Completed Internship Log & Signed Final Hours
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Elementary School Internship Reflection
Elementary School Internship Reflection
During my internship with elementary schools, I collaborated closely with elementary administrators to coordinate visits for high school students, gaining valuable insights into the unique structure of elementary education. I observed key differences in classroom organization, teacher assignments, safety protocols, and leadership structures, deepening my understanding of how these schools operate. Additionally, I learned how the support systems and resources available to elementary students differ significantly from those in high schools, highlighting the distinct considerations elementary teachers must navigate. This experience broadened amy perspective on educational leadership and reinforced the importance of tailored approaches to student support across different grade levels.
Middle School Internship Reflection
Middle School Internship Reflection
My internship provided a valuable opportunity at the Middle School Summer Academy. Through this experience, I gained firsthand insight into the operational differences between middle and high schools and the critical role of proactive planning in effective school administration. I participated in pre-planning meetings, where we developed essential procedures for attendance, grade documentation, safety drills, and lesson planning. This experience challenged me to think beyond classroom-level responsibilities and consider the complexities of schoolwide operations.
Additionally, I deepened my understanding of middle school students and their unique developmental needs. I learned the importance of fostering relationships, setting clear expectations, and addressing student behavior fairly and empathetically. A significant moment was guiding a student through a disciplinary issue, ensuring they understood their actions while also providing space for them to share personal challenges. Observing the leadership team in action reinforced the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders' emphasis on managing operations effectively and supporting students equitably.
High School Internship Reflection
High School Internship Reflection
My high school internship provided an in-depth look into the multifaceted responsibilities of educational leadership, reinforcing the importance of student safety, school culture, instructional support, and community engagement. Working on school safety initiatives, including the implementation of weapons scanners, preparing for an interim safety audit, and conducting classroom safety checks, underscored how a secure environment is fundamental to student success and well-being. As the PBIS coordinator, I played a key role in fostering a positive school culture by implementing proactive behavioral strategies that support both students and teachers. Additionally, collaborating with the instructional leadership team allowed me to assist educators in aligning their instructional practices with the school’s quality goals, ensuring academic excellence.
Beyond instructional leadership, my role as department chair provided valuable experience in personnel management, from overseeing lesson planning and conducting classroom observations to supporting teachers with classroom management and handling staff absences. I also recognized the significance of visibility and engagement within the school community by attending sporting events, dances, and PTSA meetings—establishing connections with students, parents, and stakeholders. This internship revealed the complexities of educational leadership and the necessity of balancing administrative tasks with relationship-building. A successful leader must not only manage operations but also connect with and meet the needs of all stakeholders to create a thriving school environment.
Central Office Internship Reflection
Central Office Internship Reflection
My experience working with Central Office staff and departments has deepened my understanding of leadership beyond the building level, shifting my perspective to a division-wide lens. I have learned how school initiatives must align with broader district goals and state and federal regulations to ensure consistency, equity, and compliance. Through my work in school safety, equity initiatives, and graduation readiness, I have seen firsthand the importance of clear communication, accountability, and data-driven decision-making. While challenges exist in implementation, I have gained valuable insight into how effective leadership requires vision and follow-through to create sustainable change. This experience has reinforced my commitment to collaborative leadership that supports individual schools and advances systemic progress for all students.
Community Internship Reflection
Community Internship Reflection
My experience working with the community provided a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration and community engagement in education. Through these experiences, I strengthened my ability to build relationships with non-profit community partners, parents, and charitable organizations. I also learned that valuing the perspectives of all stakeholders allows schools to maximize their efforts by leaning on the expertise of community organizations that have deep insight into local needs and available resources. My experiences highlighted the need for authentic partnerships that enhance student achievement. As an aspiring educational leader, I am committed to continuously cultivating these connections to create initiatives that benefit schools and the broader community.
Reflection on Internship Field Hours
My internship experience has been instrumental in expanding my perspective as an educational leader, offering firsthand insight into the complexity of school leadership. Through organizing and running the Warrior Recovery Workshop, I witnessed how strategic academic interventions can directly impact student success by providing targeted support to help students recover grades and seat time. Working with the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) allowed me to contribute to developing job-embedded professional development, ensuring that our teachers had the tools necessary to meet school quality goals and enhance instructional effectiveness. Additionally, re-establishing our school's PTSA reinforced the critical role of family and community partnerships in fostering a collaborative and engaged school environment. My leadership in school safety initiatives and preparation for our interim safety audit further solidified my understanding of how proactive planning and structured protocols contribute to a secure and supportive learning space for all. This internship has deepened my appreciation for the multifaceted responsibilities of educational leadership and has prepared me to lead with a balanced focus on student achievement, staff development, community engagement, and school safety.
PSEL Standards Met
PSEL Standard 1: Mission, Vision, and Core Values [1c]
Effective educational leaders develop, advocate, and enact a shared mission,
vision, and core values of high-quality education and academic success and
well-being of each student. Effective leaders:
c) Articulate, advocate, and cultivate core values that define the school’s culture and stress the imperative of child-centered education; high expectations and student support; equity, inclusiveness, and social justice; openness, caring, and trust; and continuous improvement.
