Long days that fly by

On days like today, I feel like I've lived three days. At the same time, the days are flying. I'm hoping that both can serve as a decent excuse for not adding any posts for almost a whole week.

I often tell people I'm an assistant principal, and they say, "So, what, exactly, does an assistant principal do?" It's a valid question. Now that the days have settled into more of a routine, it's easier to answer that question. Most of the opening items have been settled: the schedule, the safety procedures, the various staffing issues that arise... Here is a sampling of the normal day to day issues. Following that, I've listed some of the things for which I've had to consider my personal philosophy. Many times as a school leader, there are just some things that come down to judgment calls, and my own personal beliefs as a school leader can be the final say.

So, a rundown of the major categories of things that filled my time in the last week:
-Meeting with school counselors to run through lists of kids for which there are major concerns and creating follow up steps for each child
-Saying hello at every open house. At this school, each grade level has their own open house. I wish they'd do them all in one night--going to each is exhausting!
-Sorting out parking issues for teachers who come from other schools mid-day and need parking. I'm now supposed to be setting cones in their spots every morning. As I type I remember that I forgot to do that today. Crap.
-Deal with schedule issues, which means lots of meeting--the art teacher's schedule is too full on Fridays, the third grade needs more staffing for their small group math lessons, etc. etc. etc.
-Meet with members of the diversity committee to help them get up and running
-Make an appearance at the Special Ed parents breakfast to realize that no parents showed up--make a plan with special ed staff to find new recruitment methods
-Cover many lunch and recess duties to help ensure that both are running smoothly
-Deal with building usage issues--everyone wants to use the building after hours. Everyone. It's a blessing and a curse to have a newish (1994) building
-Our secretary is out for a wedding for a few days. We miss her!!!! We take on lots more paperwork.
-Attend a few IEPs meetings
-Meet with the math specialist from the district to talk about the new math curriculum--the math team isn't happy with it, so we wanted her take on their frustrations
-Sort out policies for after school activities. Should students be able to be in the after school musical if they are having a behavior issue during school? Everyone has an opinion.
-Prepare new maps, lists, etc. for fire drill and evacuation to the local church (the plan in case of a bomb threat or other emergency). The drill is tomorrow.
-Meetings with kids, teachers and parents about various behavior issues that must be dealt with
-Meeting about a student whose bike was stolen; follow up with police
-Finding the student who took the bike and determining consequences
-Interviewing new staff for the positions we still have in our special education classroom...
-Lots of scheduling of meetings and talking to people to solve little problems here and there
-Meeting with parents about their ideas and what they'd like to see happen in the school
-Meeting with a teacher about creating a plan for a student who is having trouble behaving.

For those of you who ask what we do all day...there it is! And those who are wondering if the job is for them, I hope that's helpful.

A few things for which I've had to consider my philosophy:

-Out of school suspension, especially for kids who like to miss school or are already behind

-Allowing participation in extracurricular activities despite poor grades, understanding that the extracurricular might be a struggling student's main area of strength and motivation

-Inclusion for special education students

-Sending kids to the office when they are in trouble

-Homework

...that's all for now. Too tired to proofread. Thanks for reading!