There are a few crucible moments in an educator's career.

Moments where fires of the forge of experience burn to leave an indelible mark. For better, or for worse.

By their nature and by definition, over a forty-some year career you would run into maybe only three to four of these moments.

Tops.

Dealing with the seismic changes wrought during the pandemic was one such moment for leaders in education, regardless of your level of experience.

And as we come to the end of the school year and prepare to enter the summer shuffle, another such moment is approaching for a select group of educators. Probably some in your district, too.

I'm talking about educators who are taking on the role of a Principal for the first time in their careers.

Why the first Principal assignment is challenging

Perhaps this is obvious to you, but that first Principal assignment is tough. Especially so in high schools.

If you're not from the school building, it's a lot of work to establish authority, earn the respect of staff, students, and parents.

This can be particularly challenging, as they need to demonstrate their competence, leadership abilities, and commitment to the school's vision and values from the outset.

If they are from the school building, figuring out how to work with former peers as their boss is just the start of it.

Even in an ideal case where everyone on staff is supportive, the community and families are impressed by her track record, and she commands the respect of students, there is a weight of expectation that comes with being able to deliver results.

The new principal has to balance respect for traditions of the past with tackling evolving needs and embracing innovative practices.

For possibly the first time in her career, she is responsible for both instructional leadership and operational management.

Consider diverse needs of different groups in the student body, and the professional development of her staff.

Toe the line of district policy while being flexible to the unique needs of her building.

On top of this unfamiliar juggling act, she also has to be prepared to take on the role of incident commander in highly stressful situations.

No wonder more than 1 in 10 principals leave the profession entirely after their stint, and almost 1 in 6 of them agreed they "don't seem to have as much enthusiasm now as I did when I began this job".

Principalship hones critical leadership skills and forms the talent pipeline for superintendents

However, these leadership challenges are a feature, not a bug. IF we know how to harness them as a crucible developmental opportunity.

Daniel Domenech, former Executive Director of the AASA, identifies principalship as "the best training ground for the superintendency".

And indeed, the vast majority of appointed superintendents have had experience as building principals before.

The transition from educator to leader happens here.

Unfortunately, not many district leaders give this moment the attention it deserves.

The best district leaders recognize this opportunity and actively lean in to support their new principals.

Here are three things that I've heard in my conversations that top district leaders do to support new principals in their first 90 days.

1. Assign a mentor: Pairing new principals with experienced and successful mentors can be invaluable. A mentor can share their expertise, offer guidance, and provide a sounding board for the new principal as they navigate the complexities of their new role. Superintendents can facilitate this by identifying and assigning suitable mentors from within the district or from other schools.
2. Offer professional development opportunities: During the first 90 days, new principals can benefit from targeted professional development opportunities that focus on areas like instructional leadership, school culture, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement. Ideally you'd arrange for these before she takes on the role, but sometimes the learning only connects after being on the job.
3. Conduct regular check-ins: Regular check-ins directly with the superintendent can help identify potential challenges or areas of concern early on. These meetings can be used to provide feedback, offer guidance, and ensure that the principal is receiving the necessary support and resources. There's a judgment call here between showing trust in her leadership and demonstrating support.

Some district leaders even treat new principals like an onboarding process, and listen in on their experience at the 30, 60 and 90 day mark to ensure they treat this transition with the respect it deserves.

There's no reason that these practices dissolve after the first 90 days, or even after the first school year.

Continuous attention to the growth of leaders in your district is the best way to build leadership bench strength.

Which of these practices most resonate with your experience as a first-time principal?

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CT (CheeTung) Leong

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