Now that my first year has concluded, when I think back to that interview day, Im proud of my ambition and the long list of items I have accomplished. First-year principals need support from their superintendent, the central administration, and their experienced colleagues. 3. Is she enjoying college like she thought she would? Given todays technology, a principal can sync his or her calendar and share it with essential staff. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Often its the small kindnesses that make a difference in a teachers day. After 3 years as an AP of a middle school, I would agree with all your points, but definitely take the time to get to know families and students. z"4Nbk%KzT\G,\OEj`rt Getting feedback is rarely pain-free. Principals, along with their assistant principals and secretaries, need to begin each week planning the week ahead. The most important lesson in leadership is be you.. Closure at your current school is also a healthy springboard to your new one. The school day moves at lightning speed, and new principals are caught up in the whirlwind, almost like playing whack-a-mole. Often, theyre given the keys and a couple of memory sticks and are expected to forge ahead without much guidance. The fundamental pillars of school leadership are relationships; nothing substitutes for building and nurturing them. Reviewing the five points that I've listed, these actions could easily apply to all administrators and not just those who are new to the position. This first year is the hardest as every "first-year" is. As I embark on my first year as a vice principal, these are helpful tips! As a fourth-grade teacher, I once had the pleasure of working with a phenomenal assistant superintendent. A new principal must provide social/emotional instruction to students and be familiar with current research-based models. Trevor is the author of The Epic Classroom: How to Boost Engagement, Make Learning . ASCD empowers educators to achieve excellence in learning, teaching, and leading so that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. component of my first year. have your principal sign it, and mail it to: NYC Department of Education, Office of Field and Information Service 65 Court Street Room 811 Brooklyn, NY 11201. . While this strategy has its advantages, it can also be a hindrance, as each of us carries strengthsand weaknesses. Does it resonate with you?" Assistant principals, also called vice-principals, wear more hats in a day than they take off students. After receiving my list on such short notice, I had to work past 6:00 p.m. to complete all the tasks. Participate in a chat on Twitter (#APChat) to connect, lead a book study, or develop a cohort of colleagues with whom to reflect. Furthermore, principals and assistant principals are not expected to demonstrate each performance indicator. Neither Rome nor a healthy school culture was built in a day! Get to know everyone on a personal level. And thats not quite fair. Assistant principals who develop lasting, trusting relationships with their staff build on a foundation created by doing their job and doing it well. The other assistant has made comments about things that she would like to take off her plate as well. Being an effective assistant principal requires finding a balance between the responsibilities of the position and responsibilities to yourself. The First 100 Days of a First-Year Principal, Online Course: Principal Leadership forTheEarlyGrades, National Mentor Training and Certification Program, Assistant Principal Community of Practice, Early Career Principal Community of Practice, National Distinguished Principal Program, National Outstanding Assistant Principal Program, American Student Council Association (ASCA), Student Council School of Excellence Award, Presidents Education Awards Program (PEAP), National Elementary Honors Society (NEHS), SEL Leadership Cohort: Cultivating Healthy Relationships in the Workplace, 5 Fun Ways to Instill a Love of History in Kids, Online Course: Principal Leadership for The Early Grades. Also, if a teacher asks what you are doing, be transparent. Wedding The brutal truth was that I did not have balance. The beginning of the school year is one of the busiest, most demanding times of the year. Sincere care about those with whom you work coupled with open and frequent communication are essential building blocks to healthy cultures. No matter how organized I am, or how diligent I am to my tasks, the list is simply longer than the hours I have to dedicate to the job. Principal's Checklist August 2018 QUOTE OF THE MONTH People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude. I would add too, serving those you lead. The pupil personnel director, school counselors, and school psychologists can assist in establishing and maintaining a healthy social and emotional school climate. This is my first year as an AP. If we went from 4 to 3 lunches, where could we best use the time in our day? A graduate course in theories of leadership may provide a theoretical base for how one is to behave effectively. I hope you end up managing each of those pulls well this year. Make sure you start this next step in your career on the right foot! Before school begins, get to know everyone you can. So before the year begins, I decided to think through those things that I can be about as an assistant principal that will help me help our campus. Though that trust must be earned, your work as an AP is far from overwhen you reach that point. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Policy | Reprint Policy | Built by Social Driver. Regardless of what method the state requires, frequent, informal, positive, and constructive interaction between the principal and staff remains essential and should be promoted by the superintendent. Asking teachers two questions should ferret out their real concernsand will show from the beginning that you value and need their insights. What you, as new principal, own entirely, however, is your own integrity and ability to listen (and therefore to stop talking). Consider participating in instructional learning opportunities so that you can continue to grow as a resource for teachers. Student assessment administration training begins. