Keys to being an effective principal Mike Miles July 2009

1) Put philosophy first

2) Expand leadership at all levels

There is a difference between leadership and decisionmaking.

Leadership is neither situational nor based on position.

3) Keep the quality of instruction the “main thing”

4) Put practices over programs

Professional Learning Comm. Increase Student Achievement Use of dataClose the Minority Achievement Gap Community Awareness Recruit and Retain Quality Staff Maintain safe buildings Assessment data Progress monitoring Curriculum alignment Instructional strategies Technology District image Ensure student learning Collaboration Focus on results Strategic planning Focus on instruction Staff development Performance indicators Differentiation of instruction Leadership development Literacy Positive behavior supports

Professional Learning Comm. Use of dataClose the Minority Achievement Gap Recruit and Retain Quality Staff Progress monitoring Curriculum alignment Focus on results Focus on instruction Performance indicators Student-teacher engagement Leadership development Feedback

5) Develop a culture of instructional feedback

Replace “what gets measured, gets done,” with “what gets feedback, gets done better.”

Key principles of the principalship 6) Plan and work systemically 7) Build the capacity for change 8) Develop, train, remediate, or remove 9) Change the recruitment paradigm 10) Describe in detail what “great” looks like