First 100-Days Entry Plan for New Principals - Strategic Planning

“By Failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

An entry plan is a great resource and planning tool to help a new principal acclimate to a new school and situation, as well as plan and set targeted goals. The goal setting component looks at early wins (30 days), 60 days, 90 days, semester, and first year targets for goals accomplished. This helps to strategically start to align all resources and priorities toward goal proficiency.

Basic First 100-Day School Entry Plan for New Principals

1. What are the symbols, norms, and assumptions that define your school?

2. What do people value – what is important? What are the words used to describe your school?

3. What are the biggest challenges facing the school? Do you have all viewing points?

4. Why is the school facing these challenges?

5. What are the most promising unexploited opportunities for growth?

6. What would need to happen for the organization to exploit the potential of these opportunities?

7. If they (staff, parent, student, community) were you, what would they focus attention on?

8. How much emphasis will you place on learning as opposed to doing?

9. What do people in your school view as success and what do they view as failure?

10. What behaviors do people in your school consistently display that undermine the potential for high performance?

11. Given your situation, what should the timing and extent of each of the waves of change you envision?

12. Based on what you have learned, what are your priorities? Given these priorities, what do you need to do during your transition to lay the necessary groundwork for achieving them?

13. How would you like to see people behave differently by the end of your era as principal? Describe as vividly as you can the behaviors you would like to encourage and discourage.

14. What can you begin to do to change behaviors during your transition?

15. How do you plan to connect yourself to your new school? Who are your key audiences, and what messages would you like to convey to them? What are the best modes for engagement?

16. What are the most promising areas for your early performance improvement efforts? Select no more than three and think about how early successes in these areas will serve as a model for how you want people to behave.

17. Given the changes/improvements, you want to make, in what areas do you need to engage in collective learning.

18. How will you communicate 9 times 9 ways? Both information and successes?

Taking Initial Steps

Review and prepare to respond about each by the start of October.

Know and understand the district and community:

1. Meet with the following leaders in your school community:

    1. Faith Leaders

    2. Business Leaders

    3. Civic/Community Group Leadership

    4. Businesses/companies

    5. Town officials

    6. Micro-political leaders within the school and community context

    7. School supporters (booster club, touchdown club, etc.)

    8. Legislators

  2. Meet with the following members of the school system:

    1. Central Office Staff

    2. Individual school staff members

    3. Parent Groups

Review the following current processes, practices, and status:

  1. Human Resources

    1. Selection

    2. Job Descriptions

    3. Staff Development

    4. Performance Evaluations

    5. Improvement Plans (if any)

  2. Plans

    1. District Strategic Commitments

    2. School Commitments

    3. SIP Plans

    4. Title I Plans or Special Funding Opportunities

  3. Data

    1. Student assessments

    2. Related student data (i.e. Discipline, attendance, etc.)

    3. Surveys

    4. Comprehensive Needs Assessments

    5. SACS accreditation reports

    6. Personnel

  4. Financial and Legal

    1. Board Policy

    2. Budget

    3. State Laws

    4. State policies

    5. District polices

    6. Assessment of current financial situation

  5. Standard Operating Procedures

    1. Emergency procedures and plans

    2. Crisis management plans

    3. Communication systems, protocols, and etc

    4. Web site

    5. Social Media

  6. Program Review

    1. Standards

    2. Instructional programs

    3. Core Instructional initiatives

    4. Supplemental Instructional Programs

    5. Operational Plans

    6. Support Services

    7. Instructional technology

    8. Communication systems

    9. Exceptional Children

    10. AIG Program

    11. Summer School/Extended learning Opportunities

    12. Community Schools

    13. Partnerships

    14. Special funding sources (Title, Priority, etc.)

Setting Goals and Measuring Successes

Review the entry plan thought process, develop initial entry protocols, set goals, and be prepared to evaluate your successes at given intervals throughout the first year at the school.

30 Day Measurable Goals/Objectives - Identifying “Quick Wins” by the end of August

Accountability

Instructional

Operational

Facilities

Financial

Communicate successes to all stakeholders 9 times 9 ways

60 Day Measurable Goals/Objectives “Staying the Course in the Storm” by the end of Sept.

Accountability

Instructional

Operational

Facilities

Financial

Communicate successes to all stakeholders 9 times 9 ways

90 Day Measurable Goals/Objectives "Don't Let Up, Still a Few Ripples But The Waters Will Start Settling" by End of October

Accountability

Instructional

Operational

Facilities

Financial

Communicate successes to all stakeholders 9 times 9 ways

Semester 1 Goals

"Identify, Plan, Do,and Review for Continuous Improvement"

Accountability

Instructional

Operational

Facilities

Financial

Communicate successes to all stakeholders 9 times 9 ways

Year 1 Goals

“Good is the Enemy of Great - Commitment to Excellence and Improvement Never Ends”

Accountability

Instructional

Operational

Facilities

Financial


“Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.” – Thomas Edison