What a great article! 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. The most important lesson in leadership is, "be you." Authenticity, including recognizing our strengths and weaknesses, makes us better leaders. Ask for input before making decisions. In larger school systems, a head teacher principal is often assisted by someone known as a vice-principal, deputy principal, or assistant/associate principal. It will be great! 1200 First Street, NE | Washington, DC 20002 | T 202.442.5885| F 202.442.5026 | dcps.dc.gov School Year 2019-2020 . |B}]N=.~ve\Y9T}`5(_f 7O1t*"/k1{Qv4DLSj@OJ@S3~9hkcwWMWq(:T ae That is special! After conducting a thorough search and selecting the best candidate for the position of principal, a districts superintendent and central administrators should do all they can to ensure the new principals success. 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. Finally, I was surprised to see that cutting a lunch period out of the schedule would produce only 25 minutes. It's OK to be vulnerable; this doesn't translate into weakness; it shows people that you're human. Some complaints belong in your office immediately. The contract is signed; you have a key to the office and a floor plan of the school. Assignment of first year checklist and may be included only wash their first year assistant principal checklist. Spread the love. Is she enjoying college like she thought she would? Listen more than you talk the first time you meet those with whom you will work. Subscriptions available only as strength of membership. When we compromise our core, we compromise our ability to serve others fully. Being an effective assistant principal requires finding a balance between the responsibilities of the position and responsibilities to yourself. He believes life should not be boring; school either. During our meetings, she asks questions, offers suggestions for how I can proceed, and makes sure I feel supported. After receiving my list on such short notice, I had to work past 6:00 p.m. to complete all the tasks. Worried about? Communicate with new teachers and invite them to the new teacher orientation. We often hear the phrase, My door is always open. While the use of that phrase suggests that the leader should always be accessible, it violates the essential principle of good time management. Often its the small kindnesses that make a difference in a teachers day. One thing I force myself to do, especially at this time of the year when everybody is starting to come back to school is really take time to listen. Good luck with it! After 365 days of employment, you will have the option of . As a new principal at a school, the first year is usually very intimidating and demanding. 7:00 am: Arrive at school. A teacher observation checklist is used by school administrators to evaluate the overall performance and teaching strategy of the educator. Principal will support and encourage Teacher Liaisons to attend PTA meetings. A superintendent once gave me a simple piece of advice: Stop talking and start asking. Visibility 2.0 is about engaging in conversations with others to increase the value of your presence. Make sure parents have spoken with teachers before they storm your office doors. He was personal, he cared, and he was effective. I am strong in some of her weak areas, and we have discussed how we can both improve in multiple areas. Trials Of A First-Year Principal: Transition Plan. What are some of the items on the first . Let them know that any classroom-related problem must ultimately be solved with the teacher, so it's best to start there. Check on school photo plans for coming year . You're the "new kid," and learning is your first agenda. Asking these questions isnt magic, but its a great start for developing relationships through conversations with staff. Dan got some good advice. And thats not quite fair. What seems vibrant and healthy in your new school and what needs oxygen? Participate in a chat on Twitter (#APChat) to connect, lead a book study, or develop a cohort of colleagues with whom to reflect. The assistant principalship is incredibly rewarding. When communicating with teachers, it's important that your conversation doesn't just focus on the job itself. 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. But learning to delegate responsibility is the mark of mature leadership. The collective wisdom of your staff is invaluable. Personal Sit with a student and do the practice problem, talk to teachers about their children, or ask parents how they feel the school year is going. 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. At the end of the week, check your percentages to make sure you are fulfilling your goals. 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. Much respect for leading like you do and helping others become better. We know our students deserve the attention of their teachers, but we dont always know how much our teachers are juggling outside of school. Explain: Other challenges include: -5- Well get better together! Hows your daughters basketball team playing? Share some of your own dreams. Travel Probe for deeper meanings. New principals may also need to be reminded to set digital boundaries as well as physical boundaries. 