Do Now ! Answer the following before we begin. 1.What is your personal leadership vision? 2.Write 3 beliefs you have about teaching, learning, students, and school improvement. 3.What do you want the teachers, students, parents/families, and communities to say about your first year as a new principal?

For Beginning Principals: Creating a Day Transition Plan Dr. Deborah E. Jones Educational Leadership Consulting, LLC April 29, 2016

Code of Conduct... To be actively involved Value differences Stay on task Agree to disagree Listen Have Fun!

Agenda Introductions An Equation for School Improvement Transition vs. Change Setting Priorities The First 30 Days

You are the new principal of Happy…. Elementary School! Middle School! High School! EQ: What are you going to do the first 90 days on the job?

Your school’s performance grade? How do you feel? A C F

Transitions… Transitions begin with an ending you make when you leave your old position or situation. While situational change hinges on the new thing, the psychological transition depends on letting go of the old reality and the old identity before the change can take place. William Bridges, 2009

Leaders… … leaders are people who are able to express themselves fully. By this I mean that they know who they are, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how to fully deploy their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses. They also know what they want, why they want it, and how to communicate what they want to others, in order to gain their cooperation and support. Finally, they know how to achieve their goals. The key to full self- expression is understanding one’s self and the world, and the key to understanding is learning – from one’s own life and experience. Know thyself… “On Becoming a Leader”, Warren Bennis, 1989, p.3

Do Now ! Answer the following before we begin. 1.What is your personal leadership vision? 2.Write 3 beliefs you have about teaching, learning, students, and school improvement. 3.What do you want the teachers, students, parents/families, and communities to say about your first year as a new principal?

Transition vs. Change Transition Process Personal and internal transformation Adapting emotionally to new circumstances Giving up the old, comfortable ways of doing things or interpreting experiences Psychological transition depends on letting go of the old reality and old identity before the change can take place. Change Modification of your external situation or circumstance Requires a transition focused on outcomes of change Situational change hinges on the new

Brainstorm… List the focus areas, stakeholders, tasks, activities, and duties you want to address or implement the first 90 days as a beginning principal. 8 minutes Record on the chart paper and post on the wall.

The Big Picture…The First 90 Days Chunking your Time to Reflect and Assess Phase 1 – 30 Days Phase 2 – 60 Days Phase 3 – 90 Days

Mandates… What are the required tasks and duties? –Federal –State –Local –District When are they required?

Top Priority Everyday …

Your Priorities… Gallery Walk – review the posted lists Put a dot beside the top five you will address the first 30-days.

Priorities and Time Management 17

B.R.A.V.E. B – Behaviors (Behave): How people act, make decisions, and conduct business in meetings, the classrooms, and during extracurricular activities. R – Relationships (Relate): How people communicate, manage conflict, accept responsibility, and work together. A – Attitudes: How people feel about the school’s mission and vision, identify with subgroups, and use power. V – Values: The underlying beliefs, assumptions, risks, and approaches of the students and adults to teaching and learning. E – Environment: The school building, campus grounds, protocols, layouts of offices and classrooms, and overall maintenance of the facility.

Sample Planning Tools…

Administrator’s Checklist for the Beginning of the School Year This is not a complete list of things to do. However, it may help you prepare. Policies ____ 1. Review student, personnel, and instructional policies in Board of Education manual. ___ 2. Check all new or updated policies and share with faculty. ____ 3. Prepare faculty handbook. ____ 4. Prepare student handbook. ____ 5. Post required notices, including the following: No Tobacco, No Weapons, Drug-Free School, Nondiscrimination, Workers’ Compensation, Pesticides Used, Emergency Exit Lights, Disabled Parking. ____ 7. Review discipline policies and procedures with all staff members. ____ 8. Hold a meeting on procedures for recognizing and reporting child abuse with all staff. ____ 9. Review special education requirements and changes with teachers.

Administrator’s Checklist for the Beginning of the School Year Personnel ____ 1. Ensure that all positions are filled by qualified people. ____ 2. Send welcome letter to all staff members. ____ 3. Ensure that the personnel records of new hires are in order. ____ 4. Complete the master schedule. ____ 5. Plan a teacher orientation. Assign mentor teachers for each new teacher, where possible. If there are no trained mentor teachers available, assign best possible “buddy teacher.” ____ 6. Complete committee assignments (or procedure for choosing committees). At a minimum, each school needs (a) leadership team, (b) hospitality/sunshine committee, (c) curriculum committee, d) public relations committee, (e) safety committee. ____ 7. Plan duty rosters/special assignments (bus duty, restroom & hall monitor, etc). ____ 8. Prepare preplanning time schedule. ____ 9. Plan faculty meeting agendas. ____ 10. Complete special assignments for the first day of school ( assist bus or car drop-off/pickup, volunteer assistance in office, etc.). ____ 11. Review office personnel assignments. ____ 12. Plan and hold meetings with custodians, food service personnel, and bus drivers before the first day of school. Discuss schedules, work rules, school procedures.

Administrator’s Checklist for the Beginning of the School Year Students ____ 1. Set registration times and procedures (written requirements and forms available). ____ 2. Ensure student information is entered correctly in computer system. ____ 3. Assign students homerooms. ____ 4. Plan orientation/open house activities. ____ 5. Prepare schedules for students. ____ 6. Ensure that student records are in good order and available for teacher review. ____ 7. Select student volunteers to help in orientation, touring, etc. ____ 8. Prepare forms for lunch, insurance, etc. for distribution.