URBAN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP: A CASE STUDY ON THE
TRANSFORMATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
INTO SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
APPROVED
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my study participants. Your openness and willingness to share your
time and experiences made this research possible. I am deeply grateful for your contributions to
my study but also wish to recognize your daily efforts in improving the lives of students.
I want to acknowledge the guidance that I have received from my dissertation committee.
I am most appreciative of my advisor and dissertation chair, Dr. Encarnacion Garza who
introduced me to the idea of pursuing a doctorate at this stage of my career and facilitated
opportunities for me to write and present my research from the role of a practitioner and a
scholar. Your knowledge, expertise and guidance have been invaluable to me in reaching my
goals. Dr. Page Smith, as my “constant” professor, I have found inspiration in your words as
well as your work in organizational change. Dr. Mariela Rodriguez, I admire your passion and
enthusiasm and have benefited from your advice on completing the literature review. Dr. Betty
Murakami, your inquiry and innovation has led me to think critically about my research and
improved it greatly. Collectively, you educate and inspire and I am fortunate for the opportunity
to have worked with each of you.
I want to recognize the support I have received from “Cohort 7” for sharing the load.
Even after a long day at work, I looked forward to our discussions and learning together.
I also want to acknowledge Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for their generous
support of my doctoral studies. As the recipient of a state and a national scholarship, I am
grateful for their commitment to helping woman educators. A special thanks to my chapter,
Theta Beta for their support and encouragement. To my family, friends and colleagues, I greatly
appreciate your interest in my work, research and well-being.
URBAN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP: A CASE STUDY ON THE
TRANSFORMATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
INTO SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Evangeline Enriquez Aguilera, Ed.D.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2008
Supervising Professor: Encarnacion Garza, Ph.D.
This qualitative case study of an urban high school undergoing the transformation from a
large comprehensive high school into small learning communities (SLC) documents the
evolution of leadership, change and community. The study explores the roles, responsibilities
and practices of the principal and four SLC administrators in a high school setting as they create
school wide organizational change by implementing small learning communities to improve
outcomes for students.
The study considers a conceptual model of the organizational structure of the school and
examines the relationships and practices that emerge to support the dynamic complexities of the
school including a distributed leadership approach. Findings from the study indicate that the
SLC leaders perceive their role to be one of building community among teachers and students by
establishing relationships, promoting collaboration and personalizing the learning environment.
School leaders share the responsibility for all learners through shared decision-making and
teamwork. A renewed focus on teaching and learning requires that school administrators take an
active role in the monitoring of instruction through frequent classroom observations, targeted
interventions, meaningful professional learning, and engaging in “tough” conversations with
teachers to improve instructional practice.Study results also suggest that implementation of reform efforts are effective when school
leaders espouse a common purpose, share decision-making and the principal distributes the
responsibility of leadership. The study documents effective practices in the strands of leadership,
change and community and discusses implications for policy, practice and recommendations for
future research.
URBAN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP: A CASE STUDY ON THE
TRANSFORMATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
INTO SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
APPROVED
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my study participants. Your openness and willingness to share your
time and experiences made this research possible. I am deeply grateful for your contributions to
my study but also wish to recognize your daily efforts in improving the lives of students.
I want to acknowledge the guidance that I have received from my dissertation committee.
I am most appreciative of my advisor and dissertation chair, Dr. Encarnacion Garza who
introduced me to the idea of pursuing a doctorate at this stage of my career and facilitated
opportunities for me to write and present my research from the role of a practitioner and a
scholar. Your knowledge, expertise and guidance have been invaluable to me in reaching my
goals. Dr. Page Smith, as my “constant” professor, I have found inspiration in your words as
well as your work in organizational change. Dr. Mariela Rodriguez, I admire your passion and
enthusiasm and have benefited from your advice on completing the literature review. Dr. Betty
Murakami, your inquiry and innovation has led me to think critically about my research and
improved it greatly. Collectively, you educate and inspire and I am fortunate for the opportunity
to have worked with each of you.
I want to recognize the support I have received from “Cohort 7” for sharing the load.
Even after a long day at work, I looked forward to our discussions and learning together.
I also want to acknowledge Delta Kappa Gamma Society International for their generous
support of my doctoral studies. As the recipient of a state and a national scholarship, I am
grateful for their commitment to helping woman educators. A special thanks to my chapter,
Theta Beta for their support and encouragement. To my family, friends and colleagues, I greatly
appreciate your interest in my work, research and well-being.
URBAN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP: A CASE STUDY ON THE
TRANSFORMATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
INTO SMALL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
Evangeline Enriquez Aguilera, Ed.D.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2008
Supervising Professor: Encarnacion Garza, Ph.D.
This qualitative case study of an urban high school undergoing the transformation from a
large comprehensive high school into small learning communities (SLC) documents the
evolution of leadership, change and community. The study explores the roles, responsibilities
and practices of the principal and four SLC administrators in a high school setting as they create
school wide organizational change by implementing small learning communities to improve
outcomes for students.
The study considers a conceptual model of the organizational structure of the school and
examines the relationships and practices that emerge to support the dynamic complexities of the
school including a distributed leadership approach. Findings from the study indicate that the
SLC leaders perceive their role to be one of building community among teachers and students by
establishing relationships, promoting collaboration and personalizing the learning environment.
School leaders share the responsibility for all learners through shared decision-making and
teamwork. A renewed focus on teaching and learning requires that school administrators take an
active role in the monitoring of instruction through frequent classroom observations, targeted
interventions, meaningful professional learning, and engaging in “tough” conversations with
teachers to improve instructional practice.Study results also suggest that implementation of reform efforts are effective when school
leaders espouse a common purpose, share decision-making and the principal distributes the
responsibility of leadership. The study documents effective practices in the strands of leadership,
change and community and discusses implications for policy, practice and recommendations for
future research.
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