Turning A School Around

by Bruce Conrad Davis

The school was a mess. Student attendance was poor. Staff morale was at a low ebb. A state review loomed in the spring. The former principal had failed big time. She was reassigned to teach a third grade at a different school.

Lillian and Bill were the senior teachers. Bill’s hobby was scouring beaches for seashells. His classroom was awash with shells. Bill did what Lillian said.

Lillian was six feet tall in her stocking feet. She wore stiletto heels and dressed to the nines. She drenched herself in Estée Lauder perfume. If you were down wind from Lillian you smelled her before she loomed in to view.

On day one Lillian came in my office and insinuated she ran the school. I made it crystal clear she didn’t. She got the message.

It was likely the school would fail the state review. I had been named the new principal on August 1, the first day of my vacation. The next day I hit the bricks. School would open September 10. My goal was to visit the home of each student before then. I failed but I did visit many families. I heard parents were impressed. The children seemed happy to meet me.

School opened. At the first staff meeting

I said I’d be coming to the classrooms frequently. I’d try to visit most of the classrooms each day but probably wouldn’t be able to get to each room. The next I’d pick up where I left off. I did. There were 23 classrooms. I usually made it to twelve rooms.

I had a “memorandom notebook” with built in carbons. I could write a hundred memos each with its own copy. After I visited a classroom I’d write a note to the teacher. The note was usually positive. I used these notebooks to communicate with classified and certificated employees.

Today you can send notes to employees via email but nothing beats a handwritten note. It’s easier to show to others. Don’t forget any employee. The dishwasher and the night custodian deserve recognition.

Probably after I visited a classroom the teacher looked in her mailbox to see if I’d left a note. I wrote these notes to non teaching personnel. as well.

It didn’t matter what your job was. Good work deserved recognition. I think the non-English-speaking night custodian was pleased to receive written recognition of his service.

In the Boy Scouts you earn merit badges. In the military superior work often results in being awarded a medal you can wear on your uniform. In school districts letters of commendation should be written at every level