Best Foot Forward: Make the Most of Your First 8 Weeks Bob Richards Principal, Olympic View Elementary, NTPS Joyce Ott-Mackiewicz Principal, Komachin Middle School, NTPS

Theme #1: Making Connections Goal - - To build healthy, respectful, trusting, and positive relationships with staff, students, and parents. Before school even starts…laying the groundwork for a successful start Summer letter to staff New staff orientation Meeting with building teams Summer newsletter to students and parents Reader board messages Website Calls and mailings home What are the communication norms for your school? What has or has not worked in the past? Honor what has worked as much as possible and add yourself into the mix…

Theme #1: Making Connections Connecting with Staff: Professional Development time together Provide time for team building Personalize with your own introduction Introduce new staff - - name tags for everyone Revisit successes from last year - - celebrate Inspire for the work to come - - humor, video clips, visuals Begin to establish your culture - - who are you? (Theme #2) Once school begins be visible and available as much as possible for staff. Try to perceive things as they perceive them…plan for the perceptions you are observing and take action to eliminate misconceptions.

Theme #1: Making Connections Connecting with Students: Hands-on approach - - attend and participate in orientations and as many start-up activities as possible (tours, ice-breakers…) Regular, equitable, and active classroom visits Be visible around campus Connecting with Parents: Newsletter, reader board, webpage Fall Parent Meeting, Curriculum Night, Open House - - Take on an active role! Don’t stand back… parents need to have confidence that you are capable to be at the helm! Personalize…professionalize…

Theme #2: Establishing Your Culture Goal - - To begin influencing the atmosphere, norms, practices… ASAP Setting the tone as Principal - - Who are you? Who are we? What can people expect from you as their leader? Clear expectations - - for staff, students, and parents proactively defined Setting norms Clearly outlined discipline procedures Visibility Tangible support for staff Goal Setting - - Where are we going? Share your goals - - Top 3 Initial draft of school priorities - - SIP Identify building, team, and individual goals Post the focus everywhere! It sets the tone for learning…

Theme #2: Establishing Your Culture Establishing guiding principles for the entire school community Just scratch the surface for now… Formulate your vision of effective management Lay out clear organizational structures Define duties & roles - - don’t assume…define and communicate! Calendar out as much as possible Staff handbook The non-negotiable: Professionalism Set the tone as the principal - - what can they expect from you? Norms and establishing expectations for all to follow Define it with regards to colleagues…students…parents

Theme #3: Maintaining Momentum Goal: To reward, support, and applaud…to keep the ball rolling! Motivation and recognition Inspiration from you - - setting the tone for the year Ongoing recognition Professional development targeting motivation Building and maintaining a positive climate s, posters, notes, announcements…enthusiasm everywhere! Office environment - - customer service includes the staff Infusing humor Social support networking

Down to Business - - The Nuts & Bolts of a Successful Start! 1Discipline & Safety - - Set expectations and norms for handling of discipline and for campus safety What constitutes an office referral? What strategies do you expect staff to employ at the “scene of the crime”? What are your expectations for teachers establishing classroom expectations? What are the safety expectations? Practice? 2 Organizational Structures Calendaring Defining job duties & roles Resource personnel Schedules - - regular and special days Campus supervision

3 Establishing your systems processing Filing - - paper and electronic Utilizing your office professional Settling on a daily routine - - drive this as much as you can! 4 Teacher Evaluation Identifying comprehensive and focused teachers Evaluation process training mid-to-late September Calendar out initial meetings by end of first week in October Calendar out first round of observations through November Plan for and calendar a mid-year check up to review process

Effective Leaders… Excerpt from: If You Don’t Feed the Teachers, They Eat the Students! Neila A. Connors Visit Classrooms Are Visible Are Accessible Enjoy Communicating See Teacher Evaluation as Extremely Important Share Beliefs and Expectations with All Continuously Ask for Feedback and Input Schedule Time to Work with Students Plan Regular Social Activities for Staff Take the Time to Show Appreciation Take Time to Plan, Organize, and Accomplish “To Do’s” Distribute Regular Planning Sheets to Keep Everyone Updated Connect With As Many Adults as Possible Each Day Connect With Teachers on Break Make Decisions on Input Requested Articulate School-Wide Curricular Activities Learn Student Names Are Available to Students Involve Staff As Much As Feasible Make “Fun” an Important Component of Every Day Look Forward to Going to Work Have a Life Outside of Education

Be an Effective Leader… Make it a great start!