As a young administrator, I am continually looking at ways to be more effective and supportive to our entire school community. I believe that my role, as assistant principal, is to support the wonderful work that happens daily in and out of the classrooms and then to further ensure that the right people are recognized for that work (students and teachers). Working closely with a variety of stakeholders, our number one priority should always be students and to work tirelessly on their behalf. Have a look at the list below of 10 things that I am currently doing or hope to implement soon into my daily practice.

1. Visit classrooms every day! We don’t need to visit every classroom every day, but being present in the hallways and classrooms shows our support of the wonderful work being done by students and teachers.
2. Provide feedback! After visiting classrooms during a walk-through, send a quick 1-2 sentence email or take 1-2 minutes to touch base with that teacher on something that you observed. Make it timely, meaningful, and positive.
3. Go out to recess! One of the best ways to bond with students and learn their names is to go out to recess and spend some time with them. Go ahead and jump in on that game of soccer or hop-scotch.
4. Greet students and parents! In the morning and/or in the afternoon, stand out in front of the school and say “hello!” You will be amazed of the difference it will make on the entire school community and culture.
5. Reply to emails promptly! When parents, teachers, or other community members send an email, they are looking for a prompt response. If you need some time to gather information or formulate a response, a simple acknowledgment of receipt is a positive step forward.
6. Stay current with best practice! Take the time to read educational books, articles, and blogs. Enhance your own professional learning through engaging with Twitter chats and outside conferences.
7. Have the difficult conversations! Be sure to have the difficult conversations with different stakeholders as needed. Always approach the conversations with empathy, understanding, and ways to move forward.
8. Offer an after school activity! Rather than getting bogged down with meetings every day after school, offer an after school activity. It will feel great, once a week, to interact with students and learn/play along with them.
9. Give teachers adequate time for planning and meeting together! If you do not have a meaningful agenda for the weekly after-school meeting, cancel it and trust that teachers will use that time to better support their teaching and students.
10. Get out from behind the desk! Wander the halls and be approachable to students, teachers, and parents. Yes, people will come to you with problems and concerns, but the more visible you are the greater the opportunity for positive change.

Photo of SIS Elementary Principal Jeannie Sung