School Culture and the Changing Role of the Secondary Vice Principal
Research Report Prepared for the Ontario Principals’ Council
December 2003
Mary Nanavati
Brian McCulloch
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School Culture and the Changing Role of the Secondary Vice Principal
Table of Contents
Introduction
3
Background
4
Methodology
4-5
Findings
Components of School Culture
The Complexity of the Vice Principal’s Role
How Vice Principals Influence School Culture
Challenges to Building a Positive School Culture
Leaving a Legacy
5-7
7-11
11-15
15-17
17-18
Conclusions
18-20
Recommendations
20-23
Resource List
24-26
Appendices
Appendix A: Vice Principal Interview Questions
Appendix B: Vice Principal Focus Group Questions
Appendix C: Teacher Focus Group Questions
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School Culture and the Changing Role of the Secondary Vice Principal
I Introduction
This research project will seek to answer the following questions:
• How do secondary vice principals view their role with regard to their impact on school
culture?
• What do secondary vice principals do in their roles to make a positive impact on school
culture?
• What conclusions can be drawn with regard to the impact of the role of the secondary
vice principal and the change process in secondary schools?
As many researchers have noted, every school has a culture: a positive, healthy one that
promotes learning for both the students and the adults in the building or a negative one that is
steeped in conflict and is resistant to change. Roland Barth writes: “A school’s culture is a
complex pattern of norms, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, values, ceremonies, traditions, and myths
that are deeply ingrained in the very core of the organization. It is the historically transmitted
pattern of meaning that wields astonishing power in shaping what people think and how they
act” (Barth, 2002, p.7). David and Sylvia Weller explain: “To a large extent…culture
contributes to the school's effectiveness or ineffectiveness and is a product of the school's
leadership. Culture sets the standards and guides the daily actions of administrators, teachers and
students alike"(Weller 2002, p.139).
Creating a community of learners is what school leadership is all about. School leaders are
entrusted with moving the institutions in their care forward, that is, helping to “constantly
examine the school’s culture and work to transform it into one hospitable to sustained human
learning” (Barth, 2002, p.11). Barth, Dufour, Senge, Fullan, Hargreaves, Sergiovanni, Wheatley,
Darling-Hammond are only a few of the writers who echo this fundamental “first principle” of
school leadership in one form or another. However, existing research on school culture and
change processes in schools focuses on the role of the principal. Rarely can one find comments
on the role of the vice principal in effecting change within the context of school culture. This
research, School Culture and the Changing role of the Secondary Vice Principal, will:
• provide data specific to the role of the secondary vice principal,
• focus on the vice principal’s impact on the change process in secondary schools,
• and make recommendations for implementing change through a school success plan model.
Discussions with vice principals new to the role indicate a need for information and training
specific to the role of the vice principal. This study will draw conclusions on how secondary vice
principals view their role with regard to school culture and what secondary vice principals can
actually do to make a positive impact on school culture. Framing the study within the broader
context of change processes in a secondary school will also link the information to current
research on this topic. The information provided and conclusions drawn from this study,
including data and practical processes, will become the foundation for staff development for vice
principals that could be delivered with the support of OPC at the district level across the
province.
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II Background
Over the past five to ten years, secondary schools in Ontario have undergone significant changes
with regard to curriculum, assessment, the introduction of standardized testing and increased
accountability. Administrators have been removed from teacher federations by legislation and
the school system in Ontario has undergone serious funding reductions. Increased complexity of
working conditions for teachers and administrators, coupled with the large number of retirements
in the education sector, has lead to shortages among not only teachers but also administrators.
These shortages are global. Of greater importance is the lack of experienced administrators: a
large number of vice principals new to the position have little time for transition and training
once they assume the role in a hectic school setting. Thomas Williams’s 2001 study of 947
Ontario public school board principals and vice principals underscores the looming shortage of
administrators and reveals that one out of every three vice principals plan to retire by 2005.
(Williams, 2001, p.11) In the school district under study, among the secondary vice principals,
there are approximately 12% with more than six years of experience, 36% with three to six years
of experience and 52% with less than three years of experience. Consequently, practical
information on the positive impact vice principals can have on school culture, grounded in the
reality of what vice principals are actually doing, should be extremely helpful in developing their
professional learning and in designing leadership programs.
III Methodology
The study used, as primary research, focus groups with teachers and interviews and focus groups
with selected vice principals from a school district in southern Ontario. To ensure ethical
treatment of research participants, a confidentiality agreement was developed. In addition, the
anonymity of the school district and participating schools has been preserved in the reporting.
The following data collection methods were used:
• Individual interviews of 6 vice principals (1 with less than 3 years experience, 3 with 3-6
years of experience and 2 with more than 6 years of experience). The questions
(Appendix A) relate to their views on their role and impact on school culture.
• A focus group of vice principals of a mixed experience on their role and their impact on
school culture (Appendix B).
• Two focus groups of teachers at two schools on their perceptions of the impact of the vice
principal on school culture (Appendix C). One of these focus groups met a second time
to continue their professional dialogue.
Two teachers, experienced with focus group discussions, led the teacher focus groups. The focus
group of vice principals was led by a professional researcher who also assisted with the
development of questions included in the appendices and acted as a consultant at various stages
of the project. A professor at OISE/UT also provided valuable suggestions at the beginning of
the project and once a draft of the report was prepared. Several colleagues also assisted with
suggestions and editing.
It was important to conduct focus groups with teachers. They provided a valuable perspective
into the vice principals’ role in developing school culture in their workplaces. A key question
involved whether teachers would echo the views of vice principals or indicate key differences in
their perspective.
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The analysis was conducted by quantifying the qualitative data to determine the most prevalent
themes. Similarities and differences between the perspectives of vice principals and that of
teachers were noted. Views expressed during the focus group of vice principals were also
compared to those expressed during the individual interviews.
