What happens when a school truly embraces "we're all on the same team" as more than just a catchy phrase? The transformation can be remarkable.
At Hastings High School, my journey as principal began with a fundamental belief that everyone—from teachers to custodians to students—plays an essential role in our school community. This wasn't just wishful thinking; it was an intentional approach to building a culture where trust, collaboration, and shared purpose could flourish.
My 60-90-30 transition plan became the roadmap for putting this belief into action. Those first 60 days were devoted entirely to relationships: conducting one-on-one conversations with every single staff member (all 120 of them!), learning existing systems, and becoming a visible, approachable leader. Rather than bulldozing in with changes, I listened and learned what was already working well. The following 90 days allowed us to celebrate successes while collaboratively analyzing challenges around issues like cell phone usage and attendance. By the final 30 days, we were implementing solutions that everyone had helped develop.
This methodical approach has yielded powerful results three years later. Delegation happens naturally because trust flows in all directions. Problem-solving becomes more efficient as we tap our collective wisdom rather than working in isolation. Staff members feel genuinely valued when they see their input translated into meaningful action, and our students benefit from witnessing adults who model true collaboration.
The foundation of intentional belief building creates a self-reinforcing cycle: when people feel they're truly on the same team, they behave accordingly. What belief might transform your school if you led with similar intention? Share your thoughts and experiences—I'd love to hear how you're building your own culture of belonging and teamwork.
60-90-30 Day Transition Plan PDF
Episode 18: Transforming School Leaders: Insights from Angela Kelly's Leadership Journey!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Principal JL (00:09):
Welcome back everybody to another episode of
the Educational Leadership withPrincipal JL.
In this episode, we're going totalk about intentional belief
building.
This is something I learnedthrough working with Coach
Angela Kelly and if you haven'tgot to hear that episode that I
did with Coach Angela Kelly, Iwould like you to go back to
(00:31):
episode 18 and listen to hereducational journey.
It's really powerful and shedoes a really nice job coaching
up principals.
But this is something that shehelped me work through a process
that I did within my first yearas being the principal here at
Hastings High School.
In my first year Now, before Ieven became the principal at
(00:54):
Hastings High, I developed atransition plan.
I called it the 60-90-30transition plan, and I may have
talked about it being a 30-60-90transition plan, but at the
same time, that's because I wentback to my math roots thinking
about 30-60-90 triangles, and soI want to set the record
(01:16):
straight.
My transition plan that I'veused is actually a 60, 90, 30
day transition plan, which Iwill get into here in a little
bit in this episode.
So when we're going to talkabout is intentional belief
building, and what I had to comeup with is what that I believe
(01:38):
that I wanted for our buildingas a whole, and the one belief
that kept sticking out on me isthat we are on the same team.
This is just not a feel-goodphrase.
This is a guiding principle ofmindset that has powerful
transformation on how we lead,how we connect with our staff
(01:59):
and, ultimately, how we serveour students.
So I have this big idea that Iwant everybody to understand we
are on the same team.
It's a powerful foundation forschool culture, one that
embraces community trust, safety, collaboration and value.
In this belief, no one is moreimportant than the other.
(02:20):
We all matter, we're all in ittogether, whether we agree,
whether we disagree.
We lead, we follow, we teach orsupport.
Everybody has a place andpurpose and we're all in it
together.
That's what it means to be, forus to be on the same team.
We all have a role, we all havea purpose and we have something
to contribute to the greatergood of our community, which, in
(02:43):
this case, is our schoolbuilding.
There are some things that Ifigured out, that were already
true, that were showing up, thatshows that, hey, we can be on
the same team Really tounderstand this belief.
You know what is already truewithin the school.
When I was there in the firstyear and this is something that
we've built upon over the lastcouple of years as well is I
(03:06):
realized that our teachers andstaff have built a welcoming
spaces in their departments.
Okay, now, we had somedepartments that were really
good at it, we had somedepartments that weren't, but
the goal is is we understandthere's the ability that we have
a warm and welcoming spaces inour school.
Sometimes there's disagreementsand uncertainty, the team
(03:27):
sticks together.
So that was always a good thingto see is, hey, you know, we're
going to stick together nomatter what the situation.
There is a deep desire forleadership, in this case, that
listens, supports and shows up,and not just with words but with
action.