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. What do we need to spend more time looking at? 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. As clich as it sounds, there is just never enough time. 4E}]x_'5hyw+q4 Z|8CUq}i}p(1@v{k34mfggFdfl[2s[K5TBTgfRdIq*rF J`?[[PZ)Mgf/ SfMsGju\4 {Om'/W'2$jEjInNHA 9IzW! I once walked the building with a first-year principal. On my calendar, any item in red is considered untouchable time. Field Tip: When you need to communicate, start by identifying the purpose and critical information. This is not sufficient to grant a thorough understanding of the expenditures, revenues, and allocations of resources. The interviews are over. Tap into it respectfully, and teachers will see that you're eager to learn from them and that you honor their expertise. Where you spend your time is where your values lie. Talk about your family and hobbies so your human side travels with you. His most recent publication was The Elementary School Principal's Calendar: A Month-By-Month Planner for the School Year. They are critical for teachers and students, teachers and parents, parents and administrators, and administrators and teachers. Year 1: Mentees will receive 40 hours of 1:1 mentoring, 7.5 of which are direct support through our mentor program virtual implementation sessions. .css-2zf97n{font-family:'Poppins',sans-serif;font-weight:500;font-size:0.875rem;line-height:1.75;text-transform:uppercase;min-width:64px;padding:6px 8px;border-radius:4px;-webkit-transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,box-shadow 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,box-shadow 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms;color:#005E47;border-radius:2px;text-transform:none;min-height:42px;box-shadow:none;background-color:#fff;padding:8px 16px;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;color:#fff;background-color:transparent;border:none;cursor:pointer;display:inline;margin:0px;padding:0px;font-size:1.3rem;}.css-2zf97n:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(0, 94, 71, 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-2zf97n:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-2zf97n.Mui-disabled{color:#000000;}.css-2zf97n:hover{box-shadow:none;}.css-2zf97n:hover{background-color:#0C8671;color:#FFFFFF;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:#8DD1C1;border-radius:4px;}.css-2zf97n:hover{background-color:transparent;}.css-mxixme{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;position:relative;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:transparent;background-color:transparent;outline:0;border:0;margin:0;border-radius:0;padding:0;cursor:pointer;-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;vertical-align:middle;-moz-appearance:none;-webkit-appearance:none;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:'Poppins',sans-serif;font-weight:500;font-size:0.875rem;line-height:1.75;text-transform:uppercase;min-width:64px;padding:6px 8px;border-radius:4px;-webkit-transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,box-shadow 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms;transition:background-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,box-shadow 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,border-color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms,color 250ms cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0ms;color:#005E47;border-radius:2px;text-transform:none;min-height:42px;box-shadow:none;background-color:#fff;padding:8px 16px;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;color:#fff;background-color:transparent;border:none;cursor:pointer;display:inline;margin:0px;padding:0px;font-size:1.3rem;}.css-mxixme::-moz-focus-inner{border-style:none;}.css-mxixme.Mui-disabled{pointer-events:none;cursor:default;}@media print{.css-mxixme{-webkit-print-color-adjust:exact;color-adjust:exact;}}.css-mxixme:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;background-color:rgba(0, 94, 71, 0.04);}@media (hover: none){.css-mxixme:hover{background-color:transparent;}}.css-mxixme.Mui-disabled{color:#000000;}.css-mxixme:hover{box-shadow:none;}.css-mxixme:hover{background-color:#0C8671;color:#FFFFFF;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-color:#8DD1C1;border-radius:4px;}.css-mxixme:hover{background-color:transparent;}Create an accountand get additional free articles. An AP needs a foundation of credibility before he can earn the relational capital that creates trust. Tap into that. Try these approaches: Separate jobs into "mine," "yours," and "ours" with your assistant or your school secretary. Furthermore, this research helps educators become critical consumers and not just passive receivers of what others tell us to do. 