The professional conversations with vice principals and teachers have yielded tremendous
information, stimulating dialogue and ideas. Goleman suggests that one needs to go beyond
simple surveys as they "measure only what they set out to measure – and they rarely tap the
subtle layer of subterranean feelings and complex norms that flow through an organization"
(Goleman 2002, p.198). Immersing ourselves in the culture of vice principals, extracting key
understanding and recommendations, has proved beneficial and enlightening. These heartwarming stories affirm the significant contribution of vice principals in building a positive
school culture.
IV Findings
1.
Components of School Culture
Atmosphere and Tone
Through discussions with vice principals and teachers, various nuances of school culture are
apparent. The first aspect is that of atmosphere and tone. Vice principals often comment on “the
energy and the feel” of the building when you first walk in:
"I love the hum of the building…I can feel it when I walk in. Tone is important…
it's how things flow, the energy, the positive staff and student morale."
"When the kids are there you can see that hub of activity and it's a real place."
One teacher comes in early in the morning to get organized but then “it’s like the puck’s been
dropped. The peace is gone.” Tension comes from the unpredictable nature of the job and the
need to sustain a high level of energy every day. Teachers and vice principals note a variety of
factors that contribute to the tone of a school including its vision and organization, operating
agreements, relationships among the staff including the teaching staff and administration, their
attitudes and beliefs, safety and discipline, the quality of programs, the level of extra-curricular
and parental involvement and the background and “individual cultures” of the students.
One vice principal comments: "Safety and discipline are really important to the tone of the
school. You can't learn or teach if you don't feel safe or secure. We need to have respect for
ourselves, each other and our surroundings".
The atmosphere also comes from what is happening in the building, how people work together,
whether people are collaborating, are adaptable to new ideas and to change. Are resources
available in the building? How are decisions made regarding their allocation? Does the design
of the physical space meet the needs of the programs in the building and allow for teamwork?
Are there opportunities for professional development? "Do staff have opportunities to work and
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play together?” asks one vice principal. Others comment on the holistic aspect of school culture
when discussing atmosphere and tone: "School culture is the whole staff and how everyone in
the building relates.” “It’s the life of the school.”
History and Traditions
The history and traditions within a school also contribute to the school’s culture. Notes one vice
principal: "Traditions are important so you need to ensure that you pay attention to the history of
the school and the meaningful events". This is especially true if you are new to a school with a
long history and strong traditions.
Paradoxical Elements
Another aspect of school culture is its dynamic quality. Both vice principals and teachers
comment on school culture as forever changing and shifting as the:
• community through parents’ organizations sees the role of the school taking on different
functions for their children,
• Ministry and Board initiate program/curriculum changes
• principals and vice principals are assigned to schools
• staff changes due to such factors as family status, new hiring and retirements
• make-up of the student body evolves according to demographic and socio-economic changes
in the community
Both vice principals and teachers voice comments about the paradoxical nature of school culture.
On the one hand, school culture seems beyond their control. Vice principals discuss:
"Culture is slippery and constantly changing. It is constantly moving. You
can't control parts of it."
"Individuals can influence culture, but it is bigger than them, has a life of its
own, has momentum."
"You can’t control it; it is a constant negotiation."
However, changes in school culture can also be deliberate and planned. A change in leadership
within a school can bring about a change in vision. Vice principals, for example, often comment
on having a sense of ownership as they are part of the planning process for moving a school
forward.
"It's a different feeling walking into your own building… a sense of ownership.
This is my school."
"It amounts to who we are and how we do business."
The vision and structure of the school are part of the planned aspects of school culture. "We
build culture." "It encompasses what we believe." Teachers comment on the presence of “subcultures, mini-cultures” that exist in a large school organized by departments. As a result, there
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is often a feeling of fragmentation as expressed by a teacher: “We tend to fracture ourselves.
We are fragmented. There are some people we don’t know and never see.”
Perception
Perception also influences conversations about school culture as both vice principals and
teachers comment on their relationships and history with a particular school. How they express
their views on school culture is influenced by their experiences working in a school. The
following conversation between vice principals reveals thoughts on the importance of perception
and how even minor changes in a school can lead to discussions about school culture:
"Minor changes in procedures or how things look initiate conversations about
what change is."
“Perception is what's important – what's allowable or permissible makes an impact on
the rest of the school."
"Culture exists without us."
"But, it's interesting to see how the culture changes as a result of your presence
in the building."
"If another administrative team comes, the culture can change."
"Folks are watching the front office, how things are happening, how we are
interacting with each other. Level of activity in the hall – some teachers complain
but one teacher thought it was great so even within the culture there are differences."
2. The Complexity of the Vice Principal’s Role
Preparation and Job Realities
Do potential vice principal candidates really understand the nature of the job? The stereotypical
role of the vice principal in the school is reflected in initial comments from interviewees as a
person who is involved primarily with discipline and operations in the school. Once in the job,
the operational aspect turns out to be larger than they anticipate and they see the role as more
proactive and broader than they even realized when they began the promotion process:
"The excitement in the classroom is just a microcosm of what the whole school can be.
The role of the VP has always been about service to others and changing the environment
for the better."
"You work with students, not just around discipline but all aspects of their lives."
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"The job is more rewarding than I initially thought. It's nice to see the student who
struggles and turns around. You take pride in their accomplishments. You teach them
perseverance and make them feel that they can be successful."
"Working with staff is bigger than I thought – they have personal lives as well as
professional ones."
With funding cuts to education and increased teacher workloads, more operational tasks, that
used to be done by committees, are now downloaded to the vice principals. "I'm not really sure
why anyone would want the job," wonders one vice principal. Senior vice principals, with more
than six years of experience, especially comment on the fact that the role has changed
significantly. Over the past five years, many new major tasks have fallen to the vice principal.
