In this our inaugural feature of the Principal Spotlight Initiative (PSI) we are delighted to recognize the efforts of Mr. Aldayne Porter who is a participant of Cohort 18 of the Effective Principals’ Training Programme offered by the National College for Educational Leadership. Mr. Porter is the Principal of Christiana Leased Primary and Infant in region 5. Principal Porter accessed the programme during the period January –March 2021 and executed his intervention during term three of the 2020-2021 academic school year. Below please see excerpts of his intervention.
The Intervention
Mr Porter became concerned that attendance data being submitted to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MoEYI) may not have been accurate and reliable. This conclusion was based on information gleaned in discussions at staff meetings where teachers indicated that students were manipulating the virtual classroom space by engaging in a scheme of ‘ghosting’ where they could be marked present but would not necessarily stay in class for the full periods as some students signed in but disappeared for part of, or all of the lessons. His desire was to begin the new school year with a solution to the situation. In discussion with the Senior Management Team (SMT), the decision was made to create a more accurate method of keeping attendance records. It was this need that led Mr Porter to use his background in technology to design an attendance spreadsheet as a digital register that could be populated with students’ names. He redefined the parameters for students to be considered to be in attendance, with more columns on the sheet, requiring additional information. Unlike the old system, the digital register contained the new feature where students are marked for participation in lessons. This addition would capture all the relevant data that would accurately account for students’ attendance, so ‘ghosting’ could be captured and dealt with. Prior to this, enrolment for each day could not account for these students. The offline functionality of spreadsheet was tested by simulating data entry procedures and the spreadsheet was uploaded online using Google suite via Google sheets.
Impacting the System
The school year started with a more accurate process of accounting for students’ attendance. Teachers found the system to be user friendly, so they quickly adapted and consistently used the sheet. They recognized the implications for their own records. For example, the system generates important summaries which allows teachers to gather additional information including grades. There is now greater scope for analysis as they found it helpful in preparing grades for class reports since it provides raw score as well as percentages. There is also, increase efficiency as far as document submission is concerned. The reporting capabilities are enhanced as data moves through the chain of reporting, from teachers to grade coordinators, to the principal and ultimately to the Ministry of Education. The E-version can be sent electronically so teachers save time and accountability is improved, generally. Mr Porter agrees that the new system gives added opportunity to hold parents accountable for their children’s attendance in the virtual classrooms. He also believes that the data from the system provides the administration with support in making plans for the school year and those plans can now be fully data driven. He does not believe the system that he has designed exists in his region, but he anticipates the possibility for the system to be of benefit to other schools in the coming years. He plans to share the idea with other school leaders.
The Effective Principals’ Training Programme is one of the College’s flagship programmes that is designed for in-service principals. It exposes principals to key leadership modules designed to assist them in improving the overall leadership and management of their schools and to drive school improvement that will advance student and teacher development. To date, the College has trained 1133 school principals locally in Round One of the programme.
