A School Board's Leadership Dilemma and Opportunity
The fact that so many school districts in Vermont and across the country are experiencing a shortage of qualified school principals suggests that school boards may want to "grow their own." The problem of leadership is serious: Survey results from the National Associations’ of Elementary and Secondary School Principals verify this shortage. Their report finds that "regardless of the schools’ grade levels and whether they were rural, suburban or urban", a labor pool shortage is prevalent in all areas. The Upper Valley Teacher Institute (UVTI), an independent nonprofit organization that has for forty years prepared adults for new careers as teachers, is ready to help Vermont and New Hampshire districts develop new school leaders from within.
A Need for More "Home-Grown Principals"? Often , as principals retire or move on to other districts, school boards and school administrators have a strong sense that they already have potential leaders in their midst. These may be exceptional teachers or guidance counselors who have proven their talents in working with students, colleagues, and citizens but who are understandably reluctant to leave the classroom to enroll in traditional, course-based programs. But supposing they could learn essential theory and gain broad perspective while serving as an apprentice to the current "mentor" principal? That’s the idea behind PRN, the Principal Residency Network which has joined with UVTI in a competency-based approach to leadership.
Leadership in 21st Century schools requires that our school leaders experience schoolhouse-based reflective learning opportunities grounded in relevant competencies. Such competencies turn traditional leadership prep programs on their head—instead of focusing on course syllabi and "inputs," they focus on "outcomes" and results. This change of focus is revolutionizing the preparation of educators at all levels. For school principals, it means helping them and the communities they serve to:
These five competency areas define the PRN@UVTI. Within these general areas, candidates for school leadership (called "Aspiring Principals") must demonstrate that they can perform well in 25 specific competencies, ranging from budget preparation to teacher evaluation to facilities management. Throughout New England, PRN has had ten years of success in creating new principals ready to move with foresight to meet 21st Century challenges. UVTI is expanding PRN in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Western Massachusetts.
How can Principal Residency Network help your School Board Grow Your Own? In 1998 Dr. Dennis Littky, co-founder and co-director of the educational company The Big Picture Company, created the Principal Residency Network in response to overwhelming evidence that many school districts and boards around the country were experiencing a shortage of qualified principals, and also discovering that traditional training programs were lacking in authentic schoolhouse experiences. In Dr. Littky’s words, "I watched teachers take courses that had little connection with the work they would be doing as principal. There was a gulf between theory and practice, between course-based preparation and the complexities of actually leading something consequential in the life of a school."
PRN is an ideal melding of theory and practice and places a heavy emphasis on Aspiring Principals developing their educational effectiveness under the guidance of a Mentor Principal. Just experiencing is not enough; however, PRN participants must become reflective practitioners who are able to act with moral courage, promote collaborative work, encourage a culture of life-long learning, and commit to getting quality results.
PRN has been designed so that school boards and districts can play a role in the aspiring principal’s training and help identify elements that support your rigorous work currently underway. The school’s and district’s framework for learning and accompanying professional development can be built into the program through the aspiring principal’s Learning Plan. The program continues to build an authentic curriculum around in-school stewardship, monthly cohort meetings and workshops that are relevant and responsive to the needs of the aspiring principal and the mentor principal, too, and the entire school community.
Do you anticipate an opening in school leadership in the near future? Do you want to groom someone from within your district, such as an outstanding teacher, to become ready to take over? As school boards and district leaders explore a variety of options in recruiting outstanding school leaders, PRN@UVTI may be just the answer. Through PRN, school districts build on the progress they have made, while enhancing the role of some of their most dedicated and talented local educators. For more information, please contact:
Shirley Richardson, 802-535-4110 or email her at srichardson@uvti.org. To learn more about the history & conceptual background, please contact Tom McGuire at tom@loftedu.com. For more information about UVTI & its competency-based licensure for teachers & principals, please contact Rob Fried at rfried@uvti.org or visit our website: www.uvti.org for brochure, program materials, and application.
