NELA Principal Mentors
Expectations for Principal Mentors
The overarching role of Principal Mentors is to help NELA Fellows “live their learning” during their field experiences and Principal Residency by doing the following:
The NELA Principal Mentor agrees to:
NELA Fellows are expected to monitor their own development and learning, seek out opportunities for growth and gain understanding and proficiency in the North Carolina School Executive Standards.
Below are examples of recommended activities and areas of focus:
Additional Activities May Include:
- Serve as a model demonstrating effective leadership and management behaviors.
- Create a climate that facilitates success for the Resident.
- Provide a meaningful shoulder-to-shoulder type learning experience.
- Treat the NELA Fellow as a principal in training.
- Facilitate “hands on” experiences integrated with the program expectations. These experiences should push Fellows beyond their comfort level and prompt them to meet the highest of standards for the school and the NELA program.
- Be expert leaders who are reflective and willing to help guide the Fellows towards a greater understanding of how to lead in an educational setting.
- Seek improved practice for themselves, their staff, their students, and the aspiring principal (NELA Fellow).
The NELA Principal Mentor agrees to:
- Commit sufficient time to work with the Fellow and support their professional development including communicating regularly about the Fellow's progress through regularly scheduled weekly meetings with the Fellow, every-other week conversation or meeting with the NELA Executive Coach and as needed with the NELA Director.
- Invest the time to explain decision-making rationale and to walk the Fellow through difficult school-related processes.
- Help the Fellow achieve the goals established within their Individualized Leadership Learning Plan (ILLP), in collaboration with the NELA Executive Coach.
- Provide the Fellow with frequent feedback and guidance including participation in both formative and summative performance assessment conferences in cooperation with the NELA Executive Coach.
- Develop a schedule with the Fellow to ensure that they have the opportunity to attend their weekly academic classes, specialized trainings, and other various NELA activities through the year. Principal mentors should expect Fellows to be out of the school building at least 2 days every week.
- Participate in joint observations of teaching and debrief with the Fellow on teaching practices observed.
- Engage in continuous professional development with the Fellow through their participation in the Distinguished Leaders in Practice (DLP) Program.
- Provide the Fellow with the access to information, activities, and events that help inform and immerse them into the life of a school principal.
- Meet with the Fellow to provide support for their individual growth and assess progress using the Individual Leadership Learning Plan as a tool:
- Review within the first five days of the Fellow’s start of the Residency experience.
- Progress monitor at the mid-semester mark each semester by completing an electronic survey.
- Participate in a semester transition meeting involving the Executive Coach, Fellow and1st and 2nd semester Principal Mentors.
- Complete online evaluation reports to track the Fellow’s progress.
- Introduce the Fellow to all functional areas of a school and provide them with opportunities to observe how experienced school administrators address challenges within the school.
NELA Fellows are expected to monitor their own development and learning, seek out opportunities for growth and gain understanding and proficiency in the North Carolina School Executive Standards.
Below are examples of recommended activities and areas of focus:
- Build a Professional Learning Community and/or design and lead professional development experiences based on staff needs;
- Lead difficult/challenging conversations;
- Have access to data collection through staff interviews, surveys, and observations;
- Disaggregate data, identify trends, set specific learning goals for students (or subsets of students) and present data to different stakeholders (teachers, parents, school board, community);
- Develop strategies/action steps based on data analysis;
- Participate in hiring process and lead orientation activity for new staff;
- Review school retention and turnover data;
- Participate in budget planning and alignment of budget to maximize teaching and learning opportunities;
- Observe and provide feedback to teachers in different career stages and levels of effectiveness (weekly observations/evaluations are a NELA Fellow requirement);
- Participate in the teacher evaluation cycle;
- Observe teacher plan of action development and meet with the teacher on directive action;
- Participate in student discipline conferences;
- Review personnel allotment and staffing plan;
- Review current school system curriculum and instruction initiatives; e.g., reading math, science, STEM, etc.;
- Review community services available; e.g., mental health, juvenile/social services, medical, faith-based, etc.;
- Review public information plan for school and school system;
- Serve on or lead a School Improvement Team (SIT) and review/analyze School Improvement Plan (SIP);
- Review school system’s grievance policy and procedures;
- Conduct classroom Walkthroughs or Instructional Rounds using the school’s protocol;
- Participate in a parent/teacher organization meeting, e.g., PTA, PTO, PTSO, PTSA, etc.;
- Analyze professional development process and funding;
- Serve/lead a Special Education IEP Conference and a 504 conference;
- Review and analyze the last Teacher Working Conditions Survey in comparison to previous surveys;
- Observe and/or supervise an athletic event;
- Supervise lunch and observe staff supervising behaviors during lunch, transitions, assemblies, etc.;
- Review school discipline policies and procedures;
- Review procedures for and the reporting of fire drills, lockdowns, and attendance;
- Review transportation processes and procedures (buses, cars, walkers, parent pick-ups) including supervision and discipline;
- Review processes for purchasing and inventory of supplies, textbooks, and materials;
- Review school and district technology plan;
- Participate in a community outreach event (health fair, fundraiser, carnival, etc;
- Prepare a resume and cover letter with philosophy of administration;
- Analyze school’s “customer service” and its impact on public perception;
- Attend at least one session of family court
Additional Activities May Include:
- Lead a team in using standards to align curriculum, instructional strategies, and assessments;
- Develop a school-wide schedule that maximizes learning time;
- Lead initiative to increase parental and community involvement, outreach, and/or communication;
- Serve on committees (chairing them if possible);
- Interview administrators, teachers, staff and others in the building and district
- Lead a school-wide culture initiative to encourage all staff to welcome and use data in planning and decision-making;
- Review staff and student recognition process;
- Work with Student Services staff to provide support for students;
- Review the school system’s Building and Grounds procedures, including managing custodial staff and completing work orders;
- Attend a school board meeting;
- Participate in a district-level planning meeting; e.g., Title 1, math, exceptional children, school assignment, etc.;
- Participate in a superintendent’s meeting with the principals;
- Review school’s Crisis Management Plan;
- Review testing compliance procedures and participate in administration; e.g. administer or proctor.