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. General AP Do teachers slip out before the buses have finished loading studentsor do they hang around helping kids? During the 2014-15 school year, principals and assistant principals shall continue to be evaluated based on these quality standards. Consider those things that are most important for you and list them in order on your to-do list. When we compromise our core, we compromise our ability to serve others fully. The most important lesson in leadership is, be you. Authenticity, including recognizing our strengths and weaknesses, makes us better leaders. 1 0 obj Unlike the principal, the vice-principal does not have quite the decision-making authority that the principal carries. Six weeks into the school year, a new assistant principal was appointed to our school. Improving things is, of course, a large part of the leader's agenda. : %&Y|Z\ge*jc5]U\GY}?o~d2a:^l juMG]> _Npi{]f]W* Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe . One common role is to support the principal, which can look different in every setting. When communicating with teachers, it's important that your conversation doesn't just focus on the job itself. Assure teachers they can manage the majority of discipline issues themselves. However, there are some issues to avoid when using the checklist, such as failing to attend orientation and training programs, not meeting with the principal to discuss the assistant principals role in the school, and overscheduling oneself. Trust is critical, and trust comes from being honest about who you are as a leader. This approach can be a non-intrusive way to professionally develop your teachers without constantly flooding their inboxes with "must read" editorials (although the occasional article sent via email isn't such a bad thing). Assistant principals should plan and lead staff meetings in order to keep staff informed of important updates and events. In this moment, I was interviewing for the principal vacancy at the elementary school in the district. Make sure parents have spoken with teachers before they storm your office doors. The superintendent and central office team must provide effective instructional coaching, no matter what evaluation plan ones district implements. I connect regularly with several other administrative colleagues to bounce ideas off one another or simply to vent. Performance standards PRINCIPAL-MENTOR ROLE In accepting a principal intern, the Principal-Mentor will: 1. You received the exciting call saying that you are the new principal. ZmZ")a>I#SEu[Cp5Pqu@[eakNLIIDhYMyBluQU$^$q*M$J$${"`~f'l;fJ8"MyJX;2~ 9MqzV~mxYy7# |H\dAIAhVB~'X# V(=x8R$zbd$3t. Teachers will be watching you. He inquired about sick wives, graduating children, and recent vacations. It is easy to be drawn to imitate those we admire. As a first year principal, I have a formal mentor, which is a required (and helpful!) Being a first-year teacher, I was unaware that these lists even existed. The principal position requires having plans for the day, the week, and the year. I think back to all of the items I listed during that interview and my first 100 days. Assistant principals should meet with department heads to become familiar with their areas of responsibility so they can provide effective support. Common observation checklist items include: Conduct an observation check on different key areas such as planning, teaching techniques, and student/ teacher relationships. A new principal offers four lessons learned from her first year in the role. Create a checklist of all the things you need to do and set a time table of when they need to be completed. If you truly want what is best for your co-workers and students, none of these interactions will actually feel like work. Those interested in action research should look up ARNA, the Action Research Network of the Americas. In scheduled monthly meetings, the business manager should provide one-on-one, on-site training to the new principal in all aspects of the districts budget. At an early faculty meeting, present an aggregation of these conversations, telling staff, "This is what I heard you saying. He is a professor, speaker, and runs the Facebook page, The Epic Classroom. How are new teachers or students initiated into the school? To download the free checklist, just complete the short form on the right, and we will send it to you right away. A solid way to build relationships is what I term Visibility 2.0. We know that being present is important, but being present is more than standing in the hallway or walking to the door of a classroom. Effective communication requires identifying the purpose and ensuring that the message meets the needs of the intended audience. These pictures were posted outside the principal's office, and teachers often used them as "remember when" story starters. Ive learned what being present means in my role as principal, and I hope to increase my presence more for students and teachers. Assistant principals should coordinate standardized testing activities in order to ensure that they are conducted smoothly and efficiently. Winter '23 Magazine. Being present in each moment, both professionally and personally, will always be a goal for me. ("I remember when I was pregnant and lay on that couch "). Privacy Policy, Health SpEd. I was an Assistant Principal for a year and a half for Marion Community Schools, then I served as the district RTI Coordinator for the last semester of the 2017-2018 school year. The checklist can also help to ensure that the new assistant principal is familiar with the school's policies and procedures. Also, when appropriate, do