Technolandy

Day 153 (of 2024/25) The holding of secrets… building off of Chris Kennedy’s share on the placing of PVPs…

Chris Kennedy’s weekly-ish blog is always worth reading. Today’s was taking on the topic that is being discussed in many districts right now – the placing and moving of Principals and Vice Principals: https://cultureofyes.ca/2025/05/12/the-art-and-science-of-placing-principals-and-vice-principals/

My only wish was that it was done in the style of Ol Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by TS Eliot…

The placing of principals is a difficult matter

It isn’t just one of your holiday games,

You may think at first I’m as mad as a hatter

When I tell you a pvp must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES… etc etc etc

But… it is also a time of secrets. The secrets of those who have put their names forward for jobs; especially if they are outside of catchment! And the secrets of those who are asked to be references…

And then the oversharing and worry about who knows what when where – to quote the grinch: the noise, noise, noise! (metaphorical as most plotting and asking for references comes in whispers and third party email apps)

After all, not everyone who is looking out is disgruntled. Sometimes there is curiosity – sometimes there are shoulders tapped… or mentions mentioned… or families hinting… or an interesting lunch at a pro-d event!

And, as much as Chris is making arrangements for which principal is being placed where (NOT using a dartboard) he does not know who is exploring… other options… and when the ‘plans unknown’ are unveiled… and sadly, sometimes there are not so good factors that happen… as I approach the anniversary of my principal fathers passing… there are many postings that arise because of tragedies…

As another poet wrote… The best laid plans o’ superintendents and HRs gang aft agley (often go awry).

But anticipation for next year, it’s. A good thing – how much time is a good amount… having had lunch with Andy Hargreaves once upon a time definitely influenced me; he was extolling the 5-7 years that Chris mentions, though he had an extra element of “3” when in a place of great change/chaos (to paraphrase) the 5 years when there was some change, and up to 7 when things were calm and predictable (I have no idea what that means in school…yeah yeah, the common element is … me… ) not that staying longer is necessarily a ‘bad’ thing – just that as educators we are not as effective without some change in our careers…

And I’m glad Chris is overthinking all the placements, as he summarizes… thoughtful leadership placements create the conditions where students can be successful —academically, socially, and emotionally—which is ultimately what all of this work is about.

But I can’t wait until some information is made unprivate so that I don’t have to keep secrets…!