These include a new layer of organization and administration to support standardized testing
(EQAO Math and Literacy), a Teacher Advisor Program and a more paper intensive Teacher
Performance Appraisal process. The design and monitoring of teacher supervision (from the
legislated .67 assignment) is extremely time consuming. As teacher supervisions have increased
and relations between the government and teacher federations have deteriorated, tasks that were
formerly accomplished through staff committees have now, in many schools, ended up on the
vice principal’s "to do" list. At the same time, vice principals have seen a tremendous increase in
clerical duties as the secretarial supports have been eroded with funding cuts to office
administration. One of the more enlightening and passionate statements about what they thought
the job was and what it became, is expressed by an experienced vice principal:
I envisioned I would be working on the safety, discipline and tone aspect. I was doing
the safety, discipline etcetera and so much more…. Working to keep staff happy, well
and learning, while keeping the students in class and behaving, while keeping the people
in the building safe from trespassers, while working to improve the physical plant for
health and safety reasons, while installing technology to support the new Ministry
guidelines and course profiles and developing strategies to implement TAP, EQAO and
Literacy programs…all of this while becoming proficient in so-called operational skills
such as timetabling and the report card process.
On one hand, it can be read in a humorous vein and yet a serious underlying message about the
overwhelming nature of the vice principal’s job emerges.
Initially, vice principals can be overwhelmed by operations, and to implement board or school
planning initiatives becomes one more priority. One vice principal remembers the hours needed
to stay on top of the work: “The amount of paper work was unbelievable!” Other vice principals
comment on feeling overwhelmed by the sometimes unrealistic expectations of senior
administration, staff and parents. Notes one vice principal: “The downloading from senior
administration to VPs and the downloading from teachers to VPs felt very much like a middle
management position.” The work can be done but not without support from members of the
teaching staff. One respondent spoke about seeking to increase the focus on literacy in her
school. She found someone with whom to work and soon there were 20 others who were
interested: "I bribed staff and students with food, encouraging them to come to meetings and do
the work of the committee." It became a real team effort.
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Vice principals also comment on the influence of mentors in preparing them for the role and the
reality of the job as being influenced by the leadership style of the principal they are partnered
with in their first placement. One vice principal notes: “I understood my role would revolve
around stewardship and collaborative decision-making.” This vice principal feels that her role is
to plan and implement, create a positive learning environment for staff and students, help support
staff through the change process and bring thinking among the staff to a reflective level. She
feels that vice principals need to role model the behaviours they would like to see in a school,
renew and empower teachers in their work and bring creativity and initiative to the role. Once
promoted into the role, her principal gave her the opportunity to work on “leadership, program
and school culture issues,” reinforcing for her that this reality of the job was as she had
envisioned and had been taught to expect.
Lack of training and loneliness in the role can be an unfortunate reality for some vice principals.
One vice principal remembers: “I felt alone for a long time – mentoring was put on hold as the
other administration colleagues were busy. I did not expect to be on my own….[I was not
prepared for] how much I needed to be self-directed.” Vice principals comment on the need to
be mentored and shown what the job actually entails once they are in the role.
Differences in Schools
Differences in schools can impact on the role that the vice principal inherits from predecessors
and the progress that can be made in moving staff in a school forward. In one conversation,
there were obvious differences in experience. The first person commented that "the ship was on
the move, we needed folks to continue the direction and it only needed a little redirecting." Most
of the time, his job was supporting initiatives such as the program changes that resulted from the
Transition Years document and the use of technology. In the second school, the staff had just
come through a job action (Fall 1997) and staff were told by some local federation members not
to co-operate with administration. There was a general distrust of all administration. This
required a different approach by the vice principal and the administrative team: "As an admin.
team, we made a deliberate and persistent effort to change this. We used direct, straightforward
and sincere communication, open door to concerns, asked for input and valued, respected and
appreciated it." States this same vice principal, "With the administration not in the Federation,
we are forced into being less collegial by design." However, what vice principals do about this
can make a positive difference in how the administration is viewed and, therefore, how they are
supported.
Interactions with Students
Vice principals also make a difference in how they deal with situations with students. "If you
just create another negative with your response, then people's feelings (and actions) will also be
negative." As an example, in response to aggression on school buses, the vice principal could
have punished the offenders but instead chose a positive reward of pizza lunch with all the
trimmings for any bus that had no problems over the course of a month. This led some of the
students to take a leadership role in "supervising" behaviour on the buses to encourage positive
behaviour. Another example celebrated students’ good attendance and behaviour with an awards
assembly. In that case, teachers could see the benefits of lending their time to a task and
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volunteered to track the students. Explains a vice principal: "Both examples, not only affected
the culture of the students but also the culture of the staff as they could see a positive result of the
work that they were doing."
Vice principals new to the role soon realize the importance of spending time on curriculum
initiatives and that with experience and setting priorities that focus on the school program, they
can reduce some of the operational stresses as a solid program within a school soon reduces the
volume of discipline issues. Vice principals comment on the importance of finding some time to
spend with a wide range of students in their schools. Notes one vice principal: "It is necessary
to focus on the honour role kids just as much as those who are late every day. You must take the
opportunity to talk with all of the students in the school.”
Role Similarities and Differences Between Principals and Vice Principals
There seems to be a general agreement among the participants in the study about the differences
between the role of the principal and the vice principal(s) in the school. They speak specifically
of the “operational” functions of the vice principal’s role and more generally about the
interruptions faced during the day while the principal is seen to be dealing with overseeing the
larger picture of vision, values, culture and policy. The key to rounding out both jobs lies with
the background of the administrators who are assigned to the school, their experience, their
strengths in management and their ability to lead groups of people. Explains one vice principal:
"The principal might be involved in discussions around a policy and to mould and lead culture in
a direction that is positive for the school whereas the vice principal would actually implement it."
A teacher comments: “The principal can have the most impact, but it’s in conjunction with other
people….Sometimes it's hard for the principal because of the lack of continuity of vice
principals. They always seem to be training someone new.” It always depends on how
hierarchical the team is and the latitude one has in the role. Notes one vice principal: "A lot
depends on the principal for whom you work and their level of support. My principal gave me
leeway to be creative."
