Tricia A. Campbell

Boothbay Region Elementary School
Boothbay Harbor, Maine
tcampbell@aos98schools.org

Best Practices

1) Developing a healthy school culture and instructional programs is imperative and best practice. It is imperative that an educational leader work toward creating and achieving an environment and collaborative culture in which all students can achieve to their fullest potential. As assistant principal, I shape the environment for teaching and learning. I actively work to create learning communities where faculty and staff collaborate to help every student fulfill their potential. I believe the purpose of educational leadership is to make a positive difference in the lives of all students by providing them with a supportive climate and culture in which to learn and grow.

I am a passionate school leader. I use my knowledge, experience, humor, and ability to bring people together to help encourage healthy and effective collaboration. Good educational leaders lead by example. I participate with my staff and community to identify and monitor needs and growth. I enthusiastically work with staff to strengthen our school community and student outcomes by ensuring that changes are data-driven and needs-based.

My focus on the improvement of our school culture can be seen and felt throughout our building and it is the work I am most proud of! A positive school culture is imperative to the learning process. Positive cultures provide a safe, inviting, supportive, and encouraging environment for everyone and it allows student achievement to grow and strengthen. Beyond my work as an instructional leader and setting a growth mindset for all educators and students, I believe a healthy building and community culture is key. I establish the “BRES Climate and Culture Committee” that works with teachers and the student leadership group to identify activities, resources, and actions to strengthen our school culture.

2) As assistant principal and an instructional leader, it is one of my professional goals to contribute to improved instructional practices and growth. I actively take a leadership role in the instructional aspects and needs of my school. I enthusiastically serve as the administrative representation to the Professional Evaluation, Professional Growth District Steering Committee for AOS 98, as well as serve as the Curriculum Specialist and Professional Development Coordinator as part of my administrative role.

I believe the first step an assistant principal should take is to get to know the people and needs of the community and school. I have invested time researching and reflecting on the historical practices, performance, and assessment of the teachers and students in our school. I frequently review the student population ratios, attendance records, and testing data. I am trained and very familiar with the teacher evaluation tool(s) used to identify instructional strengths and needs and review teacher evaluations. Collaborating with a faculty and community is part of my daily practice.

I also believe focusing on school and individual teacher success is an important part of the role of an assistant principal and administration. Working with teachers and identifying teacher leaders to help develop agendas and outline steps that everyone can take to ensure student learning is in the forefront of everything our school does. I work collaboratively to set high expectations and provide identified and valuable professional development for new and effective strategies and methodologies focused on the needs of the diverse population. I provide ongoing assessment and feedback to the teacher and school community.

As the assistant principal, I serve as a K-8 instructional coach. I have collaborated with and supported the building principal with overseeing the elementary school curriculum and teaching standards and ensuring effective management of the school. I work with teachers and teacher leaders to develop and identify instructional materials, coordinate its implementation with teachers and the principal, and participate in ongoing assessment of its effectiveness.

I work with teachers and faculty to gather information from student data, teacher surveys, classroom observations, and teacher evaluations to identify areas of need. I organize and schedule professional development activities and services throughout the school year, and gather and distribute resources to support teacher development and student growth. I create timelines to ensure these opportunities and allow for teacher planning and reflection.