So on my part, when I came inis, I had to understand that
they needed somebody that wouldlead, that would do what they
(03:49):
say and say what they do, andthat was something I worked
really hard on because I wantedthem to build trust and to the
administration team and to theleadership that was at the end
of building.
Some things we already knew istrue is they did, they can,
develop those warm, welcomingplaces in the in the school.
The goal was is try to get thatspread out through the whole
(04:10):
entire school and I'll talk moreabout that within my transition
plan.
There's a sense of communitywithin our school.
It's not 100% all the wayacross the board at this time,
but it was something that I knewwas there and I knew it was
something that we come as we cancreate this sense of community.
(04:33):
Some departments or groups werethriving in this culture, some
weren't, and so really, if wewanted to shift the climate of
the entire building, everybodyhad to be on board, and that was
the goal within that first yearand some I continue to work on
is getting everybody on boardand on the same page and
understanding the goals andexpectations and where we were
(04:55):
going with that.
Now we know there has beenmistrust in the past, but one of
the reasons why I came in wasto help rebuild that, to bring
unity and trust within thebuilding, and that is something
I want to work really hard onwas to build that sense of
community, that belonging.
No matter what you were Ifyou're a teacher, a staff member
(05:18):
, a student you felt welcomedand invited into the school
environment.
And then how did I do that?
Some of the things I worked onwas being visible.
You know, not being in myoffice Now there's times I have
to go in there and do the thingsI need to do but I wanted to be
more visible, get out and talkto people.
I wanted to lead throughrelationships.
I wanted to build thoserelationships and I'll talk more
(05:40):
about how I did that and thenmanage the school by walking
around.
I wanted to walk around and beable to see what people are
doing, check in with them andget to know people through those
walks.
And then I needed to listen andnot just say I'm listening, but
actually listen and then takewhat they have talked to me and
(06:01):
use that, what they have talkedto me and use that.
And so you know some of thethings that I did when I first
started as a new principal, andthat was to be a really key.
If you're going to be a newprincipal next year, this might
be something you want to thinkabout is to build a 60, 90, 30
transition plan.
Now you're going to have tounderstand your school a little
bit.
What do they have?
(06:22):
What systems do they have inplace to build around that?
And so I'm actually, in thisepisode, going to share my 60,
90, 30 transition plan with youin the show notes so you can see
what my goals were and what Iwas trying to do.
Let's get into the 60, 90, 30transition plan.
(06:47):
With my 60, 90, 30 transitionplan, I first thing I did is I
set goals for the year.
So these are things that Iwanted to do within that first
year of being a buildingprincipal, and this is something
you guys can take this andsteal it all you want, but this
is something I believe in to,where we aren't going to move
(07:09):
the needle on test scores andacademics unless our building,
our culture and climate is solid.
So my first year I reallywanted to build the
relationships in the schoolculture.
So how did I do that?
Here's my goal.
So one I wanted to build andmaintain a positive relationship
with all like I wanted tounderstand everybody, what they
(07:30):
do, you know, and what theirrole is within the school.
Then I wanted to maintain,improve building culture and
climate.
I wanted to ensure thedistrict's instructional model
is being implemented, withevidence-based strategies in the
classroom instruction, and thenbe visible and approachable.
That's all my goals were in thefirst year.
(07:52):
Now what I did is I chunkedthat out into a 60-day goal,
90-day goals and 30-day goals.
This is what I did in my first60 days as a new principal here
at Hastings High School.
The first thing I wanted to dois gain a clear understanding of
the superintendent'sexpectation.
(08:12):
That was really important toknow.
Hey, what did you expect, whatdo you need me to do?
And we had those candidconversations and they said this
is, you know, kind of where theschool is at and this is where
I like to see it go.
And so I wanted to make sure wewere on the same page of that.
And that was where we go.
Yeah, that would be thedirection we need to go.
We need to make it a warm andwelcoming environment school.
(08:36):
We want kids to come, we wantstaff and students to feel you
know good about being at ourschool, and so that's what I
wanted to work on.
And then I wanted to.
You know, the next thing inthis first 60 days is I will do
in-depth listening and learningof the Tiger Way, the Tiger
(08:58):
Pride, which is our PBIS programthat we do and system that we
have in place.
To where?
What does pride mean?
Where does this mean in all thedifferent common areas of the
building?
What does that look like andhow can I support it?
(09:19):
So I really wanted to dive inand understand this system that
they've already put in place andreally try to help support that
, understand this system thatthey've already put in place and
really try to help support that.
