Education Leadership

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership January 29, 2019

33 Interview Questions That Will Help You Find Effective Principals

Do you know what the number one predictor of teacher turnover is? Principal quality. If a school has a strong, yet compassionate principal that is tough on discipline, supportive of their staff, and is able to maintain a healthy school culture where everyone feels safe and valued, then teacher turnover will be low. If the opposite is true, then teacher turnover will be extremely high.

Regardless of the size of a school district, the hiring of principals happens at the central office level. If you are a district administrator in charge of hiring new principals, how can you be sure that you are hiring an effective leader, every time, without fail? The key is asking the right questions during the interview process. Let’s look at interview 33 questions that will help you find quality principals.

General

What motivated you to want to become a school principal?
If you could describe an effective school principal in just three words, what would they be?
If you get this job, what would be the first thing you would do?
What do you expect of teachers and staff members?

Knowledge of Students

Have you worked with students in this age range before? Tell us about your experiences.
Tell us about a situation where you had a student who was a threat to his peers and staff members. How did you handle the situation?
A group of students lodges a complaint against a teacher. How would you handle the situation?

Teaching and Learning

How did you ensure that your instructional pace was sufficient enough to cover all of the curriculum standards before the end of the school year?
Have you lead or participated in a curriculum development team?
How would you handle schoolwide discipline?
What classroom management strategies worked for you?
What is your philosophy of education assessment?

Personnel, Hiring, Induction

What experience do you have with hiring teachers and other critical staff members?
Some teachers feel like they don’t receive enough support from their principal. How would you address their concerns?
What is your process for helping new and novice teachers improve their instruction?
Tell us about a situation where you had to hand out negative feedback to a veteran teacher. How did they take it? If there was pushback, how did you handle it?

Facilities, Budget, School Safety

Describe your experience with the management of a school budget. Are you comfortable making budget cuts, monitoring the budget, and reallocation fiscal resources to address student needs?
What experience do you have with managing school buildings and facilities?
Are you familiar with school safety protocols?

Public Relations, Communicating With Parents

What experience do you have with increasing parental engagement in a school?
What has been your involvement in extracurricular activities?
Are you comfortable with giving presentations and speeches to community stakeholders?
Tell us about a situation where you had to apply your knowledge of school law. How did it turn out?
If a child is acting our behaviorally, at what point to you involve their parents.
How would you work to increase the school’s relationship with the community?

Leadership, Vision, Professionalism

Do you have any leadership experience?
What is your vision for our school?
As a disciplinarian, what grade would you give yourself?
What is your professional development regimen? How do you stay abreast of current and emerging trends in the field of education?
How do you empower the teachers under your charge?
What is your impression of our school? In what areas can we improve?
Tell us about a time when you had to make a decision, that you knew would be unpopular. How did you handle the pushback and backlash?

Well, that’s it for my list. Let me know how it goes. Whether you are a school/company looking for the perfect employee or an educator looking to advance your career, P-20 Education Careers is the site for you.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership January 28, 2019

33 Interview Questions That Will Help You Find Effective Teachers

I have spent almost two decades in the field of education, with a large chunk of that time being in PreK-12. What I have discovered is that teacher quality has the most significant impact on the academic performance of students. I am a believer that every child no matter their race or socio-economic status should have the right to be educated by a quality teacher. If we can’t make this a reality, then we are setting a lot of students up to fail.

My belief is shared by teachers everywhere, but despite this, many principals have a difficult time hiring quality educators to teach in their classrooms. In many regions of the United States, it is equivalent to finding a needle in a haystack. How can you be sure that you are hiring a quality teacher, every time, without fail? The key is asking the right questions during the interview process. Let’s look at 33 interview questions that will help you find quality teachers.

Personal Characteristics, Topics and Background Information

Why did you choose to become an educator?
What are your hobbies and interests?
How to do you plan to continue your professional growth?
Tell me about a recent research article you read that pertained to the field of education.
What contributions can you add to our school community?
What current trends in K-12 education please you? Displease you?
Tell me about the four people who have most influenced your educational career.
Tell us about a golden teaching moment?
What is your philosophy education?

Teacher Relationships With Students

A student doesn’t understand your assignment. What would you do?
How would you ensure that all your students will be academically successful?
What is your process for differentiating instruction for your students?
What strategies or methods do you use to assess your student’s performance?
How would your students describe you?

