What Philly principals need
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia School District by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Kristen Graham.
What Philly principals need
Kristen Graham
Philadelphia School District Chief Academic Officer Penny Nixon did not mince words. "We realize we must do something about the leadership challenge that we have in Philadelphia," said Nixon, a former principal herself. SRC member Wendell Pritchett called principals "the most important adults" in the district.
Inspired in part by an Action United/Education Voters Pennsylvania report on heavy leadership turnover at the city's toughest schools, the School Reform Commission focused its Monday night policy meeting on principal leadership. The numbers are sobering - more than two-thirds of city schools have experienced at least one leadership change in the last five years. More than a quarter of all schools have had three or more principals in that time; 20 have had four principals in those five years, and 52 have had three principals in five years.
Nixon said the district is committed to better recruiting, developing and retaining principals. She said the district is pursuing five recruitment pathways; one, a school-based future leaders program, follows a New York model of identifying top principals and having them in turn tap strong leaders within their schools to develop as principals.
But the most remarkable thing about the meeting was the number of actual working principals present, and the insights they shared. So much of what happens at district headquarters involves people who don't work in schools making decisions about people who do. On Monday night, the principals spoke loud and clear.
Here are some concerns/ideas/frustrations they shared:
-Many principals said they need help with more mental health/behavioral services. Budget cuts hit these areas hard, and that's affected school climate.
-Too many programs are being thrown at schools, one principal said. Schools should be able to do a few things well, not simply have to implement every edict thrown at them by the central office. (District officials have said they want principals to have more autonomy, but it's not yet clear what exactly that means.)
-Non-instructional staff need professional development. Training isn't something only for teachers.
-Principals need help getting parents involved in their schools.
-Principals need more time in classrooms, to be instructional leaders. With $700 million in budget cuts handed down during the 2011-12 school year, already-squeezed principals were forced to become nurses, school police officers, lunch aides and more. They need to spend more time as "master teachers."
-Principals feel they need more and better substitute teachers. One principal expressed frustration that when teachers go on leave, it often takes too long to get a qualified replacement into the classroom.
-One principal said she believes strongly that high-quality teachers need to be attracted. The district should be going into universities to find the best and brightest students.
-Principals spoke of the need to help them find community partnerships. As district funds dwindle, schools lose services they can't afford to lose.
-"We don't just need supports and systems," Sayre High Principal Khalia Ames said. "We need quality supports and systems."
-Some principals said they feel that the district often makes decisions without them, that they're often the last to know about decisions that directly affect their schools. They asked to be consulted, to be involved in conversations, not simply talked to in memos and e-mails.
-Principals said that figuring out how to run their schools in the worst budget situation anyone has ever seen is the biggest challenge they face.
-Climate is a real issue, some principals said. And that goes back to the mental health/behavioral services issue. "We can't educate them if we don't meet their needs," one principal said.
-Principals lamented the fact that they can't really use their buildings as community hubs. They'd like to open them to the community more, but when they open them, they have to pay facilities costs, and their bare-bones budgets can't stretch to cover those. They feel like they're missing an opportunity to build community involvement.
-One principal asked for more flexibility with professional development. Allow schools to tailor training to their needs, not just read from a script.
-One principal spoke forcefully about the need to get rid of "extremely ineffective people" - teachers and other staff.
-One principal spoke about a suburban company that funds multiple programs she can't afford to pay for, and suggested city companies be encouraged to do the same thing.
-One principal talked about how in prior years, her teachers were extremely dedicated, staying late and coming in on Saturdays to do extra work. The faculty was cohesive. But after budget cuts - many teachers were laid off and then called back at the last minute - morale plummeted, and teachers are hesitant to give as much.
-One principal pointed out that in 10 years at her school, she's had six regional/assistant superintendents. Every one came with a new vision, and that's affected her school.
-Ethelyn Payne Young, the principal of Overbrook High, spoke passionately about the need for central administrators to understand the reality of struggling schools. "You need to live what we live every day," she said. "There is no plan in place to properly meet the needs of these children every day." When schools are overhauled in-district - the Promise Academy model - the first thing that happens is that teachers perceived to be ineffective are cast aside. And they end up at schools like Overbrook, she pointed out.
-Longtime education advocate - and former district employee - Debbie Weiner suggested that the district's toughest schools become "no rookie zones," with very few inexperienced teachers allowed and no inexperienced principals.
