School leadership is the key element to successful and sustained school improvement. Repeatedly, the research demonstrates that successful and sustained school improvement occurred with leaders that had established and meaningful long-term relationships at their school-sites. All levels of school administration need to remain mindful of this information.
School leadership needs to stay in place, build relationships, and demonstrate their ability to lead (support, nurture and professionally guide) their staff. I’m concerned that the norm (in large urban school districts, anyway, and where 50% of public school students attend school) is changing from school leadership longevity to school leadership transience.
It seems that principals, if doing a good job, quickly move to school sites needing a leadership boost or a school-site that offers a higher salary, and these moves are district supported. The conundrum, leadership is the key to successful school improvement efforts, successful leadership is driven by good relationships and good relationships require time to develop.
We cannot treat our principals, any more than we can treat our teachers, like they’re simply cogs in a wheel, easily replaced and as long as they have the right (part) name they’ll work.
The Link to Teachers' Success...
Dr. Kathleen Salzano, Ed.D.
