An ethic of connectedness: enacting moral school leadership through people and programs

As educators, we grapple with a myriad of dilemmas and often have difficulty resolving issues that relate to curriculum and instruction, funding, facilities and supervision, to name a few. Depending on the leader(s), a variety of ethics come in to play when making decisions. The ethic of connectedness refers to community building and welfare as central to moral thought and practice (Bradley, 2007). Responsibility to community building and welfare begins in the schools and must be an acculturated practice within the schools so future generations possess the knowledge, skills and dispositions that ensure a connectedness to their society (Marzano et al., 2005; Barth 2006; Collinson et al., 2006). This article will explore the importance of an ethic of connectedness to effective school leadership and the experience of a Pennsylvania school district in nurturing and building a connectedness within the school community.