What are the keys to being a standout school leader today? (Hint: It has nothing to do with budgets, although they're important, too!)
By Pamela Wheaton Shorr
7. DISTINGUISH FACT FROM OPINION.
"During my last six years as a principal," says Dr. Larie D. Godinez, director of elementary curriculum and instruction at Community Unit School District 300, in Carpentersville, Illinois, "we had a superintendent who really required us to collect and analyze data—well before it was required by law." That was a good thing. When Godinez's school first opened, she recalls, the teachers spent a lot of time complaining that the kids weren't prepared well at their previous schools. "It was a commonly held belief that our kids didn't know their math," she says. "But when our leadership team tested a large sample of students, we found that a great percentage of them did. That was eye-opening for the staff." Once it was clear that the kids were doing fine in math, Godinez and the staff moved on to address the real problem areas uncovered by the data. The experience taught her how critical it is to get accurate information before making generalizations that could affect large groups
of people. "I also learned to ask teachers for the evidence they had when they'd talk to me about a student," says Godinez.
Bottom line: Opinions can be a dangerous thing if they are not buttressed by facts.
8. CLOSE THE TECH GAP BETWEEN KIDS AND TEACHERS.
"My kindergartners come in with more experience going online than some of their teachers," says Herman K. Gaither, superintendent of the Beaufort County (SC) school district. "The teachers are unable to speak the same language—much less integrate appropriate technology such as Internet searches or online curriculum into the classroom experience." This digital divide gets worse as students become more proficient and teachers get more resistant in the higher grades. "When our ninth graders arrived in high school, teachers were telling the kids not to bring their laptops to class," Gaither says. Schools must bridge this gap with training. "Teachers need to be shown how to use and blend these resources into the lesson plan. They need to know how all the pieces fit."
Bottom line: Allow technology to be a learning aid, or it will become an educational barrier.
9. DEMONSTRATE A VESTED INTEREST IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
Winston Brooks, superintendent of the Wichita (KS) Public Schools, advises school administrators to show their sense of community by being an active and visible part of it. "People need to see and feel that the superintendent is personally vested," Brooks says. "Let people see you at the grocery store, at the movies, the symphony, athletic events." Brooks suggests that the board of education join you out on the town, as well. "Let your board get to know you as a person with a family, with hobbies and outside interests," and as part of the community, he suggests. This strengthens your connection to the community, increases access to feedback and new ideas, and enhances your ability to make a difference. You never know when that will pay off. Brooks says that when he had bypass surgery three years ago, the nurse on duty immediately recognized him from his presence in and out of the school district. She reminded him that she was a graduate of the Wichita schools. For Brooks, tha
t recognition was reassuring.
Bottom line: You only get back what you put into the community.
10. MENTOR YOUR TEACHERS.
To get the most out of your staff in today's rapidly changing environment, it's essential to upgrade the quality and quantity of professional development training. "I had the view that teachers would have the basic necessary skills out of college," says Ray Yeagley. "But I realized that a better analogy would be that of a physician right out of medical school. He may be able to perform surgery, but without additional training you wouldn't want him performing a new surgical procedure on you." You wouldn't want an old surgeon who hasn't updated his or her skills in decades operating on you either. Beyond formal training, Herman Gaither says it's important to reward desired behavior by recognizing teachers who take initiative and embrace change. Great teachers with great ideas can be roles models and provide inspiration for other teachers.
Bottom line: Businesses formulate long-term plans for maximizing their assets—school leaders need to invest in long-term goals for their most important assets, too.
11. EMPOWER STAFFERS.
Having the right people in place can mean the difference between success and failure in any organization. But budget cuts and shrinking talent pools have made recruiting and retention tougher than ever. Yeagley's secret weapon is building a good reputation for the district. By doing that, he says, the good people will come to you—and stick by you. During most of Yeagley's tenure, salaries have been in the bottom 15 percent of the state. But he has managed to hang on to his best staffers—and get some new ones—by giving them the authority to do what needs to be done, with support from the central office and the board. The board helps foster this empowering climate with periodic "retreats" where everyone can openly share ideas. A new hire recently told Yeagley that she had "goose bumps" after attending a meeting where the conversation focused so much on important educational issues and so little on "administrivia."
Bottom line: Money's nice, but what keeps the best employees motivated is respect and a strong support system.
12. EMPOWER YOURSELF.
Teachers are moving away from their traditional "sage on the stage" roles at the head of the classroom and becoming more of a "guide on the side," and so can administrators. "I'd tell school leaders they are not managers, they are educational leaders," says the award-winning Kenneth Dragseth. "Your obligation is to ensure that the students in your district have the best opportunity for success. Your total focus should be on building ways to make that happen, whether it is staff training and support, financial management, curriculum and instruction review, or building a learning community. You must be a catalyst for improvements in your district—you do not have to do it alone."
Bottom line: The only way to empower yourself is to know when and how to let go of your power and let others help you lead the way and succeed in today's new educational environment.
