Reflective Journal Entry #4 (EA 740)

Ethical Belief Statement

Shelly Schantz
October 23, 2016

There are two principles that I base my relationships and interactions with others on. First, the
Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Second, say what you mean
and mean what you say. I set high expectations for myself and for others based the following
core ethical beliefs:

I believe in having faith in God, others, and myself.

I believe that education is a calling of service and excellence.
I believe in acting in a trusting manner with honesty and integrity central.
I believe in fairness, consistency, and loyalty.
I believe in the cultivation of family through caring and compassionate relationships.
I believe in collaboration and teamwork to achieve success, while honoring differences
of opinions and thoughts.
I believe in acting in a responsible manner with attention to duty, regulations, and
excellence.

What these mean in my professional life as an educational leader:

With Colleagues: Every interaction that I have with colleagues will emulate relationships
built on trust, fairness, and service. Colleagues will know by what I say and do, that I
will act in ways consistent with how I expect to be treated in return. We will keep
students at the center of our quest for excellence. We will work together to I will honor
differences and celebrate our successes along the way. Collaboration and teamwork will
be at the center of planning. I will have faith that each one of us brings positive intent
and commitment to educational excellence.

With Students: I will work hard to form relationships with students to show that we are a
school family who cared for each other and is honest, fair, and faithful to one another.
Students will be held to high standards and treated as partners in their education. Open
and honest relationships will be cultivated so that students connect with others and with
me. Students will have opportunities to collaborate and work together to increase
engagement and learning outcomes.

With Families: Parents, staff, and students will be seen as a team. Relationships will be
cultivated with parents where they feel that their child matters to me. We will work
together with parents to connect home and school bonds. Parents will know that what we
say is what we will do, based on our actions. Parents will be included on committees
and invited to participate in school events. Cultural differences will be celebrated so that
families all backgrounds feel valued and welcomed in our school.