And then I wanted to go aroundto my staff and I wanted to do
one-on-one meetings with eachteacher and staff member.
I didn't care if you were ateacher, a para, if you were a
custodian, if you were aadministrative assistant.
My goal in my first 60 days wasto have a conversation with
(09:43):
every staff member, one-on-one,and with that.
That was how I built therelationships up so I can get to
know them.
And so I tried to make it abouta five-minute conversation when
I would go and seek out thesepeople.
I actually had a list, Ichecked off their names and I
actually went and made itintentional time to meet with
those people and have thoseconversations.
(10:03):
I checked off their names andactually went and made it
intentional time to meet withthose people and have those
conversations.
I wanted to be more casual.
I didn't want it to be like hey, come to my office.
I went to either theirclassroom or where they were at
during their planning orwherever um they were um having
you know their break, and Iwould go in and talk to them and
see how they're doing and youknow, get to know them not just
(10:28):
on a professional level but getto know something personal about
them, to where you know I couldbuild that relationship up and
that was really important for meto do within that first 60 days
and to get through everybody.
And that was a lot of people Ihad to get through.
I think, if I remember right,it's about 120 people within the
first 60 days.
I wanted to have thoseone-on-one conversations with.
(10:48):
As I'm doing these one-on-onemeetings, I was also starting to
develop positive relationshipswith my administration team, my
teachers, my staff, everybody,school board members, community
members.
I try to talk to those people,get to know them and they get to
know me and so we could reallyget on the same page and the
(11:09):
same footing.
And it's just more of thatrelationship piece that I really
worked hard on in those first60 days.
And then also I wanted to beconsistent and positive
communication with everybody.
So I developed a daily remindergood or bad.
I mean, it's something that towhere I put out there that, hey,
these are, things are going on.
Here's some systematicapproaches we have in place in
(11:31):
case you know, you need to havethat right then and there.
So I wanted to always beconsistent and have positive
communication.
But then that first 60 days andthen I wanted to listen to
people.
I wanted to collaborate withall the high school committees
and teams to gain anunderstanding of different
systems and processes.
So I'm on the listening tourright now and trying to
(11:53):
collaborate, trying to figureout, okay, what do they got
going on?
And then during that time, I'mcollecting data of all the
systems that were implemented inthe processes.
Now, if you notice, I'm nottalking about anything new, I'm
talking data of all the systemsthat were implemented and the
processes.
Now, if you notice, I'm nottalking about anything new, I'm
talking about all the thingsthey already have in place that
I'm trying to digest andunderstand and figure out.
Because when you come from anoutside perspective into a new
(12:15):
building, you're learning allthose things on the fly within
those first 60 days of being onthe job with those people.
And the best way to do that isto really kind of dig in and
learn about that while you'regoing through this.
After the first 60 days, thenext 90 days, first thing I want
(12:36):
to do I wanted to celebratesuccesses, so anything that was
being successful, that was beingimplemented correctly.
We wanted to celebrate thosethings and also want to
celebrate my staff, and so therewould be times I would get food
trucks and do different thingsso I can celebrate things that
we're doing well, and also justto celebrate my staff for all
(12:57):
their hard work they're doingand recognize the hard work.
So that was really important inthose next 90 days.
Now I wanted to continue tobuild relationships that are
positive within myadministrative team, my teachers
, my staff, all those people.
I continued that work.
I continued to stay positiveand consistent in those next 90
days.
Then I started reviewing datathat I've collected that have
(13:19):
all the different systems thatwere in place.
So I started looking at thosethings and trying to figure out
you know, are we doing thesethings in the best way we need
to do?
We're also analyzing, we'relooking at the strategies from
all the systems and core processand then the collaboration with
the committee.
So I this is where my schoolimprovement team really came in.
(13:39):
I started collaborating withthem.
I listened to what they weresaying, like, hey, these things
are our issues, and at that timewe're talking about cell phones
, we're talking about attendance, we're talking about kids
wandering the hallways, notbeing where they need to be.
So we're taking data, lookingat that and trying to figure out
, okay, what could we do aboutthis?
(14:00):
And so we started collaboratingwithin those next 90 days
within the school improvementteam to start developing
realistic goals with theseevidence based strategies.
And so that was something thatwe looked at and we continue to
do that today is how do we findthe information, bring it
(14:20):
together and work through theissues we're having?
