It is the way your staff will feel valued. Teachers mourned the loss. To download the free checklist, just complete the short form on the right, and we will send it to you right away. Based on my research and what I have experienced so far, I'd like to offer five ways for a rookie administrator to successfully navigate his or her new position. If you'd like to share your own thoughts, start a blog and disseminate your posts through Facebook or possibly via email. Zero in on those issues that directly affect teaching and learning. The only way to sift through all the tasks that it takes to get ready and get through your first year is to sit down and create a plan of what you are going to do. Take one step at a time, don't expect to finish your race in a sprint. He was personal, he cared, and he was effective. Make sure you start this next step in your career on the right foot! component of my first year. As I embark on my first year as a vice principal, these are helpful tips! . That makes a difference. Finding the right balance for communication is critical. July . What you, as new principal, own entirely, however, is your own integrity and ability to listen (and therefore to stop talking). He is a professor, speaker, and runs the Facebook page, The Epic Classroom. Real Estate We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. . The assistant principal, assistant school administrator, and coordinator of a school-based program is an educational leader who assists the principal with developing the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each student's academic success and well-being. Assistant principals who develop lasting, trusting relationships with their staff build on a foundation created by doing their job and doing it well. 1. $h591j}R3xW$i>"B3Yu`O'_nbYynbXY2uP Create a checklist of all the things you need to do and set a time table of when they need to be completed. Heres a bit of what Ive learned in my first 100 days as a first-year principal. Update Communication Preferences*. Parenting However, putting theory into practice requires much training and reflection. Great blog post. The superintendent should ensure that discussion of effective leadership be part of every agenda. In an effort to support building leaders, AWSA has developed and continues to update Principal Checklists. Meeting with staff weekly will ensure a coordinated effort and clear delegation of assignments and work functions. Sage Press, 2001. Does it resonate with you?" Teachers kept lists of "chewers," and after the third offense, they reported the student to the assistant principal. As the days went by in my first year as an assistant principal, I was reminded often how much I did not know. I think most administrators and schools should be encouraging much more action research by teachers. Year 2: Mentees will receive 30 hours of 1:1 mentoring, 7.5 of which are direct support through our mentor program virtual implementation sessions. 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. One person's idea is no better than another's simply because he or she has a "higher-up" job title, and certain responsibilities should not belong entirely to specific workers just because they happen to be in a department that has traditionally taken care of such tasks. Grand visions of turning around a school are noble and possibly necessary, but such change should not be the first item on your agenda. These are great. Spend a great deal of time in classrooms, being as non-evaluative as you can. Take time to get to know teachers in the classroom and out. Relationships come before everything. These findings can then be brought in-house to enhance what is already taking place. Business 1200 First Street, NE | Washington, DC 20002 | T 202.442.5885| F 202.442.5026 | dcps.dc.gov School Year 2019-2020 . This includes time each day to be present in classrooms and hallways. The tension in teachers' and parents' shoulders visibly relaxed. 12. 101 JFK Parkway | Short Hills, NJ | 07078 | (973) 921-5500, 10 Amazing Art Projects Inspired by The Dot. Both staff and students are on the mission to discover your strengths while trying to create a good impression of themselves. Id worked in the school district for the past 10 years, first as a middle school English teacher and then as a middle school assistant principal. qD1%Y}Oo|__oLRqdl[}l1 {/. At that moment, the dichotomy of my principalship began. However, trust your instincts. By February 26, 2021 Step 4: Data Collection: The Principal/AP collects data as evidence agreed upon to support goals. This is an encouraging blog to help assistant principals find their voice and strength in their role on campus! PRINCIPAL-MENTOR ROLE In accepting a principal intern, the Principal-Mentor will: 1. First aid / fire / safety rules / drills Staff introductions: ask staff to ensure the E.A. Good luck with it! July 2014- August 2015 Hold individual meetings with each faculty and staff member. However possible, transition into your new position. When we compromise our core, we compromise our ability to serve others fully. ___ Assistant Principal ___Other, Please Specify . Smile a lot. If we went from 4 to 3 lunches, where could we best use the time in our day? You listed some key questions. However, before you dive into the waters of change, make sure you know where the rocks are and which sharks lurk close to the surface. Also, how is it different than you expected it would be? Despite the many pulls, relationship building must be a top priority. They may directly supervise lunch, hallways, special events. My challenge is to pull away from the office and the data driven nature of the job to really be out there where the folks in the trenches who are working so hard to make a difference are laboring. DCPS Assistant Principal Selection Process . Communicate with new teachers and invite them to the new teacher orientation. Managing the responsibilities can become daunting, especially when pop-up items such as discipline can take large portions of your time. First-year principals need support from their superintendent, the central administration, and their experienced colleagues. 