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. Education The most important lesson in leadership is be you.. ASCD empowers educators to achieve excellence in learning, teaching, and leading so that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. It also helps to ensure that the new assistant principal is familiar with the schools policies and procedures. Discover ASCD's Professional Learning Services. What are you doing this year thats different/new? . Moving 4 0 obj This checklist can be tailored to the particular needs of specific schools and can play large roles in keeping principals on task and organized. with the Assistant Principal and Guidance Counselor, noting accommodations provided in IEPs. What do you want to learn about during faculty meetings? It's true that you need to learn how everything runs and that the buck's final home is on your desk. Getting home in time to see your childs game is a priority, so make it number one on your daily to-do list. Remember their names, even if this means keeping a cheat sheet. Asking teachers two questions should ferret out their real concernsand will show from the beginning that you value and need their insights. Pinterest. Announces the first assistant principal checklist is the worst of a meeting with this is the upcoming year! A 30-60-90 day plan is what it sounds like: a document that articulates your intentions for the first 30, 60, and 90 days of a new job. Edutopia and Lucas Education Research are trademarks or registered trademarks of the George Lucas Educational Foundation in the U.S. and other countries. I have also picked up on the culture and expectations that are in the school. An AP needs a foundation of credibility before he can earn the relational capital that creates trust. A new principal offers four lessons learned from her first year in the role. Here's a bit of what I've learned in my first 100 days as a first-year principal. Don't take it personally if anyone challenges you on some level. Assure teachers they can manage the majority of discipline issues themselves. and must remain in this plan for the first year (365 days) of employment. Assistant principals should meet with department heads to become familiar with their areas of responsibility so they can provide effective support. What if you could pick your schedule next year; what would it look like ideally? 2. Asking about a teachers family can help us get to know teachers as a whole just like we often ask them to do with their students. This is an encouraging blog to help assistant principals find their voice and strength in their role on campus! If a toxic school culture is part of your inheritance, however, you'll need to gradually change it. Six weeks into the school year, a new assistant principal was appointed to our school. Ive learned what being present means in my role as principal, and I hope to increase my presence more for students and teachers. DCPS offers several types of Assistant Principal roles based on instructional levels and content areas. Business 3. For more information, view NAESPs reprint policy. Winter '23 Magazine. Cover a duty occasionally, deliver a latte, be proactive in parent communication over discipline issues, etc. For instance, teachers posed in silly outfits and made funny faces for their group staff picture. <>>> Transparency about your hopes and dreamsand who you are as a person and educatorshould be tempered with wisdom. The first year assistant principal checklist is a useful tool for new assistant principals as it helps them to become familiar with the important tasks they need to complete during their first year. Given todays technology, a principal can sync his or her calendar and share it with essential staff. Unlike the principal, the vice-principal does not have quite the decision-making authority that the principal carries. For admins just starting out, its helpful to establish relationships, visit classrooms, understand others, flatten the hierarchy, and become an active social media presence. First-year principals need support from their superintendent, the central administration, and their experienced colleagues. Prioritizing is essential. The building is full of expertsengage their knowledge and ask questions. Relationships are important. Having the respect of the teachers is not the same as having a relationship with them. The education world is very small. May 2014 - June 2015 Send introductory letter and welcome back to all faculty and staff. There are years when Ive craved everything on this list from my AP and years when Ive received everything on this list. 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. 1. What challenges do you anticipate during your first year in this new position? 4:00 - 6:00 am: Wake up, work out, answer emails, and get ready for the day. District of Columbia Public Schools | Page 2 of 4 . I'm the new superintendent. At that moment, the dichotomy of my principalship began. 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. HR Checklist for New Pedagogical Employees. Principals, along with their assistant principals and secretaries, need to begin each week planning the week ahead. He is a professor, speaker, and runs the Facebook page, The Epic Classroom. He sat with the men and women who ran the buses, kept roofs from leaking, mowed the grass, and shoveled the snow and said, "OK, guys. One of the most important roles a principal performs is the evaluation of personnel. Although a summertime hire -- allowing for more one-on-one training time -- might have been nice, I had to come up with a plan for helping the new AP assimilate. obtains supplies My main takeaway is being available. June 2014 - September 2015 They are critical for teachers and students, teachers and parents, parents and administrators, and administrators and teachers.