The principal relies on the expertise of the vice principals for the day-to-day operational
component and mentors vice principals for the principal role. A vice principal recently promoted
to principal remarked that the principal role allows her to make more changes in culture as vice
principals sometimes do not feel that they are in charge or that their actions might undermine the
actions of the principal. Therefore, the feeling of “team” is very important. Within this
structure, time is necessary for good dialogue and the choice of roles to take place to ensure that
tasks are divided equitably. Each member of the team can choose tasks based on their strengths
and work on developing new skills and attaining experience through new initiatives. One vice
principal comments: “The principal has the most responsibility and has the most impact on
beliefs that funnel top down.” Another vice principal states: “The principal is the conductor of
the orchestra.” Another remarks: “The principal is the resource manager and oversees the pace
and scope of change, keeping the school focused on the vision and core values.”
For vice principals, external projects can begin to govern their time. Provincial mandates like
EQAO (Math and Literacy) and board initiatives seem to require more and more paperwork. "Is
this the vice principal's role – whose job is it anyway?" was the question asked in one of the
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teacher focus groups. Teachers also expressed concerns about who is helping the new teachers
or, indeed, the older ones who are working through new curriculum and assessment and
evaluation. “The vice principal takes board policy and procedures and ‘operationalizes’ it for
the school building” comments one vice principal. They are the initial gatekeepers around
discipline and other student issues, establishing a welcoming atmosphere for students and staff
and are an integral part of creating safe school environments. "The stuff you need to do as a vice
principal requires more visibility with respect to staff and students." Vice principals can
advocate for certain students who are seen in negative light and can thereby have a genuinely
positive influence on marginalized students. “Vice principals are mediators (staff with students,
staff with staff, students with students, staff with other administration) advocating for positive
resolutions in issues that arise in the school. Most of the time, we deal with students who don't fit
the culture. We have a high impact on a small group of students through assisting in modifying
their behaviour." Notes another vice principal: "I have always said that if you take 30 to 50
kids out of any school, you would free up 80 percent of the vice principal's time to do other good
things. But, perhaps it's the 30 to 50 kids who deserve our time as we have the most impact on
them and their (potential) success in the future. Those kids need us the most!"
However, the job is not strictly operational. As a program leader, vice principals are often
liaisons and mentors to other groups in the school, departments and organizations with staff,
student, parent and community members. “You need to actually remind yourself to make time to
work on the culture piece,” advises one vice principal. Ensure that you “are more connected to
students and how school culture affects them. VPs have a direct impact on culture as you walk
through school and as you make decisions which affect the children and staff.” Teachers
appreciate leaders who delineate goals and bring "order to chaos". They want an administrative
team who solves problems and creates a stable atmosphere through manageable processes and
procedures.
3. How Vice Principals Influence School Culture
Relationships with Students, Parents and Staff
When asked how vice principals influence school culture, both vice principals and teachers
quickly point out that relationships with students and parents is a major focus of activity.
Teachers especially appreciate having the support of a vice principal to assist with discipline
issues and to intervene with parents when situations become difficult. The presence of a vice
principal in the building is reassuring to staff. One teacher mentions: “I always seem comforted
when I see a VP presence.” Another teacher remarks: “If the VPs are present, students respond
to teacher instruction about movement in the hall. Their presence in the halls is invaluable.”
One vice principal mentioned that when he arrived at a particular school there was a problem
with drinking and drug-use among a certain element of the student population: “I started to wade
into that over time….I was pro-active and I involved the police. The message was that I was not
going to tolerate that behaviour on school property. Parents got on board. There were
disciplinary consequences. Police involvement….I had a public health group in to talk about the
negative influences of substance abuse.” It is this planned and deliberate approach to solving
school problems that vice principals often mention.
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Vice principals, however, emphasize that even though the traditional image is that of the vice
principal as disciplinarian, they take pride in going beyond that aspect of their role in student
relations to include a much more supportive presence. One vice principal comments: “Kids
know I’m tough but look for my support to resolve issues; they come to me with problems.”
Another suggests that it is important for vice principals to “establish a reputation as being one
who cares about kids” and that in dealing with disciplinary situations "[you] have to separate the
behaviour from the child." Vice principals take pride in helping students be successful and every
vice principal has a student success story to tell about a student he/she has been able to mentor
and eventually turn around. Graduation ceremonies are often moments of pride, not just for
classroom teachers and parents but also for administrators as they watch those “success stories”
walk across the stage and receive diplomas. Vice principals make a point of getting positively
involved with students by supporting school clubs, teams or activities, by coaching or just
dropping in and telling them what a great job they are doing. One vice principal points out that,
indeed, the disciplinary side of the job can become all consuming: “There is the risk that we
focus on the negative, but you can’t lose sight of the whole culture of the school. If you spend
80 percent of your time on discipline you need to seek a balance.” Teachers also point out that a
vice principal’s “presence in positive situations” does make a difference and they are quick to
notice when an administrator is present or absent from a school function: “Their presence or
absence is noted….Kids notice this. One VP comes faithfully.”
Vice principals often bridge the gap between teachers, students and parents when difficult issues
arise. Bringing parents on board “will happen if you deal respectfully with their children.”
Maintaining a team atmosphere in which students, parents and staff are involved in the decisionmaking process leads to a positive tone within the school. Showing that you value the opinions
of others on a regular basis develops a positive culture within a school. Notes one vice principal:
“I helped organize an open forum meeting at a staff retreat to discuss issues that no one had
wanted to discuss, but everyone knew were there.” Another vice principal mentions working on
making staff meetings more interactive: “I have tried to reduce the amount of principal talk to
allow for a professional development focus.” Communication with all parties is the key.
