“I’d have day planned and then something pops up…” Day in the life of a school principal

“[…] One of the initiatives that I started was every child at the school had to belong to a club, so that school is not just about the academics, but school is about developing the child holistically.

“At the school right now, we have an arts and crafts club, we have an agricultural science club, we have a home economics club that teaches them how to deal with food and also things like ironing, combing hair, and that sort of thing.

“We also have a choir at school. The children look forward to these activities that they can participate in and grow and develop…”

Wired868 highlights the day-to-day lives of everyday Trinbagonians in our ongoing series entitled: ‘A day in the life…’ Today, we speak with a primary school principal:

Can you tell me about yourself?

Well, I have been an educator for the past 29 years. I love reading, I love drama and the theatre, I love having fun, I love to laugh. I also like sleeping as well. I’ve been a principal for the past eight years in the primary school system.

Could you describe a typical start to your day as a school principal?

Well because I live far away from where my school is, it means that I have to get up very early in the morning to beat the traffic. So I’m up most times by 4.30am and I’m out the door just before 6.00am or a little after 6.00am.

When I get to school, I have to walk the plant to make sure that everything is in order: check to make sure the toilets are clean, check to make sure there’s water, check to make sure that the environment is safe for the children. The first role and function of a principal is to ensure the safety of a pupil, so that’s how my day starts.

Then, I would attend the assembly where we sing the national anthem, say the pledge, say the prayer, and have our motivational talks. After that, we have the children go into the classrooms and then I start with my secretary to see if there are any documents that I need to file or to work on.

Sometimes my day is punctuated with incidents. So my mind might be geared to completing my documents, but there’s an incident with a child […] or parents visiting. So sometimes I have my day planned, but it doesn’t always go that way.

Sometimes a teacher just is at her wits end, and she would come into my office and sit for a bit and talk and laugh and it eases its tension. Sometimes, I would do class checks, where I sit with the teacher and go through their documents and check the children’s books to make sure they are being kept in order. Sometimes I go and I sit in the class and I look at lessons that teachers teach.

There’s a lot a lot of paperwork involved in this job. Sometimes on a typical day, I may not eat lunch until 2 o’ clock, or 3 o’ clock because of how hectic my day is. And at the end of the day, I supervise the children that are left at school to ensure that each and every one gets out safely to get to their home safely. It’s a lot of work and a very full day.

Does your early morning commute affect your performance as a principal?

Oh, well sometimes they do because of an accident or two on the highway that causes gridlock or a backup of traffic which saps my energy—because I’m sitting in traffic and there’s nothing productive I could do. Sometimes when I get to work on days like that, I’m just tired and it takes me a while to collect myself and get going.

What inspired you to become a principal?

Well before becoming a principal, I was a teacher—because I really love children and I love teaching. After I spent a number of years in the classroom, I wanted to become a principal, where I can make more of an impact by instituting more programs to help students. I realised I could generally help more people as principal than if I had stayed in the classroom.

What initiatives have you started during your tenure as a school principal?

One of the initiatives that I started was every child at the school had to belong to a club, so that school is not just about the academics, but school is about developing the child holistically.

At the school right now, we have an arts and crafts club, we have an agricultural science club, we have a home economics club that teaches them how to deal with food and also things like ironing, combing hair, and that sort of thing. We also have a choir at school. The children look forward to these activities that they can participate in and grow and develop.

Another thing we instituted is celebrating all of the celebrations. We observe Eid, we observe Diwali, Christmas, Shouter Baptist Liberation Day, Independence, so that the children learn about their culture.

What do you think is the most challenging thing about being a principal?

The most challenging thing about being a principal is having to wear different hats and balance a lot of activities at the same time. It may mean interacting with staff, students, the Ministry of Education, and parents. It’s really challenging at times.

In terms of having a day planned in a particular sequence, and then something just spontaneously pops up and throws it off… It could be a little overwhelming. There’s a lot that we do that goes unnoticed.

In order for me to cope, I prioritize the things that need to get done now. The things that can be done tomorrow, I’ll leave them for tomorrow.

The most challenging experience I’ve had as a principal was dealing with the death of a student on her way to school. One morning, she was on her way to school, and she was crossing the main road and she got knocked down and died. That threw the whole school into mourning, and it was very hard, you know—dealing with students that were crying and teachers that were crying.

That was a really tough and challenging day, and I would never want to have another day like that.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a principal?

The most rewarding thing about being a principal is seeing students that would have passed through our school, later on in life succeeding. When they come back and share their stories with you, and you know that this child would have passed through the school from first year to standard five, it gives you joy in your heart.

[…] When the child comes back all happy and jolly to share: “Miss, this is who I am, this is what I’ve become, and I just came to say thank you.”

My most rewarding experience as a principal would have been in 2023. My school had a career day and one of my teachers had a brilliant idea to invite the president at the time, President Paula Mae Weekes. I wrote the letter and dropped it off and she actually agreed to come and address the students about their career choices! That was really an interesting day that the students, the staff, and myself would never forget.

Are there changes that you believe would enhance your role as a school principal?

Yes, more funding is always necessary to be able to carry out the programs and to handle the actual maintenance of the school. Money will always help that problem.

Also, if we can get specialized instructors. For example, if we can get someone to come in to do music with the children, if we could get someone to do arts and crafts with them, if we can get a guidance officer, another social worker, you know—more special education instructors, more people to come in to help the students with their learning.

How can parents and students help?

Well, parents in particular need to work with the school to support their child, because we cannot do it alone. Students need the support of their parents at home, to be able to sit with them and encourage them. Parents may not know the answer to the homework, but make sure that all the questions are done and that they are done neatly.

Parents need to come visit the school when we have meetings, or just pop in and check up on their children and liaise with the teacher to find out how the child is going. Parents need to be involved in school life, so if there are school activities, parents can come—whether it’s a fundraiser or a PTA meeting, parents need to turn up to support their children.

Students on the other hand need to be able to listen and follow instructions, and participate in school life as well. Not all activities require students to pay, but they have to be willing to volunteer their time and their interest and be able to try new things to discover their talents and skills.

What advice would you give to anyone aspiring to become a principal?

Anyone aspiring to be a principal should know the laws and the regulations that govern the education system. They should be familiar with the documents that are required to be used on a daily basis and prepared to seek advice from other principals. Sometimes when you’re not sure of what’s going on, be prepared to sit in a lonely seat, because it’s lonely being at the top.

Find time to rest and relax, and be able to provide a listening ear to your teachers, to your students, the parents and your community.