0.6 Walker, j. (february 2009). superheroes or sams? a change in  (Page 5/7)

Survey results

The responses were received from principals at the elementary, middle level and high school level with 71% having been involved with the SAM project for 6-7 months, while one principal had been involved 8-9 months. The majority of principals (67%) had enrollments between 400-599 students and approximately 57% of the principals had between 7-10 years of administrative experience.

Responses indicated the inauguration of the SAM project was a decision made by both the superintendents (86%) and principals (86%) in the districts, while over half (57%) said the boards of education also had initial involvement with the decision. Reasons for participating in the project centered on refocusing the principal’s responsibilities in order to spend more time on instructional tasks and less time on management and ultimately to improve student achievement. One principal stated, “Our Superintendent saw this as a great opportunity to help Principals focus on student achievement and to remove many of the management tasks off our plate.”

Prior to their involvement with SAMs, principals found little time for classroom instruction. The most time-consuming and stressful part of their fragmented day dealt with attempting to satisfy everyone’s needs while negotiating complicated discipline issues, leaving limited time for instructional visits. Comments from the principals included:

• “Probably the most stressful part of my day was the daily grind of trying to balance instructional leadership with ongoing student/staff issues that occurred. The day was a series of starts and stops. There was no flow to the day. I basically went from one fire to the next…”
• With less than a full school year into the program for most principals, many (57%) indicated that there had been changes in the building’s operations and in their roles as principals:
• “We definitely have noticed a change in attitudes towards the principal’s role and involvement in the school. I would also say that the principal’s day has vastly changed. I know that I now live by my daily schedule.”
• “I have at least doubled my time on instructional tasks over a 4-month period…I talk to students about what they are doing in the classroom. I am aware of student issues related to frustrations in the classroom. Most importantly, I have changed my thinking. My focus is an instructional leader.”
• “Instruction and staff development is an improved focus for our staff as a result of the SAM taking on tasks that free up the Principal’s time.”
• “Paperwork and phone calls I am not bothered with.”
• “I am doing less discipline.”

The tasks for which SAMs were responsible include discipline, transportation, athletics, administering of standardized testing, office procedures and paper handling, supervision of students, classified staff, facilities issues, development of the schedule, and communication with parents. Approximately 86% of the respondents reported that SAMs were instrumental in handling student supervision and discipline, while over 40% noted SAMs were responsible for both the supervision of staff and office work.