Principal Mentoring

Carl J. Weingartner has been an educator for over 46 years. He taught 11 years at the junior high and elementary levels in Gallup-McKinley County School District, Gallup, NM, Midwest City/Del City School District, Midwest City, OK and Albuquerque Public Schools District, Albuquerque, NM. He served as a junior high and elementary principal for 22 years in the Albuquerque Public Schools. He considers himself a practitioner rather than a researcher. In 1994, he was contracted by the Albuquerque Public Schools on a part-time basis to establish and coordinate the Extra Support for Principals mentor program for first-year principals. The program has involved and supported over 210 first-year principals. He has become active in promoting mentor programs across the nation by writing and contributing to several organizational Web sites. He has written or contributed to articles and books for the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National School Boards Association, the George Lucas Educational Foundation, and to the works of independent authors. He has been asked to advise or consult with over 65 individuals or institutions across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He has been active during his professional career in promoting education and the principalship. He served as president of several educational organizations including the National Association of Elementary School Principals/SCA-Zone VIII, the New Mexico Association of Elementary School Principals, and the Albuquerque Public Schools Principals Association. He held several offices and served on executive boards and principal committees at the national, zone, state, and district levels. Weingartner has been a member of National Association of Elementary School Principals throughout his career as a principal and has maintained his membership since his retirement in 1994. He has received honors and recognitions, including the "National Distinguished Principal Award" from the US Department of Education in 1987. He has received "Outstanding School Administrator Awards" from the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Elementary School Principals-Zone VIII, the New Mexico Association of Elementary School Principals and the New Mexico School Administrators Association. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from East Central State University at Ada, Oklahoma. His postgraduate work in school administration was completed at the University of New Mexico.

Foreword by John C. Daresh Preface Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction 1. Advocating for the Beginning Principal Why Mentoring in Our District? The Anatomy of a Beginning Principal Professional Organizations Scenario: Sharing the Wealth Key Points Recommended Reading 2. The Beginning of a Mentor Program APS District Demographics The Birth of the Albuquerque Mentor Program Budget Justification Selecting a Coordinator Key Points Recommended Readings 3. A Work in Process The First Stages of Development Vision and Mission Statements Program Guidelines Job Descriptions Program Process A Total Support System for New Principals Key Points Recommended Readings 4. Program Implementation Step 1. The Process Begins Step 2. The Initial Coordinator-Mentee Meeting Step 3. Conferring With the Mentor Step 4. The Planning Session Step 5. The Other 5 Percent Key Points Recommended Readings 5. Simple Program Enhancements Make a Difference Congratulate Celebrate Communicate Appreciate The Morale Factor Scenarios: Extra Support for Supporters Key Points Recommended Readings 6. Applying the Mentoring Concept to Small School Districts Organize a Study Committee Purpose of the Study Committee Scenario: A Simple Form of Mentoring Key Points Recommended Reading 7. The Accountability Factor End-of-the-Year Evaluations Alternative Assessments Program Evaluations ESP Ten-Year Program Assessment (1995-2005) Key Points Recommended Readings 8. The Art of Mentoring the Beginning Principal Concepts for Effective Mentoring Establishing the Mentor Pool Suggestions for Mentors Working With Mentees Mentoring Versus Coaching A Coaching Concept Simplicity Level-to-Level Mentoring Communicate, Communicate, Communicate Scenario: A Mentor's Wisdom Key Points Recommended Readings 9. Finding Time to Become an Instructional Leader It's a Matter of Time Time Management Suggestions The Importance of Strong Instructional Leadership Demographic Data for Instructional Implementation The Evaluation Process Scenario: Reciprocal Mentoring Key Points References and Recommended Readings 10. Caution, Pitfalls Ahead! It's About Time The Funding Dilemma Plan, Plan, Plan Do Not Take Stress and Burnout Lightly Scenario: A Heavy Load Superintendents and Upper-Level Administration Scenario: Solve the Problem Key Points References and Recommended Readings 11. Reflections References Index

"Carl Weingartner is one of the leaders in the field of mentoring programs for new principals. He shares his thinking about mentoring, materials he used in his program for over 10 years, and stories of mentoring that exemplify the ideas he discusses." -- Susan Villani, Senior Program/Research Associate "Weingartner practices what he preaches, and in this volume he shares lessons learned from his many years of running one of the most successful principal mentoring programs in the nation. His practical and straightforward approach is grounded in the day-to-day realities and exigencies of the school principal." -- Lois J. Zachary, President "Weingartner has been an outstanding professional for over 30 years, and he has done an exemplary job in developing and implementing this mentoring program. I would have liked to have had a program such as this in the beginning years of my experience as a principal." -- John B. Mondragon, Professor Emeritus "Provides a rich description of the ins and outs of developing, delivering, and monitoring mentoring programs for beginning principals. Not only will these insights assist staff developers in improving their programs, but beginning principals will learn how to better manage their time, become more involved in curriculum and instruction, and reduce their stress and tendency to burn out from the hectic pace of the job." -- Bruce Barnett, Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies