The role of the principal supervisor is at a critical stage in its evolution. As such, it is increasingly important to re-define how early career principal supervisors are prepared and supported. To answer this growing need in the field, NYCLA has launched Foundations of Principal Supervision, a program designed to help early career principal supervisors navigate the complexities of the role.

Earlier this month, 18 participants from across the country participated in a five-day summer intensive as part of Foundations of Principal Supervision, during which time they engaged in intensive, hands-on, standards-based training and peer-to-peer collaboration to help them hone the leadership skills necessary for effectiveness..

All of the activities were grounded in NYCLA’s Theory of Action: If a principal supervisor strategically balances support and accountability for school principals while navigating the contextual factors within the system, he/she will have a positive impact on high-quality teaching and learning across schools to ensure success for all students.

To prepare leaders for success, the Foundations summer intensive focused on eight key areas:

  1. Planning: Development of 90-day action plans that leverage school data and stakeholder insights to maximize a leader’s effectiveness
  2. Impact: Deep dive into the impact principal supervisors have on the larger system and student outcomes
  3. Standards/Self-Assessment/Goal-Setting: Understanding of NYCLA’s principal supervisor standards and the associated behaviors aligned to each standard, analysis of current capacities, and development of behavior-based self-improvement goals
  4. Data-Driven Leadership: Analysis of data across school district to identify patterns, trends, learner-centered problems, and problems of practice
  5. Observing Instruction and Feedback:  Practicing effective low-inference observation and how to provide actionable feedback to school-level staff
  6. Coaching and Evaluation: Understanding of NYCLA’s Facilitative, Competency-Based (FCB) Coaching Model as well as the conditions for learning when evaluating principals
  7. Navigating Social and Political Context: Learning how to think critically about how to navigate politically-charged contexts within the district setting and how educational equity is infused into the role of the principal supervisor
  8. Communicating Vision: Preparing and practicing communicating a vision and 90-day entry plan to a community of principals

Participating districts/organizations include Albuquerque Public Schools (NM), Cleveland Metropolitan School District (OH), Dekalb County School District (GA), Gwinnett County Public Schools (GA), Maricopa County Education Service Agency (AZ), Scranton School District (PA), and St. Lucie Public Schools (FL).

These professionals will continue to develop their own skills and collaborate with fellow cohort members in a virtual learning community throughout the school year.

To read more about NYCLA’s views of the importance of principal supervisor support and preparation, click here.

To learn more about Foundations of Principal Supervision, click here.

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