The “passing of the torch” of leadership is a
critical juncture at which school improvement can either benefit from new energy or lose momentum.
“I 8 Leadership
became a principal so young,” muses Carol, a retired New Jersey super- intendent. “I had no busi- ness being a principal at
that time.” She shakes her head regretfully. “I thought I knew everything. I didn’t know what I didn’t know! Nobody could tell me a thing.” Being selected for a principalship can be
a heady experience – true for any leadership position representing a significant promo- tion or advancement. As Carol reminisces, retaining a sense of humility can be chal- lenging for some. Their eagerness to put their stamp on a place and its team may unfortunately cloud their judgment as its newest member, or in their newly elevated status within it, as when assistant principals are promoted to principalships of their own schools. Forward momentum already under
way may stall or stop as the denizens won- der what the new leader will do next, what she values, and whether to keep pouring their energies into the same initiatives that
were supported and valued by the previ- ous leader. Even small, initial missteps can snowball quickly into bigger problems. This conundrum is not, of course,
unique to education, but unlike other sec- tors, the compelling issue for schools and districts is the ultimate impact on students and student achievement. Building and sus- taining momentum in key strategies that will most dramatically improve learning outcomes is a complex task. The intricate web of staff interactions that are needed to support that momentum can be damaged without a new leader even realizing it.
A small thing becomes big A bright young leader we’ll call Allison,
an AP at a large high school, is promoted to the principalship. To her credit, she has a plan for interviewing the classified and teaching staff in small groups about their views on the school’s strengths and poten- tial growth areas. But being an insider, she
By Terry Wilhelm
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