100 Posts in 100 Days
Today is all about warm welcomes.
Today I am welcoming a new administrative assistant to my department. Everyone working in a school or department knows how important the administrative assistants are. He/She/They are THE person to know! School leaders rely on them to keep us organized and on track. The assistants manage us and take care of all the details so that we can focus our energy on things only we can do. Teachers in schools know that the assistants are the gateway to almost anything. Need a meeting with the principal or department lead, special supplies or materials, info about who to talk to, help with a child who is having a rough day…the administrative assistant will know just how to help. Administrative assistants are the first person a parent sees or talks to when he/she/they need assistance or have a problem. And students always know that the administrative assistant is a person they can rely on.
Thinking of welcoming my new assistant made me recall my first day on campus of my 2nd principalship. I was hired very late and also had to navigate leaving an existing position. So I arrived at my new building, only 2 weeks before the first student day. I expected to enter the school, meet my office staff and custodial staff and begin to get oriented.
What I walked in to was a dark building. Not a soul to be found. Unopened delivery boxes and mail everywhere in the main office. It seemed strange as I had seen on the district calendar that this was the day school offices should be opening back up.
There was a computer on the desk in my office that I could turn on, but I had no login information. All I could achieve was a blank screen. I found a box with stacks of class placement cards. There was a card for each student in the school and they were grouped together, held by rubber bands and labeled with a sticky note with a teacher’s name on the stack. Five of the stacks had “unfilled position” as the teacher name.
I heard a noise in the hall. I called out and got a response. It was our school custodian. After introductions, I inquired about our office staff. “Oh, didn’t anyone tell you? She is on a medical leave. She won’t be back until November.” That was quickly followed up with, “And, I just put in my paperwork to be considered for a promotion to a middle school.”
Stunned.
And that brings me back to our new administrative assistant and her first day. I am determined she will not be stunned. She will not be stunned by starting two weeks before teachers and three weeks before students. She will not be stunned by not knowing who to call or how to reach out. First impressions matter.
I haven’t been on campus since mid-June, but I’ve been in contact with our HR department and with our new assistant. We’ve collaborated. She has a first day schedule. She will take care of paperwork and information with HR, she will get set up with all of her logins and information from IT. She will begin to meet the other administrative assistants on campus and have a campus tour. And, she and I will meet. In person. Yes, I’m returning earlier this year than any other year at my current school, in part, to extend a warm welcome.
If you’ve been reading along with 100 Posts in 100 Days, you know that interdependence is on the forefront of my mind. I know that I am going to need to rely on her in the weeks and months to come. I want her to know that she can rely on me, too. And big thanks to our executive assistant, HR, IT, and other departments who have helped to create a first day schedule for our new team member. This is how we work together.
I know I’m not the only one welcoming new faculty and staff in the coming days. If you’re looking for some great messages to greet your new colleagues on their first day, check out this list of “The 30 Best Welcome Messages for New Employees” by Calendly.
Oh, and how the heck did I get that office open, those teachers hired, those students in classes, and school started in 2 weeks? I’ve got 21 more posts to go and there were about a million leadership decisions in that short time. I can guarantee that more details will emerge very soon. 😀