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Making a Good Staff into a Great Staff

Any staff can be a good staff, but it takes work to make a good staff into a great staff. One of the keys is for them to believe that they are a great staff. When I assumed my first principalship last year, I realized that one of my most important goals was to keep my staff motivated and enthusiastic. I never started a staff meeting without first saying "Good morning," and thanking them for being there. During the meeting, I always made a point of mentioning something positive about a staff member that had been brought to my attention by another staff member. In fact, the simple act of telling someone that they had done a good job in front of their peers, their students, or their students' parents turned out to be one of the primary means I used to keep my staff energized every day.

I made a point of trying to go into every class every day to see what was going on, to get to know students, and to see how my staff interacted with them. Teachers became comfortable knowing I was there to support them.

I learned that many people prefer to be recognized in writing, so I made a point of putting into writing my positive observations and words of encouragement. I also contacted the local newspapers and other media outlets to highlight staff accomplishments.

The message that I tried to convey to my staff was that I was going to be there for them, both on the good days and the not-so-good days. I tried to emphasize that we all have our ups and downs in life, but that they were all special to me. My job was to take care of them, and they would in turn take care of our students. That's why I've invested so much of my time and energy to become their number one cheerleader.

Patrick J. Bingham, Principal, David A. Harrison Elementary School, Disputanta, Virginia