My name is Adam and I am a senior, and I’d like to speak with you about what makes a good school leader and why having one is so important for students’ education.
I want to speak about this because I got a new principal at my school this year, who was previously an administrator, and it’s helped me notice how different he is from my previous principal and how big of a difference this makes in my school and the environment.
The beginning of this year was a big shift to a new principal. Previously our high-school administrator, he already had an idea for how the school functioned, but was able to expand his power to middle and high school. The first thing I noticed was the quietness of the school – and I don’t mean a scared quiet. It was a controlled peace, as he had hired several other administrators to fill the hallways. In previous years, when we saw an admin rushing down the hall, students would follow suit because they knew there was a fight. Now, it’s rare for students to see them because of how quickly they’re being dealt with. Years of hearing the excuse “we have no funding” are behind us – instead, every class went on a trip at the beginning of the year – ours was kayaking. Times where we had to scurry the halls looking for just one administrator has turned into glancing down the hallway and calling them over.
One story about our previous principal helps illustrate how her leadership was different. Our previous principal had a homeroom class of her own. Throughout the year we would hold competitions between homerooms, with the winner receiving a prize. As a principal, she already had an idea as to what the prize was and how the class needed to win it. Instead of being our principal, she was often our competitor. Many of the teachers in my school are competitive when it comes to their homeroom class – let’s be honest, I would love to beat a bunch of middle schoolers, too, but to have the face of your school’s staff want that? To be ostracized by your principal and her homeroom because they had the headstart?
A good leader doesn’t do that – won’t do that. A good leader is someone that listens to you, that empathizes with you, and puts you first. They should accept responsibility and work to be someone that should be followed, not out of fear, but out of genuine respect. Many students respected my old principal, but that doesn’t mean they followed her. I never did, because I didn’t want to follow someone that couldn’t provide a welcoming environment for us as students. Meanwhile, my new principal does. He respects us as people and as students, and those before that refused to listen are.
My principal is down-to-earth and actively works to make a connection with us. I never saw my old principal in the halls, but this year, he’s constantly walking around and redirecting those in the halls. Rather than punishing students with detention, he created space for a teacher to be the dean of students, redirecting them when necessary and working with them to solve their issues. When the principal can respect students on the level that they can reciprocate, so many issues can be resolved before they even begin. My principal has successfully managed to get the entirety of middle and high school on his side, and I can see that it’s paid off.
Someone without these traits is more than likely going to resort to fear to solve a student’s issue, only creating more conflict. When a student can’t hold a conversation with even their principal, no student is willing to follow them.
As policymakers, it’s your responsibility to make sure that our teachers, principals, and administrators are equipped to be leaders. They’re shaping us for our future, and it’s a two-sided exchange. Teachers will give us knowledge, and students will give them their respect.Please continue to fund Safe and Supportive Schools so that our principals are more equipped to learn how to be good leaders.
