Episode Details

Curt Rees, principal of Northern Hills Elementary in Onalaska, Wisconsin, explains how strengths based leadership and relationships work together in his school. He gives credit to others, asks for help where he is weak, and was told as a new principal at 31 to win hearts and minds before trying anything big.

Rees shares what that looks like. He coaches new teachers with lessons he saw in other classrooms instead of saying, when I was a teacher. Fifth graders produce weekly videos for the school Facebook page. A sign over his door reads, You are responsible for the energy you bring into this space.

What you'll learn

• Give a new teacher feedback by pointing to a lesson you saw in another room two days ago, then connect the two teachers.
• Pick one or two social tools, such as Twitter, and read your timeline only for what interests you instead of trying to read everything.
• Post student-made videos and photos on the school Facebook page so parents who cannot visit see the good moments.
• Name the jobs that are not your strength and hand them to the staff member who is strong there, as Rees does with scheduling.
• Spend time getting to know people and pay attention to the leaders in the building before you try anything big.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome and thanks for 3,000 downloads
• 2:44 Managing your time on Twitter and building a network
• 6:20 Technology is about people, not the tech
• 8:55 Student videos, Facebook and Happy Day at school
• 12:53 Admitting mistakes and leading with strengths
• 18:00 Learning from other classrooms and giving credit
• 22:05 Rees on the Techlandia podcast
• 26:10 Be well read and brag about your kids

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Questions this episode answers

How should a new principal build trust with staff?
Rees's superintendent told him at 31 to spend time getting to know people, pay attention to the leaders in the building, and win hearts and minds before jumping in with anything crazy. Rees took that advice, and he also gives credit freely, because he says staff then do the same.

How can you give a teacher feedback without saying, when I was a teacher?
Rees taught only four years, so after an observation he points new teachers to what he saw in another teacher's room days earlier and connects them. He says he learned this by evaluating teachers with 20 or 30 years of experience who clearly knew what they were doing.

How can a busy principal use Twitter without it taking over?
Rees says to pick one or two social tools and skip the rest. On Twitter, check your notifications for messages to you and skim the timeline only for what you want. He says the value is in the connections, such as meeting Bill Ferriter in person after talking online.

About Curt Rees

Principal of Northern Hills Elementary School in Onalaska, Wisconsin, and co-host of the Techlandia Podcast.

Links and resources

• Sanebox sponsor banner
• Sanebox sponsor link
• Transformative Principal website
• Transformative Principal on Stitcher
• Refer a principal form
• Best tools for busy administrators survey
• Bill Ferriter on Twitter
• John Pederson on Twitter

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