Effective Weekend School Administration

Presented by Shahida Alikhan

Principal - The Sunday School-ICSC New Horizon School-Los Angeles

January 2013

Objectives

After the presentation you will learn : u  What is Effective Administration? u Skills to be developed for effective

administration. u Aspects of effective administration.

Need for Successful Weekend Schools

u The majority of the children in the US get their religious education and learn Arabic the language of the Quran through the weekend schools. Hence there is a need for successful Weekend Schools.

u  In order to have successful Weekend Schools we need to have Effective Weekend School Administration.

What is Effective Administration?

Effective administration is the development of an understanding of human problems and processes which effect task completion.

It depends on three basic skills. They

are: 1. Technical Skills 2. Human Skills 3. Conceptual Skills

Technical Skills

u Technical skills include a proficiency in methods, processes, procedures or techniques.

Human Skills

u Human skills are an ability to lead and work effectively in a group

Conceptual Skills

u Conceptual skills involve the ability to see the organization as a whole, recognize how various functions

inter-relate and understand how the organization is related to the community and the nation.

This is critical for policy and decision

making.

Effective Administration In order to have effective administration

it is important to have a mission and vision statement for the school.

To do this all stake holders need to be

involved to brainstorm what the weekend school should aim to achieve in the short term and the long term.

These ideas should be translated into mission and vision statements.

Example of ICSC, The Sunday School Mission u  Founded by the Islamic Center Of

Southern California in 1957, The Sunday School is committed to teaching Arabic Language and providing Islamic Education to children of the Muslim community. The Sunday School is dedicated to nurturing spiritual growth and developing God Consciousness through the teachings of Islam and Quran.

Example of ICSC - The Sunday School Vision

u The Sunday School aims to develop for its students self assurance as American Muslims with a commitment to honoring family, community involvement, and respecting others. The Sunday School strives to instill ethical values in the students towards becoming productive and responsible members of our society.

Specific Goals

u To reach the mission and vision specific goals need to be itemized and should be used as benchmarks for evaluation.

u Curriculum and procedures need to be created to reach the goals.

Example of ICSC – The Sunday School Goals

- Develop an American Muslim Identity; –  Develop an association between the students and the

Islamic Center of Southern California; –  To provide basic knowledge of the five pillars of Islam; –  Teaching students the Arabic language as a means of

communication and understanding the Quran; –  Guiding students to Quranic principles and moral

strength in their daily lives; –  Developing God consciousness and using prophetic

examples as a model to be emulated throughout life; –  Fostering responsibility to God, society, and the

environment

Evaluation

u Evaluation is an aspect of effective administration. Constant evaluation of the program is necessary to monitor the success of the weekend school and to asses the reaching of the benchmarks.

Organization

u Organization is another aspect of effective administration.

u  To be organized you need to

establish the policies and procedures for the employees and the parents.

Employee Policies should include:

u Professional Ethics u Employment Policies

u Personal Records u Job Duties u Hours of Work u Performance Evaluation

u Wage and Salary Policies u Pay Period u Payroll Deduction

u Employee Communication u Staff Meetings u Bulletin Boards u Cell Phone Policy

Employee Policies Cont’d

u Employee Safety and Health u Emergencies u Accidents and Injuries u Return to work

u Standards of Conduct u Confidentiality u Attendance Standards u Absence without Notice u Dress and Personal Appearance u Conflict of Interest

Parent Policies should include:

u Program u Staff

u Staff Meetings u Staff Growth and Development

u Policies of Operation u Admission Policies u Enrollment Procedures u School Hours u Attendance and tardiness u Lost and Found u visiting

Parent Policies Cont’d u  Academic Policies

u  Class Size and Groupings u  Homework Policy u  Testing

u  Discipline Policies u  General rules u  Offences and Consequences

u  Dress Code u  Cleanliness u  First Aid u  Parent Involvement

u  Parent communication and Concerns u  Parent/Teacher Conferences

u  Parent Teacher Organization

Implementation of the Curriculum

u Another aspect of effective administration is implementation of the curriculum. Whatever curriculum you choose to have, teachers should be required to put a year plan to pace the curriculum and include student assessment through quizzes and tests.

Conclusion

u I would like to conclude with a quote from Scott Norton of Arizona State University “One needs to think beyond management and learn how to lead and effect school culture, student achievement and organizational issues’.

Question and Answers

Contact Information Shahida Alikhan Email Address: salikhan@newhorizonla.org Website: www.thesundayschool-icsc.org