With a new school year comes another year of new faces, new students, and new challenges. It’s not easy managing a school, with there being many factors and moving parts to take into account. Principals and administrators should be prepared and always revise their strategies to make sure they’re setting up their schools for success. Here are some tips you can follow to get your school year started right:
1. Create clear communication channels to communicate with teachers, parents, and students. Having a dedicated site or place where everyone can see important information, such as school updates/events, schedule changes, available community resources, and more, is key to keeping everyone informed and on the same page. For example, the Young Educator’s Society of Rhode Island recommends celebrating student achievements on social media, which allows the community to bond and parents to give insight into their student's education.
2. Motivate your teachers. Teachers and educators are the backbone of any school district and are invaluable to your student's education. Showing them some appreciation every now and then can be helpful in increasing and maintaining their motivation. For example, holding a “Thank You” breakfast during teacher appreciation week or recognizing teacher achievements are great ways to show your teachers that you care about them. Keeping teachers motivated and happy will only increase their effectiveness in the classroom, which only benefits students and their education.
3. Develop your teachers. Offering professional development opportunities, such as peer training, seminars, classes, and other resources, allows teachers to grow in value, learning new skills to improve both their personal careers and the quality of education students receive. Schools that invest professionally in teachers are also more likely to retain key talent, which is crucial to keeping your school properly staffed and prepared.
4. Get the parents involved. While teachers may be the backbone, parents too play an important role in their children’s education. Whether it’s creating a strong PTA that helps create fun school events or having parents informed on the curriculum so they can help at home with homework, getting parents actively involved will create a healthy relationship between them and the school, which also gives the school and teachers another ally.
Managing a school can be a challenging task. Focusing on establishing good relationships and communication with key groups within your school and community will be crucial to having a productive and successful school year!
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