Teacher Relationships With Colleagues

What type of educators do you like working with?
What attributes do you possess that would improve our teaching staff?
Who is responsible for schoolwide discipline?
What expectations do you have of school administrators?
What is your process for collaborating with colleagues?

Teacher Relationships With Parents

In your opinion, what is the most effective way to communicate with parents?
Describe a couple of scenarios that would require you to contact a student’s parents.
What community activities do you plan to be a part of?

Instructional Techniques

What experiences have you had in a school setting, especially during student teaching, (or former position), that has prepared you to assume a position at our school?
How do you integrate edtech in your work as an educator?
How do you keep students on task during collaborative activities?
What are your strengths as a person, and how do you incorporate them in your teaching?
Talk to us about your instructional style and how you accommodate the learning preferences of your students.
Describe any education projects or programs that you have helped develop.

Classroom Management

Discuss, in detail, your classroom management style.
What are your behavioral expectations for your students?
Matthias is an energetic fourth-grader. He is always moving around in your classroom, and although his behavior is only mildly disruptive, it is a distraction. He is a particularly disruptive when he is out of your view. How would you handle the situation?

Content Area Expertise

Describe your familiarity with the (insert your state) content standards in your subject area?
If you had the opportunity to teach one grade level or content area, what would you choose?

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Policy & Reform, Teachers January 23, 2019

6 Reasons to Celebrate the U.S. K-12 Education System

When it comes to the U.S. education system, sometimes I feel like I don’t celebrate its successes enough. Its like I am Chicken Little, always writing about how the sky is falling as it pertains to our education preeminence. Because of this, I decided to write a piece detailing 6 reasons to celebrate the U.S. K-12 education system.

Our schools are better funded than other countries. Although we like to think of our schools as being perpetually underfunded, our per-pupil spending is still more than every other nation on the planet. Many of our peers in other countries work under inhuman conditions and with virtually no educational supplies. Although I am not saying that fully funding schools shouldn’t be a priority, but imagine, what a teacher in Uganda could accomplish with 1/10 of our resources.

Our schools are inclusive. Children with and without disabilities are educated in the same schools, usually in the same classroom, to the fullest extent possible. We call this least restrictive environment. Although we have a troubled past when it comes to the education of students with disabilities, for the past half a century, we have been slowing perfecting our inclusive schools. Sadly, this does not occur in many countries.

Our educators continually improve. In the U.S. teachers and education administrators alike are required to participate in professional development activities. These activities are meant to help educators sharpen their skills and become the best professional that they can be. Most teachers that I know attend graduate school at some point in their career, earning Masters and Doctoral degrees in the field of education. Because of this, we have the most educated teacher and education administrator corp in the world.

Schools provide transportation for their students. In the U.S. our school’s provide transportation for all students who do not live within an acceptable walking distance of their assigned school. This is no easy feat, as school transportation departments require a lot of resources to remain operational. This is a blessing, as students in some countries walk 5 miles or more to get to school.

Access to technology. We live in a hyperconnected age, where tech literacy is not an option, it’s a necessity. Our schools do an excellent job of providing our students with the tech literacy skills that they will need to compete in the global economy. To facilitate this, we spend hundreds of millions of dollars of tech devices and products.

Literacy rate. When it comes to literacy, we have one of the highest rates (99% literacy rate) in the world. This is impressive because as a nation of immigrants, a small but substantial percentage of our students first language is not English. Because of this, teaching them to read becomes more of a challenge. Teachers in countries like Cuba (99.8% literacy rate), where virtually everyone is of Latino or Afro-Latino descent and speak Spanish, have an easier time teaching students to read.

Can you think of any additional reasons?

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership January 22, 2019

4 Ways to Improve Teacher Quality

Let’s be honest, new teachers usually don’t enter the classroom a polished product, regardless of how good their teacher preparation program was. They typically need time to mature, like a vintage wine. The American public doesn’t understand this, and they expect new teachers to produce at an optimal level immediately. Educators know that it takes time and resources to develop a quality teacher. In this article, I will present 4 ways to improve teacher quality.

