The Challenge of Campus Administration

Recently, I met with a group of current and aspiring campus administrators at a state conference.  The format was Q&A, and one of the first questions I was asked was, “What are the "hot topics" or issues facing campus administrators?”

This is a good question with a myriad of correct answers.  Campus administration is a complex endeavor with potentially thousands of moving parts.  Which is why I believe that the overriding hot topic has to be, “Meaningful simplifications that leverage teaching and learning.”

“But what about safety, budget, politics, staffing, etc., etc.?”

All important, but the bottom line is that teaching and learning must occur and it must continuously improve. If this is the case, the school survives and has a chance to flourish.  If it is not the case, students are being underserved and the employment of staff becomes at-risk.  

So that make my case for “teaching and learning,” but what about, “meaningful simplifications.”

For professionals who work in complex, chaotic environments, leadership must endeavor to reduce unnecessary steps and distractions so that the professionals can focus their attention and talent on effectively and efficiently completing the task.  This is true of surgeons, pilots, professional athletes, and should also be true for teachers. For every unnecessary step we can delete, for every non-essential task we can remove, teachers have additional attention and time for what is most important, TEACHING.

And if campus leadership isn’t studying the actual work of the organization to streamline process to maximize the instructional dynamic, there is no one to step in and fill the gap.  Because the teachers are busy teaching and central office is busy dealing with the “Big Picture.”

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference, Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference; The National Principals Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

The Relationship Between Formative and Summative Observations

There is this ongoing belief among too many campus administrators that formative and summative classroom observations (and the subsequent data collected) can be co-mingled.  Let me be clear on this, this bad practice and wrong thinking.

Yes, formative and summative observation processes must be aligned.  After all. to be meaningful, skill enhancement and practice should impact the bottom line.

Yes, formative and summative observation processes must be symbiotic.  Not only must skill enhancement and practice impact the bottom line, end results must inform teacher and leader what skills and practices need to be enhanced, excised and/or honed.

But most importantly, formative and summative observation processes MUST be INDEPENDENT.

Otherwise, EVERYTHING is Summative.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference, Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference; The National Principals Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool)
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook

Budget Flexibility

When it comes to managing a budget, consider the lesson taught to me by three exceptional school leaders, Richard Hooker, Bob Brezina, and Shirley Neeley. Always have some wiggle room. 

In your budget, you need to disguise an emergency fund.  At some time during the year, something is going to happen where the only way to solve the problem is throw money at it.  It might be a repair, a consultant, a training or overtime, but without the funds, the campus is up a creek. Being a good budget steward is not about saving money, it is about being effective and efficient with money in a way that allows the mission of the school to be accomplished. 

  

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Upcoming Conference Presentations: TASSP Summer Conference, Virginia Middle and High School Principals Conference; The National Principals Conference; The Fundamental 5 National Summit (Keynote) 
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Timer (Fundamental 5 Delivery Tool); PowerWalks CLC (Networked Formative Observation Tool) 
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation  and like Lead Your School on Facebook