Continuing to Learn and Grow as a Second-Year Principal

I served on the Southwest Side of Chicago for a number of years, both as a teacher and an assistant principal. I worked at three different CPS elementary schools that were all close to each other. When the time came for me to become a principal, I knew that I wanted to spread my wings, which is how I ended up at Burley Elementary School in Lake View. 

Burley is a very different school than where I’ve served in the past with different demographics, different programs, and different needs. But I’ve found that it also has certain things in common. For example, it has many long-standing staff members and great teacher retention, which is fortunately something I’ve been used to as a school leader. This has been a good starting place for building relationships with my staff.

I’ve also found that Burley also has high levels of parent engagement and involvement - this was a shift from my previous experience. I’ve found I’ve had to work on providing more frequent communication to parents than I have at previous schools which has been a welcome opportunity for reflection but also, frankly, more work. Thankfully, I have a great team of parent volunteers to help me out with this. 

As I’ve adjusted to my new role, it has been a great resource to have the support of the CPS Department of Principal Quality. Their New Principal Institute was like having a support system outside of my school building during my first year as principal, and I felt like it was a safe space to reflect on what I was experiencing. I’m so happy that they have a “2.0” version of this program for second-year principals. 

Fun fact: I’ve known Tai, who coordinates these opportunities for DPQ, since I was in the classroom. 

These institutes bring principals from all over Chicago together, as we’re all facing similar challenges, just in different settings. Collaborating with fellow principals makes the mountain that is school leadership feel more like a foothill. The topics we’ve focused on have been aligned with the work that I’m already leading in my building. It’s been great to have these discussions in such a nonjudgmental space. 

Your first year as principal is about figuring out the “low-hanging fruit” that you can quickly change for the better. Your second year becomes more about identifying impactful opportunities for long-term change. My current goals are related to our school’s curriculum, as well as our culture and climate. 

I want our curriculum to lead to experiences that engage all learners to the point where our students are leaving the school each day talking about what they learned. This is my singular focus across all content areas.

When it comes to our culture and climate, I want to build on what is already working at Burley. As a principal, it’s not always the best move to come in and immediately change the community - you first have to learn it. When you take the time to do this, you can determine how to make all the components of your school work together in harmony. 

Student voice is my key area of focus and parallels my curriculum goals. I want my students to never feel afraid to speak up about how they feel our school should operate and to feel like they have agency in shaping its culture. In both learning and being a part of a community, I want Burley students to feel like their voice matters. Because it does.

Principal Appreciation Month is a great reminder to school leaders that we are loved. I hope my fellow principals remember this throughout the year. Leadership can be lonely at times, which is why you have to surround yourself with others—both inside and outside of your school building—who can be your support system. I am lucky to have found such a great support system at Burley and beyond.