Whereas vice principals see themselves as having a deliberate and planned role to play in
relationships with staff, teachers only indirectly comment on a vice principal’s role in staff
relations - usually in the context of dealing with the daily work of the school in a positive
manner. In schools where there have been issues concerning relationships between staff and
administration, vice principals will comment on the planned and deliberate way in which positive
changes were brought about through daily interactions and through the rebuilding of trust. “It’s
striking how different the environment can be in even two months with positive energy from the
top steering the ship.” One vice principal comments on the unique experience of being part of
the opening of a new school and the great opportunity that situation affords. You get a chance to
“create a vision of the school” and “build from the ground up.” Vice principals comment on their
role as including a “[nurturing of] leaders in the school, whether it is the seasoned teachers or
new teachers. Your committee for literacy, TAP, PD…you have to get that going and nurture it.
That is more satisfying than the discipline." One vice principal thinks that an important aspect of
her job is to mentor new leaders and empower them, which includes both teaching and nonteaching staff: “I worked with the Head Secretary to make her feel more confident about her
position and her work. We instituted monthly meetings to discuss office issues, evaluate current
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procedures and processes and plan for the future.” Indeed having staff who are happy at work
will impact positively on students and parents and it is often a vice principal who has a deliberate
role to play in creating positive staff relations.
Modeling Positive Behaviour
Both teachers and vice principals agree that consistently modeling positive behaviour on a daily
basis makes a tremendous impact on relationships with staff, students and parents. Maintaining a
professional attitude and role modeling behaviours that you expect staff and students to
demonstrate, has a tremendous impact on creating a positive tone in the school. One vice
principal notes: “I think you influence culture by what you choose to pay attention to. You have
to build trust and be seen as keeping your word. Trust that they can say something to you and
you’ll have empathy for the teachers and students. You can write all the memos you want to but
it's what you do that makes a difference.” Another vice principal comments: “A VP who
models what they say stimulates courageous conversations amongst the staff.” It is the daily
interactions and going beyond the professional role to a more personal, caring level of
involvement that makes a difference. As one vice principal explains: “People stiffen up in your
presence sometimes until they get to the connection with the person.” Simple things such as
taking the time to chat with staff about personal matters, facilitating a staff development
opportunity, writing a thank you card to someone, making a good news phone call to a parent,
having food at a staff meeting, having “hearts for valentines” – all that makes a huge difference
in a school. One vice principal reveals: “I spend time just chatting with folks as they come to
the photocopier. Or go into the staff room. It just keeps communication open….You are making
an effort to make those connections.” Vice principals indicate that the office is the heart of the
school and if there is positive energy, consistency among the team, laughter and genuine caring,
the atmosphere will be noticed and have a positive impact on staff, students and parents. Vice
principals explain that even apologizing if you have made a mistake also goes a long way:
“Also to say I’m sorry if I make a mistake. You’re right I double booked you for an oncall. Sorry. I’ll fix it.”
“Last week I created a new section in a wrong class. The teacher found out the first day
of school. I phoned the teacher at home. I had it fixed the next day. It was a huge job. I
got the nicest note from him.”
School Operational Tasks
Both vice principals and teachers see the size of the operations role as an interference, along with
the turnover in administration. One vice principal remarks: “When you are a VP, there isn't
enough time to do all of the things you want to do with culture and people as the operational
aspect ‘cramps your style’.” Vice principals play an important role in influencing school culture
through their daily operational tasks such as dealing with difficult students, talking to parents,
acting as liaison to community groups, recognizing and rewarding success among students and
staff, dealing with communication and organization, budgeting and plant issues. There is a
tension between the importance of that work in relation to school culture and the overwhelming
volume of the work. One vice principal mentions: “I find I can’t give the kids what they
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deserve. If we could just give them a bit more time that would be great. We are their last hope
often. You really want to do something significant to turn them around.” However, doing a good
job in those tasks builds credibility for the administration and the school. By dealing with
difficult students, talking to parents, liasing with community groups, recognizing and rewarding
success among students and staff, dealing with communication and organization, budgeting and
building issues, one creates a positive ethos in the school community.
Vice principals point out the thoughtfulness and planning that go into operational tasks are often
overlooked by the staff. “When I arrived, I found that a certain group of students were overrepresented on student council. I redesigned the process to make it more open and equitable for
all students.” One vice principal provides another example: “In building a timetable, I paid
specific attention to ensuring that all groups of students, especially those at the applied/college
level, had course choices that allowed them full access to a complete timetable giving them the
best possibility for success and graduation. This timetable design also allowed counsellors to
solve conflicts more easily and reduced overloading in classes.” Teachers, however, often take
the operations part of the school for granted and mention that a vice principal “is not
remembered for timetabling abilities or other administrivia.” “Leading by example” and
“knowing the names of students” are more important. One teacher notes: “Culture is brought
about by people who care.” Another comments: “In terms of organizational things, if they do it
well, we don’t even notice….If there are no problems with the timetable, we don’t notice.”
Some teachers, however, are particularly sensitive to the volume of work that vice principals face
and fear that “a good VP is going to burn out.” Teachers also worry that as a result “we won’t
attract people to this job.” One teacher wonders whether the vice principal’s role is an
“evaporating role” and comments: “Some people don’t want to take on the VP jobs. There are
few career VPs anymore. They want to be principals and then we have a revolving door
syndrome. That’s why we get the ‘implement and run’ or ‘implement at any cost’ phenomenon.”
Another continues: “So many things VPs present are not always good for the school. They are
good for the portfolio, but not for the school. Therefore, staff sometimes get skeptical.”
Teachers are also quick to notice the difference between a vice principal who only does the
operational part of the job as opposed to “good VPs [who] are learning as they’re leading. Slack
VPs…do none of the whole school or student interaction….They do the operational part of the
job – that’s it.” Teachers notice when a vice principal is especially caring: “One of the VPs said
that she thought that her job is to help the students, and if she is doing that then the staff will feel
better. She is consciously trying to find out if staff are okay. You see the effort in her. You
think, ‘Somebody cares!’”
