You and the Superintendent

Just as the Board hires a superintendent and holds that person accountable for the administration of the school district, so the superintendent hires the school principals and holds them accountable for the administration of their schools. In a small district, a new principal can expect to have a direct professional relationship with the superintendent. In a larger district, evaluation of principals may be delegated to an assistant superintendent.

Regardless of who is assigned to be your supervisor/evaluator, it is the superintendent who will make decisions about your performance and your employment. Think of all the ways that the superintendent might gather information about how you are doing. School board members will hear opinions from the community that they pass on to the superintendent. The superintendent will hear opinions from the community and from district and site staff as s/he travels from meeting to social event to school or district activities. If your assigned supervisor is an assistant superintendent, s/he will also be in regular contact with the superintendent.

Think about all of the second-hand sources of information which the superintendent receives about your performance whether s/he asks for it or not. Think about ways that you can keep the superintendent informed directly about issues at your school. Would s/he be interested in walking your campus with you (and your supervisor perhaps) on a monthly basis to hear both the school's successes and its challenges? Would s/he be interested in receiving a short synopsis of the school's efforts on a weekly or monthly basis along with your analysis of progress? (If so, make it short, bulleted, thoughtful, and positive. Never whine. Share it with your supervisor.) The superintendent might pass your short reports on to the school board members for information.

Bottom line, your success as a school principal is of paramount importance not only to your school, but also to the district, the school board, and the superintendent. Many conflicting opinions of events and issues will circulate from time to time. Good information directly from you will likely be welcome.