1. During their first 3-5 years, they need to be set up for success. We shouldn’t be placing new teachers in tough urban environments, or in classes with a high mix of students with learning disabilities or behavioral problems. Ironically, that is precisely what happens. Before the first day of school, veteran teachers receive their class rosters and raise holy hell when they receive a high mix of special needs students. To appease these educators, the bulk of these students end up being assigned to new and novice teachers who have no idea what they are in for. In the end, the students end up suffering, and these new teachers end up leaving the field or changing schools.

2. We need to provide new and novice teachers with mentors who have proven that they are effective teachers. From personal experience, I can attest to the powerful effect that having an effective teacher as a mentor can have on a new teacher. They along with informal mentors helped me blossom from a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. I will always be indebted to them for that, even though they did it for the love of the profession.

3. They need access to high-quality, evidence-based professional development. This will allow them to sharpen their teaching skills by adding to their repertoire strategies and methods that have been proven to impact student performance positively. We have to end the process of booking professional development trainers through the buddy-buddy system. In the end, our teachers and students end up suffering.

4. Pay for advanced degrees. What if every school district paid for the tuition of teachers who wanted to pursue a Master’s degree in education? Some school districts are already doing this and reaping enormous benefits. Teachers who successfully complete graduate programs in education see a massive boost in their teacher efficacy and effectiveness and students see an increase in academic performance. It would take 10 years of professional development sessions to equal the education benefits of a 30-36 hour Master’s degree program in education. This would only require a small investment on the part of the school district. This cost would be offset by the fact that the district would see a decrease in teacher turnover, as it costs large districts millions of dollars to recruit, and hire new teachers. It also costs them millions of dollars each year to retain students in their current grade.

Conclusion

By no way is this way is this an exhaustive list. I am just a former educator and education researcher sharing 4 tips on how to improve teacher quality. What did I miss?

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Policy & Reform, Teachers January 22, 2019

4 Things That Educators Wished Society Understood About the Education Field

Teaching is one of the most misunderstood professions on earth. From a distance, it looks like educators are glorified babysitters that may teach a few skills here and there. However, these people are dead wrong. Teaching is one of the most complex careers on earth, especially if you are doing it right. Educators have to wear several hats, serving as an instructor, disciplinarian, peacemaker, nurse, counselor, team member, teacher leader, etc. Also, they work long hours, many of which are invisible, meaning they occur outside of the traditional school day.

Don’t get it confused, we are the reason that all other professions exist. Your favorite writer learned grammar and composition from a K-12 English teacher. Your doctor learned anatomy and physiology from a K-12 Biology teacher. You state’s Governor learned about the three branches of government from a K-12 Social Studies teacher. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. In this short piece, I want to discuss 4 things that educators wished society understood about the education field.

Teacher certification is a rigorous process. To become a certified teacher in most states, you have to go through a teacher education program and tackle a challenging curriculum that ends with a culminating practicum, known as student teaching. During student teaching, pre-service teachers must demonstrate that they can handle the rigors of being a full-time teacher, which include instruction, classroom management, assessment, etc. You must also pass several teacher certification exams, which start as early as your freshman year. If you don’t pass these exams and graduate from an accredited teacher education program, you will never become a certified teacher.

Parent-Teacher partnerships are essential. For a student to reach their potential academically, teachers and parents have to be equally involved in their education. This is not an added bonus, it is a vital piece of the teaching and learning process. We understand that some parents may work several jobs to put food on the table and a roof over their families head, but without parental involvement, we can not do our job effectively. At the end of the day, when students don’t perform academically, we are held accountable by society, parents, and even our principals. Its like we are expected to complete a puzzle with 50% or less of the puzzle pieces.

Our salaries should be doubled, for starters. When you take into account our level of preparation, education, and job responsibilities, to pay us what we are worth teacher salaries should be doubled (for starters). It sickens me to read stories of educators who work 1-2 part-time jobs just make ends meet. In some cases, teachers are on welfare, and turn to food pantries, just to ensure that their families have enough to eat. It further infuriates when I hear private citizens and politicians suggest or flat out state that teachers are overpaid. In what world? I am so happy to see the growing trend of teachers running for public office and unseating the very incumbents that disrespect our profession.

The most optimal way to motivate students. When it comes to motivating students, many people resort to extrinsic motivation first, because it is the easiest to facilitate. Extrinsic motivation requires that you give a student some type of reward to get them to work hard and perform at an optimal level. This sets students up for failure because the world doesn’t always work like that. If they get used to receiving a reward for high performance, they may develop a syndrome where they only work hard when there is something in it for them.

