Essay Sample on Big Mountain High School Four Frame Application

Introduction

Almost everything that happens within the school setting is eventually the responsibility or the duty of the principal. Equally valid is the fact that an individual is incapable of doing everything, be everywhere, fix everything, or prevent all the problems. Therefore, it is imperative for the principal, who is the ultimate authority at the Big Mountain High School (BHMS), to operate within the four frames namely the structural, the symbolic, human resources, and the political. The consideration of possible action within the four frames has the propensity of expanding the principal's options; meaning that they will embark on what is essential, necessary, therefore, preventing the any possibility of being overwhelmed. In that regard, the principal will apply his energy in the most efficient manner while simultaneously developing the school culture.

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The structural frame requires the principal to enact, maintain, and subsequently ensure adherence to the rules, definitions, and the procedures required for safety and predictability (Bolman & Deal, 2017). The school fraternity requires inspiration, which is currently lacking. With the right policies and practices, inspiring leaders can change the school culture, improve the morale of the staff, create harmony, and then change the performance of the school. Change culture constitutes a degree of non-linearity and rapidity. The mentioned culture also has great potential that permits creativity that leads to unparalleled successes. It is important to note that transformational change is mainly possible with a certain level of messy action. It is apparent that the future of BHMS portends a degree of messiness, meaning that change is inevitable (Smith & Louis, 1999). The school requires a total overhaul to allow for complete restructuring. Therefore, the principal should work in collaboration with the teachers, the staff, and the superintendent to develop of a cohesive, harmonious, and collaborative working relationship. Such will create the reliable responses necessary for the much-needed structural fixes.

The human resource structure acknowledges the fact that a school primarily consists of communities who have an ardent need for each other. In this particular frame, the principal ought to invest in the uplifting, educating of staff, caring, and building of trust of the staff members at the BMHS. At the level of the system, there is need for securing benefits, professional development, and raises. Retaining the status quo would mean greater instability for the school since the methods applied currently portend profound mistrust, bad relationship, and lack of cooperation among the staff members. Staff development improves leadership stability, and is achievable by distributing successful personnel and practices across the district. The development of a sound support network will assist the leaders and the departments in sharing information and ideas thereby staying relevant.

The symbolic structure requires the principal to communicate what matter most to the organization. In that regard, the principal and the superintendent should ensure open communication channels between BMHS and other successful schools within the district with the aim of forming functional partnerships for the exchange of ideas and information (Fullan, 2016). Such a program will ensure the improvement of the school since the staff will have the opportunity to learn from others and adopt what could work and discard bad practices. Finally, the political structure requires finessing the different factions within the school. The principal should engage the staff members, develop the staff members who are capable of influencing the team, and build cohorts who will monitor new initiatives. BMHS should ensure stability in its leadership structure. The evidence points to a principal and a superintendent who were not in accord with the mission, vision, or objectives of the school. Moreover, their actions show a lackluster in the level of dedication and commitment to the school ideals, culture, and principles.

References

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fullan, M. (2016). The New Meaning of Educational Change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Smith, B., & Louis, L. (1999). Case 2: Changes at Big Mountain High School. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, 2(1), 1-2.