Tips for the Prospective Principal

To be an AP is at any level, a very complex, demanding job. But if you’re looking to take that next step in leadership, you can improve your chances by planning out your career. Here are five strategies and suggestions that can help APs ascend to the principalship.

1. Set Goals and Timelines

Make sure your goals are attainable. One place to start is ensuring you have the necessary experience, degrees, and certifications. Investigate in the district where you want to be a principal and learn how the normal track to the principalship is attained. If your goal is to move up the school district career ladder, then find out all the protocols on how to proceed.

Goals sometimes have setbacks, but don’t give up. Continue to hone your leadership experience and work on additional training and degrees.

2. Get Involved at the School and District Levels

Volunteer for committee assignments so the people who decide your future career can get a chance to see you. Other ideas to get involved include:

• Volunteer in the local community and make connections with community leaders. This is likely something you’re already doing as an AP, and it can help your chances to become a principal.
• When possible, attend school board meetings. Get to know the senior staff and board members when you can. Learn about district issues and become part of the solution.
• Be the face of your school. Attend PTO meetings, club meetings, athletic games, and music events. This will help parents get to know you in a different setting. Often the assistant principal is a school manager and might handle tasks like discipline and attendance. You want the parents to see you in a different light.

3. Prioritize Instructional Leadership

APs historically have overseen discipline, transportation, maintenance, and room assignments, while the principal was the instructional leader. But this isn’t the case anymore. APs are now leaders in curriculum, teaching, and learning.

The principal-AP partnership is important here. Connect with your principal to learn from them and design opportunities to boost your instructional leadership. Observe teachers, attend curriculum meetings, and get out of your comfort zone. Graduate classes in curriculum and instruction will not replace the experience you get at the school, working with the curriculum and instruction.

Keep current with education trends, issues, and technology. The more knowledge you have the better prepared you will be. Principals create a vision for school improvement. Pretend you’ve just been named a principal. How would you improve the school?

4. Develop an Action Plan—and Pivot When Necessary

You’ve set your short- and long-term goals, but what happens if you do not reach your goals right away? Planning your career takes a lot of time and work, and it must be flexible as you might have to change your goals as your opportunities evolve. Consider these questions:

• Do you want to work in your current district or another location? If you’re not achieving your goals in your present location, are you open to seeking opportunities elsewhere.
• At what level do you want to work? There’s flexibility between elementary and middle school opportunities. Are you willing to keep your options open for a promotion at either level?
• Would you be willing to ask for a transfer as an AP from an elementary school to a middle school AP to gain experience?

5. Keep Your Resume and Portfolio Up-to-Date

You never know when an opportunity for a promotion might present itself. Revise your resume and portfolio at least once a year. If a principalship becomes available and you want to apply for it, you will probably be asked to submit your resume and portfolio. It is difficult to remember everything you have done and accomplished over the years. Keeping it current will help you excel during the interview process.

In preparation for the interview process, create a checklist of what you wanted to accomplish at the school short term, being as specific as possible. Here are some examples.

• Meet with the outgoing principal, if possible; school faculty; and families to learn from them.
• Look up test scores and other useful data.
• Get a copy of a yearbook to start putting names with faces.
• Review the teacher and student handbooks.
• Connect with the facilities personnel and front office staff.

Most principal appointments occur during the summer, so as a new principal you have only a few short weeks before you are welcoming faculty and students back to school.

Les Potter is a retired U.S. educator and an education consultant living in Cairo, Egypt.