“Questions to Frame School Administrators’ Discussions during Exit and Entry Plans”
Margaret Kew, January 2007
In a quest for information on how to make transition planning smoother when entering a new school, a number of experienced administrators were interviewed and a number of articles and research reviewed. Listed below are a number of questions and suggestions that could be explored by exiting and entering administrators to support a positive transition. Some of the questions seem repetitive, but by reframing questions, nuances appear in the answers. The following are some of these suggestions and questions:
First, schedule an off-site meeting (“Achieving Effective Transitions” 1) between exiting and entering administrators. On-site meetings can follow to tour the building and meet the staff. Also, arrange to meet the Trustee, attend a School Council Meeting, a Staff
Meeting, a Student Assembly and Promotion Meetings before the date of transfer, if possible.
How will you structure intake conversations with the following people:

Teachers?

Students?

Care staff?

Support staff?

Union Branch President?

Business Manager?

Secretaries?

School Council?
KNOW YOURSELF AND THE EXITING ADMINISTRATOR
Know your career trajectory. How long has the current P/VP been there and how long have you been in the role? (Hargreaves 76) This is important to consider since one administrator may have had a lot more experience than the other administrator. In this case, the learning curve and capacity of one leader may be quite different. Similarly, if a
Principal is in his or her first or last Principalship, he or she is going to be more likely to institute change.
What do you need in terms of Principal Leadership next year to move student achievement forward?
What are your particular strengths as an administrator? What are you ‘known for’?
Ask about the personality types of Principals and Vice-Principals who have worked in the school. Are there any legends? This is important because knowing the type of leadership the school has historically had, will determine how you will integrate your leadership style and avoid pitfalls.

What critical knowledge can’t be lost without a lot of problems? ( Hargreaves 23)
What are the strengths of your Administrative Team? (Hargreaves 26)
Who needs what development on the Administrative Team?
How do you currently negotiate/operate? (Hargreaves 31)
How do you involve others in your decision-making? (Lindsay 36)
What type of support do you get from your Superintendent? (Hargreaves 76) How do you work and communicate with your Superintendent?
How are you going to answer staff questions and reactions about your entry and exit ?
(“Achieving Effective Transitions” 2).

How do you divide the administrative duties amongst the administrative team? Often schools have a chart of duties. Sample attached.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSIGNMENT OF DUTIES
Principal
Vice-Principal Vice-Principal
-
-
-
-
-
Discipline, registration
- Liaison with Superintendent
- Budget - Weekly Bulletin
Staff Meetings/Department
Leadership Meetings Exam Schedule
-
-
Admin. Team Meetings
Elementary Admin. Liaison
Committees – Master
Timetable –
- Operation of General Office
- School Goals
- Staffing
-
Fundraising Liaison
Instructional Technology Plan and Liaison
- Community Relations
- Liaison with Caretakers
- Textbook Approval
-
Enrollment Projections
School Effectiveness Plan
School Advisory Council
Cafeteria Services
Staff Development Plan
Committee
Staff Meetings
- Educational Assistants
Resource Centre Supervision
Teacher Performance
-
-
Attendance/Discipline M – Z
(Gr. 9 – 12)
EQAO:
Numeracy
Planning Calendar
Teacher Supervision (On
Call/Gym/Cafeteria/
Teacher Absenteeism/Supply
Literacy Test/Re-test
Liaison /OLC
Special Events (Assemblies}
Teachers/ Class Coverage)
Examinations - staff supervision
Opening Exercises
Morning Announcements
Field Trips Schedules/
Appraisals and schedule
Newsletter and letter to staff
Japanese Exchange Liaison
Student Council
French Immersion Liaison
Centre Liaison
Student Teachers
New Teacher Orientation
New Teacher Liaison (Mentor
Program) coordination/policy/approval
TPA as assigned
ST and SRT
Excellence Evening
Athletic Council Liaison
Transportation
FOS
Teacher Handbooks
- Student Planners
Terrific Tiger
Web-Site Liaison
Grade 9 Teacher Mentors
-
- Attendance/Discipline A – L (Gr. 9 - 12)
Grade 8 Orientation
-
Grade 8 Parents’ Night
Grade 9 Program Night
Parents' Nights – following report cards Semester 1 and 2)
Commencement
Emergency Response Plan
SRT – ST Liaison
Special Education Liaison
Occupational Health & Safety School Committee
A & E Committee
Arts Council Liaison
First Aid Procedures
TPA as assigned
Enrollments: Statistical Report/Register October
March Reports/Registers
Liaison with Fire Marshall & for Fire Drills
Safe School Plan and lock-down procedures
Computer Liaison
Attendance (Registers)
Report Cards
Mark Reporting & Timelines
Sem. I and II Start-up
Recognition Assembly
FOS: Literacy Liaison
Curriculum
Programme Booklet
On-line Option Sheets
Student Success Liaison
Community Outreach Committee