-Frank Murphy, the longtime principal of Meade Elementary, now retired, talked about his long, successful tenure at the high-needs school. He had extensive training before becoming a principal, and built a cohesive, stable school. But toward the end of his tenure, "nothing was ever, ever good enough," and he now encourages people not to become principals in tough city schools because they're set up to fail, he said. Murphy said that instead of talking about how to get rid of bad teachers and principals, the district should be talking about how to support and retain good ones.
Pritchett, who led the meeting, said he appreciated the feedback and that the SRC would solicit more as it continues overhauling the district, focusing on school autonomy and a leaner central office.
Sorry readingspecialist 1, even before Vallas and Ackerman the politicos got too involved in the appointment of principals. As PFT building rep in the early 90s, I sat with a committee to select the next principal of our high school. Our choice was vetoed by the administration of SDP b/c they had their orders from City Hall as to who was getting the job. Central got who it wanted (and got to demand that they do the interviewing of the candidates) b/c of the concern, involvement and strength of their alumni association. That school is lucky enough to have concerned parents, students, faculty as well as alumni who give of both their money, resources and time.— sabelotodo- The SRC needs to have a community forum on "How should we choose our principals?" Then they need to devise "principal selection rules and procedures."
The procedures need to be rationally based and fair. The local school communities should be part of the process.— readingspecialist 1 - How we choose our principals is a serious issue which needs to be addressed in the school district. So is the quality of principal leadership in the district.
All principals should be chosen through a site selection process including teachers, parents and community members. For instance, the way it was done at Central. That is the way principals are selected in almost all of the suburban school districts.
That is also the way it was done before the state takeover and Vallas and Ackerman came here.
We must rise above the syndrome of, "Whose friend are we putting in today?" We need strict rules governing the selection of our principals.
All principals should be given a term of office for 3 years and then they should undergo a comprehensive evaluation process including the input from teachers, parents and students at the school. If they are doing well, they can be reappointed for another 3 year term and so on.
As part of the process, ineffective principals should be removed from a school where they are ineffective.
Leadership matters. So does how we choose our leaders. So does how we remove our leaders.
— readingspecialist 1 - I totally agree with your point and recommendations. Why shouldn't principals be rigorously be evaluated by all of the stakeholders of the school at reasonable intervals? The current mindset of school level administration is dysfunctional and divisive. Autonomy will allow dysfunction to spread and create negative ebb and flow of a school day/month/year. Then how can students achieve in such toxic environments? Teachers working under these individuals, for I refuse to call them leaders, will not be able perform at their optimum best for fear of the bully in the building or the inept taskmaster, aka the Principal. By the way, there are some very good principals in the district, my comment is directed at those who are not.
— Kittims 
Comment removed.- The answer to your question is mentioned in readingspecialist's response above, "All principals should be given a term of office for 3 years and then they should undergo a comprehensive evaluation process including the input from teachers, parents and students at the school. If they are doing well, they can be reappointed for another 3 year term and so on." This is what I meant about the stakeholders having more say in who is the "leader" of their school. Before the state took over the district, a similar process took place. It needs to be reinstated with time intervals. — Kittims
- In this era of school accountability, school leaders find themselves in the business of behavioral and mental health, nutrition, meal providers, healthcare consultants, family counselors, and drug and alcohol counselors. When will, we as a society, wake up and revert to the old expectation of parents raising children in environments conducive to learning, educators educating children and children learning? It is now taboo to have accountability fall back to parents. With budget cuts this will need to be addressed by all stakeholders. We took on more than we could chew. We spent so much on shouldering a decaying family structure; riddled with dysfunction, abuse, and apathy. We spent so much on maintaining a failed bureaucracy bent on maintaining an ineffective status quo. Look, it's broken! Let the beast, which is the SDoP, die a natural death and be put out to pasture. Let's then explore meaningful changes, with folks who are not afraid to think outside of the box. Yes, we need experienced principals, teachers, and administrators, but we also need innovative folks. We need principals and teachers who are willing to implement programming according to the needs of their demographics and put in place methods to sustain continuous growth. Twelve years of experience does not necessarily denote true passion for teaching, relationship building, and the ability to impart creative instructional strategies effectively. Some folks just need to be put out to pasture. The current system is NOT designed for principals who really want to make a difference. It is designed by bureaucrats who are out of touch, out of reach, and yet the train has departed the station.
— magpie66 - Weyman can't find her way to Straw Mansion without pictures. Principals invariably are under such pressure that they make the cardinal mistake of real leadership. They substitute intimidation for respect thus making good people less interested in helping them. By extension, the kids suffer. My principal runs all over the building all day, putting out fires in all directions. No one person can do 6 different jobs for very long.— jlkndy
- What you don't need is more money. You've had enough and you've wasted it.
