It amazes me what I go through as an AP in my school. From the minute I step into the office to the minute I leave. For one, I try my best to do the subbing before I sleep for those who have taken a personal leave or for the ones who are sick and fighting a flu. That for me is an extra 10 minutes of sleep. The minute I wake up I take my phone off of silent mode so that I don’t miss any messages about who is not able to come in. If anyone does happen to message, while my kids are having their breakfast, I continue planning the subbing for the current day. We leave for school and for anyone that messages me on my way to school I just add it onto the document and then find their coverage in order to send it to my staff. I try my best to send it by 7am to give my teachers a heads up as I don’t like sending anything at the last minute when I know they are busy preparing for their classes.
When that is done, I check my calendar for the day and see what meetings I have scheduled. My staff usually start walking in from 6:30 onwards. At any given time I get teachers walking in asking questions or helping them out with certain dilemmas. At 7:15 the bell rings and I head out to greet teachers who are on duty and students who run to hug me. While doing that I might get a teacher looking for me, a parent who needs to see me or students waiting for me because they were playing aggressively. The bell rings at 7:35 and then everyone lines up ready to begin their day of learning.
Back in the office if I have no one waiting for me, I finish whatever I need to finish before my scheduled meetings and try to have my breakfast. My ideal morning would be to be in classrooms during Guided Reading for 10 minutes and try to see a grade each day but that RARELY happens. While working in my office, I either receive a message from a teacher, have students walk into my office or my phone will be ringing. That’s the norm. Everything happens all at once. WHY? Is beyond me. I am definitely becoming quite the multitasker. I step out into the hallways and whoever sees me stops to chit chat or to ask certain questions. During a meeting, I normally receive messages from teachers and I try my best to respond on the spot. That could happen every 5 to 15 minutes. I am still focused during the meeting. When the meeting is done, the bell rings for recess and I make it a point to make my rounds at least once. I like to ensure that all duty zones are covered and if anyone forgets I call them to remind them.If everyone is in their zones, I try to touch base with my staff. I do that while many students stop me to say something or to solve their problems. I am 95% out during recess 1 and 2. I do not schedule any meetings during recesses. If by any chance I cannot make it, I ask one of my counsellors to be outside. Those little things make a difference!
Mid to end of day is the exact same routine. There could be a parent who wants to see me, students in my office, or having a meeting and with all that happening I am answering messages or answering my office phone. Next thing you know, the bell rings at 2:30 and the student day is over. However, this is where for me I feel like it just begins.I get to do my work from 2:30pm to 4pm without 101 interruptions in order to meet my own deadlines. I always get my staff members saying to me when they walk in, “remind me never to be an admin” or “Dana, I don’t know how you do your job and keep your head up high, you make it look so easy!” If they only knew how it’s far from that. It’s so hard changing hats every second for whomever walks into my office.
That is my typical day in paradise… DO I love it? YES! Why? Because I make sure I am ALWAYS there for my staff when they need me and I make sure that my students are happy and safe and love coming to school each day!
How does your AP day look/feel like? 🙂
