Running head: COMPETENCY SELF EVALUATION

Competency Self - Evaluation

Debora Cruz-Figueroa
University of St. Thomas

Dr. Eduardo Torres

EDUC 6331 Administrative Internship II
Spring 2016

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Competency 1 The principal knows how to shape campus culture by facilitating the
development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is
shared and supported by the school community.
This competency means to me I will need to know how to collaborate with all stakeholders
to shape and support the culture of my future campus to ensure all are working for the shared
vision. I have learned many methods of shaping a shared campus culture to involve all
stakeholders.
The experiences at St. Augustine Catholic School and what I have observed at different
campuses have given me the opportunity to feel that I will be able to take on the role stated in
this competency with confidence.
Competency 2 The principal knows how to communicate and collaborate with all members of
the school community, respond to diverse interests and needs, and mobilize resources to
promote student success.
During my internship, I was called upon to lead several faculty meetings, team meetings,
assemblies, and community meetings. I have been able to communicate effectively in all
capacities.
However, I would like to improve my collaboration skills with other members of the
faculty in order to respond to diverse interests and needs.
Competency 3 The principal knows how to act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical and
legal manner. Another great experience was participating in observations and the development
of a growth plan for a teacher. I was able to act with fairness and in a legal manner.
During my internship, I was able to practice this competency within my role as Team Lead
by mediating situations for staff members. Ive also been able to help implement new policies.

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I would like to gain more experience within this competency by becoming more involved
with Diocesan policies and procedures.
Competency 4 The principal knows how to facilitate the design and implementation of
curricula and strategic plans that enhance teaching and learning; ensure alignment of
curriculum, instruction, and assessment; and promote the use of varied assessments to
measure student performance.
During my internship, I did not gain very much experience in this competency.
I have had some experience with varied assessments, but not in an administrative role.
Competency 5 The principal knows how to advocate, nurture, and sustain an instructional
program and a campus culture that are conducive to student learning and staff professional
growth.
In my role as Team Lead in the Early Childhood Department, I have gained some
experience with staff professional growth and mentorship of teachers and staff.
However, I still feel the need to gain more familiarity with cultivating an instructional
program for students.
Competency 6 The principal knows how to implement a staff evaluation and developmental
system to improve the performance of all staff members, select and implement appropriate
models for supervision and staff development, and apply legal requirements for personnel
management.

During my internship, I was able to participate in the planning process of several staff
development events.

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As Team Lead, I implemented a new informal process for Team Leaders to assess and
report their teachers.
I would like to be more involved with summative and formative evaluations on my
campus.
Competency 7 The principal knows how to apply organizational, decision-making, and
problem-solving skills to ensure an effective learning environment.
I consider one of my biggest strengths is that I work well collaboratively and I enjoy
sharing ideas and planning with others. Another strength is I can monitor the situation around me
and make adjustments as necessary. I would like to be more familiar with data and trend analysis
in order to align school resources for instruction and improvement successfully. I would like to
learn and be more exposed to the school data analysis and formative assessments plan.
My goal to grow as a campus administrator is to participate in data driven decisions and to
be able to ensure an effective learning environment for all students.
Competency 8 The principal knows how to apply principles of effective leadership and
management in relation to campus budgeting, personnel, resource utilization, financial
management, and technology use.
The most important lesson I have learned during my internship is the key to success is to
trust others and delegate responsibilities to them. A skill I possess is I can work collaboratively
and that I enjoy working as a team. A principal cannot run a school by himself. A team is
required to succeed. I need more exposure and participation opportunities in how to allocate
resources and purchased items for the school. I also need to have exposure regarding small
budgeting decisions and one way to do it is by being part of the School Decision Making

