by Edna Varner Associate, Leadership Development

This year Cornerstone welcomes six new principals to a network of principals, teachers, coaches, parents, other district staff, and Cornerstone support team members—all committed to the work of achieving an acceptable standard of literacy for all children by third grade. In this issue, our two Dalton principals share brief thoughts on leadership.

Dr. Frankie Beard is principal of Roan Elementary School with 590 PK-3rd grade students, 85% of which are Latino. She is a former 1st and 3rd grade teacher, instructional specialist, and adjunct professor at State University of West Georgia. She has been principal of Roan School since 1991, and in 2000-2001, she was a Georgia Distinguished Principal. For the past two years, the Dalton Teacher of the Year has been selected from among her faculty; and parent participation at her most recent parent-teacher conferences was 100%.

Frankie says she is guided by the conviction that all staff members must have high expectations for student achievement. Although school records show that her students are 95% free and reduced lunch, she says Roan teachers are instilled with the belief that "students may be impoverished financially, but that does not make them impoverished intellectually." She believes exemplary instructional practices should be evident throughout the entire school to meet the needs of every child, and the professional development from Cornerstone will help the Roam team achieve this goal.

On Leadership: "It is my philosophy that one cannot lead if one does not read. First and foremost, I have an obligation to set a standard for self-development
before I can expect the same from my teachers."

Dr. Sylvester Carrington began his work in education teaching 4th and 5th grade in the West Indies. He has also been a biology teacher, an assistant principal and principal in Chattanooga, Tennessee schools, a science supervisor in Chattanooga, an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee, before becoming principal at Park Creek Elementary School in Dalton, Georgia. This is his seventh year in Dalton and third year at Park Creek.

Sylvester says empowering teachers is one major premise of his administrative leadership. One way he empowers teachers is by trusting them to be instructional leaders and giving them opportunities to make instructional decisions that affect students and their achievement. He also believes in keeping avenues of communication open by touching base with each teacher every day, whether it is a drop-in classroom visit or a hello in the hallway or cafeteria. Keeping in touch is vital.

On Leadership: "As a principal, I see myself as a learner leader. There are so many experienced teachers I work with on a daily basis who know a lot more than I about some areas of education and schooling. I do not think it shameful to ask, consult or simply allow them to take on a leadership role in those situations."