So that would be my next 90days on that.
So the last 30 days of thefirst year we're celebrating
successes.
You know, something I wanted tocontinue to do and we started
implementing this.
This is where, in that firstyear, we started working through
the e-hall pass system.
(14:42):
We started working through thehall monitors, all the different
things we wanted to implementto get those things that we were
the things that we'restruggling with.
We also did the cell phonepolicy.
We revamped that and gotdistrict support and passed
those things to where we can getthese initiatives in the books
(15:02):
and get them going for the nextyear.
And so those are things that wedid in those last 30 days was
to take the things that we wereworking on and make them a
reality.
And we did that the second yearwith our attendance policy, and
then right now we're in thethird year and we're actually
working to create a transitionfreshman only day to where we
(15:26):
can bring our eighth graders upand get them going in the
building and understand oursystems.
So that's another story I don'twant to get into right now, but
that's something that we'reworking on right now.
So there's always something'ssomething that we're working on
right now.
So there's always somethingevery year that we're working on
to develop.
(15:50):
And then, within those last 30days of my first year, I was
continuing to buildrelationships that were positive
and I was trying to stayconsistent with my
communications.
Now, this is something that Ideveloped on my own to where I
knew having a transition planwas important.
I knew these things wereimportant to get in place.
But also, this is who I am.
I'm that type of principalwhere I want to collaborate, I
want to get to know you, I wantto build that relationship with
(16:10):
you on those things, and so thatwas really important for me to
establish this 60, 90, 30 daytransition plan for my staff.
That transition plan really laidthe groundwork for me to be
able to build this intentionalbelief system that I have,
because I want everybody to feelvalued.
(16:31):
I want everybody to feelsupported, you know, I want
everybody to feel like they'reon the same team.
That's who I am as a principal.
I'm a coach, minded to where Iwant everybody to know hey, we
have a role easier for me todelegate because I trust people
(16:58):
and they trust me.
It gives me the ability to savetime and energy because we're
solving problems together.
I'm not doing it on my own.
I have a team of people that issupportive and we're working
through these things together.
Our staff feels valued becausethey're being seen and heard and
supported.
And I would say after my thirdyear, that's true and that's
(17:21):
something that I really wantedto make sure we do with this
intentional belief buildingprocess that I went through and
then our students died becausethey see the collaboration of
what we do and they see thatwe're taking action and we're
working to make the schoolbetter.
They see those things becausethey understand we have these
expectations, we have the thingswe have in place, because it
(17:43):
helps them learn, and that'ssomething we want to do is when
we can demonstrate as adults toour students that we do these
things, they're going to be morelikely to do that, and that is
the value that brings toeverybody.
When we don't work alone, wehave a support system, we all
work together, we trust eachother and we have a relationship
that we've built within that.
(18:04):
And then the fun part becomeswhen this work now, because we
have built these systems inplace, we've collaborated this
becomes now fun for us to do.
We can imagine a school wherepeople trust each other, people
support one another, everybodyknows they belong, is going to
take care of itself becausewe've built systems and we have
(18:26):
things in place.
We have processes in place andwe have a culture and climate in
our building that you know thatwe have built together.
(18:47):
It wasn't just me coming and saythis is what we're going to do.
This was something that I hadto be intentional on, and we
worked together to get to wherewe're at today, and now we're
starting to see those thingscome to fruition.
Now is it perfect?
No, is it where we want it tobe?
No, this is something that wehave to continually work on.
(19:08):
Something, as a leader, I haveto continually work on is my
building of.
We're on the same team.
There's going to be times wherewe're going to have ups and
downs and I get that and so myjob is to make sure we maintain,
stay consistent and remind ofwhat we're doing and where we're
going to everybody so theyunderstand we're all pulling in
(19:31):
the same direction and we'regetting to where we need to go.
This is my closing thoughts.
I want to challenge you whatbelief do you have for your
school?
I shared you mine.
Mine was everybody's on the sameteam, but it could look
different from one school to thenext and one principal to next.
I'm going to challenge you whatbelief do you have?
(19:53):
Do you want to build it in yourschool?
What thought if you lived outcould shift the culture of your
building?
Start there.
Then you want to do is to buildthe evidence and then lead with
intention, and then from thereyou get to see what happens.
So, basically, the challenge iswhat is it that you want to
(20:14):
accomplish for your school?
What belief do you have foryour school to build out.
