Dionne Cainnes shares her experiences as an alumna of the online Leadership and Administration M.S. program.
What are you currently doing now and how has your experience in the program helped you in your career and/or career goals?
I have interviewed for an AP position in my county and I was called back in and told that I made the AP pool. It happened quite quickly right after graduation so I was very happy about that. I found out this past summer that a positon opened and that I would be the new AP starting in a position in the fall 23 semester. The program has really helped because it provided me with the official experience of field experiences I think that was really critical. I didn’t realize how important that was going to be when I first started. Field experiences were important for me to gain hands on, practical experiences outside of the book. The book is great but actually being in the room, making schedules, being in meetings and attending things with my principal, I got to go to a principals meeting you know for the district just those kinds of things are allowing me to think like a leader.
Having FSU provide those opportunities gave me a wide variety of experiences not only in my school but my second site school which was complete polar opposite gave me great experience you know aside from the book.
Did our program help prepare you for the FELE? If so, what aspects of the program were most helpful?
Yes! That was probably one of the scariest things for me. I remember coming in to the and going to the fireside chats about the FELE. That was the scariest thing. You’ve got to pass the FELE! I remember Dr. Small saying, “Don’t worry, you are going to fine. The courses are going to prepare you.” I know in hind site I should have taken his word for it at the time but I was still panicking. When it was time for me to take the FELE, I truly was prepared because every program and every course was intentionally designed to address every area of the FELE. Specifically, the Signature Assessments were some of the most important things in hind sight that I did not realize would be as crucial for me, especially the Signature Assessment for Data and Analysis class. The Data Driven course was really pretty much the FELE written exam. Dr. Small had a timed writing simulation that we did, so you could actually feel what it feels like. All of the course material and everything we did wasn’t just to do it. It truly did prepare you. The Signature Assessments, although challenging, were worth it. I used the Signature Assessments from every course to help me prepare.
How have you been supported by the faculty?
I am so glad that I chose FSU because they cared about every student, and they meant was they said. There were regular check-ins from the professors. Dr. Small and Dr. Forehand would send check- in emals, “Hey, how’s it going? Is there anything that we can do to help?” Their availability was second to none.
I was able to schedule Zoom meetings if I had trouble. If I sent an email, they were very responsive. My professors would even offer their phone numbers if I didn’t have time to do a Zoom. That was wonderful. Flexible was also great. They knew how to read the room. They saw that we were overwhelmed. We had jobs, too. They would say, I know you have a lot on your plate. I can see it. They would say, “Don’t worry about replying to the discussion post.” They would take something off of your plate, or extend the time if there were extenuating circumstances. I know a cohort that was having trouble keeping up. They said, “What can we do to come up with a plan to get you where you need to go?” I felt that not just with the professors but with the assistants. They were helpful as well. Everybody was very helpful. It actually even extended past graduation. Even though I graduated I could reach out to Dr. Small. Actually, I reached out to him and Dr. Forehand that I got called in for an interview. Dr. Small, even after I graduated, was willing to do a mock interview with me to prepare me for the real thing. He checked in to ask how it went. The relationship that I established with them is gong to extend beyond my time in the program. That is important because making connection is key for my growth and the growth of my future students. Building and maintaining that relationship was really important.
What are some of the program’s greatest strengths?
The program’s content is one of its greatest strengths in order to prepare you for the big picture. Not only the big picture as in the FELE, but past that as well. The genuine care for every student is also a strength.
What advice about the field might you offer to current students?
Make connections with the people who are in your cohort. I waited until the last minute to do that. I wish that I had followed Dr. Small’s advice my first semester. Try to make connections with people. Even though my cohort has graduated, we still text each other “What’s happening? How are you? What’s going on? Those connection are important Also, don’t wait to drown to reach for help. Ask for help. Don’t get to the point where you feel like you are in over your head. The professors truly are there to help you and when they say that they will help in any way, they truly will.
Education is constantly changing and evolving and we as leaders need to continue to grow. We should be reading and staying up to date to meet the needs of your students whom you are serving. It’s important to know your clientele, whom you are serving. How I would serve and meets the needs of the school that I’m currently in would be completely different from how I would meet the needs of students who I had in my second site because it was a Title 1 school and the school that I’m at currently is affluent. My goal is still the same, which is to make an impact on students. Always stay in the pulse of education. Make sure that you are inclusive in every way and reaching all learners and involving all stakeholders. When we are all working together, that’s the biggest thing. When we all work together, we will make the biggest impact in student learning.
Any other comments that you would like to add about your time at FSU?
The FSU program is amazing! I tell everybody that I can! I am so thankful for the program and what Dr. Small and everyone is doing.
