Shaping Culture as a New Principal

Apply these strategies to foster a positive learning culture.

Multiple blog posts and articles address the opportunities for new principals to impact their culture. Following is a list to consider in your mentoring partnership. Links to each of the full articles can be found at the end of this synthesis.

1. Create a vision. Know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. AND, avoid changing everything not aligned to your vision right away. See #2.
2. Listen and learn. Engage your people in conversation. Seek to understand why things are done the way they are. Then, you can collaborate with staff to prioritize changes with the highest leverage in moving toward your vision.
3. Be clear about your own values and expectations. What’s important to you as a leader? How will you communicate to staff what’s important to you? Be the best model of what you want to see-- every interaction is an opportunity to use the language and model the behavior that you expect. Share stories that exemplify the experience you want people to have in your building. Decide how you will hold staff accountable to your expectations. What you tolerate is what you get.
4. Remember it’s the little things. Ask people how they’re doing and wait for the response. Ask what they need to be their best at their job. Celebrate accomplishments (especially the small ones). Show them you care.
5. Leverage the power of collaboration. Use PLC or team structure to build capacity of staff. That may mean starting with a mindshift from “I’m the only who teaches my content, so it’s best I work alone,” to “No matter my course schedule, I know my colleagues can help me solve student learning challenges. We are better together.”
6. Be sure everyone is in the “right seat on the bus.” Are your teacher leaders, your BLT/ILT members, and/or your administrative team all championing your vision? What does that look like, sound like, and feel like? How are you empowering them through delegation and collaboration? (You cannot do this job alone!!)
7. Engage students and families. How do you communicate with students and families? Does your communication inspire connection and feelings of positivity? How are students and families invited to communicate with you (the school)? Consider how you can be intentional about collaborating with parents to co-create the school experience. When staff, students, and families all have positive feelings about the school, your culture is naturally fueled with positive energy.
8. Take care of yourself. Be aware of your own energy and how you’re showing up. Remember, we are all contagious! Be the energy in the school--the kind of energy you’d love for everyone to catch. You can accomplish this only when you’re being intentional about fueling and refueling your energy consistently. What’s your next littlest thing? Do it! 

Sources
10 Leadership Actions That Keep School Culture at the Center. (2024, July 30). New Leaders. https://www.newleaders.org/blog/10-leadership-actions-that-keep-school-culture-at-the-center 

Ridley, T. (2024, May 18). 6 Steps to Shape School Culture When You’re a New Principal. NAESP. https://www.naesp.org/resource/6-steps-to-shape-school-culture-when-youre-a-new-principal/ 

Young, P. G. (2024, May 31). Assessing School Culture and Climate as a New Principal. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/school-culture-school-climate-guide-new-principals