Essay: Unfortunate Enough To Sit Down With My Assistant Principal

I was fortunate enough to sit down with my Assistant Principal and ask ten questions that were important to me as I began to think about a career in administration. I have structured the assignment in a question, answer, comment and theory format.

Question
What is the number one responsibility of your position?
Answer
There are many responsibilities required. I implement policies, procedures and/or processes for the purpose of providing direction with mandated requirements. I manage a variety of school administrative functions such as student disciplinary policy, school schedule and attendance. Participating in meetings, workshops and seminars for to convey and/or gather information is usually one of the more uninteresting parts of the day. But the number one responsibility is making sure that all students are in a safe, nurturing and educationally sound environment.
Comment …show more content…
She makes it no secret that she is bogged down with paperwork, just like the teachers. She typically looks extremely busy, but has verbally said feel free to ask for help, even if my demeanor doesn’t say so. I appreciate that attitude because she has a very stern looking exterior. People often feel like they don’t want to bother her. I always go to her when necessary and feel we have a better relationship because of it.
Theory
This administrator subscribes to Maslow’s Hierarchy Theory. The first word in her answer regarding the number one responsibility was “safe”. Safety is always a concern of this administrator. Our students’ wear school logo uniforms, safety vest and identification cards. She is always doing bussing with the paraprofessionals. She is also around during lunch to make sure the children have lunch and are eating. The concerns for the physiological and safety needs are evident in her bussing, meal and identification concerns.