Supporting Your Principals Through the First Year of Implementation

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Supporting Principals Before Implementation

Develop a Shared District Vision

  • Engage principals in articulating how InsightMath aligns with district priorities and goals
  • Create consistent messaging about the "why" behind the adoption that principals can use with staff
  • Help principals understand how this program connects to other district initiatives
  • Co-create success metrics that will be used across all campuses

Build Principal Content Knowledge

  • Facilitate deep dives into the research behind visual-first, brain-compatible learning
  • Provide opportunities for principals to experience the Problem-Solving Process firsthand
  • Guide principals through key mathematical progressions within and across grade levels
  • Help principals identify critical shifts from previous mathematics instruction

Establish Implementation Networks

  • Create principal learning communities focused on mathematics leadership
  • Pair principals with complementary strengths and implementation readiness
  • Develop cross-campus observation protocols specific to InsightMath
  • Establish regular forums for sharing early wins and working through challenges

Plan Differentiated Principal Support

  • Assess each principal's instructional leadership capacity in mathematics
  • Identify campus-specific factors that may impact implementation
  • Create tailored coaching plans based on individual principal needs
  • Schedule strategic check-ins with varying frequency based on leadership experience

Design District-Wide Systems

  • Develop consistent expectations for campus implementation timelines
  • Create centralized resource management systems for program materials
  • Establish district-level professional learning sequences for different stakeholders
  • Build assessment and data review calendars that align across campuses

Supporting Principals During Initial Implementation

Provide "Just-in-Time" Leadership Coaching

  • Conduct side-by-side classroom observations focused on key program elements
  • Model quality feedback conversations for principals to use with teachers
  • Guide principals in recognizing and reinforcing effective implementation
  • Help principals articulate connections between observations and professional learning

Facilitate Cross-Campus Learning

  • Host regular principal forums to share emerging successes and challenges
  • Coordinate cross-campus visits focused on specific implementation elements
  • Create structured protocols for principals to analyze implementation evidence
  • Develop a system for sharing resources and solutions between campuses

Support Data-Informed Leadership

  • Guide principals in analyzing early implementation data from Unit 0
  • Help principals establish effective data discussion protocols with teacher teams
  • Model how to connect observed classroom practices to student learning outcomes
  • Assist principals in making initial adjustments to implementation support

Enhance Parent and Community Communication

  • Provide principals with consistent messaging about the program's approach
  • Support principals in planning effective curriculum nights and parent events
  • Help principals address emerging questions or concerns from stakeholders
  • Coordinate district-wide communication to complement campus-level efforts

Monitor Implementation Consistency

  • Conduct calibration walkthroughs across multiple campuses
  • Identify variations in implementation that need to be addressed
  • Share patterns and trends with principals while maintaining confidentiality
  • Work with principals to develop coherent approaches to common challenges

Supporting Principals Throughout the Year

Deepen Mathematical Leadership Capacity

  • Conduct topic-specific learning walks focused on key mathematical practices
  • Facilitate principal study of student work samples across campuses
  • Guide principals in identifying and developing teacher leaders
  • Support principals in refining their understanding of mathematical progressions

Build Accountability Systems

  • Help principals develop appropriate implementation expectations for different career stages
  • Guide principals in creating observation systems that highlight growth over time
  • Support principals in connecting teacher evaluation to program implementation
  • Co-create protocols for monitoring implementation fidelity without micromanagement

Foster Collaborative Problem-Solving

  • Facilitate principal problem-solving sessions around common implementation challenges
  • Create a repository of successful strategies and adaptations
  • Guide principals in developing targeted intervention approaches aligned with program design
  • Support principals in managing the balance between program fidelity and teacher autonomy

Analyze Impact Patterns

  • Help principals connect implementation indicators to student performance data
  • Guide cross-campus analysis of common assessment results
  • Support principals in identifying implementation bright spots and replicating success
  • Assist principals in making data-informed adjustments to implementation plans

Plan for Sustainability

  • Develop principal succession planning related to mathematical leadership
  • Support principals in creating sustainable professional learning communities
  • Guide principals in planning for teacher turnover and new staff onboarding
  • Help principals incorporate program philosophy into campus improvement plans

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