The first semester has come to an end. For some schools, it’s recess; for others, vacation. However, for all of them, it’s time to take stock of the path they’ve taken and, from there, envision new paths for the second semester. At this point, school administrators play a crucial role, as it falls to them to realign with their staff at all levels regarding the goals set at the beginning of the year, celebrate achievements, and jointly redefine strategies based on the objectives that were not met.

This is a time when it is necessary to review the objectives and goals of each sector and, based on that, assess what has been achieved and what has not, so that—together with the team involved—the causes of failure can be analyzed and new actions defined to realign efforts toward achieving the goals.

For this stage, transparent and clear communication is essential, with objective data on the progress made presented; it is also necessary to assess each employee’s involvement and the potential new commitments that must be made in order to achieve the objectives.

This strategy involves examining the administrative issues in each sector, the pedagogical work that prioritizes student learning, and the performance evaluation of institutional staff; after all, for institutional goals to be achieved, it is essential that investment in the school’s staff be a priority.

With regard to people and the resulting performance evaluation, all professionals in every sector should have a feedback session so that their achievements can be discussed, and they should be given the credit they deserve for these accomplishments; but it is also essential to consider areas for improvement so that, together—the employee and their immediate supervisor—they can analyze factors that have hindered the achievement of excellence in their work and define new strategies for the second half of the year.

See also:

• Schools: Safe Environments for Students and Teachers
• Successful Teams: How Can We Bring Together People from Different Generations in the School Workplace?
• Family-School Relationship: Can Your Institutional Leaders Overcome This Challenge?

We must not forget that achieving institutional goals depends on people; therefore, this should be the primary investment of school operators: investing in the ongoing professional development of every staff member chosen to represent their school, so that they may serve as a living embodiment of the school’s educational philosophy.

That is why it is necessary to invest in a continuing education program for teachers and coordinators so that, alongside their daily work, there is a technical and social-emotional training program that meets institutional needs—and so that this program is monitored by administrators and coordinators—thereby fostering a collaborative work environment where partnership and trust prevail, and thus coordinators and administrators can confidently vouch for the work of their teachers. All of this will contribute to the all-important mental health of every educator!

Still on the topic of people, we must not forget that this can also be a time of change within teams, and as new professionals join, it is essential that administrators present the Pedagogical Proposal and the institution’s objectives and goals for the coming period, and that coordinators present, before the start of the next semester, the complete educational profile of the program in question, including the methodologies valued and consistent with the proposal, assessment tools, student profiles, the inclusion policy, as well as classroom management guidelines—and, of course, the staff performance evaluation plan. This not only provides reassurance to new staff members but also ensures meaningful continuity of work for students and families.

An approach along these lines helps build serious and committed teams that are confident in their potential and recognize that their peers can contribute their individual talents, while also putting those talents to work in fostering a collective spirit of respect, professionalism, and mutual trust.

Based on the midyear review with their teams, administrators will also be prepared to organize a meeting with other members of the school community— students and families—to present the results of all their work and realign expectations so that the school’s actions become more transparent with each passing day; this will make the purpose of every action taken by the institution clear to students and their families.

Transparency regarding the school’s mission for the entire school community ensures a more peaceful and constructive work environment for everyone involved and helps strengthen the school’s image within the community.

Dialogue, transparency, collaboration, and commitment are essential during this time of reflection as we head into a decisive period for achieving individual and collective results. And you, as a manager, how will you prepare for these moments with your teams?

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