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Featured Principals: March 2024
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How and why did you become a principal? I became a principal because I wanted to create a learning environment where students could see themselves every day when they walked into our school. What are you most proud of in your work? That I have over 45% of licensed staff of color. This reflects my student demographics. It important for students to see their reflections (windows and mirrors) when they walk into a school each and every day. What's something that's had success in your school that you think other principals could borrow? I developed a leadership plan to recruit and retain staff of color. Also creating a culture of collaboration and a school climate of continuous improvement. | What are some strategies you use to keep your work and life balanced? I meditate every morning by reading the Bible and keeping myself grounded. I also stretch in morning to relax myself before my school day. What piece of advice would you give a new principal OR what piece of advice have you gotten that has been most useful? Be Yourself! Don't try to be someone else. Always be transparent and don't avoid courageous conversations. We can't change things that we ignore. How many years have you been a principal? 10 years |
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How and why did you become a principal? As a child, I never had educators that were reflective of who I was as a student or who looked like me physically. It was very isolating being in an educational setting that was homogenous and not reflective of who I was as a person. When I decided to go into education I wanted to be in an environment that was diverse and inclusive where students could see themselves in the staff that were supporting them.This was a driving factor that led me to become an administrator. When I decided to become a principal this allowed me the opportunity to have an impact and become a reflection of the students that I was serving and have those students see themselves in me. I also wanted to inspire and uplift young people in order to make a difference in their lives. What are you most proud of in your work? The work that I am most proud of is empowering students to take charge of their educational journey and guiding them along the way to accomplish those goals. When I see my students achieve at the highest level and find success in the outcomes, I know my work has had an impact. What's something that's had success in your school that you think other principals could borrow? One of the biggest successes that we have had at our school is the incorporation of arts in all of the academic areas to support student learning and emotional growth. The use of the arts provides a strong connection with the curriculum and students are able to retain and learn new information through the use of the arts and perform at a higher level as a result. | What are some strategies you use to keep your work and life balanced? The strategies that I use to maintain a work life balance is maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly and getting plenty of sleep. I also set boundaries with when my work day starts and ends as well as when I respond to e-mails and other work related tasks. What piece of advice would you give a new principal OR what piece of advice have you gotten that has been most useful? I have three pieces of advice I would give new principals. First, look, listen and observe what is happening in the school environment before making significant changes around you. Second, the knowledge that you have acquired in school will not prepare you for the practical experience on the job. Finally, take care of your physical and mental health, especially your first few years on the job. How many years have you been a principal? 12 |
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How and why did you become a principal? My path to the principalship was much more of a winding one than a straight line. I always wanted to be a teacher and I absolutely loved my 29 years in the classroom. Being a principal was never on my radar at that time. I was fortunate to work in a strong district (Waseca Public Schools) that provided me with various peer & student leadership opportunities. Ironically enough, MESPA's Executive Director Michelle Krell was my principal at that time. She was the one who not only gave me the opportunities, but also encouraged me to consider returning to school to secure my specialist degree in Education Leadership. After receiving my degree from Minnesota State University-Mankato, I was fortunate to hired by Saint Peter Public Schools. I have been blessed to serve as the principal at South Elementary School for the past 10 years. What are you most proud of in your work? I value the relationships that have been built throughout my career.These include the ones that I have & have had with my students, their families, my staff, administrative team, community, & my fellow principals within the MESPA organization. Nobody can do this job on their own. It takes everyone working as one & leaning on one another to make things happen. What's something that's had success in your school that you think other principals could borrow? I love the culture our school has about taking care of kids, all kids. We have spent lots of time defining what is important to us and focusing our attention on that. From learning about trauma & how to support healing, to working with community organizations to get our families what they need. Get to know who you serve and never stop trying to make things better for your students. | What are