Opinion
School & District Management Opinion

This Time of Year, Principals Have Two Jobs. Here’s How to Ace Them Both

4 tips on finishing this school year strong—while preparing for the next
By S. Kambar Khoshaba — January 21, 2025 3 min read
It's the time of year to develop current teachers and look ahead to future hires.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Each January, principals enter a pivotal time of year when we must balance two jobs: finishing the current school year strong and preparing for the next. It’s a time to focus on retaining valued staff while actively recruiting the next generation of talented educators to our school family.

As I was reminded last year by the presentation of staff-motivation expert Todd Whitaker at a Virginia state conference, hiring the right teachers is one of a principal’s most important responsibilities. That’s why it’s so important during this season to double our vision to meet the demands of two school years at once through purposeful retention and recruitment.

To support this vital work, here are four practical strategies that help me navigate this pivotal time with confidence and purpose:

1. Instead of donuts, offer deep support.

“Support” is arguably the number one thing that can improve teacher morale, but if you asked 10 principals what this means, you will likely end up with 10 different responses. When you consider Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, most adults are functioning at the third (love and belonging) or fourth (esteem) levels. When principals try to motivate teachers with snacks or food, they are only addressing a level-one (physiological) need, which is why you can’t “donut” your way to improving staff morale.

About This Series

In this biweekly column, principals and other authorities on school leadership—including researchers, education professors, district administrators, and assistant principals—offer timely and timeless advice for their peers.

Instead, I have found that staff members enjoy feeling like they are part of a team or respected for their contributions to the school community. Strategies like creating time for teachers to collaborate and writing cards of appreciation tend to go a lot further than free coffee in the morning.

2. Tailor training.

Principals often struggle with determining the best topics for professional development each year for their staff. PD mandated for the full staff rarely provides teachers with training that is specific to their individual needs and content areas.

Based on the feedback I have received from teachers on providing relevant PD, I have been most successful when I have offered multiple sessions that give educators options. These concurrent sessions do take more planning, as principals must find facilitators for each one. I recommend that principals seek out the experts within their schools to share their expertise with colleagues. The facilitator will feel valued and respected by the mere fact that they were asked by their principal to host a session, and the audience of teachers in each session will appreciate hearing from someone in the teaching trenches with them.

3. Advocate competitive pay.

There’s no way around this topic. If a person completes a college program with debt, they need to find a job that enables them to pay their bills and live independently. One shouldn’t have to live with their parents, have a roommate, work a second job, or get married in order to “afford” to be a teacher.

I encourage principals to negotiate with their district supervisors to work on budgets that prioritize teacher raises. That priority supersedes hiring more central-office staff, updating software programs, or paying for the latest initiative that “guarantees” results.

The No. 1 factor that guarantees results is not a program; it is the people. And the people we hire need competitive salaries, comparable with those professions that require a license.

4. Be visible and present.

Principals need to be seen. It truly is that simple. We need to be in the halls, classrooms, and cafeteria as much as possible. For the limited time we have students and staff in the building, we need to be present for them.

“People first, paper second” is one of the first lessons I learned during my first stint in administration back in 2002. I often wait to address emails after my teachers and students have left the building.

In addition, I schedule time on my calendar to be visible in different halls each day. This ensures that I greet each staff member by name as much as possible every week.

Late winter and early spring demand a delicate balance between maintaining momentum to finish the year strong and planning ahead for next year’s success. Whether through active listening, offering relevant PD, advocating better pay, or being available, principals can ensure a full, thriving team of educators this year and next.

Related Tags:

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
Creating Resilient Schools with a Trauma-Responsive MTSS
Join us to learn how school leaders are building a trauma-responsive MTSS to support students & improve school outcomes.
School & District Management Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: We Can’t Engage Students If They Aren’t Here: Strategies to Address the Absenteeism Conundrum
Absenteeism rates are growing fast. Join Peter DeWitt and experts to learn how to re-engage students & families.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Quiz: Do You Know How Much Time Students Spend Learning at School?
Answer four true-or-false questions to see how much you know about the amount of time U.S. students spend in school and learning.
1 min read
Illustration of a larger than life clock with a professional adult keeping the hands of time from moving forward. Silhouetted group of students sitting at their desks with laptops open.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Work or Play? How Principals Are Spending Spring Break
Some principals are catching up on TV and traveling, while others are preparing for the last stretch of the school year.
1 min read
Photograph of sunglasses and a smartphone with an orange towel on the beach
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Research Is Shedding New Light on Superintendents to Help Them Succeed
An emerging body of research examining the leaders of the nation's 13,000 school districts is yielding actionable insights.
6 min read
Illustration of silhouetted group of business people and binary code in abstract bright lights
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Quiz Quiz Yourself: When Are District and School Leaders Most Likely to Read Emails?
Wondering when district and school leaders are most likely to check their emails? Take our quick quiz and discover the ideal times to send your messages for better engagement.
MB Data Emails 031622 GettyImages 1170828052
DenEmmanuel/iStock/Getty