Even clearly stated curricular goals will lose their potential to drive the efforts of a school if no effort is made to collect and analyze accurate information about student achievement that is reflective of those goals. Staff learn what principals value by observing what they pay attention to. Paying attention to the core values and priority goals of the school is the most important way for leaders to communicate effectively. When a school devotes considerable time and effort to the continual assessment of a particular condition or outcome, it notifies all members that the condition or outcome is considered important. Conversely, inattention to monitoring a particular factor in a school indicates that it is less than essential, regardless of how often its importance is verbalized.
Principals have numerous opportunities to pay attention to school improvement goals.
Agenda topics might include analyzing and sharing data results, problem solving barriers and solutions, recognizing efforts of staff and stakeholders and celebrating successes, sharing of successful practices, and surveying staff for awareness and understanding of efforts. You should communicate progress toward attainment of the school improvement goals and objectives in newsletters and other correspondence to staff, parents, and other stakeholders. You might reflect progress on goals on a bulletin board. You should not miss a communication opportunity to reinforce that your top instructional priority is your school improvement plan. As schools monitor student, staff and parent buy-in and the success of each strategy, the next step is to determine whether adjustments are needed.