And then, how are you going toget there?
And I would suggest, if you guyshaven't done so, if you're
going to be a new principal,like I said, I'm going to have
this 60, 90, 30 day transitionplan that I developed.
You can borrow it, steal it,use it, I don't care, it's going
(20:34):
to be up there for you to lookat and you can look at it and
say, yeah, I don't need this.
But at the same time, I justwant to give you guys things
that work for me and maybethey'll work for you.
And so what are you going to doto build your belief system
within your school, for yourbuilding?
And that's kind of what thisepisode is about, and so I thank
(20:55):
you guys for joining me on thisepisode.
If this resonates with you, I'dlove for you to share out with
colleagues and other leaders outthere.
Like you.
Let's continue to grow ourleadership together and until
next time, everybody always lookto be 1% better.
Welcome back everybody to another episode of
the Educational Leadership withPrincipal JL.
In this episode, we're going totalk about intentional belief
building.
This is something I learnedthrough working with Coach
Angela Kelly and if you haven'tgot to hear that episode that I
did with Coach Angela Kelly, Iwould like you to go back to
(00:31):
episode 18 and listen to hereducational journey.
It's really powerful and shedoes a really nice job coaching
up principals.
But this is something that shehelped me work through a process
that I did within my first yearas being the principal here at
Hastings High School.
In my first year Now, before Ieven became the principal at
(00:54):
Hastings High, I developed atransition plan.
I called it the 60-90-30transition plan, and I may have
talked about it being a 30-60-90transition plan, but at the
same time, that's because I wentback to my math roots thinking
about 30-60-90 triangles, and soI want to set the record
(01:16):
straight.
My transition plan that I'veused is actually a 60, 90, 30
day transition plan, which Iwill get into here in a little
bit in this episode.
So when we're going to talkabout is intentional belief
building, and what I had to comeup with is what that I believe
(01:38):
that I wanted for our buildingas a whole, and the one belief
that kept sticking out on me isthat we are on the same team.
This is just not a feel-goodphrase.
This is a guiding principle ofmindset that has powerful
transformation on how we lead,how we connect with our staff
(01:59):
and, ultimately, how we serveour students.
So I have this big idea that Iwant everybody to understand we
are on the same team.
It's a powerful foundation forschool culture, one that
embraces community trust, safety, collaboration and value.
In this belief, no one is moreimportant than the other.
(02:20):
We all matter, we're all in ittogether, whether we agree,
whether we disagree.
We lead, we follow, we teach orsupport.
Everybody has a place andpurpose and we're all in it
together.
That's what it means to be, forus to be on the same team.
We all have a role, we all havea purpose and we have something
to contribute to the greatergood of our community, which, in
(02:43):
this case, is our schoolbuilding.
There are some things that Ifigured out, that were already
true, that were showing up, thatshows that, hey, we can be on
the same team Really tounderstand this belief.
You know what is already truewithin the school.
When I was there in the firstyear and this is something that
we've built upon over the lastcouple of years as well is I
(03:06):
realized that our teachers andstaff have built a welcoming
spaces in their departments.
Okay, now, we had somedepartments that were really
good at it, we had somedepartments that weren't, but
the goal is is we understandthere's the ability that we have
a warm and welcoming spaces inour school.
Sometimes there's disagreementsand uncertainty, the team
(03:27):
sticks together.
So that was always a good thingto see is, hey, you know, we're
going to stick together nomatter what the situation.
There is a deep desire forleadership, in this case, that
listens, supports and shows up,and not just with words but with
action.
So on my part, when I came inis, I had to understand that
they needed somebody that wouldlead, that would do what they
(03:49):
say and say what they do, andthat was something I worked
really hard on because I wantedthem to build trust and to the
administration team and to theleadership that was at the end
of building.
Some things we already knew istrue is they did, they can,
develop those warm, welcomingplaces in the in the school.
The goal was is try to get thatspread out through the whole
(04:10):
entire school and I'll talk moreabout that within my transition
plan.
There's a sense of communitywithin our school.
It's not 100% all the wayacross the board at this time,
but it was something that I knewwas there and I knew it was
something that we come as we cancreate this sense of community.
(04:33):
Some departments or groups werethriving in this culture, some
weren't, and so really, if wewanted to shift the climate of
the entire building, everybodyhad to be on board, and that was
the goal within that first yearand some I continue to work on
is getting everybody on boardand on the same page and
understanding the goals andexpectations and where we were
(04:55):
going with that.