Let the parents have vouchers, make more charter schools. Dismantle the PSD, or starve it to death. There may be many good teachers and principals but your overall grade is an "F".
— coondog041 - Former principal Frank Murphy said, "nothing was ever, ever good enough," and he now encourages people not to become principals in tough city schools
This is the same reason I discourage every teacher I know who thinks of coming to PSD. Wayman is going to Strawberry Mansion? my heart and sympathy goes out to those teachers because she was a major contributor to the negative, destructive climate caused by the Walk Through teams.— I Teach in Philly - The SD does not have any meaningful way to deal with bad principals. They ignore the situation until it gets really bad, then they promote them.— brinsley
- Comment removed.
- Looks like your wish has come true. Wayman has been appointed (demoted to) principal of Strawberry Mansion HS for next year.— SCZ
- Stand for Something- Very true! The principals with the least amount of teaching experience are the most ineffective. PA needs to change the experience minimum to at least 12 years.— dim-5
- Sadly, behavioral/mental health programs have been cut, example, the CARES Program. An excellent program for children with behavioral and or mental health issues. In many schools, there are many children who have mental and behavioral health issues who are in dire need of services but do not and now will not receive services in September. Children are crying out for help by their actions and are being thrown aside because of the cuts in services. If we don't pay now and address their issues, we are going to pay later, at a higher cost, and sadly, their issues will be worse.
In terms of principal movement, the idea of having principals in these high needs areas stay one year and if they don't turn the school around in a year they are moved or terminated is idiotic. A year is not enough time to make significant change in high needs schools.— LadySLR - real nice to hear so many of the principals speak up about the mental health/behavioral health needs of the students in their schools. Sure it is tough on the climate for the teachers, but it is very tough being a student and trying to learn when you aren't able to get the help you need. The schools are scheduled this fall to have practically nothing in terms of supports, will be interesting to see how steps up to give some money to at least have the SBSS/Resource Specialist program in the buildings. Without that, the teachers will be referring kids to the crisis center daily, overwhelming the school police and the crisis centers. My brother works for one of the behavioral health providers that provides RS services in the schools, and the stories he has about what these kids have to go through put tears in my eyes regularly. If people knew the obstacles these kids had going to school these days, and the resiliency of some of these kids to still commit to going to school in the face of all these obstacles is truly amazing. We will pay for years if they do not have any support in these schools, kids will lose that one last hope to keep them in the bldg, and we'll likely never see the kid attend school ever again— jadam
- Great post Jadam!
— EP_Represent - Principals need to be evaluated for effectiveness, as well other professionals, if they can't lead by example than what good are they? A dedicated Principal will know how to build a dedicated staff with effective leadership. The problem, in many situations, is that there are people working as Principals that just want to have staff that will make them look good, without really spending the time to nurture the staff, help them grow as professionals and share in the dedicated effort of educating children. The SDP has a horrid record of promoting the wrong people into leadership positions just because of who they know? When this trickles down from the top, it becomes a game of politics and bureaucratic positioning to try to move up the SDP ladder. This is an intolerable tradition which must be reversed.— slugo
- The best principals have been SUCCESSFUL teachers with at least a decade in the classroom. Too many become principals because they can't hack it as teachers - and spend an inordinate amount of time interfering with the routines of excellent teachers. Some of them only spend a year or two in the classroom before getting their principal's certification and moving into administration.
— Stand for Something - Comment removed.
- Mean sprited is an understatement. A horrible, evil, power hungry, wants to be superintendent ladder climber who will stab in the back anybody who she thinks stands in her way.— cenzored1
- Get rid of Linda Weyman who dictates to all h.s. principals without realizing different schools have different needs...and she's in charge of high schools for the district. She was a mean-spirited ineffective principal in her school so they put her in charge. Typical of SDP!— sabelotodo
- Everything these principals need costs money. They should all visit Council this Thursday at 10:30am, register to speak at 215-686-3410 or 3411 and lobby for local funding for our schools from the Use & Occupancy tax (a property tax on businesses), a hike in property taxes and any other revenue generating idea they can think of. The Chamber of Commerce is likely lobbying hard against the Use & Occupancy Tax and there needs to be a credible counterweight to their efforts. The schools need investment from the local business community & tax base. Otherwise, right or wrong, Harrisburg will continue to ignore the dire needs we have.— AnneThensome
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During the school year, you’ll frequently find her hosting live chats about the district on Philly.com. Please do pass along the scoop about what’s going on at your Philadelphia public school; Kristen welcomes tips, story ideas and witty banter at kgraham@phillynews.com or 215-854-5146.
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