A classic example is a child who works hard to receive praise from their teacher. In the absence of this praise, the child’s motivation to learn may drop. This is not to say that recognition as a form of motivation should not be used. It can be a powerful motivator, but it should not be used in a balanced way. To do this, you have cultivate intrinsic motivation in students, as a counterweight to extrinsic motivation. Intrinsically motivated students try their best all times, because they have developed a love for learning, and genuinely enjoy it. Marrying extrinsic and intrinsic motivation together is the best way to motivate students.

What did I miss?

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Teachers January 21, 2019

5 Ways to Turn Your Teachers’ Lounge into a Motivational Space

Back when I was an educator, the teacher’s lounge was a sterile, uninviting place that housed a copy machine, and if you were lucky, a microwave and refrigerator. I always thought that this was a poor use of space. I believe that teachers lounges should be motivational spaces, where teachers can feel supported and appreciated. How can you turn your teachers’ lounge into a motivational space? Keep reading to find out.

Inspirational and motivational quotes. Create a space in the teacher’s lounge where staff members can post motivational and funny quotes. You can make each one pop by placing it in a beautiful frame (not expensive to purchase). These quotes will have a long life, helping to boost the morale of countless numbers of educators.
Celebrate staff birthdays. Create a bulletin board that celebrates the birthdays of your colleagues. Each month will have its own section on the board, and you should post photos of each teacher under their birthday month. Every school has teachers who are bakers, so everyone should take turns baking a birthday cake or picking one up from the bakery. Same difference.
Staff kudos. Create a bulletin board, where teachers can post messages that praise, support or congratulate their colleagues. If a teacher is doing an excellent job, post a message letting them know. If a struggling teacher is improving, post a note encouraging them to keep up the good work. If you think your principal is an awesome leader and a superman or superwomen, let them know. I believe in giving people their kudos in real-time, not 10 years from now or even worse when they are dead and gone.
Teacher share. Create a simple space where teachers can share their best tips, strategies, and methods with their colleagues. This will be especially helpful for new or novice teachers that are trying to find their way in the field. It will dramatically improve their teaching, and in the end, students win.
Teacher of the month. Create a bulletin board that spotlights the “Teacher of the Month.” Create a document that includes a photo, information on why they were selected, as well as words and phrases to describe them. You can even include testimonials from one student and one colleague. At the end of the month, laminate the document and present it to the teacher.

I hope you enjoyed this article and found its suggestions useful.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Policy & Reform, Teachers January 17, 2019

4 Reasons Why Small Class Sizes Lead to Better Student Performance

Let’s play a little game. Class A has 30 students, and Class B has 15 students. The students are of equal ability and behavior, and the teachers are carbon copies of one another. Which one do you think will perform better, Class A or Class B. As you probably guessed, Class B will probably perform better because it contains a smaller number of students. But why does small class size led to better student performance? In this article, we will discuss 4 reasons why small class sizes lead to better student performance.

It reduces teacher workload. Being a teacher is arduous work. For most people, it will be one of the most challenging things that they will ever do in their lives. But what exactly makes it so difficult? Imagine having to manage 30 employees simultaneously, while also continuously training them, keeping an eye on their interactions, and keeping them safe. This is what teaching is like. As a teacher, you have to instruct, assess, remediate, correct bad behavior, referee disputes, etc. If you reduce the class size by 50%, you make a teachers job a lot easier, and in turn, they can do a better job.

It makes the classroom less chaotic. Imagine the average class. 30 students with varying degrees of temperament and intelligence, occupying the same space. Whenever you have a high density of people, you are bound to have more noise, more disagreements, and less comfortability. By no way am I saying that noise in a classroom is a bad thing, in many ways, it signals that learning is taking place, especially during group activities. But with noise comes less privacy and for some people, an inability to focus or think. With a smaller class size, there would be more privacy during group work, which could lead to higher levels of student focus, which should lead to higher levels of student performance. Also, it makes students more comfortable, as they have more room to maneuver and more personal space. Also, fewer students could mean a decrease in the number of arguments and disagreements.

