WELS Principal Standards

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Standards

WELS Principal Standards

Domain I: Spiritual Leadership

STANDARD ONE: An effective Lutheran school principal is a person of faith.

1. Understands and follows doctrines of the Bible
2. Accepts the Bible as the absolute truth in matters of faith and life
3. Models faith both personally and professionally
4. Displays Christ-like love for all
5. Is a spiritual leader to faculty, staff, students, families, and, if applicable, within the associated congregation
6. Acts with integrity, fairness, and ethics

STANDARD TWO: An effective Lutheran school principal fosters a Christ-centered vision for the spiritual and academic success of all children under his care.

1. Collaboratively develops and implements a shared vision and mission
2. Articulates, implements, and guards the vision
3. Collects and uses data to identify goals, assess organizational effectiveness, and promote organizational learning
4. Creates and implements plans to achieve goals
5. Promotes continuous and sustainable improvement
6. Monitors and evaluates progress and revises plans

Domain II: Instructional Leadership

STANDARD THREE: An effective Lutheran school principal knows how to teach.

1. Understands and utilizes the Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod (WELS) Teaching Standards
2. Understands the developmental needs of children
3. Designs and implements differentiated instruction and culturally relevant pedagogy to meet learner needs
4. Has command of a variety of learning theories and instructional methods
5. Employs good classroom management
6. Plans and organizes systematic instruction to meet students’ diverse needs and accomplish learning outcomes
7. Uses informal and formal assessment strategies to measure student progress

STANDARD FOUR: An effective Lutheran school principal fosters a culture of student spiritual growth and academic achievement.

1. Creates a climate in which all reflect Christ’s love and strive for excellence in using His gifts
2. Develops, monitors, and sustains a Christ-centered curricular and instructional school program together with the faculty
3. Maximizes school time spent on quality instruction
4. Advocates for and fosters affirmation, respect, and inclusion of a diverse student body
5. Promotes the use of technology to support teaching and learning

STANDARD FIVE: An effective Lutheran school principal enables, supports, and coaches teachers and staff to faithfully serve God’s people through the growth and use of their gifts.

1. Guides the development of beginning teachers
2. Uses formative supervision to guide teacher performance toward improved student learning
3. Communicates teacher and staff performance through summative evaluations
4. Works collaboratively with teachers to design comprehensive professional growth plans
5. Builds teacher capacity to carry out a Christ-centered vision and curricular goals through planned programs of collaborative, sustained, and job-embedded professional development
6. Develops and maintains a Christian faculty culture of trust, collaboration, reflection, and professionalism around student learning
7. Effectively communicates with faculty and staff

Domain III: Administrative Leadership

STANDARD SIX: An effective Lutheran school principal wisely manages the school facilities and resources for a safe, efficient, organized, and effective learning environment.

1. Organizes the environment to support quality instruction and student learning
2. Monitors building operations
3. Obtains, allocates, aligns, and efficiently utilizes human, fiscal, and technological resources
4. Promotes and protects the welfare and safety of students and staff
5. Uses distributive leadership strategies that recognize and utilize the many gifts God gives to his church
6. Supports and works closely with the school’s governing board

Domain IV: Community Leadership

STANDARD SEVEN: An effective Lutheran school principal reaches out to and engages the school, congregation, synod, and local community.

1. Builds and sustains Christ-centered relationships with students, families, caregivers, congregation, and community
2. Engages families and the local congregation in school decision-making as appropriate
3. Collects and analyzes data and information to understand and to respond to the needs of the school’s environment
4. Utilizes community and synod resources to carry out the school’s mission
5. Promotes the school among school families and within the congregation and community
6. Promotes understanding, appreciation, and use of the community’s diverse cultural, social, and intellectual resources
7. Works cooperatively with synod agencies

STANDARD EIGHT: An effective Lutheran school principal understands both the local and broader context in which the school exists.

1. Serves as an advocate for children, families, and caregivers
2. Acts to influence congregational, synodical, local, state, and national decisions affecting student learning and Lutheran education
3. Assesses, analyzes, and anticipates emerging trends and initiatives in order to adapt leadership strategies