Leadership Matters - May 2013

Bringing PC (Positive Closure) to your school year

teaching methodologies, or simply reviewing the status of achieving district goals can remind staff that even though they may be leaving for the summer, the work of the district continues toward a vision that they can look forward to when they return in the fall. Thank your staff members: Sometimes we think that since we pay our staff to do what they do, we don’t need to thank them. Nothing could be further from the truth. We need to thank our staff for their continued efforts on behalf of the students and our communities. The teaching profession is not getting any easier, and sometimes acknowledging that to our co-workers and sincerely thanking them for continually trying their best to make a positive difference with kids can be extremely appreciated. Also be sure to thank the support personnel, your administrative assistants and clerical staff, your custodians, your bus drivers,

As administrators we spend a significant amount of time making sure we start the school year on a positive note. We plan our meetings, bring in a speaker, provide in-service for our staff, and make sure our buildings are cleaned and ready to start another year. However, we often don’t put in the same amount of effort to bring the end of the year to a positive and proper closure.

Dr. Gary Zabilka IASA Field

Services Director

Although it sometimes feels like people “just want to get out of here,” the collective gathering of our staff can be very beneficial and help start the summer vacation period on a very positive note. Following are some things that can be addressed: Acknowledge the highlights: Every district has to have some highlights to acknowledge from

and anyone else who contributed to providing the necessary services to make our schools successful. Wish them a good summer: Although many staff members don’t like to be reminded that they have their summers off (since many of them don’t), encourage them to take some time off for themselves — to relax, to refresh

the school year just completed. Whether it is from your athletic teams, academic competitions, student achievement, staff or student successes, implementation of a new program, survival of a challenging winter — you name it — celebrate those successes and acknowledge some of the positive things you accomplished together as a district. Speak about the challenges:

and to re-energize — because August will be here sooner than they think. Encourage them to do things they may not get to do during the school year, but also encourage and challenge them to reflect on their own past school year and think about what they might look at doing differently to improve themselves for the coming school year. Encourage your staff to read a professional journal or book periodically throughout the summer, but to also enjoy their own personal reading. Remind them that our own professional growth never ends, nor should it in the summer. The end of the school year can be as positive as the beginning of the school year if it is planned with the same effort we put into the start of the new school year. It can be a great opportunity for you and your administrative team to reflect on those things you would like to highlight, acknowledge and address to bring positive closure to the school year. It also reminds your staff that despite the summer break the business of the district continues throughout the summer while planning for continued growth and success for the next school year.

Often times we want to shy away from sharing or describing some of the challenges that we may have encountered as a district. As with the proverbial “elephant in the room,” everyone knows of these challenges and wonders if you’re going to address them. You may have encountered a strike this year, or suffered the loss of a staff member or student. You may have experienced a catastrophe with one of your buildings, or lost a referendum campaign. Whatever the challenge was, address it head on with the staff and let them know how you will respond moving forward to address that challenge. Project your continued vision: As district leaders we don’t often take the opportunity to remind our staff of our vision. Meeting at the end of the year can be used to describe any headway you may have made to that end, as well as to describe what the staff can look forward to when they return to the district in August. Whether it’s a new technology initiative, a building initiative or improvement, the implementation of more engaging

16