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It Takes a Village
Collaboration amongst the administrative team is crucial in leading Highland Middle School BY MATT BRADLEY
I
t takes a village. Certainly this applies to raising a child, but I also believe it rings true in regards to leading a school building. The job of building leader or administrator is complex and heavy; it simply cannot be a one-person job. Thankfully, at Highland Middle School, I have a wonderful office team that help create the learning environment where all students are known and can be successful. At HMS, our office staff consists of a secretary, school counselor, dean of students, and principal. We are extremely fortunate that our curriculum director is housed in the middle school office as well. Few, if any, decisions are made without the input of our team. As the saying goes, “The smartest person in the room is the room.” I rely heavily on their experiences and opinions to make important decisions. There are countless ways and reasons that our office staff culture is so strong, but three stand out: Relationships, Alignment, and Shared Responsibility. RELATIONSHIPS “It is clear you care about each other a great deal.” - Interview candidate Positive, trusting relationships do not just happen. They are created through work, time, and compassion. When I moved into the role of principal at HMS in 2015, I was new to the building. I relied heavily on our secretary and dean of students to learn about the school. I
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asked questions. I listened. I learned. When a new counselor joined our team in 2017, he relied on our team in the same way. Our team meets daily to discuss all things happening in the school. The layout of the office allows the counselor, dean of students, and myself to move between offices. On many occasions, the doors to all of our offices are open to the others. When this happens, ideas are bounced back and forth, conversations with students are a collaborative effort, and communication is a constant stream. Over time we established a relationship amongst our team of genuine care and concern for each other, our staff, and our students. Emotions and feelings are contagious, and I believe that our positive outlook toward each other and our students “rubs off ” on those that enter the office. In his moving and powerful speech, former basketball coach Jim Valvano said “There are three things everyone should do every day. Number one is laugh. Number two is think—spend some time in thought. Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears. If you laugh, think, and cry, that’s a heck of a day.” Collectively, this describes nearly every day in our office! ALIGNMENT “You know more about students than other administrators I’ve worked with!” - New school counselor
