Written by Dr. John Meyer
The Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod (WELS) is attempting a radical shift in the way it approaches the Lutheran school principal position. Termed the 21st Century Lutheran Principal Initiative, its goal is two-fold: 1) to fully prepare experienced teachers to be principals before their first principal call, and 2) to provide the level of administrative time and compensation needed for success. This initiative is a completely different way of thinking about the Lutheran school principal.
Historically, new Lutheran school principals are called because they demonstrate potential for leadership based upon spiritual maturity, organization ability, and personality. These first-time principals usually have no preparation in principal skills and may even lack teaching experience. Most new principals are full- or nearly full-time classroom instructors and are expected to do administrative duties on the side. They may receive a slight pay bump symbolic of their role as lead teacher. These historical practices imply that the principal position is not very difficult, time consuming, or important. Continue reading →