Leadership-Reflections for the Principal

Summer Reflections for Principals

Last week’s article focused on some early preparation steps for teachers, especially new teachers. In this week’s article, I would like to focus on some summer preparations items for school leaders.

This article is not about many of the concrete and tangible things that need to be done over the summer. Some of these tasks are surely mundane and potentially rote. These tasks may include the hiring and assignment of teachers, checking in new supply and textbook orders, developing the building’s master schedule, closing out grades, and analyzing data. Please do not infer by this generic list that these tasks are unimportant. Quite the contrary could be true inasmuch as the hiring of staff may be the most important task that the principal will do. However, we will explore hiring practices in a subsequent article.

What I want to discuss in this article are the personal qualities, demeanor and perhaps the attitude of the leader. As I reflect upon my career, I surely can see my evolution. This evolution, which I think was positive, did not happen by accident. It occurred through conscious reflection and hard work. Upon reflection, develop a personal growth action plan to attain your desired changes.

It is important to remember that the principal is the key figure when it comes to school reform and change. No matter what participatory leadership model or site based team may be in place, if the principal is an obstacle, change will come very slowly, if at all.

Most teacher surveys that I have read point out the following qualities as those the staff desires of their principal.

Effective communicator
Accessible
Honest
Trustworthy

Teachers either consistently praise or complain about their principal’s communication skills. Overall, staffs do not like surprises. Even with an unpopular decision, teachers would like to be “in the loop.” Ultimately teachers would like to be consulted and heard especially if the decision directly impacts them. For the principal, being this open participatory leader is much more difficult than the stereotypical principal of years gone by.

Teachers also value true principal accessibility. I believe that teachers want to see the principal in their classes. They want the principal to see all of the great things that are happening in the classroom. They also want the principal to get a true appreciation for their day. Teachers want to see the principal in the hallways and the student cafeteria. Teachers want to have the freedom to come talk to the principal. Teachers are quick to resent the principal that stays in his /her office all day. Although the principal needs meeting time and quiet time to accomplish tasks, teachers want accessibility. Many problems can be diverted by providing this accessibility. I suggest to the principal that he/she do much of this quiet work before or after school or schedule a consistent time in the daily calendar where they cannot be disturbed barring an emergency. Teachers will come to respect this consistency and openness. Teachers must also respect that principals must also be learners which may require time away from their building.

Teachers seek honesty and value trust. Building trust is hard work. Being honest in stressful times is difficult. I caution principals in only consulting a small group of teachers when seeking input. I caution principals from developing this little special clique. We all know the principal’s favorites. I also caution the principal from talking about other staff “confidentially” to anyone. We all know that these little confidential sessions usually become public. This is probably the biggest way a principal can erode the trust of the staff.

Several years ago I read an article that forced me to look at the principalship in a different way. A way that focuses more on teaching, learning and a true academic agenda. This article appeared in the February 2010 issue of Principal Leadership, written by Vance A. Dalzin entitled, “Cultivating an Academic Image.” For me this article was transformational. Below are some summary statements directly from the article:

The School Building-Are there academic slogans and messages visible? Is academic excellence celebrated and publicized? Are Honor Rolls and Academic Hall of Fames visible?
The Principal’s Image-Are there artifacts that shows that the principal values academic achievements? Are educational books and journals evident? Does the principal’s appearance reflect his /her message?
Celebrations-Does the school celebrate individual and group academic success? Is the principal involved in these academic celebrations? Do building announcements reflect the emphasis on academics?
Time- How is the principal’s time spent? Are students engaged by the principal in academic conversations? Staff? Is student work displayed? Do you model reading?
School Publications-Do publications feature academic work? Does the school web site reflect an academic agenda? Do principal newsletters reflect this academic agenda?
Meetings-Do faculty meetings have an academic agenda? Is there an academic focus during meetings? (Dalzin, 2010)

Principals must possess an academic vision and agenda. He / she must “walk the walk” of this agenda. This pursuit of academic achievement must be alive and dynamic. A powerful statement I implemented was to retire the “jersey” of every student that scored a five on an Advanced Placement exam. Each student received an AP tee shirt, and if he/she attained a 5, this shirt was mounted and framed and hung in a visible part of the school. A ceremony accompanied this process involving parents and the school community. The goal was for each student to have their number retired. This concept taken from athletic hall of fames, served our academic agenda quite nicely. The principal that replaced me took this celebration and honor to new heights. It sends a powerful message.

I encourage each principal, several times a year, to go into a class and teach a lesson as if it was their own. This is a powerful experience that communicates a broad message to both students and staff. It also gives the principal an idea of what is like in front of a class of students in 2016. Times have changed from when many principals were teaching a full schedule of classes.

Each faculty meeting must highlight part of your academic agenda. Building procedures and due dates can be electronically messaged. I encourage you to make meetings interesting, worthwhile, and about teaching and learning.

Protect instruction time at all costs from needless interruptions. Ban the use of the public address system. You will see this for yourself when you go and teach that lesson.

Finally, what does the appearance of your building communicate? What is the first impression your building communicates to new parents? Is it an overgrown mess? Are safety and security lights missing? Is the lawn and bushes cut? Would you use the student restrooms? Are the shades placed at one level? When I was a superintendent, this used to drive my principals crazy. It became the focus of many good natured jibes. However, ride by your building in the evening and look at it. Are all of the windows and shades at different levels? Now ride by the building that is uniform. This sounds petty but you must remember that you are marketing a product: the education of the students. Your building and what goes on inside of it must be source of pride for you and the community.

We have covered a great deal of territory in this article. You can begin working on these items immediately. You must. Communicate your academic agenda to the faculty when school starts and how you plan on supporting staff to reach it.

Good luck. Remember, it begins with you!

References

Dalzin, Vance A. (2010). Cultivating an Academic Image. Principal Leadership, February 2010.