Just because you can be available 24/7 doesnt mean you should be. Consider the following checklist as part of your 90-day plan to outline goals; clarify desired expectations for all players; and align plans, decisions, and actions to best serve students, stakeholders and staff. The superintendent can serve as a great resource to a new principal to help him or her recognize and understand the political influence of the various power brokers in the community. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Ask them how their day is going, pry into their personal lives a bit, and make sure to attend staff outings. This is definitely a resource to re-read and refer to in the future. Revise student directory 3. To enforce the shared responsibility for discipline, principals should insist that teachers join them in responding to students who misbehave in the classroom. Today. Follow Dr. McEwan's seven steps for effective communication with your staff. Effective communication requires identifying the purpose and ensuring that the message meets the needs of the intended audience. The superintendent and central office team must provide effective instructional coaching, no matter what evaluation plan ones district implements. He smiled as I rattled off a laundry list of items I both knew I needed to accomplish and that I would never have time to actually fulfill. Though that trust must be earned, your work as an AP is far from overwhen you reach that point. How does the school celebrate holidays and staff birthdays? Talk to me about a particular student; whats working, whats not, and what is the best support I can offer to help him keep learning in your classroom? Communicate your purpose up front. Student assessment administration training begins. Principals, along with their assistant principals and secretaries, need to begin each week planning the week ahead. Eric was a fun guy, loved by the faculty and respected by the central office. 3. Copyright 2019. Again, listen. Eastern Illinois University NewLeaders Dr. Linda Morford 1 Principal Checklist Administrative Timetable August New teacher orientation/induction New staff orientation New student orientation Make sure all teaching certificates are registered Meet with secretarial staff to discuss up-coming year o Develop yearly checklist o Create "To Do" lists with individual responsibilities identified After years of reflection and feedback from experienced principals, a list of critical skills emerged. New principals need to walk the talk. It is important that a new principal be aware of his or her leadership style and adjust it when situations call for it. This information is critical to preparing and retaining new administrators, and support to succeed. The most important lesson in leadership is be you.. Moving 1. Despite the many pulls, relationship building must be a top priority. Spend a great deal of time in classrooms, being as non-evaluative as you can. obtains supplies Get to know everyone on a personal level. Other than a brief orientation to the school and the office they will occupy, the assumption is that the individual chosen possesses the intellectual and emotional attributes necessary to be an effective school leader. How can I help in moving us forward if I dont see first-hand what our strengths and needs are. Perception is reality, and if most teachers feel a certain way, act (or react) appropriately, instead of telling them "Too bad" or convincing yourself that "they deserve what's happening to them." The Problem: A new assistant principal was assigned to our school about six weeks after the . Increased graduation rate by 12% in 2 years. Approach your job with the notion that everyone has something to contribute, because a valuable idea can come from absolutely anyone. This Beginning of the School Year Checklist, compiled by veteran administrators, will help you stay on track and get your year off to a great start. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. What do you want to learn about during faculty meetings? The checklist includes the following topic areas: Welcome to the Pack. And thats not quite fair. Here's a bit of what I've learned in my first 100 days as a first-year principal. 4E}]x_'5hyw+q4 Z|8CUq}i}p(1@v{k34mfggFdfl[2s[K5TBTgfRdIq*rF J`?[[PZ)Mgf/ SfMsGju\4 {Om'/W'2$jEjInNHA 9IzW! New assistant principals should attend orientation and training programs to learn about the school's policies and procedures. Theres a difference in feeling capable at a job and feeling that you thrive in it. Finally, as an instructional leader, you have to walk the walk. Uncategorized. Take the time to ask your principal to observe or facilitate tasks that may not be traditional to the assistant principal role. Pinterest. I would add too, serving those you lead. The transition is quickin one day you move from a teacher contract to an administrative contract. Teachers mourned the loss. 