It is important to know if the previous initiatives were liked or not liked and whether they were effective changes or ineffective changes. With this knowledge, an appropriate approach can be taken. Map out initiatives within the school and estimate the rate of change allowable—see below. (“Achieving Effective Transitions” 8)
Liked
Show you are an effective program and team leader.
Go slowly
Ineffective
Be bold in all areas.
Work on team-building
Disliked
What should you plan to continue, and plan to discontinue? Have a discussion with your
Superintendent. (Hargreaves 33)
KNOW THE SCHOOL
How is leadership distributed in the school so that it is tied to the board’s strategic plan and the school’s goals and the School Effectiveness Plan? (Hargreaves 23, 38)
What is your school effectiveness plan? Look at a three-year history if possible to determine what has been done.
What work/direction has been going on and of what are you most proud?
What is the school learning? (Hargreaves 25)
How is the school learning? (Hargreaves 25)
What key problems does the school currently face (Fullan 9)?
What key tasks need to be done in the short term? Rank them (Moynes 8).
Effective

What challenges will the school face in the next five years? (Hargreaves 25, Moynes 9)
What key issues need examined? (Moynes 7)
What are the school norms? (Moynes 8)
What are student/cultural norms (Moynes 8)?
How are you using technology as an adaptive technique at the school ? (Fullan 10)
How do you practice informed professional judgement at the school? (Fullan 6)
Has the school become comfortable with Walk Throughs?
How does the context need changed (Fullan 2)?
What small structural things can you do to change the behaviour of people in the building and student outcome (Fullan 2)?
What operational issues need examined:

What facilities issues do you have?

What does the school budget look like?

What key dates have been established? Is there a school calendar?

Ask to see newsletters, newspaper articles, the webpage, memos, meeting agendas, financial records, professional development planning. (“Achieving
Effective Transitions” 1)

When are your regular Admin Team Meetings and Staff Meetings,
Leadership/Team Meetings? How are they structured? What are their foci? How are the agendas established? ( Lindsay 34)
KNOW THE STAFF
Ask the history of the school. Who has the institutional memory of the school
(Hargreaves 23)?
How are teachers encouraged to be leaders?
Who has this school produced in terms of board leadership?
Are the right people in the key positions (Fullan 9)?
What are the strengths of your Leadership Team (Hargreaves 26)
Who needs what development?
Do they have a history of yearly planning retreats with their leaders? (Lindsay 35)

Who are your future administrative candidates in the school and how have you mentored them?
Who is on the TPA cycle?
What staffing issues have you had in the past? Where are these now?
What staffing processes did you use?
What sort of social activities do staff engage in?
What is the composition/demographics of your staff?
How do you recognize the achievement of staff (“Achieving Effective Transitions” 1).
KNOW THE STUDENTS AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENT
How are students encouraged to be leaders? Who are the key leaders? What key decision-making student groups are in your school?
How are students achieving in the school? Gather data from Skopus, Crystal and
Trillium to look at the following:

Lates

Absences

English EQAO OSSLT

Math EQAO grade 9

Research Department cut-point data, socio-economic profiles

National/International Tests

Provincial Tests

Midterm, Semester, Course Exams

Unit Tests and Assignments

Learning Skills

Participation Data

Community Service Hours

Behaviour Data

Student Demographics

Climate/Perception Surveys

Career Interest Surveys

Focus Groups

Interviews

Staff Attendance

Staff Qualifications

Professional Development Participation

ALPs


Parent Involvement Data

Field Trip Experiences

School Effectivenes Surveys

Parent Surveys
(Holcomb 71)
What types of consequences have you supported for student behaviours? Take a look at the suspension binder.
Ask about families and students within the school.
KNOW THE COMMUNITY
What are all our links to feeder schools/secondary schools?

Students

Teachers

Processes for Transition

Needs
What types of public relations/promotion has happened in the school and community?
How are parents involved in the school?
What is the composition of the School Council?
What is their focus?
What is the community’s demographics?
What type of support is there in the community?

Community Police Officers

CAS

Social Worker

Food Bank

Shelters

Group Homes

Psychological Services

Religious Institutions
Have consultants been working with the school?
Is it a turn-around school?
How do you “narrow the gap” between the school and parents so that parents feel involved and vital, contributing leaders in the school. (Fullan 35 )?

How do you network with your Associated School Leaders?
How is the school tackling social justice issues in the community (Fullan 2)?

Equity

Diversity
By starting with a framework of questions to lead a discussion about leadership, the school, staff, students and community, administrators will be able to assess the next steps they must take in a more efficient and broad-based manner. By looking at the range of leadership within the school, initiatives will become embedded and sustainable.

WORKS CITED
“Achieving Effective Transitions”. The Canadian Principal.
Beck, Richard L. “New Job! Now What?” Tips for Principals. November 2002. 81-
82.
Beckerman, Leon. “Building Blocks for the New Principal”. Managing Your School.
January 2005. 43-46.
Daresh., John, C. “Making the Most of It”. Assistant Principal Voice. 70-73.
Fullan, Michael. The Moral Imperative of School Leadership. Corwin Press Inc., 2003.
Hargreaves, Andy and Shawn Moore, Dean Fink, Carol Brayman and Robert White.
Succeeding Leaders? A Study of Principal Succession and Sustainability. Ontario
Principals Council August 2003.
Holcomb, Edie L. Getting Excited About Data. Corwin Press. 2004
Lindsay, Dianna M., “12 Tips for Supporting Your Administrative Team”. Leading the
Way. April 2004. 33-36.
Moynes, Riley E., “Entry: Putting Your Best Foot Forward”. Education Canada, May
1984. 7-9.