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