1. Communication and Teamwork
2. Professional Development
3. Continued Learning

1. Communication and Teamwork
Communication was listed by almost every superintendent as the most important tool for helping principals succeed.success. Working together as a team is vital, and everyone thought of ways to get together, talk things out, and learn from each other. From book discussions to retreats to monthly meetings, everyone is talking together and succeeding together.

Basic tools:

• Book studies throughout the year – working together doing after- school book studies, agreeing on the books and sharing responses in a collegial fashion
• Conversations revolving around concepts from book talks.walks
• Administrative retreats attending to intensive training together.
• Retreats done to talk about what needs to be done as a team and as a district
• Monthly or weekly meetings as a group and address communication
• Free discussion meetings in order to talk and learn from each other
• Communication with and listening to everyone – from board members to parents to community to students.
• Regular feedback through normal channels

Power Principles:

• Meetings with people individually as situations arise
• Team strategizing: celebrate successes and learn from failures together
• No excuses and no whining
• Meetings every once in a while in a relaxed atmosphere to discuss concerns and ideas (This promotes positive relationship and healthy team ties.)

BACK TO TOP

“Each year our administrative team agrees to read a professional leadership book together and present, dissect, and train each other on it. We take 30 to 45 minutes of each of our monthly team meetings to discuss our reading. Each administrator takes turns leading the group in activities associated with the book.”
- Patrick Bird, Region 9

“Each summer during the first week in August, all of my administrative staff go with me on a retreat. We spend two days and nights together discussing topics to help them keep up to date and improve their skills.”
- Barbara Goebel, Region 5

“Our administrative team devotes at least one meeting a month to teaching and learning. We are compiling a list of the indicators or ‘look fors’ when principals walk through a classroom or observes a teacher’s lesson. It is a great dialogue and helpful for coaching/supporting teachers. This also provides consistency to teacher evaluations.”
- Darlene Dongvillo, Region 3

“Meet with principals every week all year long. Bi-monthly meetings, sometimes agenda less, roundtables to learn from each other.”
- Mark Haag Region 8

2. Professional Development
It is important for administrators to continue to grow together and learn together, but it is also very important to administrators to continue to grow professionally. Keeping close contact with to professional organizations and continually looking for ways to broaden the scope of individual expertise is crucial for continued good decision-making.

Basic tools:

• Participation in professional organizations (MASSP, MEMSPA)
• Attendance at conferences and workshops
• Reflection on personal skills and practices, strengths and weaknesses
• ISD Consultant utilization; bringing in experts
• Legal references
• Establishing goals – personal and professional. Identifying professional development opportunities to support goals

Power Principles:

• Principal participation in local and state principal organizations
• Daily self-reflection

BACK TO TOP

“We have been working with Baldrige process for the past four years and I believe I have seen changes in principals with regard to their leadership practices, skill level, and ability to implement new programs and practices into the district.”
- Bill Weber, Region 9

“The best thing that I have found is encouraging administrators to attend conferences and workshops outside of our country so they can broaden their horizons.”
- Bruce Kefgen, Region 9

“Attending teacher training seminars to learn the exact content they are learning helps me to supervise the implementation of the content.”
- Steve Gaynor, Region 9

“I believe that a large piece of improving one’s skills and practices comes from being a self-reflective person. Hiring administrators who are able and willing to examine their strengths and weaknesses, and work collaboratively with others through consulting with them (and being consulted) is the first step.”
- Steve Gaynor Region 9

3. Continued Learning
Encourage principals never toNever lose their thirst for knowledge. There is always more to be experienced and investigated. Superintendents have noted over and over again that administrators MUST continue to search for information and know as much or more about what needs to be done for continued improvement.

Basic Tools:

• Professional Learning Committees
• Mentoring
• Leadership development training
• Administrative Classes
• College credit or CEU’s incorporated in learning
• Renewed vision, refined goals, and reestablishment of annual plans
• Constructive Criticism

Power Principles:

• Visitations to “model” schools to compare and contrast administrative strategies
• Experienced administrator visitations; principals speak with veterans on specific topics

BACK TO TOP

“We have been using the NCA Performance Accreditation process for school improvement over the past three years. This year we have added Professional learning Communities (PLC) to provide further dialogue k – 12 and background for enhanced instructional leadership and school improvement. In the past we used the McREL research on principal behaviors to promote leadership for instructional improvement in our schools.”
- Tom Tattan, Region 9

“I think having a mentor for new principals of principals facing new challenges is very helpful. Either another principal, an ISD staff member, or whatever. This has proven successful in my district. A non-supervisory college for a mentor can really help.”
- Randy Howes, Region 3

“Principles have been trained to conduct walkthroughs where they visit classrooms and focus on the benchmark being taught and provide quick feedback to teachers. We have a two day session in the summer before the students come back where issues related to best practices are discussed between the Instruction Department and administrators.”
-William Pearson, Region 9