Principals and Parents Have Children in Common

Citizens Alliance to Uphold Special Education (CAUSE) Promotes Children First

by Sue Pratt, Project Manager, Citizens Alliance to Uphold Special Education (CAUSE)

Parents and principals, principals and parents. Both stand for primary protector of children. Both stand for primary promoters of learning. Both stand for principal providers of information and support for the teaching staff.

How do principals and parents work together to promote educational success and collaborative efforts to ensure that all children learn and all staff is supported in their efforts?

• We begin by respecting each other’s perspective. We realize that these perspectives are our own personal realities and, at times, our perspectives may differ.
• We put forth every effort to listen more than we speak. We listen not only to each other’s words, but to body language as well.
• We problem solve, staying focused on the needs of the child.
• We understand that human frailties sometimes get in the way of our working together. We take a time-out and ask for others to join our team.
• We sometimes proclaim, “We’re sorry,” “We don’t understand,” “We need your help,” or even, “We think we can help!”
• We participate, sometimes by just stopping by or calling to see how it’s going.
• We pump up others by remembering to say, “Thank you,” “You’re doing a good job,”and “We appreciate your efforts."
• We pay attention and watch our students grow and become successful, happy adults, who will make a difference in the world in which they live.

Working together offers promises for a future filled with perseverance that promotes opportunities for ALL children. Behind so many words are the dreams and efforts of so many people—children, parents, principals, and support staff—the primary promoters of learning.

For more information, contact: Citizens Alliance to Uphold Special Education (CAUSE) at (800) 221-9105 or visit www.causeonline.org. To view the CAUSE workshop calendar, visit www.causeonline.org.

Editor’s Note: Citizens Alliance To Uphold Special Education (CAUSE) is the federally funded Parent Training Information Center for the State of Michigan. CAUSE is a statewide non-profit coalition providing free information, referral, support, advocacy, and workshops to parents and professionals working with children with disabilities and special needs.

Principals Play Vital Roles on IEP Teams

by Judy Winter, Contributing Writer

The leadership style of the building principal plays a vital role in the individualized education program team (IEPT) meeting and successful implementation of the IEP. As a parent who has spent the past decade attending IEPT meetings, I’ve learned that one key characteristic of effective leadership is respect for what the IEPT meeting means and for each member of the team. When my son’s principal treated the IEP process with respect, our team achieved new educational heights. Because of such strong leadership, my child’s opportunities for success increased significantly. Here are some respect-based decisions I’ve seen that lead to a successful IEPT meeting:

• The principal scheduled enough time to discuss all necessary IEP issues and worked hard to keep the focus of the meeting on the needs of the student.
• The principal made the necessary arrangements for classroom substitutes so that staff could remain for a lengthy IEPT meeting. If the principal was unable to stay for the entire meeting, s/he made prior arrangements for a qualified professional to lead in her/his absence.
• When plans were made for the student to be present at the IEPT meeting, the principal made arrangements to meet the student and family prior to the initial meeting.
• The principal allowed time at the beginning of the meeting for introductions, including a brief explanation of each person’s role on the educational team.
• Early in the meeting, the principal encouraged the team to highlight the student’s individual strengths, interests, and educational success before addressing current challenges and brainstorming solutions.
  n As the meeting opened, the principal stressed the importance of open, honest, and respectful communication among members of the educational team.
• The principal promoted partnerships between staff and family and modeled respect for the important roles of all those present on the educational team.
• The principal kept the language of the meeting focused on solutions for student success, not on a child’s label, disability, or placement.
• The principal suggested breaks whenever the IEPT meetings ran long.
• The principal modeled effective leadership decisions designed to help ALL students succeed.

Judy Winter is an award-winning journalist and recipient of the Michigan Federated Chapters of the Council for Exceptional Children (MCEC) 2002 Exceptional Parent Award. E-mail her at jappwinter@aol.com or visit www.judywinter.com.

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