2022-2023

90-DAY
ENTRY
PLAN

KATHARINE E. HALE
PRINCIPAL
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Table of Contents

Statement of Purpose.................................................................2

District Mission and Vision.........................................................3

Leadership Philosophy..................................................................4

Summary of Goals..........................................................................5

Timeline and Action Steps.....................................................6-9

Next Steps........................................................................................10
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Statement of Purpose

Dear RCES family,

It is an honor to have been selected to serve as your new principal

for Roanoke County Elementary School. I am looking forward to
working collaboratively alongside the students, staff, families, and
community members to create a positive, welcoming space where
all individuals feel valued and have a role on our team. It is my goal
for students to leave our school well-prepared for the next step of
their education, but also for them to look back on their time here
with fond memories and an urge to want to come back and visit.

This entry plan aims to ensure a smooth transition between

leadership so that the focus can remain on the betterment of our
school to best suit the needs of our students. I cannot wait to meet
you, and to see what we can accomplish in our first year together.

Sincerely,

Ms. Katharine Hale

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District Mission and Vision

Mission:
To invest in our community’s future by preparing
our students with Opportunity Ready skills as
defined in the RCPS Profile of a Graduate.

Vision:
Preparing every student, in every school, and in
every classroom to be Opportunity Ready.
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Leadership Philosophy

I believe the ultimate role of a leader is to guide people toward achieving a

common goal and to lean on their individual strengths in order to achieve it. Every
single person should feel respected and should know that they have an essential
role on the team. I aim to empower them to be the best version of themselves
and I want them to know how their commitment to our goal has an impact on our
mission. I strive to form a foundation of trust with those that I serve by being
transparent and having honest conversations. I want students, staff, families,
and community members to know that I will listen to their comments,
suggestions, and concerns with an open-mind, reinforcing that they all have a
stake in shaping the culture and effectiveness of our school.

Successful leadership requires passion, critical thinking, communication,

organization, and optimism, but it also requires the support of those you are
leading. As a leader, I am only as successful as my team. I also firmly believe that
change, particularly in the ever-evolving field of education, is inevitable, and that
it can be good when it is backed by data, well thought-out, and implemented with
a positive mindset. I will never be done learning or grow stagnant in my practice,
and neither will my staff. It will be our team mentality to be dedicated toward
making improvements that better support the needs of the students.
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Summary of Goals

The following goals will support our school in achieving the

district's vision. Without well-informed leadership, fluid
operating procedures, collaboration amongst all
stakeholders, a positive team mentality, and best
instructional practices we cannot ensure the success of
each student. Our students will only be as great as the
community of care and support that we provide them with.

1. Familiarize myself with district procedures and school

operations to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.

2. Consistently communicate with all stakeholder groups

to keep them well-informed and build relationships.

3. Provide frequent encouragement and individualized

support to foster a positive school climate for all.

4. Determine instructional areas of both strength and

growth to establish a culture of high-quality instruction.
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Timeline and Action Steps

1. Familiarize myself with district procedures and school operations to ensure a smooth transition of leadership.

Action Steps Timeline

Review the district’s mission, vision, initiatives, goals, and strategic plan to ensure that what we
July
implement within our school is aligning with those ideals

Meet with district leadership (Superintendent, Assistant Superintendents, Executive Director of

July
Elementary Instruction, etc.) to establish a working relationship

Meet with the area’s school board representative to establish a working relationship July

Meet with the previous school principal to tour the building, transfer access to any necessary physical
or digital files (such as the master schedule), and determine the status of preparations for the July
upcoming school year

Meet with the administrative team to discuss expectations, duties, communication preferences,
operating procedures, leadership philosophies, determine the status of preparations for the upcoming July
school year, and establish team norms

Meet with various staff members to get to know them, discuss expectations, duties, communication
preferences, and allow staff to share any information they feel I should know prior to the start of the
school year (strengths, growths, concerns, etc.) July
Office staff, head of nutrition, head of custodial, bookkeeper, special education coordinator,
reading specialist, head teachers, and teacher teams (ex. 4th grade)

Meet with the PTA board to get to know them, discuss expectations and communication preferences,
July
review past involvement, and establish a working relationship

Review existing school documents relating to operations, such as the staff handbook and school safety
July
plan, and update as needed

Post the principal 90-day entry plan to the school’s website and send out via email July
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Timeline and Action Steps

