Page 24 - EdViewptsSpring2020

Redefining Your Purpose

as a Central Office Leader:

Why Stepping Out of the Office Matters

By Nicole Shanklin, Director of Elementary Education and ESL Coordinator,
Belleville Public School District

Eight hours have passed, making top level decisions that affect schools. I am also the ESL Coordina-

and you can’t remember teaching and learning. It is essential tor, which in some districts is a job
by itself. If I do not actively carve out
that central office leaders know what
the last time you left your is going on in the district when making time in my day to work with teachers
decisions for students. Yes, there are and students, it is very easy to get
office. You had good intentions test scores to analyze, but test scores lost in a sea of emails and paperwork
for the day, but then the phone calls are only one of multiple measures that for hours-upon-hours. As Kirtman and
and emails began to roll in from the should influence curricular decisions. Fullan suggest, “...a failure to focus
weekend. “I’ll just use today to get Central office leaders need to see inward leaves you rudderless, a failure
caught up,” you think. Pretty soon learning in action. Inspirational action to focus on others renders you clue-
that one day becomes two, and no longer takes place in silos; it stems less, and a failure to focus outward
two becomes four. Eventually, the from collaborative spaces (Kouzes & may leave you blindsided" (2016, p.
exception becomes the norm, and Posner, 2017). 12). Our personal focus is often what
stepping out of the office is a rare Depending on the size of your district drives us, but we also need to think
treat, only to be indulged on occasion. and team, stepping out of the office of larger contexts. So what are some
Does this sound all too familiar? can be easier said than done. As ways that directors and other central
Although central office administration Director of Elementary Education, I office administrative staff can make
is not directly responsible for individual currently oversee seven elementary themselves seen without suffering
buildings, they are responsible for from burnout?

Educational Viewpoints -22- Spring 2020