Principal Leadership Induction Program
Most new school principals start out with little administrative experience and are often left relatively on their own to figure out their new job. Mentoring programs for new teachers are well established but very little has been available for administrators. Usually a new principal is assigned a buddy-principal in the district, but the job is so demanding that there is often little time for these principals to assist each other.
The Principal Leadership Induction Program (PLI), sponsored by the PA Academy for the Profession of Teaching and Learning and the PA Department of Education (PDE) has been created to fill this need. PLI's goal is to provide public school principals with a support mechanism, and PA Academy and PDE are inviting principals and administrators to become involved.
PLI matches up new principals with experienced school administrators to mentor them as they learn the responsibilities of school administration. In addition to the mentoring program, which is for public school principals who have been in their present position for five or fewer years, PLI will also support principals who have more than five years in their current job but are involved in special circumstances. Some of these circumstances may be starting school again after a strike, changing a high school from a typical 10-period day to block scheduling, helping heal a school’s staff and student body after a tragedy, building a new school, or pulling a school out of academic trouble. Mentors who have gone through various experiences will be available to assist participating principals with specific suggestions related to the special circumstance.
The program provides a minimum of one face-to-face visit a month and weekly contact through e-mail, phone, or fax. These meetings provide time for frank conversation about the challenges of the position and experienced council to meet challenges, all kept within the mentoring relationship. Mentors are paid for their time but the service is offered at no cost to the school or district. Dr. James Bonner has recently been chosen as the coordinator of the program. He is responsible for setting the proper parameters for the program, matching up principals with mentors, and training.
The intention of this program is to bring out the potential in new principals that their schools and districts have already recognized by selecting them to move into administration. Those involved with PLI are excited about the possibilities that it offers. With the support of experienced school administrators as mentors, new principals will have the opportunity to be in a program that can help them develop productive ways to balance the demands of their position and ensure effectiveness. Through this program, a talented group of principals will be convened. This group should also help to strengthen public education in Pennsylvania.
PLI is presently looking for protégés and mentors. At this time, only principals or educators who will be a principal next year will be considered as protégés. There are possible plans to branch out to include vice principals in the future. If you are interested in being a mentor or protégé, contact Jim Bonner.
For more information on PLI, including online registration to become a mentor or protégé, presentations, approval forms, and mentors' contact log, visit the Principal Leadership Induction Program website .