2. Consistently communicate with all stakeholder groups to keep them well-informed and build relationships.

Action Steps Timeline

Send an introductory letter to staff and families via the school website and email July

Work with the PTA to establish an optional summer meet and greet event where staff and families can
July
enjoy spending time with one another informally and meet the new principal

Establish social media accounts for the school to provide additional avenues of communication for staff July,
and families to stay informed about school happenings Ongoing

Send a welcome back letter to staff that includes the details of the work week schedule and back-to-
August
school night

Send a welcome back letter to families that includes the details of back-to-school night August

Meet with new staff members one-on-one during work week to ensure they are getting settled into their
August
role and that they have everything they need to be successful

Share a schoolwide calendar online with staff members that includes all meetings, PTA events, staff August,
birthdays, etc. as well as the schedules of the administrative team Ongoing

Create a weekly newsletter for parents and send it out via the school website and email at the same time August,
each week Ongoing

August,
Create a weekly newsletter for staff and send it out via email and paper copy at the same time each week
Ongoing

Maintain a visible presence during student arrivals, transitions, and dismissals to establish relationships August,
with students and families Ongoing
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Timeline and Action Steps

3. Provide frequent encouragement and individualized support to foster a positive school climate for all.

Action Steps Timeline

Assign mentors for new staff members to ensure a smooth transition as they join the team July

Meet with the PTA to determine ways in which they could provide encouragement to the staff throughout
July
the year, such as luncheons or unexpected treats on a Monday

Design a new student and family orientation program for those that join the school after the start of the
July
school year to ensure a smooth, welcoming transition

Form a climate committee that meets monthly with the purpose of implementing additional positive
August
supports for staff throughout the year, such as getting a food truck to come during lunch time

Create and meet with a student committee monthly to gain their insight on school climate, operational August,
procedures, and any other strengths or growths they notice Ongoing

Play fun music as students come in each morning from car ride and off the bus as staff members greet August,
them at doorways and in the hall to encourage an upbeat start to the day Ongoing

Include the following in the morning announcements: student and staff birthdays, positive behavior August,
recognitions of students and staff, and inspirational quotes or jokes Ongoing

Engage in frequent walk-throughs of classrooms, hallways, the cafeteria, and the playground to interact August,
with students and provide positive feedback Ongoing

Conduct frequent informal observations of staff, always following up with a brief note or email August,
emphasizing their strengths Ongoing

End all staff meetings with a brief time for staff to share ways in which they have seen other staff August,
members go above and beyond Ongoing
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Timeline and Action Steps

4. Determine instructional areas of both strength and growth to establish a culture of high-quality instruction.

Action Steps Timeline

Review the school strategic plan to gain an understanding of the areas of concern and to assess current
July
progress on the goals

Review academic performance data, such as the School Quality Profile and standardized test scores, to
July
determine areas of strength and growth within the school

Finalize a school master schedule that meets statewide expectations, allows for maximized instructional
July
time, and utilizes the time of staff throughout the school day

Finalize class lists that will best support student needs and behaviors July

Design PD (professional development) for the year based on determined areas of growth July

Evaluate current academic interventions and remediation programs to determine if they are an effective
July
use of time or if they need to be adjusted or improved in any way

Determine how lesson plans will be monitored and share expectations with staff August

Meet with grade level teams weekly during their planning time to review student data and progress and to August,
address any concerns Ongoing

Implement content area PLCs (professional learning communities) that are made up of mixed grade level August,
representation, to collaborate and learn from one another to support student achievement Ongoing

Meet with individual staff members to discuss their professional goals and areas they want to grow in and August,
how they can best be supported in attaining those goals Ongoing

Monitor instruction and provide constructive feedback through districtwide observation and evaluation September,
process Ongoing
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Next Steps

-This 90-day entry plan is a foundation to build upon, and action

steps may be removed, changed, or added as needed based on
observation, self-reflection, and feedback from stakeholders

-All ongoing action steps will be continued throughout the first 90-
days and will be closely monitored to determine their effectiveness

-Stakeholders will be surveyed at the end of the first 90 days to

determine whether the four goals are being sufficiently managed
or if they need to be improved with additional goals/action steps

-A "next 90-days" plan will be implemented based upon the

evaluation of the first 90-days, which will continue to hold me
accountable for leading continuous school growth and
improvement that centers around the needs of our students