Building a Climate of Support
Vice principals comment on the need to create a climate of support for innovation and risk taking
and point out that the turnover among administration coupled with the last decade of rapid
reform, funding cuts and Ministry/federation tension has left staff feeling cynical. One vice
principal echoes her staff: “What’s in it for me when you will go?…You have to provide me
with a reason and a motive to follow you, is what they are saying. If what you are telling me has
nothing in it for me, I can wait you out. You will leave.” Teachers comment: “We have VPs
who don’t know stuff about kids because transitions through school are too rapid. No ‘big
14
picture’ happening…VPs aren’t around long enough…revolving door thing…it’s a function of
the system. System problem. In the ‘old days’ before staffing cutbacks in counselling, a VP and
one counsellor could move through an alpha list and identify with knowledge/background every
student on that list.” As a result, school leaders need to be especially sensitive to the nature of
changes expected, the timelines for achieving these changes, and how these changes are
introduced. The following conversation reveals these sentiments:
“The manner in which change is introduced is important. What’s in it for me is
important.”
“How safe do we make it for staff to take risks? We do for our students. But to not have
it be a punitive thing is important. We are so conditioned to think if something doesn’t
work it’s a failure.”
“You have to model being a risk taker. I didn’t understand graphing calculators so I
asked if there was a class I could go into.”
Vice principals suggest that routine tasks such as chairing committees allows one to model
desired behaviours and processes: “In committees that I chair, I model collaborative decision
making.” “I act as a change agent, nurturing change from within the pioneers in the school and
then illustrating the advantages for the rest of the school.”
The Importance of the Administrative Team
Vice principals also find that being “second in command” can have its challenges with respect to
school culture and the latitude in the role depends on the leadership style of the principal and the
extent to which that individual has forged a team atmosphere among the administrative staff.
One vice principal echoes this feeling: “As a VP, I believe that the principal is in charge, the
captain of the ship so to speak. I needed to get approval for all of the things that I wanted to do
that impacted in a larger way on the school. I guess it depends on the style of your principal.” A
teacher notes: “The principal is more critical in setting tone. That’s why VPs move through
here….Difficult to be a VP in a school where styles with the principal differ widely.” Teachers
want stability among the administrative team in a school. They want a team approach to the job
in the front office and vice principals who will be around long enough to make a positive impact
on the culture of their schools.
4. Challenges to Building a Positive School Culture
Workload and Resources
Many challenges are faced by schools and administrators as they try to build and maintain a
positive culture. Time, priority of other issues in the school, mandated government initiatives
like standardized testing and the skills of the team members all factor into the success of a
school.
15
Developing a positive school culture is not a process that happens quickly. It takes time to create
a foundation of shared beliefs. Specific and strategic planning is therefore needed by
administration. To do that requires time to be set aside to consult, discuss, argue, plan and
implement a process that has grass roots input from the stakeholders in the school community.
Remembers one vice principal: "I remember going to the first three-hour session with the other
vice principal and the principal to discuss how we were going to work through the curriculum
changes required by OSS. We started planning in November before the September
implementation for Grade 9s. We emerged battered and bruised but with a sense of where we
were going and the potential roadmap. That was just the beginning of a long process." Notes
one vice principal: "I’d like to devote more time to get around and involve other groups; getting
everyone on the same page; make sure we are all are on board going in the same direction."
Juggling the various components of the VP job is necessary to ensure that there is a balance of
focus. "VPs are often juggling so many things. It is often difficult to be there to chair my own
meetings," remarks a vice principal.
Vice principals new to the role comment on the overwhelming workload. With the increasing
volume of administrative work there has been a simultaneous reduction in funding for office staff
and counselling. Vice principals feel caught in the squeeze and express concerns regarding
burnout and a lack of wellness: “I go in wanting to make a difference. Some days you spin your
wheels.” The recent Teacher Performance Appraisal process is one example of a Ministry
mandated process that is paper intensive. Vice principals would much rather help teachers do a
better job through a process that is reflective and collaborative but less paper driven. One vice
principal laments that she feels she has less impact on the classroom and student success and
wants to do more. However, the volume of clerical work, constant interruptions and shifting
priorities throughout the day make her job almost unmanageable: "Balance is a challenge. We
periodically have people crashing. The board emphasizes wellness. But it is so despairing to
hear at a VP meeting that one of us has gone down. Wellness update at the beginning of the
meeting, who is here, who is not." Job satisfaction comes from having the time to devote to the
more meaningful aspects of the job that have a positive impact on the culture of the school.
“What we do beyond what the job actually is, that is important, but not recognized.” Teachers
want administrators to be visible, to have “time…to talk to the good kids. They need to have
time to focus on the positive stuff.” Some teachers suggest that vice principals need “to be more
proactive for themselves. Start saying no. Get proactive defining the VP role….Start saying
enough already!…So many VPs are so new that they don’t have experience, time or energy to
say no. They are swamped with learning and accomplishing the never ending operational
piece….It’s hard on the ‘consistent’ VP because he/she gets dumped on as others rotate through.
Stressful.” Staff want vice principals to have time to work on the positives in a school, time to
spend with staff, students and parents, time to be thoughtful and pro-active around school culture
issues and make a positive difference in a school. The problem, notes one teacher, is that
“everyone has too much to do….It is the problem with the system.”
Isolation and Need for Training
Isolation in the job is another concern and vice principals emphasize the need for training and
mentorship in the role. Vice principals new to the role need the opportunity to network with
those more experienced. One vice principal comments: “We leap in with little training. For
16
some of us we made the blind leap of faith because we had a mentor. In no other industry would
this happen." Another echoes: "If you are a rookie you should have an experienced partner who
teaches you the ropes." One vice principal remarks that feelings of isolation often occur when
leadership styles differ and there is a lack of inclusivity among the team members. Vice
principals focus on the need for a more thoughtful approach to placing vice principals that looks
at the needs of the whole team and the needs of a school.
