Three Quick School Improvement Tips
In my last blog post I spent a little time being reflective about how I didn’t do a great job of helping teachers be better teachers when I was a campus principal. I thought it was important to talk about it so that as campus leaders we keep focused on what’s important in our schools. We must never forget how important raising student achievement is for all students.
Today I was talking to a friend of mine who works in Corporate America and I was very curious as to the successes he’s had in his endeavors. He said “Herbert, It’s simple…I hire the right people, develop them into leaders, and ensure that I have an environment/culture that people want to be in!” That was very powerful for me.
As a former principal I can remember when hiring season came around I would toss and turn at night about hiring the right people. Because of mistakes early on in my career I found it to be one of the most important things that I did. So, sometimes it required me to visit with potential hires several times to ensure they were the right fit. I encourage all principals to take your time when you hire. There is no need to rush! You will be stuck with the decision you make. It’s okay to let your supervisor or HR department know that certain hires may take you longer to complete. Our students always deserve the best people.
The next point he made is a big one! You must develop the folks that you hire into leaders. As a campus principal this is a must. I can remember I started a leadership academy at one of the campuses I was blessed to serve as principal. I just opened it up to the teachers on campus who wanted to work in different areas of leadership in education. We learned together and had lots of fun doing it. I think we grew together and we grew closer together because of it. Not only did the teachers grow, but it moved them closer to believe in the vision we had for the campus. I watched this group of people spread good news about the great things that were happening on the campus daily. I also noticed how they began to take informal leadership roles throughout the campus.
Finally, having a great environment/culture is pretty self-explanatory. People want to be in a positive place, feel supported, and know they have opportunities for advancement. The tough thing for many leaders is making this all happen. Culture building starts with relationships! And it’s simple, you have to take time to build intentional quality relationships with those that you serve. Of course there are several more tips to building great culture on a campus. I include a few more tips on my blog about School Transformation.
There are so many pieces to the puzzle in making a school great. Just don’t forget to hire the right people, develop them into leaders, and ensure you have a great environment/culture.
