Well, spring finally seems to be upon us. As we prepare to finish off this school year, we must also look forward to next year and the challenges it will bring. Chief among those challenges will be the implementation of CT SEED, the teacher and administrator evaluation system that must be in place. As a principal, you and your colleagues will be evaluated by the superintendent and many of you will evaluate an assistant principal and/or department heads as well as teachers in your buildings.

CT SEED stands for Connecticut’s System for Educator Evaluation and Development. More informally, the state department refers to these initials as standing for supporting, empowering, encouraging, and developing. This is a critical point. Principals, especially new principals and struggling principals, will need assistance to develop and refine their administrative skills and abilities, and to thoroughly understand their job which is to provide effective instructional leadership.

The CAS Executive Coaching Program is a valuable resource that should be considered as districts contemplate how to best offer this support. The CAS Executive Coaching Program offers embedded professional development that is uniquely designed for each individual principal to address the particular needs identified through the evaluation process.

New principals can be supported through this first year as a principal implementing the evaluation process as well as benefitting from on-site guidance in the critical early years in a principals career.

For more information about the coaching program, contact Mike Buckley at mbuckley@casciac.org or Susan Kennedy at skennedy@casciac.org.