Now we know there has beenmistrust in the past, but one of
the reasons why I came in wasto help rebuild that, to bring
unity and trust within thebuilding, and that is something
I want to work really hard onwas to build that sense of
community, that belonging.
No matter what you were Ifyou're a teacher, a staff member
(05:18):
, a student you felt welcomedand invited into the school
environment.
And then how did I do that?
Some of the things I worked onwas being visible.
You know, not being in myoffice Now there's times I have
to go in there and do the thingsI need to do but I wanted to be
more visible, get out and talkto people.
I wanted to lead throughrelationships.
I wanted to build thoserelationships and I'll talk more
(05:40):
about how I did that and thenmanage the school by walking
around.
I wanted to walk around and beable to see what people are
doing, check in with them andget to know people through those
walks.
And then I needed to listen andnot just say I'm listening, but
actually listen and then takewhat they have talked to me and
(06:01):
use that, what they have talkedto me and use that.
And so you know some of thethings that I did when I first
started as a new principal, andthat was to be a really key.
If you're going to be a newprincipal next year, this might
be something you want to thinkabout is to build a 60, 90, 30
transition plan.
Now you're going to have tounderstand your school a little
bit.
What do they have?
(06:22):
What systems do they have inplace to build around that?
And so I'm actually, in thisepisode, going to share my 60,
90, 30 transition plan with youin the show notes so you can see
what my goals were and what Iwas trying to do.
Let's get into the 60, 90, 30transition plan.
(06:47):
With my 60, 90, 30 transitionplan, I first thing I did is I
set goals for the year.
So these are things that Iwanted to do within that first
year of being a buildingprincipal, and this is something
you guys can take this andsteal it all you want, but this
is something I believe in to,where we aren't going to move
(07:09):
the needle on test scores andacademics unless our building,
our culture and climate is solid.
So my first year I reallywanted to build the
relationships in the schoolculture.
So how did I do that?
Here's my goal.
So one I wanted to build andmaintain a positive relationship
with all like I wanted tounderstand everybody, what they
(07:30):
do, you know, and what theirrole is within the school.
Then I wanted to maintain,improve building culture and
climate.
I wanted to ensure thedistrict's instructional model
is being implemented, withevidence-based strategies in the
classroom instruction, and thenbe visible and approachable.
That's all my goals were in thefirst year.
(07:52):
Now what I did is I chunkedthat out into a 60-day goal,
90-day goals and 30-day goals.
This is what I did in my first60 days as a new principal here
at Hastings High School.
The first thing I wanted to dois gain a clear understanding of
the superintendent'sexpectation.
(08:12):
That was really important toknow.
Hey, what did you expect, whatdo you need me to do?
And we had those candidconversations and they said this
is, you know, kind of where theschool is at and this is where
I like to see it go.
And so I wanted to make sure wewere on the same page of that.
And that was where we go.
Yeah, that would be thedirection we need to go.
We need to make it a warm andwelcoming environment school.
(08:36):
We want kids to come, we wantstaff and students to feel you
know good about being at ourschool, and so that's what I
wanted to work on.
And then I wanted to.
You know, the next thing inthis first 60 days is I will do
in-depth listening and learningof the Tiger Way, the Tiger
(08:58):
Pride, which is our PBIS programthat we do and system that we
have in place.
To where?
What does pride mean?
Where does this mean in all thedifferent common areas of the
building?
What does that look like andhow can I support it?
(09:19):
So I really wanted to dive inand understand this system that
they've already put in place andreally try to help support that
, understand this system thatthey've already put in place and
really try to help support that.
And then I wanted to go aroundto my staff and I wanted to do
one-on-one meetings with eachteacher and staff member.
I didn't care if you were ateacher, a para, if you were a
custodian, if you were aadministrative assistant.
My goal in my first 60 days wasto have a conversation with
(09:43):
every staff member, one-on-one,and with that.
That was how I built therelationships up so I can get to
know them.
And so I tried to make it abouta five-minute conversation when
I would go and seek out thesepeople.
I actually had a list, Ichecked off their names and I
actually went and made itintentional time to meet with
those people and have thoseconversations.
(10:03):
I checked off their names andactually went and made it
intentional time to meet withthose people and have those
conversations.
I wanted to be more casual.
I didn't want it to be like hey, come to my office.
