Transitions: Navigating the Change in Leadership
Summary: As you approach a new position in a new school, you are faced with a diverse set of questions, challenges, and mysteries in preparation of the change in leadership. These can include long-standing traditions, musical and character cultures, curriculum, and goals. Intelligently prioritizing and patiently strategizing these transitions can provide the foundation for a smooth change in a program.
Considerations:
- What do you know about the program (first hand vs second hand)?
- What don’t I know about the program?
- Why was there a change?
- What infrastructure exists (policies, procedures, leadership, travel, budget, curriculum, etc)?
- What is the culture?
- Where does the program fit within the “community”?
Starter Questions for YOU: time to REFLECT…
- What message do I want to be heard?
- How would I like people to describe this program?
- What are my non-negotiable classroom policies?
- What type of “colleague” am I looking for?
- What will be my “first impressions”?
- What type of student do I want to attract?
- How did I get here with all this “baggage”?
- Will this put a square peg in a round hole?
Starter Questions for THEM: time to EXPLORE…
- What do “you” want from the program?
- What is important to you (traditions)?
- How do you think the program can grow?
Resources: under construction
