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It can be said that change is constant, and that idiom holds true for today’s school principals. Dr. Norman Yanitski, superintendent of Black Gold Regional Division No 18, which encompasses the geographic area of Leduc County along with the towns of Devon, New Sarepta, Beaumont, Leduc, Calmar, New Humble, Thorsby, Warburg and the Warburg Hutterite Colony, sat down with Matthew Kierstead, a Black Gold principal with 18 years of experience, to discuss how principals’ roles have evolved over the last two decades. Black Gold is the tenth largest school division in Alberta, employing 550 teachers and 375 support staff who work with approximately 9,500 students in 28 schools.
Yanitski: As a senior principal within Black Gold, what do you feel has been one of the key changes in the role of principals?
Kierstead: The role schools play in communities has changed in such a way that there is an acknowledgement that schools can no longer meet all the expectations in isolation. Principals are looking outside the school to form working relationships and partnerships with others who assist in child development. The focus of that development has shifted from solely academic to now include physical, emotional and mental development. Principals are engaging with service agencies, business, government agencies and the larger local school jurisdiction to provide holistic services for students and, in some cases, a student’s whole family. In one sense there is self-interest in these interactions as principals strive to improve their schools and better use services for students in the process. However, there is also selflessness about it as they openly share their experiences in the hope that other agencies will be able to enhance their accomplishments in a win-win engagement.
Yanitski: Could you provide an example of your involvement with external stakeholders?
Kierstead: Just recently I was involved with a family that was struggling as a result of a number of factors, including mental health issues. These struggles were standing in the way of the child’s development and education. Through focused partnerships with the family, the school, Alberta Health, Alberta Human Services and the local Family and Community Support Services, a short- and long-range intervention was established with the child as the focus. The principal is in a great position to take on the role of a “quarterback” drawing on his or her experiences and relationships to help children and to facilitate meetings with outside organizations.
Yanitski: What structures have been put in place for principals to work towards building relationships and solving complex problems?
Kierstead: It is exciting to work in a school jurisdiction that recognizes and values the contributions principals can and do make. It is widely accepted that the impact a principal has on a school is vitally important, but it is also important to recognize the role they have in the larger educational community. Giving principals time to work together in meaningful ways, respecting their involvement in the larger context of education and valuing their contributions goes a long way towards productive relationships. I would be remiss if I didn’t also comment on the importance of principals being teachers first. Though the trend in much of Canada is to remove principals from the larger teacher profession, in Alberta we have been able to maintain a fundamental understanding that teachers and principals work side by side. Although principals have some additional duties, they are still teachers first, working within the same professional construct. In conversations with colleagues from other provinces and countries, I am glad that we have this collegial model.
Yanitski: What division leadership style encourages effective development for principals?
Kierstead: There are many different leadership styles that principals thrive under. From my perspective, I would suggest that the managerial style of regarding principals as middle managers or assistants of authority is less effective than encouraging principals to use their skills to undertake the work needed in the position. As a group, principals are highly educated and skilled and have a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience. Recognizing this helps the education system to thrive and improve. There should be a model of leadership that builds trust by inspiring principals to engage in discussion and that helps create success plans that are commonly developed and owned. In much the same way as that style is important external to the school for principals themselves, it recognizes the benefits of such a facilitative style within the school as well.
Yanitski: What was the impact regarding the principal quality indicators when they were first introduced? I believe the Black Gold principals formed a working committee to summarize/rework the document to provide local context for their own professional growth plans.
Kierstead: It was important in our jurisdiction to interpret the indicators within our local context, so we formed a committee of principals to do just that. We first began to look at bringing understanding to the indicators in a traditional sense by creating checklists and prescriptive statements. However, the group recognized that creating a measuring stick was not in keeping with developing leadership styles. We decided it would be better to create illustrations of practice which principals could use as a tool to reflect on their own practice. The document was created with significant input from all our colleagues in the division and with facilitation help from senior ATA staff. Last year at the Canadian Association of Principals’ conference in Banff, we had the opportunity to present the document to colleagues from across Canada and around the world. The document was well received because it brought meaning to the indicators through an eye on growth instead of evaluation. The publication is available as a free download through the ATA.
Yanitski: Do you have any final comments you would like to make regarding the evolving role of principals?
Kierstead: The role of the principal continues to change to reflect the complex nature of the position. Historically the principal has been at the centre of educational policy and practice. I am very optimistic about our evolving role. Though the work involves long hours and can be draining at times, the rewards and feeling of worth continue to remind me that really there is no job like it. There is a quote from Michael Fullan’s book The Principalship that rings true for me.
“If you are proactive, you will find the role deeply fulfilling, and you will be appreciated on many fronts. The principalship today — a critical role meets a vibrant opportunity. So, principals, you are needed more than ever…”
Fullan’s words should be a beacon to those in the teaching profession who have the desire to make progress a collective endeavour and the skills for leading a wider community for the sake of all children.
