Why One Principal Is Asking Her Staff to Do Less

Embracing the Chaos

This school year promises to be a rollercoaster ride of election buzz, debates over Roe v. Wade, gender identity discussions, school prayer controversies, and who knows what other political topics might pop up! No matter where we stand on these hot-button issues, they take a toll on us mentally and emotionally. Despite the chaos swirling around us, we still show up day after day, ready to tackle the challenges ahead.

Facing the Challenges Head-On

For the past few years, we’ve been the public faces of decisions about masks and vaccinations—issues we didn’t even control or influence. We found ourselves vilified for simply teaching about social injustices or trying to support students’ mental health challenges. Answering questions about acts of racial hatred, political turmoil, global conflicts, and mass shootings has become part of our daily routine.

This biweekly column gathers insights from principals and educational leaders—including researchers, education professors, district administrators, and assistants—who are eager to share quick tips and timeless advice for their peers.

Recognizing Overwhelm

Amid that chaos, I’ve realized I’ve contributed to my staff’s stress by pushing everyone to keep up the usual frantic pace, even when nothing feels ordinary. If you work in a similar environment, you probably get what I mean.

Consider last year: my team participated in a whirlwind of professional development. We tackled social-emotional learning, building an inclusive school culture, adapting to multitiered support systems, enhancing school safety, boosting student engagement, and even self-care practices for staff. The list goes on! We also focused on identifying rigor, restorative justice, curriculum mapping, and essential learning across disciplines—all while trying to foster professional learning communities. It was a lot!

Focusing on What Matters Most

As I plan for this school year, I’m deciding to make things simpler. All the heavy initiatives and outside noise can easily overwhelm us. Instead, I’ll hone in on the essential A, B, Cs of school: **academics, behavior, and culture.** By streamlining our focus, we can ease the burden on everyone and rebuild our community. After two overwhelming years, doing less can actually mean doing more. We can finally prioritize what truly matters for our school.

Revamping Academics

When it comes to **academics**, we’re aiming to implement professional learning communities (PLCs) with more clarity and effectiveness. We’ve attempted PLCs in the past, but they never really took off. Sure, staff understood the concept, but we often got caught up in the chaos of making it work.

This summer, a few team members attended a conference in San Antonio on PLCs, and they came back fired up by what they learned! Our newly formed guiding coalition—made up of teacher leaders from various subjects—is ready to show everyone what it really means to be a **PLCs school**. We’ll focus on four essential questions:

What do we want our students to learn?
How will we know if they are learning?
What happens when a student doesn’t learn?
How do we enrich learning for students who excel?

Transforming Behavior

Next, for **behavior**, we’ll emphasize restorative practices. It’s time to boost our connection with students and shift our approach from punitive to one that encourages accountability and reflection. Building trust is key here!

Cultivating Culture

When it comes to **culture**, we want everyone in our school to feel they belong. We’ll develop fun and engaging activities for both students and staff, ensuring everyone knows they are welcome in our building. Feeling a sense of belonging can really help create a positive atmosphere in our school community.

Reengagement with Community

Let’s use this school year to reconnect with our community and rekindle partnerships with those we serve. When we team up, we’re stronger! My main aim is to ease my staff’s mental load and ensure our school environment is nurturing. We already have enough heaviness in our hearts; it’s our job to respond to intuition rather than adding more stress.

Moving forward, our plans will be straightforward and targeted. How will you slow down? What will your A, B, Cs be this year to help you reset, renew, and reengage?

Reflections on Leadership Challenges

As the founding principal of the first Mater Academy charter school in Ohio, set to open in the 2023-24 school year, my journey has been shaped by moments that resonate deeply with me. One such moment was when my 11-year-old son asked, “Mom, how come more teachers don’t look like me?” It hit hard. My son is half Jamaican and half white, and he pointed out how most of his teachers are female. It made me reflect on the importance of representation in education.

As a female assistant principal, I often ponder why so few administrators look like me. The higher you climb in educational leadership, the more you notice it’s a male-dominated world. This reality makes me wonder: where are all the women in leadership positions?

The Loneliness at the Top

From my experience, the higher you rise, the lonelier it can get. Many female education leaders can attest to this—it’s a particularly lonely path for women in leadership roles. Often, when I speak assertively, I’m labeled as aggressive, while my male counterparts are seen as strong. This double standard is frustrating!

Strategies for Success

Throughout my seven years as an administrator, I’ve learned how to navigate this tricky landscape without compromising my strong beliefs on what’s best for students and teachers alike. Here are some insights I’ve gathered along the way:

Be empathetic: I wear my heart on my sleeve, even when others might see empathy as “too emotional.” It’s crucial to relate to your community, teachers, and students as human beings first. Being passionate is okay—better that than being a pushover!
Be assertive but calm: The term “aggressive” is a trigger for me. While men can assert themselves, women like me can often get labeled as aggressive for speaking up. I’ve learned to stand my ground without letting high emotions take over. A wise principal once advised me to wait 24 hours before responding to heated emails, allowing time to chill before crafting a thoughtful response. I try to apply this same principle before any discussions that might get tense.
Find a mentor or “rubber band friend”: Everyone needs a sounding board. Whether it’s a fellow administrator or a close friend, having someone to bounce ideas off is invaluable. I cherish the couple of female colleagues I trust. We share our frustrations and insights confidentially and without judgment—this support has helped me navigate the ups and downs of instructional leadership.

No matter if you’re in your first year or your fifteenth, being an administrator is challenging. We should let ourselves feel the same grace we offer our students and staff. One thing I know for sure: I refuse to sacrifice who I am to please anyone else. I’m a dedicated leader, and I’m committed to the success of my teachers and students. And yes, I just happen to be a woman in education!