Under Pressure...

Parents want more time on academics, other parents want more option course for their kids.  Some parents want French to be compulsory, while other parents prefer it as an options.  Students wants exciting events and pep rallies and no homework, while teachers want completed homework and less disruptions.  The ATA wants teacher workload addressed, while students and parents want at lunchtime activities, drama clubs, and sports teams after school.  Parents want small classes (so do teachers), but small classes means less funding for educational assistants, technology, PD for staff, and specialist, like counsellors and facilitators.  Some parents want field trips, while other parents expect no fees.  Some parents would like a trained counsellors to work with their child, but are opposed to combined class (that could help fund the counsellor position).  Some parents despise homework being sent home, while other parents expect it daily.  The government expects teachers to roll out new curriculum, while many parents prefer the old approach to learning a skill!  Students want engaging lessons, teachers want a work-life balance.  And at the end of they day, who is responsible to make all of these decisions and find a way to balance all of these challenges... the principal.

Now dont get me wrong, a good principal involves parents, staff and students in all of these decisions.  He or she will listen to many voices, and collect data from a variety of sources: surveys, PAC meetings, conversations with staff, interviews with students, and all of the things they observe each day over the school year.  But in the end, the principal is the person who has to make the final decision on conflicting priorities.  Sometimes the decision are obvious, but other times they are very complex and may result in multiple outcomes.  Talk about being under pressure!

And after trying to make all of the best decision possible for student learning, the principal gets evaluated via surveys in the new year, to share with the public how people feel about these decisions.  Sometimes, the survey data is a feel good story, other times, the data can be a little painful.  Regardless, the annual process is one that helps in planning for the upcoming year, as principals can examine data
and adjust their decision from year to year.

There are some variables however that make decision difficult, even impossible.  Take some of the very full schools in the Edmonton and surrounding area.  A friend of mine is a principal in such a school and from the day the school opened, it has been packed to the rafters!  The parents are upset because classes are huge but there are no more rooms to break out to, in order to bring down class sizes.  They are stuck with big numbers, extra EA supports and lots of money to spend on Smartboards and PD.  Why do you ask?  Because schools are funded by students.  If you have large classes, you have extra money to work with to support student learning.

There are other schools that are small.  In these schools, they may have small classes, but no funding for any extras. The classrooms start to show their age, and PD is very limited for staff.  Educational Assistants to work with students are few, as is counselling, facilitating, and administrator time.  The stress in these schools is real, because the opportunities to grow or do anything outside of the box is limited.

Now don't get me wrong!  I love being a principal.  I love the challenge of all of these decisions and I love that I am committed to make the best decisions possible for my students.  The literature in around school leadership talks about value-added priorities.  This means that the decisions that are made should be focused around what will have the greatest positive impact.  The philosophy is that school leadership needs to try to focus their time and energy on things that will help create positive change for student learning.  As a principal, I do my best to make decisions that I believe will impact student learning.  I also recognize that I am not perfect, and I that I have lots to learn, so decision I make in the future may be different, as I grow as an educator and school leader.

It is now April and the planning for next year is well underway in schools across Alberta.  School leadership teams are working to help develop and enhance their current programs to serve the needs of their students and their families.  This is true at my school.  Spring brings with it so much potential and hope for the future - what possibilities await us in the upcoming school year?  I am excited to continue to work with the amazing staff at my school and continue to improve upon all we have accomplished this school year.

Here is what I do know for sure: regardless of all of these decisions, big schools and small school, everything comes down to staff.  I have worked in six schools and I have witnessed that the most challenging of environments can become amazing spaces for learning with the right teachers and support staff.  For any parent, the most important person for your child each and every year is their teacher, and it starts with relationship.  Regardless of all of the decisions your principal makes, having a great teacher makes all of the difference!

I am biased of course; I know there are decision I will make differently for my school next year with regards to budget, programs, etc.  But I also know that I have the most amazing group of educators, and I would not want to change that for anything!  My students are so fortunate to have these amazingly caring and talented professionals to work with each day!