Can you believe it’s that time of year again? Soon, teachers everywhere will head back to school for the week known as “pre-planning.” What is pre-planning? For teachers, it means they set up classrooms, write lesson plans, and get ready for students to arrive. But that doesn’t mean school leaders are off the hook. Pre-planning tasks for principals are equally important, especially for those who are looking forward to their first year as a leader.
In this article, we’ll share five pre-planning ideas for principals you can take to get the school year off to a successful and inspired start. We’ll also provide a checklist of pre-planning activities for each month of the year to help you prepare for each phase of the school year. This can be used as a new principal entry plan to make the transition into administration a smoother and more effective one.
1. Give teachers the gift of time.
While there should be some structure to your pre-planning week, don’t overfill the schedule.
Pre-planning is an important time for teachers to collaborate with their colleagues, get their classrooms in order, and (of course) plan. Before you know it, students will crowd into hallways and desks. Your teachers need to feel organized and mentally prepared.
No matter what goes on the schedule, prioritize giving teachers a few hours in their classrooms each day.
2. Create a positive atmosphere.
Think about what you want the school to “feel” like when students arrive. Words like: warm, welcoming, energized, and positive probably come to mind.
Now, create the same atmosphere for your teachers during pre-planning. Create the right atmosphere and the right energy, and it will likely continue into the following week when students return.
Some schools literally roll out the red carpet as teachers arrive. You don’t have to take it that far, but remember that your teachers are your stars and your key to success. Greet them at the entrance with fist bumps, high fives, and a big smile.
Mingle with your teachers, ask them about their summers, and stop by their classrooms with words of encouragement. Create a feeling of excitement about the year ahead.
3. Ask the right questions.
Getting to know your teachers and building relationships with them is essential.
First, connection fosters cooperation and willingness. When teachers feel a sense of belonging, they’re more likely to buy in to school initiatives, make positive contributions to school culture, perform effectively, and stick around. Additionally, knowing your staff helps you better support them.
Have teachers fill out a quick, simple questionnaire with questions like:
- How do you feel about last school year? What would you like to change, and what would you like to stay the same?
- What are your goals for this school year? Your expectations?
- How can I better support you this year?
- What is one of your strengths and one of your weaknesses?
- Are there any issues at school that we can proactively address this year (with procedures, culture, discipline, etc.)?
These questions show teachers that you value their opinions and care about helping them succeed. They also give you useful insight, and they encourage a culture of reflection that helps everyone grow.
4. Define your focus for the year.
When it comes to pre-planning tasks for principals, you can’t forget to define your focus for the year. Great leaders know how to get everyone on the same page, enthusiastically working toward a common goal.
In schools, this can be a challenge. After all, there is so much you’d like to accomplish. Pre-planning is the perfect time to define one or two key initiatives and priorities for the year ahead.
Ideally, you received some feedback from teachers at the end of last year that helped shape your focus. If not, find another way to bring teachers on board.
Ask for their ideas about how to make the new initiatives a success. Have them brainstorm with their grade level or subject area, then share with the group.
Talk about the positive impact your initiatives will have on the school and students. Instead of forcing ideas on your staff, seek their willingness to commit.
5. Give your new teachers an extra helping hand.
All teachers need your support and encouragement. Still, new teachers will need an extra boost.
Arrange for each new teacher to have an experienced, effective mentor teacher. They should also have a person on the administrative staff who will help them get acclimated. Whether it’s you or another administrator, someone should give the new teacher a tour and a rundown on the basics. A new teacher handbook is especially helpful.
Pop in to each new teacher’s classroom a couple times daily during pre-planning. Ask them how it’s going and if there’s anything you can do to help them feel comfortable and supported.
During the first few weeks of school, new teachers may have a lot of questions. You don’t want them to be afraid to ask or to seek help when they need it. Remember that the more you support your teachers, the better they’ll be able to support your students.
