The following blog was contributed by Annette Marie Jones, Ed.D., educational consultant and former assistant director for school leadership at the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) in Arlington, VA.
Are you a new administrator, an aspiring administrator, a superintendent who coaches new administrators, or a professor who educates aspiring administrators? NCEA’s new publication, Administrator’s Survival Guide authored by Annette Marie Jones, Ed.D. and Thomas J. Kiely, D.H.L., can be utilized as a template providing guidance for new or aspiring leaders.
This practical and thought-provoking publication is divided into four primary sections: Orientation Questions, Reflection Questions on the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools, Personal and Community Wellness, and a Monthly List of Tasks.
Your Own Orientation Questions
As school administrators, it is important to ask questions, especially the right questions! In the Administrator’s Survival Guide, the authors have compiled a starting list of questions, which may lead to other questions and clarifications as the school is viewed from a holistic perspective. In seeking answers, school leaders can determine the best person or group of people to pose questions, such as the superintendent, pastor, board members, highly-respected teachers, engaged parents, students, parishioners, local principals, or local community members.
Reflection on National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools
The National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools can be a vital tool for envisioning the scope of school leaders’ responsibilities. This publication highlights the four domains, Mission and Catholic Identity, Governance and Leadership, Academic Excellence, and Operational Vitality, of the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools created by Dr. Lorraine Ozar and Dr. Patricia Weitzel-O’Neill. For each of the four domains, the benchmarks are listed followed by the reflection questions or suggested actions for the principals’ leadership journey.
Personal and Community Wellness
Catholic school leaders work to create an environment within the school community that integrates a healthy lifestyle with the lifelong pursuit of excellence. The school’s commitment to wellness inspires and empowers individuals to take responsibility for their own spiritual well-being and physical health as well as creating a nurturing school community. The reflection questions on personal and community wellness can steer school leaders to reflect on their own wellness and the development of their school’s culture.
Monthly List of Tasks
Who doesn’t love a to do-to list, especially if it is already created? The authors have designed a monthly task list as a guideline to assist with the various responsibilities of the principal’s role. For the principal’s convenience, each monthly list is organized by the categories of Mission and Catholic Identity, Governance and Leadership, Academic Excellence, Operational Vitality, Health and Safety, and Personal and Community Wellness.
This valuable Administrator’s Survival Guide can be ordered from the National Catholic Educational Association (ISBN: 978-1-55833-719-0). Please join me in thanking the dedicated Catholic school leaders for their countless hours focused on the continuous growth of their students and staff members. May God continue to inspire, guide, and bless them on their leadership journey!
