The New Principal - Margaret Carter

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so that everyone can function within their best capacity and having too many teams where their goals, activities, and responsibilities become crossed, resulting in confusion. More discussion on staff teams can be found in chapter 2 on staff.

      What Administrative Teams Are There?

      After teacher teams are identified and established, that leaves the most important team you will be in charge of: your own administrative team. Different school levels require different strategies for dividing administrative team assignments. At the high school level, there usually are two or more assistant principals. Middle schools operate much like high schools. Elementary schools usually have one principal and one assistant principal. Meet with the personnel involved, ask everyone to write or tell their experience and perceived area of strength. Explore strengths and weaknesses and the time involved for each task. Ask about preferences, and try to come to a consensus. Of course, the principal has final say in assignments. Other things to explore are before- and after-school duties, night ball games and events, and emergency contingency plans.

      If you can choose the members of your own administrative team, lucky you! This can be a rare but good place to start. However, be very cautious—choosing people who look like you, function like you, think like you, and have fun like you can be counterproductive. It is best to select a wide variety of people on your team, especially to reflect the diversity of your staff and students. Diversity goes far beyond racial and gender demographics. Principals need people who are different from themselves—in temperament, academic expertise, leadership style, and other personality traits.

      If there are staff assigned to your team who were there before you arrived, or who were assigned for another reason without your input, it is in your best interest to get to know these professionals and make a special effort to discover what their strengths are. Finding a place for this person and exploring assignments that fit their skill set will help to form an effective team. Keeping an administrator whom you did not choose out of the loop and on the margin will not help you or the school.

      What if you have an extra team member that you are having a hard time finding a place for on your team? Having a “lost” staff member is a waste of talent. Every person is needed in today’s school. You don’t want anyone just hanging out there with nothing to do. The person with little to do could, at best, carry out assignments in an unenthusiastic, uninformed, doubtful manner, or worse, secretly, unintentionally, or even openly undermine your efforts.

      How do you craft a good administrative team? Meet with your team frequently at first, then possibly—hopefully—less frequently as the school year progresses. It would be a good idea to meet with your team each morning and each evening, especially in high-challenge schools.

      The principalship of a large school, or any school in any setting, is not to be taken lightly. Only the most serious candidates need apply. With the right teams in place, your school will have a greater chance of success for its students, teachers, and you.

      Personal Experience

       One year I was assigned as assistant principal to a high school. It was late in the summer when I got the assignment, so late that school was scheduled to begin in a few weeks. It was clear, to me at least, that I was the last one to be placed. Nevertheless, this was an exciting time for me. Early in my career, I had been a teacher in a high school setting for many years. I remembered how it was to be with students who were right on the edge of beginning their adult lives. I knew I could make an impact on them directly, or indirectly through establishing and supporting various programs. When I arrived to meet the principal, he knew my name and a little about my background, but only as a principal in an elementary setting. The administrative team had already been established and given assignments by grade levels.

       All the “extra” or non-academic assignments had already been given. The offices were full. It was quite obvious that the principal didn’t know what to do with me. So, I spent the entire year being moved from office to office, from assignment to assignment, “helping out” here and there. After spending an entire year “in limbo,” I was moved back to an elementary position, where I spent my last two years before retirement. I had gone full circle but had learned so much about team building during the trip. My personal pledge was to never put another professional in that position.

      What Kind of Neighborhood Is the

      School Located In?

      The influence of the community informs every part of the student’s lives and largely determine how they show up for school. Is the school located in an affluent area or are parents struggling daily to survive? Are there businesses, libraries, and community agencies in the area, or is your school in a rural farm community? The school may have four walls, classrooms, and a roof, but the community may as well be inside your building.

      Personal Experience

      My first principalship was in a school that was located in a semi-rural location on the farthest edge of the city. In fact, my colleagues used to joke that “you have to take a lunch to drive there.” The majority of the homes were on at least one acre, and many farms and farm animals were in the area. The population was aging, with grandparents raising grandchildren. There was also a community garden across the street where the sponsor supplied us all with watermelons, squash, and other seasonal produce. At dismissal one warm spring day, students and bus duty teachers were all standing outside on the north side of the building, waiting for the bus to arrive. Parents in idling cars were waiting for their children. Suddenly, something to the west caught our attention, as we squinted into the afternoon sun, a horse and rider were galloping toward us at a good pace. Before we knew it, horse and rider had scooped up two children, almost without stopping, and rode off to the east. That’s when I knew I was in a very special rural school.

      What Parent Groups Are There?

      Parents will always have a vested interest in their child’s schooling. Their interest may be active or passive, but you always have their most precious investment in your care. In most schools there is an established parent organization. Some parents help out at school individually, while other parents desire a more organized approach and like to participate in group support of the school. Many parents limit their involvement to their own child’s particular interest, for example band, sports booster clubs, or academic competitions.

      This is no problem, except when parents get overly zealous in defending their child’s place in these activities. Principals should support the coach or sponsor as they resolve issues, as they are much closer to the problem than the principal. If the staff sponsor is found to be mistaken or wrong, meet with him or her privately and encourage a resolution for the good of the program. If the parent still has an issue, or comes to you without the knowledge of the coach or sponsor, be sure to request that person’s presence at the meeting.

      Fortunately, there are parents in all schools who are concerned about the school that their children attend and will do all they can to help out. Unfortunately, some parents tend to misunderstand the legalities of parent organizations and believe that business can be handled in any way they feel is appropriate. It is the principal’s job to assist parents in understanding the proper procedures, best practices, and legalities when handling money from fund-raising activities.

      Be cautious about parent organizations. You want to encourage parent engagement in your school. There is a sharp line between fund-raising for the school and its students and using the school for parents’ personal slush fund or as a bank for short-term loans. Note: the national Parent Teachers Association is a separate organization, and schools may not use the term PTA without membership and approval from the national organization. If a school wants to establish its own parent organization, this is fine. Only keep in mind about what the organization is named. Monitor their activities from a healthy distance, and help when asked.

      The principal must understand his or her role in the parent organization as well. In most states, the principal’s role is strictly “hands off.” Do not sign checks or place yourself as an owner

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