What is Pre-Planning in Education? A Checklist for First-Year Principals
As you embark on your first year in the principal’s office, you’ll get a sense right away of just how much you need to do. First-year administrators can find it overwhelming to just dive right into their duties, which is why it can help to have a checklist to keep organized. Here is a month-by-month breakdown of everything you should be doing to help you have a successful school year:
July
- Meet with your predecessor and ask about what you can expect
- Schedule a meeting with key stakeholders such as parent-teacher organization leaders, teachers’ union representatives and district administration
- Plan the orientation activities for the beginning of the school year
- Introduce yourself to the community at school board meetings and other public events
- Review your school’s policies and procedures to determine whether any changes should be made
- Create a “first 90 days” calendar for assessing students’ progress and share it with returning faculty
- Finalize the school’s master schedule for events and assemblies
August
- Conduct a thorough site inspection of the school building to make sure everything is compliant and safe for students to return
- Plan welcome back events for students, faculty and staff to start the year on a positive note
- Set your goals for the upcoming year in terms of test scores, attendance and other metrics that you will need to measure success
- Create a schedule of staff meetings for the year and make sure all teachers and support personnel have a copy of it
- Hold face-to-face meetings with key staff members to introduce yourself and ask if they have any concerns or insights to share from the previous year
September
- Visit classrooms and observe classes to get a sense of each teacher’s individual style and classroom management skills as well as the overall culture of the school
- Evaluate the school’s existing safety protocols — including fire drills, lockdowns and evacuation plans — and find any areas of improvement that may exist
- Take the time to understand what beginning-of-year assessments will be administered and how best to implement them
- Schedule meetings with faculty and staff for collaborative goal-setting that will help establish the objectives and priorities for the rest of the year
October
- Take a close look at the attendance and assessment data you’ve accumulated so far and think about what should be done if any improvements need to be made
- Start planning ahead for parent-teacher conferences and make sure faculty have all the resources they need to address any concerns they may have
- Continue observing classes and take note of any adjustments you want teachers to make in their instruction for one-on-one meetings later
- Develop a calendar for the next 90 days and share it with staff to ensure everyone knows what will be expected of them
- Provide staff members with a survey designed to assess how they’re feeling about the school year so far and solicit insights into any changes they would like to see
November
- Take time to acknowledge early successes by recognizing teachers and staff members who have met or exceeded their goals to date
- Evaluate students’ progress and assist teachers in preparing any interventions for those who may be at risk of falling behind the rest of their classes
- Begin preparing faculty for professional learning sessions and provide them with the necessary resources to make the most of their educational opportunities
December
- Assess the progress students and staff members have made up to this point in the year
- Begin planning process for the second semester
- Survey staff members, which is important to do at least a few times a year to account for changes
- Take time to celebrate the holidays to reward your team for all their hard work and give them a chance to relax
January
- Conduct your mid-year assessments for staff and students
- Use the information collected from assessments to adjust your goals for the coming semester
- Create your calendar for the next 90 days, making sure to share it with your team
- Take a look at your budgets for the calendar year and make any adjustments that need to be made
- Check in with your teachers and ask if they need any additional support
February
- Start planning for the next round of standardized testing and ensure teachers and students have all the resources they need to be fully prepared
- Check in with teachers to make sure any concerns they have are being addressed in the most appropriate manner
- Take a close look at behavioral data to identify any areas that have improved or still need to be resolved
March
- Review your staffing needs and start preparing to hire for the following school year
- Begin planning for any end-of-year activities such as ceremonies, field days or class trips
- Keep an eye on student progress, especially as pertains to the results from standardized tests
- Meet with new teachers to check in on how their first year has gone and whether they could use any additional support from administration
April
- Review assessment data from teachers and evaluate the results
- Prepare your calendar for the next 90 days and share it with faculty and staff
- Establish your budgets for the upcoming school year to be certain all resources will be allocated and used as effectively and efficiently as possible
- Prepare contracts with staff and any outside service providers to prevent gaps in services
- Conduct interviews with candidates for open positions
May
- Check in with teachers to help them prepare for end-of-year assessments
- Prepare for summer programs such as day camp or ongoing enrichment classes
- Host any end-of-year celebrations you have planned to help students transition to their next year and celebrate their accomplishments in the past year
- Take a good look at how well students and faculty performed in the last year, taking special note of any areas that represented an improvement or regression from the previous year
- Send out contracts for finalization
June
- Start planning for the next year in earnest, finalizing decisions so you will have a strong foundation when the summer ends and you can hit the ground running
- Release a schedule of important dates for the upcoming year, distributing to staff and returning families
- Take the time to celebrate your staff and honor their achievements, demonstrating that their hard work and contributions have been acknowledged and appreciated
- Spend some time enjoying the calm that comes with the start of summer vacation and reflect on your first year as principal
Final Thoughts: Pre-Planning Tasks for Principals
The day before pre-planning, take some time to relax and decompress. Get excited and energized for the new school year. The next morning, you’ll be ready to welcome your teachers with a big smile and a burst of positive energy.
Then, take care of our five pre-planning ideas for principals. Remember to give your teachers time on their own, create a positive atmosphere, and provide a reflective questionnaire.
Define your focus for the year and get your team on board. Finally, don’t forget to help new teachers feel welcome and supported.
By completing these tasks, you’ll smoothly launch the new school year on a trajectory for success.
