Blazing New Trails - Connexions

156 CRITICAL ISSUES IN PROMOTING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
For future study, we suggest possible comparative studies with low performing, low-
SES urban schools and affluent suburban schools to ascertain similar and dissimilar data. In
our particular study, we found that the principal played a vital role as the agent and leader of
change to improve the school. As such, future scholars may need to isolate narrowly what
these principals are doing that is different from successful principals not in a low-SES area.
Also the Rokeach Values Survey, in our opinion, could be given to all staff to provide more
validity to the finding that the leader seems to instill her values to her team or that she is
putting together a team (through new hires and influence) that generally shares the leader’s
values and, thus, is building a team that is more responsive and trusting of the leader.
In conclusion, we noted in the title of this work that these high-performing low-SES
schools are about going extra, above, and beyond. We observed and, for one of this study’s
authors who has lived and performed within a high achieving low-SES school, we have seen
(and experienced) the dedication of a group of educators, principals, teachers and staff, who
work their hardest and believe their grandest that the children in their care would succeed and
succeed at levels of excellence. As our research concluded, the staff at one of the schools in
the study nominated one of these authors as their representative for the school district’s
Teacher of the Year. Among over 11,000 employees and over 250 nominees, this educator
became one of only four Teacher of the Year finalists, representing elementary schools in the
district. In the words of John Quincy Adams, "If your actions inspire others to dream more,
learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." The principals in schools Alpha and
Beta are truly leaders, and they have inspired others, in the spirit of John Quincy Adams, to
go extra, above, and beyond.
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