PSEL Standard 2: Ethics and Professional Norms [2a; 2b]
Effective educational leaders act ethically and according to professional
norms to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. Effective leaders:
a) Act ethically and professionally in personal conduct, relationships with others, decision-making, stewardship of the school’s resources, and all aspects of school leadership.
b) Act according to and promote the professional norms of integrity, fairness,
transparency, trust, collaboration, perseverance, learning, and continuous
improvement.
PSEL Standard 3: Equity and Cultural Responsiveness [3c; 3e; 3h]
Effective educational leaders strive for equity of educational opportunity
and culturally responsive practices to promote each student’s academic
success and well-being. Effective leaders:
c) Ensure that each student has equitable access to effective teachers, learning opportunities, academic and social support, and other resources necessary for success.
e) Confront and alter institutional biases of student marginalization, deficit-based schooling, and low expectations associated with race, class, culture and language, gender and sexual orientation, and disability or special status.
h) Address matters of equity and cultural responsiveness in all aspects of leadership.
PSEL Standard 4: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment [4d; 4f; 4g]
Effective educational leaders develop and support intellectually rigorous
and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to
promote each student’s academic success and well-being. Effective leaders:
d) Ensure instructional practice that is intellectually challenging, authentic to student experiences, recognizes student strengths, and is differentiated and personalized.
f) Employ valid assessments that are consistent with knowledge of child learning and development and technical standards of measurement.
g) Use assessment data appropriately and within technical limitations to monitor student progress and improve instruction.
PSEL Standard 5: Community of Care and Support for Students [5a; 5d, 5e]
a) Build and maintain a safe, caring, and healthy school environment that meets that the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of each student.
d) Promote adult-student, student-peer, and school-community relationships that value and support academic learning and positive social and emotional development.
e) Cultivate and reinforce student engagement in school and positive student conduct.
PSEL Standard 6: Professional Capacity of School Personnel [6c; 6d; 6e]
Effective educational leaders develop the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. Effective leaders:
c) Develop teachers’ and staff members’ professional knowledge, skills, and practice through differentiated opportunities for learning and growth, guided by
understanding of professional and adult learning and development.
d) Foster continuous improvement of individual and collective instructional capacity to achieve outcomes envisioned for each student.
e) Deliver actionable feedback about instruction and other professional practice through valid, research-anchored systems of supervision and evaluation to support the development of teachers’ and staff members’ knowledge, skills, and practice.
PSEL Standard 7: Professional Community for Teachers and Staff [7c]
Effective educational leaders foster a professional community of teachers and other professional staff to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. Effective leaders:
c) Establish and sustain a professional culture of engagement and commitment to shared vision, goals, and objectives pertaining to the education of the whole child; high expectations for professional work; ethical and equitable practice; trust and open communication; collaboration, collective efficacy, and continuous individual and organizational learning and improvement.
PSEL Standard 8: Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community [8a; 8b; 8e; 8g]
Effective educational leaders engage families and the community in
meaningful, reciprocal, and mutually beneficial ways to promote each
student’s academic success and well-being. Effective leaders:
a) Are approachable, accessible, and welcoming to families and members of the community.
b) Create and sustain positive, collaborative, and productive relationships with families and the community for the benefit of students.
e) Create means for the school community to partner with families to support student learning in and out of school.
g) Develop and provide the school as a resource for families and the community.
PSEL Standard 9: Operations and Management [9a; 9b; 9c; 9d; 9e; 9g; 9k]
Effective educational leaders manage school operations and resources to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. Effective leaders:
a) Institute, manage, and monitor operations and administrative systems that promote the mission and vision of the school.
b) Strategically manage staff resources, assigning and scheduling teachers and staff to roles and responsibilities that optimize their professional capacity to address each student’s learning needs.
c) Seek, acquire, and manage fiscal, physical, and other resources to support curriculum, instruction, and assessment; student learning community; professional capacity and community; and family and community engagement.
d) Are responsible, ethical, and accountable stewards of the school’s monetary and non-monetary resources, engaging in effective budgeting and accounting practices.
e) Protect teachers’ and other staff members’ work and learning from disruption.
g) Develop and maintain data and communication systems to deliver actionable information for classroom and school improvement.
k) Develop and administer systems for fair and equitable management of conflict among students, faculty and staff, leaders, families, and community.
PSEL Standard 10: School Improvement [10a; 10b; 10g; 10h; 10j]
Effective educational leaders act as agents of continuous improvement to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. Effective leaders:
a) Seek to make school more effective for each student, teachers and staff, families, and the community.
b) Use methods of continuous improvement to achieve the vision, fulfill the mission, and promote the core values of the school.
g) Develop technically appropriate systems of data collection, management, analysis, and use, connecting as needed to the district office and external partners for support in planning, implementation, monitoring, feedback, and evaluation.
h) Adopt a systems perspective and promote coherence among improvement efforts and all aspects of school organization, programs, and services.
j) Develop and promote leadership among teachers and staff for inquiry,
experimentation and innovation, and initiating and implementing improvement.
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