The increased volume of work combined with reduced support and training often mean that vice
principals become slotted into certain roles and are not given the opportunity to gain the breadth
of experience needed to be effective. Comments one vice principal: “Slotting of people as
operational VP. This is an imbalance. I want to grow.” Much depends on the principal and the
latitude given the individual in the role.
Staff Turnover
Vice principals also worry about turnover among team members and note the need for stability.
An effective administrative team takes time to develop and rapid turnover hurts the desire to
make positive inroads in school culture. Complains one vice principal: “They change the teams
too frequently. Just when you get comfortable the team changes through no fault of anyone on
the team. And when you get comfortable the members of the team are moved again.” One
teacher states: “We need a clear vision with a team of administrators who make decisions and
sets the purpose as a group.” This can only happen with a stable administrative team.
Maintaining Optimism
Maintaining optimism and dealing with staff negativity during a decade of government reform
and funding cuts has been challenging for all administrators. Bringing a staff on side through a
change process is difficult but very rewarding. Success stories abound and the participants of the
study enjoyed telling them. "The personalities are quite interesting and my job was to make sure
that all [of us] are on the same page going in the same direction. I was trying to energize and revitalize a staff many of whom have been there for 20-25 years. It was frustrating but I did make
some inroads; they saw that the direction I wanted to take things in was genuine, not just politics;
the direction would make them better teachers. Bringing new staff on side while keeping older
staff happy – time to acculturate, time to work on a valid change process" was time consuming
but worth the effort. However, notes one vice principal, "In today's world, the norm is change
and that's why it's important to have leaders who are facilitators."
5. Leaving a Legacy
In spite of the challenges, vice principals note their accomplishments with pride in their work.
Emphasizes one vice principal, “I am the one who makes things happen, can be trusted. I solve
problems.”
When asked to cite examples of work that make positive contributions to school culture and that
will last beyond their appointment in a school, vice principal comments encompass a wide range
of activities from significant contributions to school operations and safety issues, to staff
17
relations and program initiatives. Vice principals talk about the little things that make a big
difference to a school, everything from “thanking people who normally don’t get thanked” to
“furniture, whiteboards, forms, a blooper award (end of year good-bye ritual that is fun), staff
meetings that are set up to create a learning culture, design of auditorium use, …open forum
[meetings], candy in your office, using supply teachers to cover departments in order for them to
meet to do planning around assessment issues,…students on committees, Teacher Advisor
Program….” One vice principal commented on piloting new technology-based programs for the
board. “I work with the staff so that they see there is a sense of pride that they are the flagship
school for technology-based programs. If a pilot project has setbacks, this is not seen as bad but
part of what the staff knows is the process that is involved when you take on this kind of
opportunity.” One senior vice principal stated: “Working hard, doing your best and playing fair
is what people will ask of you.” Creating a supportive culture is important. Explains one vice
principal: “Some teachers won’t go to certain schools because there isn’t a supportive culture.”
While schools have a culture, vice principals also have a culture among their own association.
“We have our shared stories that resonate and they are part of the culture. Some stories are
common and some are unique.” Most vice principals speak positively about their jobs and the
opportunities within the role to make a positive difference in a school:
“I love my job. I think it is important that you go loving what you do.”
“If VPs didn’t exist in a secondary school, the school wouldn’t function operationally
on a day-to-day basis.”
“Are you going in for an appreciation for the ups and downs of being a VP or just to
become a principal? Otherwise it is a burnout job.”
“I don’t think you ever have a day you don’t make a difference. We just don’t always
know we make a difference.”
Teachers note: “We should make it attractive for a person to be a career VP. There is nothing
wrong with doing this. This is good for continuity and cohesion.”
V Conclusions
The information gathered from this study reveals the important role that vice principals play in
relation to school culture. Vice principals clearly articulate various aspects of school culture
including atmosphere, tone, history and traditions. While they comment on aspects of school
culture as uncontrollable and dependent on people’s perceptions, they also emphasize the
important influence leadership can have in bringing about changes through clarity of vision and
school planning. Researchers like Fullan, Conzemius and O’Neill, Hargreaves, Sergiovanni and
Senge support the important role school leadership has in moving a school forward. Benda and
Wright also echo this position: “The ideologies and perceptions of the current faculty and staff,
the vision of the new school leader, and the strategic plan of the central administration combine
to create the major components of a successful learning organization” (Benda and Wright, 2002,
p.8-9). Vice principals and teachers articulate the many areas of school culture that vice
18
principals, in performing their daily tasks, impact positively such as building relationships with
students, staff and parents; role modelling positive behaviour; ensuring safety and effective daily
routines; implementing curriculum and other positive school initiatives.
Challenges to the role include the overwhelming demands of the operational parts of the job,
staff turnover, lack of financial and human resources, inadequate preparation for the role,
mentoring and on-going job training and external pressures through government mandated
initiatives. Much depends on the nature of the administrative team in which a vice principal is
placed. Burnout remains a real issue. These challenges are also reflected in the conclusions of
Thomas Williams who reveals that the top ranked job dissatisfiers among Ontario’s public
school administrators includes: “too many curriculum changes in too short a time period…[and
time demands] as a result of new initiatives such as school councils, increased accountability
expectations and the demands of managing the teacher union contracts. These time pressures
have been exacerbated by budget cuts that have led to the removal of support staff from schools”
(Williams, Unseen Exodus, p.12). The reduced funding to schools and districts has meant a loss
of valuable leadership opportunities such as headships, administrative assistants and resource
staff that have provided potential administrators with valuable training. Simultaneously, once in
the job, administrators are left to perform functions that used to be done by clerical staff and
teacher volunteers.
