Ask ten principals across Oklahoma what their day looks like, and you’ll get ten wildly different answers. A principal’s day rarely goes according to plan: a pipe bursts in the cafeteria, a staffing issue needs to be addressed, a parent arrives with an urgent concern or a student needs help cooling down after a difficult morning, all before lunch. There’s no instruction manual for running a school, because no two schools are the same.
We rely on our principals to lead in countless ways. We expect them to be instructional leaders for teachers, mentors for students, operational managers for campuses and primary communicators for families. We ask them to make tough, high-stakes choices, solve complex problemswithouteasyanswersand keepmovingforwardwhenthenext challenge is already waiting right outside their office door.
October is National Principals Month, and it gives us an opportunity to say “thank you” and recognize just how much Oklahoma’s principals contribute to their schools and communities. It’s also a good time to ask: are we giving our principals what they need to do their jobs well?
Great principals do more than manage the day-to-day operations of a school. They understand their teachers and students and build a school culture where students feel supported and teachers can do their best work. That kind of leadership doesn’t happen by accident; it grows over time through experience, collaboration and a willingness to adapt to the changing needs of education.
Nurturing the talent of our school principals is one of the most important things we can do to strengthen our schools statewide. When our principals feel equipped to do their jobs well, our schools flourish, and Oklahoma’s students reap the benefits.
At the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center, we invest in developing schoolleadersthroughhandson learning, online classes, training and certifications and professional networking.Webelieveinproviding principals with the confidence and practical tools to lead with purpose and inspire growth.
The most valuable professional development can happen when leaders have the opportunity to get out from behind their desks and sit down with peers who understand their work and the challenges that come with it. Having a dedicated space to swap strategies, tackle shared hurdles and learn alongside each other can help chip away at the isolation that so often accompanies the principal role.
We expect a lot from our school leaders. In return, we owe them the support and meaningful opportunities to hone their skills and develop into the leaders our children need to thrive. True appreciation goes beyond recognition; it means providing principals the professional development and peer networks they need to navigate an increasingly complex job. When we invest in our principals, we invest in the people shaping the lives and futures of Oklahoma’s children.
Dr. April Grace is executive director of the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center. She has more than 35 years of experience in public education, serving as a teacher, school administrator and district superintendent..