Learning the ropes

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By Joan Garrett

Nearly 30 assistant principals in Hamilton County schools graduated Thursday from a yearlong intensive training program that they say has equipped them to take the reins at local schools.

"I have a wealth of experience now and am more confident in my abilities," said Saunya Goss, an assistant principal at Westview Elementary School. "This has prepared me for the next step."

Since last August, assistant principals from across the system have been exposed to best practices for master scheduling, budgeting, instructional planning, documentation and problem solving.

On Thursday, at their last training session, nationally renowned education consultants Rick and Becky DuFour spoke to the group about what constitutes strong school leadership in an era of increasing federal and state standards for student achievement.

"For many years, principals were considered good if kids behaved well and parents didn't complain to central office," Mr. DuFour said. "They weren't expected to lead; they were expected to manage. What's now demanded of that job is creating conditions to help kids learn and that requires (principals) to lead."

The assistant principal training initiative, a partnership between the Public Education and the Hamilton County Board of Education and funded in part by the Benwood Foundation, will be a springboard to a larger-scale training program next year for aspiring principals.

The Principals Leadership Academy, supported by the Hamilton County Board of Education, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce and the Public Education Foundation, will be the first of its kind for local schools.

James Colbert, assistant superintendent for campus operations at Hamilton County Schools, said 12 to 16 assistant principals will be admitted into the academy's first year, many of whom went through this year's training.

Ten principal positions opened this year and more will open in coming years, officials said, and they want homegrown principals who know what it takes to direct a school to success.

"A principal's first year is the most vulnerable year," said Clara Sale-Davis, director of the Benwood Initiative for the Public Education Foundation. "We don't want to set them up for failure. We need to train them differently."