I went to either theirclassroom or where they were at
during their planning orwherever um they were um having
you know their break, and Iwould go in and talk to them and
see how they're doing and youknow, get to know them not just
(10:28):
on a professional level but getto know something personal about
them, to where you know I couldbuild that relationship up and
that was really important for meto do within that first 60 days
and to get through everybody.
And that was a lot of people Ihad to get through.
I think, if I remember right,it's about 120 people within the
first 60 days.
I wanted to have thoseone-on-one conversations with.
(10:48):
As I'm doing these one-on-onemeetings, I was also starting to
develop positive relationshipswith my administration team, my
teachers, my staff, everybody,school board members, community
members.
I try to talk to those people,get to know them and they get to
know me and so we could reallyget on the same page and the
(11:09):
same footing.
And it's just more of thatrelationship piece that I really
worked hard on in those first60 days.
And then also I wanted to beconsistent and positive
communication with everybody.
So I developed a daily remindergood or bad.
I mean, it's something that towhere I put out there that, hey,
these are, things are going on.
Here's some systematicapproaches we have in place in
(11:31):
case you know, you need to havethat right then and there.
So I wanted to always beconsistent and have positive
communication.
But then that first 60 days andthen I wanted to listen to
people.
I wanted to collaborate withall the high school committees
and teams to gain anunderstanding of different
systems and processes.
So I'm on the listening tourright now and trying to
(11:53):
collaborate, trying to figureout, okay, what do they got
going on?
And then during that time, I'mcollecting data of all the
systems that were implemented inthe processes.
Now, if you notice, I'm nottalking about anything new, I'm
talking data of all the systemsthat were implemented and the
processes.
Now, if you notice, I'm nottalking about anything new, I'm
talking about all the thingsthey already have in place that
I'm trying to digest andunderstand and figure out.
Because when you come from anoutside perspective into a new
(12:15):
building, you're learning allthose things on the fly within
those first 60 days of being onthe job with those people.
And the best way to do that isto really kind of dig in and
learn about that while you'regoing through this.
After the first 60 days, thenext 90 days, first thing I want
(12:36):
to do I wanted to celebratesuccesses, so anything that was
being successful, that was beingimplemented correctly.
We wanted to celebrate thosethings and also want to
celebrate my staff, and so therewould be times I would get food
trucks and do different thingsso I can celebrate things that
we're doing well, and also justto celebrate my staff for all
(12:57):
their hard work they're doingand recognize the hard work.
So that was really important inthose next 90 days.
Now I wanted to continue tobuild relationships that are
positive within myadministrative team, my teachers
, my staff, all those people.
I continued that work.
I continued to stay positiveand consistent in those next 90
days.
Then I started reviewing datathat I've collected that have
(13:19):
all the different systems thatwere in place.
So I started looking at thosethings and trying to figure out
you know, are we doing thesethings in the best way we need
to do?
We're also analyzing, we'relooking at the strategies from
all the systems and core processand then the collaboration with
the committee.
So I this is where my schoolimprovement team really came in.
(13:39):
I started collaborating withthem.
I listened to what they weresaying, like, hey, these things
are our issues, and at that timewe're talking about cell phones
, we're talking about attendance, we're talking about kids
wandering the hallways, notbeing where they need to be.
So we're taking data, lookingat that and trying to figure out
, okay, what could we do aboutthis?
(14:00):
And so we started collaboratingwithin those next 90 days
within the school improvementteam to start developing
realistic goals with theseevidence based strategies.
And so that was something thatwe looked at and we continue to
do that today is how do we findthe information, bring it
(14:20):
together and work through theissues we're having?
So that would be my next 90days on that.
So the last 30 days of thefirst year we're celebrating
successes.
You know, something I wanted tocontinue to do and we started
implementing this.
This is where, in that firstyear, we started working through
the e-hall pass system.
(14:42):
We started working through thehall monitors, all the different
things we wanted to implementto get those things that we were
the things that we'restruggling with.
We also did the cell phonepolicy.
We revamped that and gotdistrict support and passed
those things to where we can getthese initiatives in the books
(15:02):
and get them going for the nextyear.
And so those are things that wedid in those last 30 days was
to take the things that we wereworking on and make them a
reality.
And we did that the second yearwith our attendance policy, and
then right now we're in thethird year and we're actually
working to create a transitionfreshman only day to where we
(15:26):
can bring our eighth graders upand get them going in the
building and understand oursystems.
