Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Principalship Preparation Program Overview
The Slippery Rock University/Clarion University Principalship Program is designed to fill a void that exists within the public schools of mid-western Pennsylvania, i.e., a lack of qualified administrators. Unlike many programs within the state that are driven by the number of courses a candidate must take to obtain administrative certification, this program is designed to reinforce the strengths a candidate brings to the program and to improve the areas in which the candidate is in need of assistance.
Prior to (or shortly after) enrolling in the program, prospective candidates will be required to participate a Developmental Assessment Center the purpose of which is to determine the candidate's individual strengths and weaknesses. Using the results from this assessment the candidates, in consultation with their university mentor and administrator mentor, will develop a method for addressing the weaknesses within the ninety (90) clock hour per semester practicum (fall and spring only). These identified weaknesses become part of the candidate's Personalized Prescription Plan (PPP) for his/her certification program.
The Principalship Certification Program is designed around the standards for principalship certification of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). The standards of PDE provide the framework for the themes of the program. A seventh theme, Special Education, was added by the Leadership Task Force of the College of Education because of the increasing importance of this area within the public schools.
These themes include: Leadership and the Administrative Process; Curriculum Issues; School Management; Ethics and Law; Special Education; Human Resource Management; and Community Relations. Each theme is comprised of one or more one (1) credit modules. The content of the modules was developed with input from four nationally recognized individuals in innovative leadership design and refined by an ad hoc committee of the Slippery Rock University College of Education?s Leadership Task Force. Each candidate will be required to participate in a ninety (90) clock hour practicum experience (fall and spring only) each semester during which time he or she will work on his/her individual school improvement project, address weaknesses discovered through the Developmental Assessment Center activity, and attend administrator-related meetings. These practicum experiences are designed to address the PDE requirement as well as a mandate from the Leadership Task Force that was assembled to investigate a principalship certification program at Slippery Rock University to include sufficient opportunities for the candidate to link theory to application.
To further address the application component of this program, each theme includes a related thirty (30) hour field experience. So that students may find application of the content derived in the modules within each theme, assignments are to be made based on the needs of the candidate and his/her school setting. Furthermore, the objectives of each module as outlined on the syllabus should include no more than one assignment per objective nor more than six objectives per module. Assignments for each module need to be developed jointly between university faculty, field mentors, and administrative mentors to assure that links between theory and application are constantly monitored.
For application packet, please contact:
Graduate Studies
124 North Hall
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, PA 16057
*The educational policies and procedures are continually being reviewed and changed in keeping with the educational mission of the university. Consequently, this document cannot be considered binding and is intended to be used only as an informational guide. Students are responsible for keeping informed of official policies and regulations and for meeting all appropriate requirements.
|
