open two-way communication with families and the community about the school,

students, needs, problems, and accomplishments” (National Policy Board for Educational

Administration 2015). The Master Candidate believe by involving community leaders such as

fire fighters and policemen to develop safer procedures aids in developing a two way dialog that

is built on student needs in safety. Every principal should view safety as a top priority and be

aware of and develop strong procedures and expectations to uphold the safety of everyone.
 References:

National Policy Board for Educational Administration (2015). Professional Standards for

Educational Leaders https://www.npbea.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Professional-

Standards-for- Educational-Leaders_2015.pdf