So that's another story I don'twant to get into right now, but
that's something that we'reworking on right now.
So there's always something'ssomething that we're working on
right now.
So there's always somethingevery year that we're working on
to develop.
(15:50):
And then, within those last 30days of my first year, I was
continuing to buildrelationships that were positive
and I was trying to stayconsistent with my
communications.
Now, this is something that Ideveloped on my own to where I
knew having a transition planwas important.
I knew these things wereimportant to get in place.
But also, this is who I am.
I'm that type of principalwhere I want to collaborate, I
want to get to know you, I wantto build that relationship with
(16:10):
you on those things, and so thatwas really important for me to
establish this 60, 90, 30 daytransition plan for my staff.
That transition plan really laidthe groundwork for me to be
able to build this intentionalbelief system that I have,
because I want everybody to feelvalued.
(16:31):
I want everybody to feelsupported, you know, I want
everybody to feel like they'reon the same team.
That's who I am as a principal.
I'm a coach, minded to where Iwant everybody to know hey, we
have a role easier for me todelegate because I trust people
(16:58):
and they trust me.
It gives me the ability to savetime and energy because we're
solving problems together.
I'm not doing it on my own.
I have a team of people that issupportive and we're working
through these things together.
Our staff feels valued becausethey're being seen and heard and
supported.
And I would say after my thirdyear, that's true and that's
(17:21):
something that I really wantedto make sure we do with this
intentional belief buildingprocess that I went through and
then our students died becausethey see the collaboration of
what we do and they see thatwe're taking action and we're
working to make the schoolbetter.
They see those things becausethey understand we have these
expectations, we have the thingswe have in place, because it
(17:43):
helps them learn, and that'ssomething we want to do is when
we can demonstrate as adults toour students that we do these
things, they're going to be morelikely to do that, and that is
the value that brings toeverybody.
When we don't work alone, wehave a support system, we all
work together, we trust eachother and we have a relationship
that we've built within that.
(18:04):
And then the fun part becomeswhen this work now, because we
have built these systems inplace, we've collaborated this
becomes now fun for us to do.
We can imagine a school wherepeople trust each other, people
support one another, everybodyknows they belong, is going to
take care of itself becausewe've built systems and we have
(18:26):
things in place.
We have processes in place andwe have a culture and climate in
our building that you know thatwe have built together.
(18:47):
It wasn't just me coming and saythis is what we're going to do.
This was something that I hadto be intentional on, and we
worked together to get to wherewe're at today, and now we're
starting to see those thingscome to fruition.
Now is it perfect?
No, is it where we want it tobe?
No, this is something that wehave to continually work on.
(19:08):
Something, as a leader, I haveto continually work on is my
building of.
We're on the same team.
There's going to be times wherewe're going to have ups and
downs and I get that and so myjob is to make sure we maintain,
stay consistent and remind ofwhat we're doing and where we're
going to everybody so theyunderstand we're all pulling in
(19:31):
the same direction and we'regetting to where we need to go.
This is my closing thoughts.
I want to challenge you whatbelief do you have for your
school?
I shared you mine.
Mine was everybody's on the sameteam, but it could look
different from one school to thenext and one principal to next.
I'm going to challenge you whatbelief do you have?
(19:53):
Do you want to build it in yourschool?
What thought if you lived outcould shift the culture of your
building?
Start there.
Then you want to do is to buildthe evidence and then lead with
intention, and then from thereyou get to see what happens.
So, basically, the challenge iswhat is it that you want to
(20:14):
accomplish for your school?
What belief do you have foryour school to build out.
And then, how are you going toget there?
And I would suggest, if you guyshaven't done so, if you're
going to be a new principal,like I said, I'm going to have
this 60, 90, 30 day transitionplan that I developed.
You can borrow it, steal it,use it, I don't care, it's going
(20:34):
to be up there for you to lookat and you can look at it and
say, yeah, I don't need this.
But at the same time, I justwant to give you guys things
that work for me and maybethey'll work for you.
And so what are you going to doto build your belief system
within your school, for yourbuilding?
And that's kind of what thisepisode is about, and so I thank
(20:55):
you guys for joining me on thisepisode.
If this resonates with you, I'dlove for you to share out with
colleagues and other leaders outthere.
Like you.
Let's continue to grow ourleadership together and until
next time, everybody always lookto be 1% better.
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