by John Caggiano
There are two types of people who most frequently apply for central office curriculum leadership positions: those coming straight from the classroom and those with experience in school leadership. Both can experience a kind of “culture shock” as they realize all the ways that central office leadership is different from working in a school. School administrators have a smaller scope of responsibility but a greater amount of formal authority. After all, they directly evaluate almost everyone who works for them in a school building. Moving to a larger scope of responsibility with less direct influence to implement strategies requires a different skill-set, and not understanding the importance of these skills can trip up a new central office administrator.
Below are some of my own “lessons learned” that can help school leaders navigate the transition successfully.
Understand the Big Picture
If you are coming from outside the district, it is important to take the time to familiarize yourself with the district’s vision, mission, and strategic goals. You will also want to clearly understand how your role fits into the larger organizational structure and how your work contributes to the district’s overall objectives.
Build Relationships
It is important to forge strong relationships with colleagues, department heads, and other central office staff. Cultivating open lines of communication, seeking input from others, and collaborating effectively will be important to achieve shared goals. A lot of school leaders who make the transition to central office struggle in this area, because they are used to ‘calling the shots’ and delegating duties to those they supervise. Unless you are serving as the superintendent, it is highly unlikely that you will be supervising all of the staff you will be working alongside in your new role.
Learn the Landscape
If you are coming from outside the district, it is important to take the time to learn about district policies, procedures, and processes. Familiarize yourself with budgeting, resource allocation, curriculum development, and other key areas relevant to your role.
Embrace Data-Informed Decision Making
Using data to inform your decision-making processes and drive continuous improvement is an important skillset for school leaders to possess when transitioning to a central office role. For example, often principals transition into a role where they are now supervising other principals. As such, analyzing student achievement data, demographic trends, and other metrics to identify areas for growth and allocate resources strategically will significantly increase one’s effectiveness and impact in the new position.
Communicate Effectively
Communicating clearly and transparently with stakeholders, including principals, teachers, parents, and community members will be paramount to your success in your new role. Keeping stakeholders informed about district initiatives, decisions, and priorities, and soliciting feedback to ensure their voices are heard will aid in your decision-making and help you to build relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
Lead with Vision
In your new role, you will more than likely supervise staff. It will be important to articulate a clear vision for your department or area of responsibility, aligned with the district’s broader goals and objectives. You will also want to work to Inspire others to rally behind this vision and empower them to contribute to its realization. While principals focus on leading individual schools, central office positions often require leaders to articulate a clear vision and direction for the entire district. Principals transitioning to central office roles learn to inspire and motivate others toward a shared vision of academic excellence and equity for all students.
Be Adaptable
Embrace change and remain flexible as you navigate new challenges and opportunities. It is also important to remain open to new ideas, approaches, and perspectives, and be willing to adjust your strategies as needed to achieve desired outcomes.
Stay Connected to Schools
Maintain a connection to the schools and the students you serve. Visit schools regularly, engage with principals and teachers, and stay attuned to the needs and challenges they face on the ground.
Balancing Local Needs with District Priorities
School leaders moving to central office positions must strike a balance between addressing the unique needs of individual schools and advancing district-wide initiatives and priorities. They learn to align school-level goals with district goals while still supporting autonomy and innovation at the school level.
In Conclusion
Remember that transitioning to a central office position is a journey, and it may take time to fully acclimate to your new role. Be patient with yourself, stay focused on your goals, and leverage your experiences as a principal to make a positive impact at the district level.
Dr. John Caggiano is the founder and CEO of eObservations. He currently also serves as the Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Staff for Hampton City Schools. He can be reached at john@eobservations.com.