It’s That Time of the Year!
If you’re gearing up to start a new administrative job on July 1st, you’re likely feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. The transition can be a whirlwind whether you’re stepping into your first principal position or another leadership role.
To ease your mind, let me share one of my own “You Can’t Make It Up” moments from when I first became a principal. This story highlights the unexpected challenges and surprising opportunities that often come with any new job.
First Things First
When I was appointed as a brand new elementary school principal, I faced a unique situation: the long-serving school secretary had moved to another school. This meant I was stepping into my new role with the added challenge of hiring and working alongside a brand-new secretary. There went my hopes of somebody showing me the ropes! You can’t make it up!
I reviewed applications, set up interviews with four candidates, and hired one of them. I was excited for my new assistant to start and thought the interview process had gone well.
Little did I know that one of the candidates I didn’t hire was a parent of a student at the school. This parent started the school year with a chip on her shoulder, complaining about everything, and she called the superintendent to complain that she wasn’t hired! I was mortified!
Talk about a baptism by fire. What I didn’t know then was that this parent complained often and loudly about many things and many people to the superintendent—it was just my turn.
So there we were—a brand new principal and secretary, both of us wandering the halls on the first day like lost tourists with no map. Our favorite phrase became, “We have no clue, but we’ll figure it out!”
This situation taught me a valuable lesson: sometimes, unexpected challenges are your biggest opportunities. My new assistant was awesome, and we enjoyed many years of working together. Then she left to become a teacher!
You don’t know what you don’t know when you start any new job, and every interaction is an opportunity to learn and grow. Some of those first few stressful situations that seem like major issues will seem minor when you look in the rearview mirror later.
Key Takeaways
For anyone anticipating a new administrative role this summer, here are some key takeaways:
- Expect the Unexpected: No matter how prepared you feel, surprises will always occur. Embrace them as opportunities to learn and adapt. A great saying to remember is, “It’s Just Information.”
- Every Interaction Matters: From your first day, every interaction you have—whether with staff, parents, or students—is an opportunity to build relationships and establish your leadership.
- Be Open to Learning: A new role means new challenges. Approach each one with a mindset of learning and growth. You don’t have to know everything right away.
- Leverage Your Team: Even if you and your team are new to your roles, support each other. Building a strong, cohesive team can make all the difference. Sometimes, the tightest bonds that last for the long haul are formed when you’re all new together!
- Embrace your new role and enjoy every moment: Time will fly by faster than you can imagine, and before you know it, you’ll look back on this adventure with pride and a sense of accomplishment.
Welcome to the wild and wonderful world of public education administration! Remember, You Can’t Make It Up—but you can make the most of it!
Stay tuned for next week’s post, when I’ll share another unforgettable story from those early days of my first administrative role: “Hot Wheels and Meltdowns in Aisle 5!”