Running Start: Six-Week Orientation Period

Take advantage of the first six weeks of school--the new principal's orientation honeymoon period. Here are three steps that will give you the best chance for a running start. (A. Get focused; B. Set goals; and C. Make a six-week calendar.)

Your school is likely to have its own established start-up policies and procedures in place. Most schools have years of practice in starting up at the beginning of a new year, assigning teachers and students to classes, registering new students, placing them in appropriate courses, distributing textbooks, correcting placement errors, handling complaints, etc. Existing staff will likely have put start-up plans in place before the end of the previous school year, before you even arrived.

Your role this year is different than it has ever been before. The new principal's role is to watch these procedures in action, to provide support and encouragement to everyone involved during this tension-filled time, to work with the staff to solve problems (if asked) as they may arise, and to put a confident, smiling, welcoming face on the school as students, staff, and parents file in to find their place in the new year.

Here is what your role is NOT: You are not in charge of the registration processes or of textbook distribution or of any other of the procedures that will be running in your school at this year's startup. You will not take over problem-solving that should be done by another member of your new staff. You will not undermine the efforts or decisions of the people who, later on in the school year, will need to be a part of your leadership team.

Now is the time to think about one of the natural strategies of the great leader. If you want the staff to step forward in the future, to provide leadership and take risks, then let them know they have your full support. When something goes wrong, be prepared to take full responsibility and work with people to make any necessary future adjustments. When something goes right, give full credit to the staff that went out of their way to make it happen. Your support will provide incentive for staff to step forward next time to make the school a better place.

Bottom line: Get focused on a whole new role for yourself.