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. You listed some key questions. This person must be your strongest ally; if not, he or she can be your most formidable opponent. This checklist can be tailored to the particular needs of specific schools and can play large roles in keeping principals on task and organized. Be patient. The other assistant has made comments about things that she would like to take off her plate as well. However, getting buy in on the front end of change can make a profound difference on the success of any attempt at change in a large organization like a school. The superintendent should ensure that discussion of effective leadership be part of every agenda. 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. Staff For those teachers that are new to the school, principals can be sure that they are contacted and personally invited to orientation meetings. He recently was selected by the School Administrators Association of New York State to receive its 1999-2000 New York State Distinguished Assistant Principal of the Year Award. not intended to be a checklist. It pays dividends in building trust. Joanne Rooney has contributed to Educational Leadership. What would you try if money or time werent barriers? Ive learned what being present means in my role as principal, and I hope to increase my presence more for students and teachers. General AP These checklists provide monthly ideas and reminders about many of the things that a building principal is tending to throughout the year. Use your opportunities in classrooms and hallways to ask for perspective and guidance. However, investing in these relationships will play huge dividends when you're ready to promote change. Ferret out teachers who are less vocal, and respect those known to be less than supportive. While the job description may be exhaustive, the job of principal is also worthy of praise. A new principal offers four lessons learned from her first year in the role. Outside of school, you also have a number of options available to you. %PDF-1.6 % 12. You're the "new kid," and learning is your first agenda. Policy | Reprint Policy | Built by Social Driver. Then, post to your wall articles and resources that could be of benefit. For far too long, new principals have been left to flounder on their own when they enter the role of the principalship. Prioritizing is essential. For example, if the majority of teachers possess a negative attitude toward something, don't ignore it. f\d j#@v8gc OK;jK,)]\j8i(o^ey fU|o|w?w3~{s>/y|kK~jp rre\CNTx,"J6H_ue& qa6Y@}-ZSA}:=,Z)\ Get to know everyone on a personal level. Others are not worth winning or losing. "They'll love it." Good schools cannot be built quickly. Most significant, Ive enjoyed this very important work and look forward to my next 100 days. The goal was to get me away from the leadership style of guiding dialogue and toward the style of actively listening. Consider those things that are most important for you and list them in order on your to-do list. He believes life should not be boring; school either. What are you doing this year thats different/new? We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. ::h!4t 5I:4 Z7FILg1ef|E|RqJG7pQ]NJu~(/S}@'kJKa?\O When communicating with teachers, it's important that your conversation doesn't just focus on the job itself. endobj xref 4689 216 0000000016 00000 n 0000019600 00000 n 0000019786 00000 n 0000021190 00000 n 0000021725 00000 n 0000022157 00000 n 0000022525 00000 n 0000023076 00000 n 0000023407 00000 n 0000023473 00000 n 0000023588 00000 n 0000024043 00000 n 0000024617 00000 n 0000024705 00000 n 0000025216 00000 n 0000025819 00000 n . Get to Know Your Staff Relationships are important. This is my first year as an AP. These are great. endobj I hope your very first year as a school leader is. "Wow," she thought! First year assistant principal checklist. Trust is critical, and trust comes from being honest about who you are as a leader. So youre son will be a freshman here next year; whats he excited about? Add detailed notes or comments. |B}]N=.~ve\Y9T}`5(_f 7O1t*"/k1{Qv4DLSj@OJ@S3~9hkcwWMWq(:T ae Ask yourself what you've done during other new seasons to find your groove, and take similar steps in this one. 1615 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 703-684-3345 Contact Us, 2023 National Association of Elementary School Principals | Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions | Copyright and I.P. Develop a plan for meeting them and share your plan with a colleague. Create a checklist of all the things you need to do and set a time table of when they need to be completed. , loved by the central office team must provide effective instructional coaching, no matter what evaluation plan district... Table of when they enter the role difference in feeling capable at a job and that. Feeling that you thrive in it { k34mfggFdfl [ 2s [ K5TBTgfRdIq * rF `! 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