Top 10 Things I Wish I Would Have Known

Assistant Principal

#10. Use your mentor

Get to know your mentor, spend time in their school

Mentors have: Discipline ideas, organizational ideas

Ask them questions, ask them for examples (paperwork, grants, etc.)

#9. Keep a routine

Keep your exercise routine

Eat a healthy diet

Drink water

Get enough sleep

Leadership Life-fit

#8. Your “to do” list can wait

“To Do” lists are important—learn to prioritize

Some of your work can wait . . .it is ok to go home and spend time with your family

#7. Set limits

Open-door policies are great. . . Be available to your staff as much as possible

It’s ok to shut your door and set the expectation that when the door is closed, you wish to not be interrupted

Let staff know when it is appropriate to call/text you (before 10 pm, after 5 am)

#6. Calendars/Schedule

s Keep a calendar—either electronic or paper

—schedule time in classes, meetings, etc. Make this calendar available to your staff.

Email doesn’t have to be checked constantly. You will get more done if you schedule time to read/respond to emails

#5. Take a message

All phone calls are NOT important. Work with your secretaries on deciding which calls can be put through to voicemail and which calls need to be taken right away.

By taking a message, you allow upset parents time to “cool off”

Use the 24 hour rule on returning phone calls

#4. Document EVERYTHING

You want to be consistent with your decision making

Keep a phone-call journal

Keep a student discipline journal

#3. Think Time

It is OK to take some time to think things over—students, staff, and parents can wait while a good decision is made

ASK QUESTIONS

LISTEN

Seek advice from your head principal or your mentor

Learn these statements Let me think about it and get back to you . . . I need to some time to think about this . . .

#2. Information Overload

You will be privy to more information than you want sometimes

Find a way to organize emails (so many emails)

#1. Decisions Galore

You will make at least 25 decisions a day and you will be asked 100 questions a day

Remember—ok to think about it

Have teacher send you a reminder email

Carry something to document—note pad, ipad, phone

My Advice

Be yourself

Be true to yourself

Be Confident