2. Taking the following actionsmany of which you can do in the summer before you're officially behind the wheelcan help you avoid wrong turns and fender benders. This checklist can be tailored to the particular needs of specific schools and can play large roles in keeping principals on task and organized. Of course, their personal phone number must be available to key personnel in case of a crisis. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Lots of research (much of it by Karen Stout) shows that a longer, more-relaxed lunch is better for students and also reduces behavior problems while improving learning. While the job description may be exhaustive, the job of principal is also worthy of praise. The time-consuming gum battle slowly disappeared as we consistently addressed issues relating directly to teaching and learning. "Your Admin Assistant" checklist too! Again, listen. However you choose to stay organized, this is the time to get your skeleton in place for the next school year. One common role is to support the principal, which can look different in every setting. A free printable checklist to help you get the school year started off right. Supporting K-12 educational programs for Washington state students. Do something to engage in a different way. What are you tired of learning about in faculty meetings? Lori packed the pictures in a crate and suggested that teachers dress "appropriately" for their next staff picture. "They'll love it." Taking that time to engage makes a huge difference! This forced me to see myself as a learner. 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. Ask yourself what you've done during other new seasons to find your groove, and take similar steps in this one. Listen more than you talk the first time you meet those with whom you will work. %PDF-1.6 % Principal will support and encourage Teacher Liaisons to attend PTA meetings. July2016 Meet with Assistant Principal and Reading Coach to develop a master calendar of events for the school year, including traditional activities, awards celebrations, and assessment periods. Be sure to ask I am also fortunate to work in a small school district, where the superintendent is accessible via phone and email. The internship in many administrative programs is completed under the guidance of a building principal, with few opportunities to see the day-to-day work of an assistant principal.On day one, where does the assistant principal begin? Worried about? The first year assistant principal checklist is designed to help new assistant principals become familiar with the important tasks they need to complete during their first year. You never know who it might encourage! While this strategy has its advantages, it can also be a hindrance, as each of us carries strengthsand weaknesses. Home The superintendent and central office team must provide effective instructional coaching, no matter what evaluation plan ones district implements. Field Tip: When you need to communicate, start by identifying the purpose and critical information. It will be your job to restore the school to health. Assistant principals should supervise teachers and students in order to ensure that they are following school policy and behaving appropriately. She and I meet once every other week for support. Observe. Review Disability Accommodations Request Process (Academic Year) Im happy they want to share with me and I can always stay late if I need to. Since then, I have always tried to get a head start on finishing my end-of-the-year checklist. One area in which I believe we often fall short is taking ownership of our professional growth. Balance requires creating communications that are easy to read and ensuring they have a purpose. When the master schedule is developed, observe the process and ask how the schedule is designed to balance needs. Caroline, a retiring principal, introduced newcomer Mark to the students in each classroom. Let secretaries, special education personnel, parent organizations, and so on manage their own spheres of responsibility. Eldridge Principal Entry Plan 6 Organize Welcome Back Social: positive recognition for a job well done and team building activities 8/16/17- 8/18/17 Review staff handbook, assessment schedule, professional development schedule, school year calendar, building schedule matrix, mission and goals of district and The pupil personnel director, school counselors, and school psychologists can assist in establishing and maintaining a healthy social and emotional school climate. Watch. 