AOS 43 schools to emphasize instructional leadership

    School leaders from AOS 43 schools will be looking to redefine the role of principal/school leader beginning in the 2014 school year according to AOS 43 Superintendent of Schools Michael Wright. The ultimate purpose of the endeavor is to emphasize the declaration of principals and school administrators as instructional leaders. As a prelude to the approval of a new teacher and principal evaluation and professional growth plan the AOS is rewriting the job description of their school administrators.

    “In order to lead the new evaluation process, principals and school leaders must adopt new priorities. It might seem obvious that the principal is the instructional leader of the school but in many instances this is seldom what happens. Traditionally, principals are managers, creating schedules, duty lists, and managing students. They often become so involved in responding to daily challenges that instructional leadership takes a back seat— often, the very back seat,” Wright says. By rewriting the principal job description AOS leaders hope to emphasize the importance of the need to change leadership priorities.
    AOS leaders plan to bring their thoughts and ideas to the district boards and committees next month in the form of a new leader job description. The board approval of the job description will be a public declaration that school administrators must make instructional leadership a top priority.
    AOS43 Curriculum Coordinator and Assistant Superintendent Stacy Shorey is anxious to see the change.  “One of the goals of a good instructional leader is to provide a climate that supports educator professional development and growth,” she said. “I am thrilled that the AOS 43 new principal job description clearly articulates this belief.”
    The job description process will be a chance for the boards to publicly state the importance of this new leadership approach as they emphasize the concept of principals as instructional leaders as opposed to being just managers.
    Julie Royal is the first year principal at Milo Elementary School and a former literacy specialist. She sees the shift as a natural change. “I’m looking forward to and feel comfortable with the new definition of principal as the instructional leader of the school. I’m excited to be focusing on the areas of math, science and social studies much as I have done in the past as a reading specialist. “
    Carol Marcinkus of Penobscot Valley High School and Hichborn Middle School in Howland feels much the same way. “The new AOS 43 principal job description emphasizes instructional leadership as opposed to being a manager. The instructional leadership role does not take anything off the principal’s plate, however it is meant to enhance the principal’s leadership within the school community.”  
    Kelley Weiss, second-year principal of the Enfield Station School adds, “I am excited about the change in our job descriptions because it truly highlights what we do in the schools. Being an instructional leader is very important to me as an educator because I feel like I can better assist our teachers and our students by being active within the school. I also feel like the work we have been doing with the superintendent around instructional leadership is allowing us to focus on what is being taught and developing meaningful professional development for our teachers to help enhance their instruction.”
    In order to support the new administrator expectations AOS leaders believe there must be two things present. First, administrators have to want to continue to grow and learn and become better at what they do. Secondly, the districts must stand ready to support the new learnings with professional development.
    The professional development and new learning will be focusing on the AOS vision for what constitutes good instructional practice. This vision will be represented by the “teaching standards” that are an integral part of the evaluation plan.
    The entire AOS43 Teacher and Leader Evaluation and Professional Growth Plan will be piloted beginning next school year in all AOS43 schools.