- Visit new students in one of their recitation classes to teach a lesson on
the importance of doing well during this crucial transition year, follow-
ing up on your first day auditorium presentation with these incoming
students. - Visit final year students in one of their classes to teach a lesson on the
graduation policy and what the students need to do to move on to the
next level. - Informally observe all new teachers on the first day; formally observe
them during the first week. Formally observe all other probationers dur-
ing the first month. Be sure to have all observation reports completed
by the next morning. - When not outside the school, teaching classes, observing classes, and
holding observation conferences, try to be around the school as much
as possible, visible to staff and students and visiting all offices to make
sure everyone is getting off to a good start.
Of course, all this will be in addition to all your regular duties, such as
the required paperwork and the completion of required district reports. As
there is no time before or during the school day to complete these tasks,
you will have to do them at the end of the school day. You will get home
late in September. But this work lays the groundwork for making the rest
of the school year easier for yourself, your staff, and your students.
There is no downside to this principle of school leadership, provided you
approach laying the groundwork with an open mind. Yes, you will have a
final policy in mind. However, the time you invest speaking with commit-
tee members and sounding boards is not intended to be a confirmation of
your ideas, but a way for you to determine their feasibility, to rethink and
revise them, to learn how to best present them. Those you talk to should
see some of their ideas reflected in the final document produced—and, of
course, you will give them credit for their input and ideas.
Lay the Groundwork 119