Policies and procedures

Camilla C. Moss

Blog 2

As a new hire in my district, I’m struggling with the lack of written policies and procedures.  I am also finding policies that are outdated or not followed.  I have heard comments like “we do it differently every time” or “we always have to figure this out” or “everyone just does their own thing.”  Ugh.  How can anyone follow the procedures if they aren’t written down?  As the demands on time increase, I will have limited time to seek out the answers to these questions.  Policies and procedures aren’t exciting or interesting, which may be why they are frequently overlooked.  It is not uncommon for schools or places of business to rely on individuals who always complete a certain task.  What happens when those individuals leave the district or business?   Georgia Educational Leadership Standard 7 speaks to a leader’s responsibility to administer and manage resources effectively.  How can leaders supervise and manage operations such as safety and discipline effectively, if faculty and staff are not able to access written policies and procedures?  Additionally, leaders must review the efficiency and equity of administrative functions and procedures.  If policies and procedures are not written and available to staff, then leaders will never be able to discern if a policy failed because it was weak or because it was not followed.   Written policies and procedures allow everyone to know the expectations, which allows staff to exceed expectations and leaders to monitor for compliance.  When school and district staff are fully informed on procedures, they can focus on instruction and school improvement efforts.    Fortunately, this is an opportunity to participate in the development of the written policies and procedures for me as a future leader.  A thorough review of missing and outdated procedures will not only assist me in learning my new district, but also improve the experiences of many.