Speaking at the National Conference on School Leadership, Travis Moss, assistant principal at Spring Canyon Middle School in Springville, Utah, admitted he was “white-knuckling it” in his first year as an administrator — facing challenging and sometimes head-scratching situations, according to an article in K-12 Dive.
“You learn a lot from getting lost,” says Moss, who co-presented with Brittany Lundell, an assistant principal at Springville Junior High School, in the same school district as Moss’ school. Lundell was an assistant principal at Spring Canyon Middle School alongside Moss until recently.
Moss and Lundell offered several tips they’ve used to help them:
- Find your North Star. To remember the support he’s received in his personal and professional life, and how now he must be the source of support at the school, Moss taped the mantra “Walk them home” to his office wall.
“Others have walked me home,” Moss says. “Now I am blessed to do the same.”
- Have a co-pilot. Lundell says when she started as a new administrator, she thought it would show weakness if she asked for help. But she realized that her success depended on forging relationships with others who she could trust, lean on and learn from.
“(It’s) a lot less scary when you know that you have a good co-pilot,” she says.
- Charge your daily batteries. Instead of being distracted throughout the day, Moss sets certain times of the day to check emails. He also plays music as students arrive at school, creating a pleasant moment for himself and students as the day begins. “I still have all these angry parents, I still have all this other stuff, but my battery is charged because I prioritize myself getting ready for the day,” Moss says.
Moss and Lundell also found their bearings as administrators as student engagement activities were expanded — and school spirit increased.
The school set up photo booth-like backdrops, let students decide what costumes administrators would wear on special days, and held a fancy New Year’s party for the first day back after winter break.
“We were excited and surprised at how much it strengthened our school and made it a fun place to be,” Lundell says.
K-12 Dive
