There is a line in this week’s Member Spotlight that has stuck with me.
As Patrick Donahue describes the intentional progression Allen Park Middle School has created for students, the message changes as students grow:
In sixth grade: We’ve got you. Let us show you how. In seventh grade: Now let’s start doing this together. And by eighth grade: You’ve got this. Show us what you can do.
It is a model designed for students, but there is something about it that feels just as relevant for those of us who support school leaders.
At MASSP, we know our members spend most of their days supporting someone else. You are answering questions, solving problems, developing staff, responding to families, removing barriers, and creating the conditions that allow teachers and students to be successful. Our job is to make sure someone is supporting you, too.
Sometimes that support means having someone to call when a situation becomes complicated. Sometimes it is professional learning that helps you tackle a challenge differently, a colleague who has already navigated something similar or timely information that saves you from having to find it yourself. And sometimes, it is simply having the right tool at the right time.
One Resource, Multiple Ways to Use It
The MASSP Principal’s Checklist is one of those tools.
Many principals use the checklist to keep track of the deadlines, responsibilities and important tasks that come with each month of the school year. But it can also be more than a personal to-do list.
Consider bringing the checklist into your next administrative or leadership team meeting. Which items require action from someone else on your team? What information should be shared with your staff? Are there responsibilities that can be delegated? Is there something coming next month that your team could begin preparing for now?
You might even select one or two relevant items each week and use them to start a conversation with your team.
The goal is not for the principal to carry everything. The goal is to make sure the right people have the right information, understand what is ahead and have the support they need to do their work well. That is where a resource created to support you begins to support your entire building.
You Don’t Have to Lead Alone
Patrick’s story is a great reminder that meaningful support is not about doing the work for someone. It is about creating the conditions that allow them to grow, build confidence and eventually take greater ownership. We want to do the same for our members.
Whether you need a resource, professional learning, legal guidance, legislative information, a connection to another administrator or simply help figuring out where to start, MASSP is here to help.
And if you aren’t sure what you need or where to find it, contact me for Member Concierge support. Let me help you so you can focus on helping your school community.
Because when we support you, that support doesn’t stop with you. It reaches your administrative team, your teachers and staff, your students and ultimately your entire school community.
We’ve got you. Let’s do this together. And when you’re ready, we can’t wait to see what you do next.