some strategies you use to keep your work and life balanced? My secret to keeping my work and life balanced is to recognize that the struggle is real and ongoing. However, one thing that I remind myself of frequently is to think about life as a series of ups and downs. By remembering this when things happen, I am able to shift my thoughts from an overwhelming, "Here's another thing," to a more manageable, "Here's the next thing." What piece of advice would you give a new principal OR what piece of advice have you gotten that has been most useful? My advice to a new principal is to recognize that everyone is continuing to learn and grow on a daily basis. You will make mistakes and that is all part of the process. If something isn't working, don't be afraid to change it and try again. There is a tremendous pressure to feel like you need to have all the answers when difficult situations arise. The reality is that what you really need to have is perseverance to see them through to resolution. How many years have you been a principal? 10 yrs as a principal, 29 yrs as a teacher |
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How and why did you become a principal? The motivation to become a principal came from a difficult situation that happened to me in my role as a teacher. I taught 2nd Grade and was in my 7th year of teaching. While arriving at school one more I was met with the devastating news that one of my students had been hit by a car and killed while getting on the school bus to come to school that morning. Although this was an extremely tragic and difficult situation for our school and community it was the support and kindness from others that I remember the most. The thoughtfulness of my administrators at the time really pushed me to pay that forward and be a person who could support teachers and students even through the most difficult times. Towards the end of that school year, I enrolled in a program and didn't look back. Within my career as an administrator, I have had situations happen that are similar to the one that I experienced as a teacher, and feel blessed to be able to help others in the way that I was helped. Along with the tougher times have come many happy and exciting moments in my career as well and I feel very fortunate to do what I do! What are you most proud of in your work? I am most proud of the relationships that I have made with students and staff over the years. I have been in a few different districts and schools within the past 15 years and within each transition I always reflect on how lucky I feel to have been able to work with so many amazing people. Behind the accomplishments, initiatives, awards, celebrations, certifications, etc. are faces of people that helped to make it happened. Staff, students and families that have supported the work and teamed with me to shift the needle for kids. That is what I will always be most proud of! What's something that's had success in your school that you think other principals could borrow? Communication and transparency are extremely important to us at WAO Elementary. We have a building leadership team that meets monthly. A few years ago we started doing leadership team follow-up meetings. These meetings are the Monday following our leadership meeting and consist of a rep from each department/grade level meeting with their specific groups and disclosing the information discussed at the leadership meeting. During these meetings, there is a lot of open discussion and opportunity for constructive feedback. During this time I typically task my leadership representatives with gathering insight from other staff to bring back to our next meeting. I truly feel that establishing this time has allowed all staff to feel informed and included in decision-making. It has also allowed the whole staff to become more invested in building goals and the work towards them. | What are some strategies you use to keep your work and life balanced? I live and die by Google Calendar! I have my professional events calendar, building events calendar, and personal calendars all linked and my secretary and husband both have access. It helps me to stay on track and communicate with the people in my life who like/need to know where I am and when. This last year I also designed a schedule for myself. I shared it with my staff so that they could see where I am (typically) each day of the week. It has held me accountable to get my work done during specific times of the day and helps to ensure that I get out of the building and home at a good time more consistently. What piece of advice would you give a new principal OR what piece of advice have you gotten that has been most useful? The job is hard but incredibly rewarding! You will go through seasons when it is very difficult. Don't be hard on yourself and be sure to lean on your school and home teams. Make sure you are asking for help and including others in the work. The biggest mistake as a leader is that you can do it all yourself. Don't forget what it feels like to be the teacher in that classroom and make sure you encourage, support, and sometimes even fight for your staff. They are the people that will defend you and support you during those difficult seasons. Most important, your most important role is the one you play at home. Don't let your professional life be in first place. Be sure to find ways to be you! Encourage your staff to prioritize their home lives and be the best model of this yourself! How many years have you been a principal? This is my 6th year of Administration. I was Assistant Principal and Community Education Director for two years in Roseau, MN and this is my fourth year as Principal at Warren/Alvarado/Oslo. |