More student engagement. When students have a strong relationship with their teachers, they are more likely to have high levels of academic engagement, which leads to increased student performance. This happens for two reasons. One, small class sizes have elevated levels of student performance, which becomes a part of the classroom culture. Students are expected to be high achievers, and in some ways, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, causing them to be highly engaged in their studies. Two, In classrooms with small class sizes, teachers have more time to develop deep relationships with their students, which motivates to become more engaged.

More one on one time. I was a special education teacher for many years, and I could always spot the classrooms where I would receive the largest amount of referrals for special education services. It was the classrooms where the number of students was way above 15. I am talking 20, 25, 30 students. Why? Because in these classrooms, teachers had the least amount of time to work with struggling learners, causing them to fall further behind. Unable to reflect and come to the conclusion that the child had not received the type of attention that needed, they always assumed that there was some sort of deficiency with the child. They could not accept the fact that due to no fault of their own, they were agents of a system that had failed to meet the child’s needs.

They would end up entering the child into the RTI (response to intervention) process, which is meant to help struggling students to catch back up academically. Of course, since the large class size was the real culprit, nothing changed. Frustrated, teachers and parents would have the child assessed for disabilities, and many ended up being eligible for special education services. I always protested because, in my professional opinion, the child didn’t have a learning disability, they had just fallen behind academically.

Academic underperformance that happens as a result of years of inadequate instruction is not a learning disability, it is a symptom of an education system that herds 25+ students in one classroom with one teacher, and could care less if they succeed. Assessments for special education are by nature unsophisticated, and in many instances, can’t differentiate between academic underperformance that is the manifestation of a disability or the result of years of poor instruction. There, I have said my peace about it.

What do you think? Does class size really matter?

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership January 11, 2019

8 of the Best Books for Education Administrators

I have spent 18 years in the field of education, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I started out as a teacher, then I became a professor, then a department chair and finally, I spent 3 years as a dean of education. Of all of these experiences, my time as an educational administrator was the most challenging and rewarding period of my career, thus far.

I must admit, I had a cheat code of sorts. What do I mean? I read some of the most transformative books on education leadership, many of which were recommended to me by colleagues. Thanks, guys! Also, I was also fortunate enough to author a book on school leadership theories, which was a highly rewarding task.

In this article, I would like to share with you, the 8 best books for education administrators.

A Guide to Effective School Leadership Theories

In this iconic book, Matthew Lynch discusses the ten leadership styles that have applications to the field of education. He contends that for a person to be an excellent educational administrator, they need each of these leadership styles in their repertoire, and must be able to use them at the right time. A must read.

Being a Successful Principal: Riding the Wave of Change Without Drowning

A collection of anecdotes, strategies, and tips written by education administrators, for education administrators.

If You Don’t Feed the Teachers They Eat the Students!: Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers

This book explains how principals have to take the lead in building a healthy school climate, for teachers and students alike.

Motivating & Inspiring Teachers: The Educational Leader’s Guide for Building Staff Morale

A handbook on how educational leaders can motivate and inspire their teachers to be their best, who in turn, will help their students to be their best.

Results Fieldbook: Practical Strategies from Dramatically Improved Schools

A must read for principals looking to turnaround failing schools. By using the strategies in this book, education leaders will see results in no time.

School Leadership That Works: From Research to Results

This book uses research and data to suggest evidence-based practices and strategies for education leaders.

The Schools Our Children Deserve: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and “Tougher Standards”

A case-based look at what’s really going on in today’s classroom, and how we can use data to improve the U.S. education system. The author offers some personal insights into how we can take our schools from good to great.

What They Don’t Tell You in Schools of Education About School Administration

This book endeavors to walk us through the in and outs of being an education administrator, and it certainly delivers.

Did I miss any? If so, comment below.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership, Teachers January 3, 2019

Reduce chronic absenteeism with identification and prevention

It doesn’t matter how much time you put into planning a well-orchestrated lesson if your students are absent. Students who aren’t present aren’t learning. Their absences can have a significant impact on their future.

Occasional school absences are inevitable. Chronic absences, defined as missing more than fifteen days of school in one school year, are far more serious than one or two missed days. They can and should be prevented.

The problem

Students who chronically miss school are in danger of dropping out of school and limiting their potential.

While chronic absenteeism is cause for concern at any grade, it is particularly worrisome for middle school students. That’s because patterns of frequent absences set the stage for high school absenteeism and dropping out of high school. Chronic absences among ninth graders predict the likelihood of dropping out more accurately than student achievement scores.