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Committee. I wish I had the time to learn how the school budget works and the application of it
through the school year.
During this internship, I did learn the school budget at my school is divided into three
categories: local/ general budget, Title I, instruction, and activity funds. I would like more
exposure to campus wide budgeting, financial management, and personnel allocation in order to
learn ways to develop and implement the school budget.
Competency 9 The principal knows how to apply principles of leadership and management to
the campus physical plant and support systems to ensure a safe and effective learning
environment.
During my internship I did have the opportunity to learn about school safety through
several safety walkthroughs with my mentor. I learned what is acceptable and what is not
acceptable under the new safety procedures of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. I would
like to interact and participate in other areas such as emergency management, afterschool
discipline plans, and compliance with state and federal laws in order to better understand school
safety procedures and policies. I am aware I need more exposure in implementing strategies to
manage the school building, students food services, students health service, and students
transportation.
This semester I have learned the principal needs to work collaboratively in order to
achieve high effectiveness in school safety. I needed to be more involved in the school
management of the building, and support systems to ensure a safe and effective learning
environment for everybody.
Throughout my internship year, I was challenged to put into practice all that I had learned
in my master's program. It was an opportunity that allowed me to combine my research and

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reading, as well as the knowledge of the professors at the University of St. Thomas, with
everyday life in a private school. The experience left me confident and prepared to become a
future assistant principal or a principal. Overall, the yearlong combination of internship and
coursework created an educational environment that made my training in school administration
among the best in the nation.
My internship was wonderful, and I believe that it helped me develop invaluable skills that
will one day make me an extremely successful principal. I cannot imagine what it would have
been like venturing into the position of assistant principal or principal without this experience.
However, I realize there are many individuals across the nation participating in school
administration programs which do not require internships. To me, this is the greatest injustice we
do to aspiring leaders of our schools. Learning is best when it is hands-on, whether you are a
child or an adult. One can read and study all the books and journals available; however, the
ultimate test comes when the individual is actually in the trenches doing what must be done.
Principal internships can equip interns with the skills and experience that are necessary to have a
successful first year in any administrative position.
My suggestion to future interns and administrators is to ground all decisions on your
values and ethical standards. These standards will guide the decision-making process. A school
leader must make decisions, which may not be popular with all stakeholders in the organization.
Through my experience, I have learned to trust my leadership abilities and approach each
decision with a clear commitment to the schools mission and goals, which will guide my efforts.
Building relationships and trust is also extremely important. This is what I intend to do. School
leaders must have an authentic, highly collaborative relationship with the school community.
Positive relationships are the vehicles in which to achieve goals. Although a leader must always

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be true to oneself, it is equally important to realize the perceptions of all stakeholders. Life
experiences shape who we are and how we interpret information. Another important message to
aspiring administrators is to always celebrate the small wins along the way. Teachers work
extremely hard each day to motivate and empower students to take responsibility for their
learning. Their efforts need to be celebrated and praised with genuine sincerity to establish a
climate of professionalism.
If you had to do your internship hours again what would you do differently? Why?
I would ask to my principal to release me from some teachers duty to be able to spend
many hours shadowing and observing her. This would help me see the real world as a principal.
Also I would keep a journal. Journal writing can facilitate reflection and would allow me as an
intern to express feelings regarding my educational experiences as a future administrator.
Organization skills is a must during a principal internship. Managing the day-to-day operation of
a school is challenging, even on the best days. The principal has to juggle literally hundreds of
issues, problems, and requests, from the mundane to the life threatening. By the end of a school
day, a principal has fielded numerous phone calls and visits from staff, students, and parents and
has made the many regular committee meetings, class visits, and activities that constitute school
life. Being organized is a must. Whether the school is a small or a large school, private or public
to be an effective principal must be proactive in planning and organizing time. There are far too
many expectations and demands of principals for principals to rely on the memory or to take
things as they come. I would design methods that will help me keep the never-ending paperwork
requirements under control and allow me to allocate time to attend to the most important
activities of an effective leader.

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References
TEA (2016) Texas Education Agency, tea.texas.gov
Wilmore, E. L. (2013) Passing the Principal TExES Exam, Edition 2, Thousand Oaks, CA:
Crown

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