This video vignette features the national School Administration Manager (SAM) Project, which helps principals understand how they use their time, gives them a staff person (the “SAM”) to whom operations responsibilities are delegated and provides them with strategies for what to do with their newly found time to lead efforts to improve instruction in the school. This video demonstrates how one school in Louisville, Kentucky, reshaped school leadership. Follow Principal Opal Dawson as she receives increasing support to get out of her office and into classrooms, strengthens relationships with teachers and gets to know students better than ever before. Witness a principal who meets with her SAM on a daily basis, gets professional support from a coach and uses new tools and strategies to spend more time on improving teaching and learning. Along with the video vignette, viewers can access a conversation guide to investigate the issues, strategies and actions raised in the video.
Published: Spring 2009
Publishing Organization: The Wallace Foundation
Document Format: Website with video
Additional Resources: For more information and research on the SAM Project, visit www.wallacefoundation.org/SAM or www.SAMsConnect.com
Click here to view the entire video.