Chronic absenteeism affects more than secondary level students. It happens in elementary school, too, and it’s just as harmful to student learning.

To break deeply entrenched attendance habits, educators should identify attendance problems and prevent them.

Identification

School policies and state reporting requirements can mask attendance issues. Excused absences are documented but not reported, yet they can lead to chronic absenteeism if left unchecked.

Students may be present for an attendance reporting period, but gone the rest of the day, especially if parents schedule doctor and dentist appointments during school hours. Also, students may seek out ways to leave class. They may try to see the counselor or nurse, or they may linger in the restrooms and hallways instead of being in the classroom.

Class avoidance in any form is absenteeism.

To monitor student attendance, make notes about the time students spend away from the classroom, whether excused or unexcused. Look for patterns that might reveal an underlying issue.

Prevention

Educators must address attendance issues head-on. To reduce or prevent chronic absenteeism, try taking these steps:

Talk to families. Explain the importance of school attendance. Help parents establish routines that will help them get everyone to school and work on time.
Find out what the real issue is. Principal Akbar Cook in Newark, New Jersey installed a laundromat in his high school because his students didn’t have clean clothes to wear to school.
Make school a positive experience and learning fun. Kids who are excited about what they’ll be doing next will make an effort to be in school.
Establish an attendance team. Team members collect and analyze attendance data with a laser-like focus. They address absences on a daily basis. Next, they call parents with early notifications and taking notes about the conversations for later follow up if necessary.
Recognize good attendance with celebrations. Show students that you notice when they are present and that their efforts will not go unrecognized. As a bonus, they’ll likely see an improvement in their grades, too. Then you can celebrate those successes.

Experts consistently advise that the best prevention of chronic absenteeism is early identification. You can’t solve a problem unless you know it exists.

By encouraging good attendance, you’re helping your students learn, graduate, and go on to achieve success after high school.

Matthew Lynch published in Education Leadership December 13, 2018

Five Tips for New School Administrators

If you’re a new school administrator, your career shift can be a smooth one. You likely have extensive leadership experience that will help you become a successful school leader. Experience as a department head, a student teacher mentor, a lead teacher, or extracurricular activity or professional development coordinator all involve skills directly applicable to educational leadership positions. Following are five easy tips to help you become a strong administrator and an effective leader.

Develop Effective Communication Skills.

Whether you’re speaking at a school assembly or board meeting, or writing a grant proposal or an administration or leadership philosophy statement, it’s crucial for you to communicate clearly and concisely. If you struggle with written or oral communication, you should improve these skills.

The way you express yourself orally or in writing is an indicator of the type of leader you will be. Your goal is to appear confident and knowledgeable, both in writing and in person.

Stage School Spirit Events and Fundraisers.

High student and staff morale will boost test scores and enrollment rates and will reduce teacher turnover rates. Regular assemblies and school-wide events will boost school spirit and attract favorable attention.

Fundraisers are an effective way to generate revenue for areas that may require financial assistance. Requesting student and staff participation will create a school community in which each member feels valued and included.

Promote Community Participation.

It’s important for you, as a new school administrator, to make a positive first impression on the community. Host a school open house, and encourage staff and student involvement in the community. This will help you build strong relationships with local individuals and businesses.

At some point, you may need to reach out to these people. If you’ve already built positive relationships with them, and they respect both you and the school, this outreach should be easy.

Build Relationships with Parents.

Parents play a vital role in both their children’s success and in the success of their school. They’re an important resource when extra help is needed for staging fundraisers or other school-wide events. Building strong relationships with parents also allows you and your staff to get to know the students better, making it easier to discover how best to meet each one’s unique needs.

You can easily strengthen relationships and increase communication with parents by hosting parent workshops and by attending parent association meetings.

Be Optimistic and Enthusiastic.

Always remain upbeat and positive, even when you’re facing serious school issues. If school leaders are optimistic and express the attitude that things are on the right track, the attitude is and will rub off on the rest of the staff.

Enthusiasm is an asset you should possess and display. Expressing enthusiasm makes it easier for you to get the school community on board with you. Also, offering encouragement to both staff and students cultivates a positive and productive learning environment.

Incorporating these five easy tips into your new role will ease your transition and help you become an effective school administrator.