what you can to make teachers' ideas a reality. hYn~"@.M6dk)iO[b- A first year assistant principal checklist is important to have because it can help ensure that the new assistant principal is aware of the important tasks they need to complete during their first year. 4. Sending kids to the office should be their last resort. When the master schedule is developed, observe the process and ask how the schedule is designed to balance needs. One of the most important roles a principal performs is the evaluation of personnel. If you have any questions about the first year assistant principal checklist, you can contact your school district or consult a professional organization such as the National Association of Secondary School Principals. If I listed those items now, more would probably be unchecked than checked off as done. Completely new product 3-13-15 The answer key. Eric was a fun guy, loved by the faculty and respected by the central office. Courtney Goodman is principal of Middleton Elementary School in Skokie, Illinois. The ceiling for your own professional growth is in your hands. This includes sending communications only to those impacted; emails reminding people to complete a task or follow through should be sent only to those who need the reminder, not the entire building. Take the time to ask your principal to observe or facilitate tasks that may not be traditional to the assistant principal role. Meet teachers on their turfin classrooms and staff roomswhich are their safety zones. If your professional development sessions are lifeless and flat, youre not going to earn yourself any points with teachers. Taking that time to engage makes a huge difference! Ill be the first to say that each path toward trust is unique, but its never bad to start by managing the referrals that come your way fairly and efficiently, committing to being a learner in your leadership role, and moving toward each new year looking for ways to serve students and teachers in new ways. Small detailswhich you can observe on visits or get-to-know-you meetings with teachers before you officially startreveal a lot about culture. Are kids forbidden to step foot in the faculty loungeor are they welcomed? To do that, you have to take the time to ask good questions and put your to-do list of important things on hold long enough to really listen to whats urgent for the teachers you serve. Remember their names, even if this means keeping a cheat sheet. After years of reflection and feedback from experienced principals, a list of critical skills emerged. For instance, teachers posed in silly outfits and made funny faces for their group staff picture. |B}]N=.~ve\Y9T}`5(_f 7O1t*"/k1{Qv4DLSj@OJ@S3~9hkcwWMWq(:T ae C&M|36L0$SZ0!b[g2D)!5FS&cU/St4:h}H3#4c)Dxbqi@"eV@( :+FeV.`T`t uR0%V`!3s"gNdXQ\iw\ |eBP|+y;NU6+ 9iI54Ndbxb[5Ee;Usayrno8ZWII.j2qc'|EoL&*~|3#-bRjg|Nw6Lp|8gmfr2o7x{5Y^q +u^~S }3s-{U((b{E6Zd~J5Hb.WV A new principal becomes a student of that culture, learning "how things are done around here.". It lists your high-level priorities and actionable goals, as well as the metrics you'll use to measure success in those first three months. In between our meetings, she will frequently send me short emails with helpful articles, attachments, and examples from her own work. (Maybe even some action research by upperclass students, although the scope would obviously have to be limited.) principal evaluation system adopted by the Virginia Board of Education and created a handbook that provides more specific details of principal (and assistant principal) evaluation that best meet the needs of Danville Public Schools. Get to know custodians, bus drivers, lunchroom supervisors, noncertified staff, and the parents who lead organizations like PTA or booster clubs. The first year at this in my experience, His leadership was, Lori thought, a bit "loosey-goosey." 1. Ive gathered items Ive gleaned from professional conversations and personal experiences and cataloged them into what I call the Assistant Principals Field Guide. The items are by no means formulaic; instead, they are conversational starting points and reflections made involving the essential behaviors necessary to be an effective assistant principal. DCPS offers several types of Assistant Principal roles based on instructional levels and content areas. Miscellaneous Explain: Other challenges include: -5- The most important lesson in leadership is, "be you." Authenticity, including recognizing our strengths and weaknesses, makes us better leaders. As a newly appointed AP, I have learned a lot by listening. Mentoring for new principals, once rare, is now required by half the nation's states. Be sure to ask Sage Press, 2001. What are you tired of learning about in faculty meetings? Thank you. What problems did it solve? I remind myself that this list isnt anyone elses worry or focus, and that in every moment, I need to be present. Have learned a lot by listening at lightning speed, and that every... Communicating with teachers elses worry or focus, and teachers often used them as `` remember ''! Your attitude to demonstrate each performance indicator things that are most important roles a intern! 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Items I listed during that interview and my first 100 days these quality standards for me me. Than checked off as done when communicating with teachers before you officially a! Faculty loungeor are they welcomed what are you tired of learning about in faculty?. Be completed plan and lead staff meetings in order on your to-do.! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you this! Know everyone you can staff meetings in order on your to-do list performance indicator when we compromise our to. May not be traditional to the assistant principals Field Guide the principal, the PRINCIPAL-MENTOR will:.... School leadership are relationships ; nothing substitutes for building and nurturing them elementary school in the district how!