A Day In The Life Of A Principal At Legacy College Prep Ednovate Charter Schools
A principal's day begins early with "a quick pulse check" on staff and students, ensuring preparedness and a welcoming environment. The remainder of the day involves a mix of meetings—including coaching sessions and parent consultations—classroom observations, and preparation for upcoming events and team meetings, all while supporting students and staff.
Leadership, Communication, Problem-solving, Teamwork, Observation Skills
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Evelyn Castro
Principal
Legacy College Prep- Ednovate Charter Schools
UC Santa Barbara, 2009
Loyola Marymount University- Masters in Administration and Admin Credential
Anthropology, Sociology, Ethnic & Related Studies
Education
Education
Honors Student, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. A principal's day begins early, often before students arrive, with a focus on ensuring staff and student well-being.
2. Throughout the day, principals balance various responsibilities, including coaching meetings with staff, classroom observations, addressing student/parent concerns, and supervising lunch.
3. Principals spend time on data analysis and preparation for meetings and future projects to ensure smooth school operations and improvement
Transcript
What does a day in the life of a principal look like?
The day in the life of a principal starts pretty early. You're often one of the first people to arrive at school in the mornings.
I like to do a quick pulse check on our two main stakeholder groups. This involves a quick walkthrough, checking in on our teachers and making sure our staff is okay. Sometimes teachers call out sick, so I ensure we have substitutes ready to go.
In terms of students, I like to be where they are in the morning, right before they transition to classes. It's about saying good morning and being present. Once the day starts, it's about ensuring our kids are in class on time and ready to learn.
Every day varies, but typical things that happen throughout the day include meetings, such as coaching meetings with the people I support directly. An example of this could be having a one-on-one meeting with our assistant principal of instruction.
I also conduct classroom observations throughout each week. Depending on the day or the week, this may include meeting with a parent and a student, perhaps for a student who needs additional support.
Lunch supervision is also part of the routine, which we rotate amongst the admin team. I also check in with teachers periodically, through more formal check-ins or meetings, to see how things are going or to problem-solve any areas.
Lastly, I prep for future events and projects. This also includes prepping for team meetings, such as our admin meetings, where I pull data and prepare the agenda. We need to make sure we build time for these tasks throughout the day.