First Day of School

Monday was the first day of school.  It's always exciting.  Exciting even for me - and it was my 40th first day of school as an educator.

As I visited every school, I listened as teachers and principals marveled at how smooth things were going.  How well behaved the children were.  How all the plans for executing the first day worked well.  I always remind them that we all know how to "do" school. 

People ask me “How was the first day?  

I generally joke that “All went well.  We didn’t lose any.” 

Truth is, sometimes we lose a child or two – temporarily.  Imagine the logistics.  Schools like Central Elementary have 600+ students.  Most all of them ride the bus.  Many are not going home after school.  They’re going to after school care or grandma’s house or dad’s house.  Sometimes we have the wrong info.  It is easy for the child and/or the school to get confused.  “Oh wait.  This is Tuesday?  I’m on the wrong bus.”

One middle school student failed to get off the bus at home as expected.  In fact he failed to get on the bus.  For some reason he decided to walk home with a friend and didn’t think it was necessary to call his mom for permission.

Most parents are amazingly patient and understanding when these things happen.  Thank goodness all of our bus drivers have cell phones and we can quickly confirm a child’s whereabouts.

I remember the first day of school in September 1962.  We had moved into a new community.  My brother Davy was in 6^th  grade.  I was in 5^th and my sister Mary Jane was to start kindergarten.  We were all in White Hall School that had one class for each grade.  My mother gave us strict directions to collect our sister after school and see that she got on the right bus.   At the end of the day, wrapped up in our own friends and the excitement of the first day, neither of us even remembered having a sister.

Mary Jane and her friend got on the wrong bus and didn’t have a clue that it was wrong until the driver, at the end of the run, looked around and asked “Why are you still here?”  Needless to say, there was some punishment for the Curry boys when it was all over.  I don’t recall my mother or father suggesting it was the school’s fault.    

Here’s to another great year.

Evaluating Principals

Recently I attended a training session on the evaluation of principals.  As the evaluator of principals in Lake Forest, it is my responsibility to monitor their performance.  I coach, mentor and cajole.  We set goals, train together and review student progress data.  If a principal is weak in a particular area, an improvement plan may be developed.  The formal evaluation process is required by the state and expected by the board of education.

There are five major areas in the evaluation process for principals to be rated:

1.      Vision and Goals - This includes establishing, implementing, communicating and promoting the vision and goals of the school and district.  It also asks for evidence that the principal uses multiple sources of data for determining and monitoring the goals.

 

2.      Culture of Learning – Here we monitor to what extent the principal advocates, nurtures and sustains a school culture and instructional program that is conducive to student learning.  This can include such things as leading the instructional changes that need to take place, effectively evaluating teacher performance and providing professional development as needed.

3.      Management – The specific areas of safety and efficiency are part of this component.  The buildings and grounds, the budget, discipline and compliance with regulations are included.  Also included in here is the principal’s management of time and resources.

 

4.      Professional Responsibilities – This area focuses on the interaction with staff and the community as well as consistent dealing with students and staff.   Does the principal respect and invite the opinions of others?  Are families welcomed into the school?  It also is where we note if the principal is doing what is necessary to grow professionally – taking classes, attending seminars, etc.

 
 

5.      Student Growth – New this year, this component is based primarily on the number of students who meet their growth target in the state test.  Other measures may be included, but no matter what, it is designed to apply some pressure to the principal for improved student performance. 

Being a principal is a hard, hard job.  Sometimes it is a very lonely job.  Some days it seems as though nobody is happy.  Sometimes it feels as though, strange as it may sound, the teachers and the students and the parents and the community all have differing opinions about why school is here.  It is the principal’s challenge to get everyone going in the same direction.  When everyone is moving in the same direction, singing from the same songbook and working together for student success, it can be the most rewarding job in the world.