One Day Teach For America Alumni Magazine

Perspectives

Staying True to Our Principals

Success at school and at home? KIPP executive director Susan Schaeffler (Baltimore ’92) says principals can have it all—with the right support.

Staying True to Our Principals

Can successful school leaders have personal lives? Yes, says KIPP’s Susan Schaeffler, but they need our support.

By Susan Schaeffler (Baltimore '92)

As a mother of three, executive director of a KIPP school cluster in Washington, D.C., and a former school leader, I know firsthand the challenges of balancing a passion for working with children and the responsibility of raising one’s own. I often find myself trying to answer tough questions like, Do I attend my daughter’s first day of school or the opening day of a brand-new school? The answer is, I do both, but smart planning and a supportive work environment are essential.

A primary concern of my job is ensuring that all of our school leaders can do the same—that they have the resources and support they need to enjoy long, sustainable careers. For principals juggling school pressures and family life, the balance can be difficult to strike, and a recurring refrain I hear from prospective school leaders is the worry that having a family and raising children cannot be reconciled with the demands of school leadership.

From my experience, though, there are three key factors in fostering a strong school system that has the flexibility to employ those who are parents and to excel because of it.

The first requirement is ensuring that communication practices are open and policies are transparent. This starts by not shunning people with outside lives but rather embracing the value they bring to the profession as parents. Since the intensity and long hours required of school leaders are unquestionably demanding, it is crucial to actively support principals and teachers as they try to balance their work and personal lives.

Schaeffler strikes a balance between home and school.

When I was a principal at KEY, I worked out a plan with my vice principal, Sarah Hayes (Metro D.C. ’99), so that I could perform early-morning duties while she oversaw after-school responsibilities. Not only did this allow me to get home to see my kids, but it also gave Sarah the leadership opportunities she deserved. She now serves as the school’s principal.

Teachers, too, can have staggered schedules or part-time positions and be compensated accordingly. This openness and flexibility has yielded low turnover and made KIPP D.C. a place where educators want to work for the long haul. Having open discussions about where people are in their personal lives and planning early for scheduled leave contribute to organizational success.

The second factor is what I call bench depth: Simply put, how many people within the organization could do your job? There must be an organizational emphasis on giving promising educators the chance to grow into the role of school leader over time. Aspiring KIPP principals train for an entire year through course work, residencies, and start-up work in their communities. This structure provides them with the opportunity to gain leadership experience while receiving support, and gives the organization the flexibility to accommodate the temporary absence of the school leader because of illness, maternity leave, or other family matters.

The final requirement in enabling talent to flourish both as parents and professionals is for the administration to strive for and encourage life balance in all areas for all employees. An organization that finds ways to support not only mothers and fathers but also people who are taking care of sick parents, grandparents, or even themselves will thrive in the long run. This support may be captured in a policy, but it must also be embodied in the school’s culture and in the attitude of the administration.

I work with four outstanding female school leaders, all of whom want to raise a family someday. It is wise to invest in and support work-life balance for all educators—male and female—and the best way to do this is by building sound school systems that have open communication, bench depth, and balance.