It’s a time of transition in our local school district. It was just announced that the elementary principal will be taking over the position of the middle school principal, and the district will be hiring a new principal for the elementary school.
Before this whole adventure of having to advocate for my kids for them to receive an appropriate education, I’d not previously appreciated the importance of the role of principal. It wasn’t until about a year after he took over the post from the previous principal that it became apparent just what a definitive role principals play in a school community.
I’d grown up with the impression that the principal was the chief enforcer, and not much else. Get in trouble? Go see the principal.
As a parent, I’ve spent much more time in the principal’s office than I ever did as a kid.
The thing is, he’s been great. I’m thrilled that he will be moving to the middle school, and I’m hopeful this means a transfer of the mindset that he’s managed to set forth in the elementary environment to the middle school environment.
I’m anxious about the choice of his replacement at the elementary school. While I’m hoping that things are humming along well enough for my son, we are, however, entering the grade level in which the wheels came off for my daughter. Her IEP, however, was only made possible only through application of a discrepancy model, largely thanks to the principal.
I now understand the principal plays a much more significant role than I ever did before. Of note, the principal
*Hires new teachers
Does the principal hire a diverse teaching population? That’s diversity in ethnicity, background, and gender, but also diversity in training and expertise.
*Sets the tone of the building
This is more than the tone of the school community and what type of assemblies the school hosts. Namely,
Are kids extensions of their parents, or are parents extensions of their kids?
To what degree are kids unique and have unique needs? Does this extend beyond the needs of those who qualify for special education services? Do all kids learn at the same rate, or are there inherent differences in kids abilities to learn? What is the teachers role in educating those kids who learn at different rates?
*Sets the building schedule
Not until you have a child subject accelerated do you come to appreciate the importance of a rational building schedule. Subject accelerations require that the time those subjects are instructed are the same across grade levels. Throw the needs of scheduling specials and special education services into the mix, and it’s not an easy problem to solve.
*Ultimate arbitrator of teacher and class placements
Not only does this mean the manner in which classroom groupings are assigned, but the degree of thought and prioritization of assigning specific teachers and recognizing their skill sets. This includes everything from general education classroom teachers, to the specials teachers, and the special education intervention specialists. Yes, you may have 100% fantastic teachers, but they are individuals just as much as the students are, with unique strengths and weaknesses.
Recognizing the importance of the building principal, I’ve sent a note to the superintendent asking that I be one of the parents on the hiring committee.
Before this whole adventure of having to advocate for my kids for them to receive an appropriate education, I’d not previously appreciated the importance of the role of principal. It wasn’t until about a year after he took over the post from the previous principal that it became apparent just what a definitive role principals play in a school community.
I’d grown up with the impression that the principal was the chief enforcer, and not much else. Get in trouble? Go see the principal.
As a parent, I’ve spent much more time in the principal’s office than I ever did as a kid.
The thing is, he’s been great. I’m thrilled that he will be moving to the middle school, and I’m hopeful this means a transfer of the mindset that he’s managed to set forth in the elementary environment to the middle school environment.
I’m anxious about the choice of his replacement at the elementary school. While I’m hoping that things are humming along well enough for my son, we are, however, entering the grade level in which the wheels came off for my daughter. Her IEP, however, was only made possible only through application of a discrepancy model, largely thanks to the principal.
I now understand the principal plays a much more significant role than I ever did before. Of note, the principal
*Hires new teachers
Does the principal hire a diverse teaching population? That’s diversity in ethnicity, background, and gender, but also diversity in training and expertise.
*Sets the tone of the building
This is more than the tone of the school community and what type of assemblies the school hosts. Namely,
Are kids extensions of their parents, or are parents extensions of their kids?
To what degree are kids unique and have unique needs? Does this extend beyond the needs of those who qualify for special education services? Do all kids learn at the same rate, or are there inherent differences in kids abilities to learn? What is the teachers role in educating those kids who learn at different rates?
*Sets the building schedule
Not until you have a child subject accelerated do you come to appreciate the importance of a rational building schedule. Subject accelerations require that the time those subjects are instructed are the same across grade levels. Throw the needs of scheduling specials and special education services into the mix, and it’s not an easy problem to solve.
*Ultimate arbitrator of teacher and class placements
Not only does this mean the manner in which classroom groupings are assigned, but the degree of thought and prioritization of assigning specific teachers and recognizing their skill sets. This includes everything from general education classroom teachers, to the specials teachers, and the special education intervention specialists. Yes, you may have 100% fantastic teachers, but they are individuals just as much as the students are, with unique strengths and weaknesses.
Recognizing the importance of the building principal, I’ve sent a note to the superintendent asking that I be one of the parents on the hiring committee.
Dear Dr. Superintendent,
Please consider me as a parent to participate in the selection process of the new elementary school principal. In recent years, I've come to understand and appreciate the critical role a building principal plays in establishing the tone of the school, building community, and supporting all learners. My family has been grateful for the progress that the principal has made in this endeavor.
Sincerely,
The Mom Advocate