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. Travel <>>> A smooth transition helps alleviate concerns. But learning to delegate responsibility is the mark of mature leadership. June 2014 - September 2015 Often its the small kindnesses that make a difference in a teachers day. ^@ Social media for the first assistant principal will i start of your checklist item to your talk about our teacher in one positive statements will the forms. Thanks for your article. As a new principal at a school, the first year is usually very intimidating and demanding. New principals may also need to be reminded to set digital boundaries as well as physical boundaries. Having the respect of the teachers is not the same as having a relationship with them. Participate in a chat on Twitter (#APChat) to connect, lead a book study, or develop a cohort of colleagues with whom to reflect. Hows the year going? Whenever we met, a stranger could walk into the room and, based on our interaction, wouldn't know who was the teacher and who was the administrator. Where are you doing your best work? Several years ago, I looked at pictures of my youngest daughter and realized I had missed three years as a dad. All rights reserved. The first 90 days of any job is crucial. We need to keep ourselves current, and we need to keep investing in our teachers. As an assistant principal, one of the best things you can do is listen. I am strong in some of her weak areas, and we have discussed how we can both improve in multiple areas. Remember their names, even if this means keeping a cheat sheet. 2. Mentoring for new principals, once rare, is now required by half the nation's states. Surviving the first year of a principalship is a challenge. During budget season, ask to review the budget and discuss how priorities were set and allocated. If you do not take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others. Assistant principals should familiarize themselves with the school's policies and procedures in order to effectively carry out their duties. A teacher observation checklist is used by school administrators to evaluate the overall performance and teaching strategy of the educator. The most important lesson in leadership is be you.. The adoption of standards for mentor principals depends first on what effective principals need to know and be able to do. Being a school leader is difficult. %PDF-1.5 ("I remember when I was pregnant and lay on that couch "). Like anyone else, teachers do not want to listen to someone who doesn't genuinely care about them. Oversee fall schedule development 5. Review and check summer maintenance 6. Some complaints belong in your office immediately. Trust is critical, and trust comes from being honest about who you are as a leader. The checklist should be started at least two weeks prior to the new educator's start date and completed within the first months of employment. As a newly appointed AP, I have learned a lot by listening. At the end of the week, check your percentages to make sure you are fulfilling your goals. In other words, make sure to separate ideas and opinions from the individuals who are delivering them. An assistant principal works in a school and assists the principal in dealing with student behavioral problems, evaluating teachers, and taking care of some other school functions, The assistant principal is also known as the vice principal and he/she usually take on many of the tasks and needs of the school to relieve the workload of the Yes, there is always the idea of getting your teachers up and running with Twitter (and Google+, LinkedIn, RSS feeds, digital newspapers, etc. Establishing Relationships Relationships come before everything. 1 0 obj What do we need to spend more time looking at? 0. Courtney Goodman is principal of Middleton Elementary School in Skokie, Illinois. Use the opportunity for informal conversations. The assistant principalship is incredibly rewarding. In today's connected world, all educators should be actively looking for ideas and resources from outside their district. Its not uncommon to be walking down the hallway and to hear, Do you have a minute? As much as I can, I answer, yes, sure. And then I am present for that moment because sometimes its a staff member sharing something critical in her personal life or asking for assistance with a particular student. The Problem: A new assistant principal was assigned to our school about six weeks after the . Over the summer if possible, ask as many teachers as you can, "What concerns do you have about the school?" Rememberyou were hired for who you are. What are you doing this year thats different/new? Unlike the principal, the vice-principal does not have quite the decision-making authority that the principal carries. (Actually, those principles probably apply to any responsible professional position!) Providing opportunities that support and increase the academic and social success of each and every student. These meetings set a tone for my leadershipa tone of partnership, listening, and validation of the good work the staff had accomplished over the past many years. Follow Dr. McEwan's seven steps for effective communication with your staff. Goals of each person first year assistant principal assists the road. I kept these meetings loosely structured. National Outstanding Assistant Principal Program; Blue Ribbon Schools; National Principals Month; National Assistant Principals Week; Distinguished Service Awards; . That is special! 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). Vice principal, which can look different in every setting its the small kindnesses that make a difference in teachers. 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