3 years ago, I was hired as the sole administrator in a 4K - 5 building of 600 students and about 75 staff members. By August of my first year, we were notified by the State that our school was on track to fail, and something needed to be done immediately to get it back on track for success. I had previously led an elementary school to significant student achievement success after 6 years of leading that staff, and was confident I knew how to improve student achievement. The State even recognized that school 2 years in a row! With what I THOUGHT was central office backing, I implemented basic, but important changes my first year (teachers accountable to not leave the building to run to the store, etc. during contract hours when students were in their room; common grade level planning expectations; facilitating additional instruction time for students who were failing; expecting teachers to handle basic discipline themselves, rather than sending many students to the office; and moving 3 or 4 staff members to other buildings in the district when they impeded changes). The teachers' union rebelled in full force and put such pressure on the superintendent that I was removed and placed at Central Office after the second year. My Central Office position is now being eliminated.
The reforms that are being expected may be good, but without solid backing and support from the President, the Education Secretary, State leadership, Central Office leadership and Board of Education members, principals are punished for doing the right thing. I have 13 years of leadership experience in Illinois and Wisconsin, and have taught for 11 years. I can assure you, that I always try to do right by the students, but when I lose my job for doing the right thing, it's really hard to continue to do the right thing. Also, to make the sweeping changes that are being expected in the first year or two of working with a new staff is very risky since there is no opportunity to build trust to sustain the changes.
