leadership in high schools

Much work needs to be done by me before Sept.  1, 2007.  Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach is trying to assist me in trying to get my questions out to more educators.  I am most interested in hearing from educators both within W. New York and others in the blogsphere.  I have tried to identify a few hot topics  in the two posts I have posted.  This morning the burning issue for Erie 2@ Boces administrators is how do we ensure 180 days of instruction when our calendare is not altogether regional -ie not followed by all our component schools, we have no control over the transportation of our students and lastly supervisors/principals of the instructional programs do not make the decisions to close schools or the centers.   In New York State schools haved a minimum of 180 days of student attendance and we live in the snow belt!

I  am in the continued process of planning for the new school year.  I am reviewing high school schedules and writing a proposal to support instruction and decrease student discipline.  Is there anyone out there who has incorporated schedules in pure regular ed and special ed, self-contained to reflect common times for instruction, integrated instruction of both student populations and the co-teaching model?  How is this being done in your school?  What have been the reactions of staff?

For special education programs incorporating both a self-contained model  and one integrated with general education, what supports have teachers needed?  What management plans are teachers using in their classrooms?  My office dilemma right now is that students have no recourse when in turmoil besides the counselors who might not always be available hence students walk to the offfice seeking me.  If I am in that’s great, if not my secretaries become quasi counselors/time-out folks.  I need a solution to office staff frustion, teacher dilemmas and program inefficieny.  Hence my blog and the proposal I am working on.

This blog has been set up to address the needs of School Principals who wish to share dilemmas in the field both actual and research based using the virtual world community.  Leadership is defined here just not in the administrative sense however.  It encompasses all leaders who manage student learining - teachers, teaching assistants, coordinators, supervisors, directors and superintendents. 

I am interested in learning from school districts that fully integrate students with special needs in a co-teaching environment. Specifically I am interested in high school course offerings for credit and scheduling.