The recently released report The Schools We Need: A New Blueprint for Ontario, explains that
one of the reasons for the disappointing results of the Ontario government’s reform agenda has
been improper implementation: “funding cuts, lack of sustained opportunities for teachers and
principals to develop the necessary understanding and expertise, and the ongoing conflict
between the government and educators – all these factors have interfered with implementation”
(Leithwood, Fullan and Watson, 2003, p.7). Administrators are left with far less time to perform
the more rewarding and essential aspects of the job that focus on student success, teacher
professional learning and leadership development, all of which contribute to building positive
school culture. The Schools We Need report emphasizes that a strong public school system
depends on its future leadership and lists “effective school leadership” as one of the “Ten
Examples of Policies and Practices Supported by Research” (Leithwood, Fullan and Watson,
2003, p.19). The authors conclude that “[the] current situation has eroded the appeal of the
profession, creating recruitment and retention problems for the years ahead” (Leithwood, Fullan
and Watson, 2003, p.21). Teachers and vice principals in this study also echo concerns about the
recruitment and retention of good vice principals who do make positive differences in their
schools.
In spite of the challenges, vice principals enter their roles optimistically and with hopes of
positively influencing their schools. This study indicates the myriad of ways in which vice
principals do make a difference. As one vice principal comments: “For some VPs, the role is
operational and they don’t do anything else but the role can be more satisfying if you do other
things. You need to take the operational parts of the job and turn them into cultural. When I did
plant, I asked people what they needed. Changing their environment [such as getting] new chairs
in the office made a difference in how people felt about doing the job.” A senior vice principal
provides the following advice to those new to a vice principalship: “Ask yourself why you want
this job. You need to earn respect and look for rewards in different ways. Don’t just see the VP
19
role as a stepping stone to a principalship. It is not just a disciplinary role but much more. You
have to make it that and look for those opportunities.”
VI Recommendations
The following chart summarizes many of the key recommendations in this report:
Summary of Recommendations
Key Need
Building Knowledge
•
•
Supports for Leadership Development
•
Resources
•
Strategy
Opportunities for vice principals to develop
an understanding of the dimensions of
school culture, what it is and how it can be
developed.
Opportunities for vice principals to develop
an understanding of organizational change
processes including the development of
school culture, leadership, vision-building,
the use of data, goal-setting and researchbased best practices.
Effective recruitment, training and
succession practices. Examples could
include mentoring, job shadowing,
feedback sessions and coaching. Training
needs to include management and
leadership experiences, team formation and
facilitation.
Restoration of financial and human
resources to schools in order to allow vice
principals time to focus on the leadership
aspects of administration.
Building Knowledge
Vice principals need to understand the nature of school culture and its development and
organizational change processes in order to effect positive changes in their schools. Research on
organizational change processes includes an emphasis on the importance of leadership in
facilitating the development of a clear vision for the organization and a strategic plan that is
aligned with this vision. Patterson, Stewart and Jackson conclude: “If the culture is healthy,
there should be a natural progression from guiding beliefs to organizational strategies to daily
behavior….Without guiding beliefs as anchor point, the everyday activities start to dictate
organizational strategy. When this happens, the organization loses its future focus and becomes
preoccupied with survival of the moment” (Patterson, Stewart and Jackson, 1986, Ch.5). Vice
principals, as part of the administrative team, therefore need to focus on vision-building within
their schools and to take a collaborative approach to this important process (Conzemius and
20
O’Neill, 2001). A deeper understanding of school culture and school change provides a
foundation for school improvement.
Work on school visioning and planning, coupled with daily operational work, leaves vice
principals ideally positioned to effect positive school change. Stoner and Freeman note: “[Any]
efforts to change organizational culture must focus on what people do. If a manager can get the
organization’s members to behave differently, cultural change will follow….Programs to change
the culture of an organization must be rooted in concrete behaviors and routine actions” (Stoner
and Freeman, 1989, 384). In The Moral Imperative of School Leadership, Michael Fullan
defines reform as “changing the context for the better” and notes that “[the] leader’s job is to
help change context – to introduce new elements into the situation that are bound to influence
behavior for the better” (Fullan, 2003, p.1). Fullan goes on to explain that it is “little things” that
make a huge difference in changing the working, learning, culture and leadership situations in
schools (Fullan, 2003, p.2). This study has shown that the vice principalship, by its very nature,
can be a catalyst for positive school change.
Supports for Leadership Development
The following model represents the importance of leadership in influencing school culture and
the constant interplay between organizational beliefs and behaviours. When all are aligned, a
professional learning culture emerges that impacts positively on student success.
Professional Learning Culture
Strong Leadership
Beliefs
(mission/vision/values/goals)
Learning Culture
Behaviours
(collaboration, reflection, risk-taking)
Student Success
21
Fullan notes: [The] 1990s was a decade of neglect of school leadership” (Fullan, 2003, p.16)
with its emphasis on surviving change. He explains: “Leadership is to the current decade what
standards were to the 1990s for those interested in large-scale reform. Standards, even when
well implemented, can take us only part way to successful large-scale reform. It is only
leadership that can take us all the way” (Fullan, 2003, p.16). With the increasing need for
effective leadership comes the need for effective recruitment and on-going training that includes,
not only the managerial aspects of the job, but also an understanding of school culture and
change processes. One vice principal concludes: “VPs tend to be invisible. What we do is
important but often intangible. The role needs to be made visible.” The nature of the role needs
to be defined, examined and scrutinized. Training for leadership also needs to include team
formation and facilitation. As Kotter explains, top companies work to develop “leadermanagers”:
Most U.S. corporations today are overmanaged and underled. They need to
develop their capacity to exercise leadership. Successful corporations don’t
wait for leaders to come along. They actively seek out people with leadership
potential and expose them to career experiences designed to develop that potential.
Indeed, with careful selection, nurturing, and encouragement, dozens of people
can play important leadership roles in a business organization….The real challenge
is to combine strong leadership and strong management and use each to balance the
other. (Kotter, 2003, p.29-30)
While managers focus on “coping with complexity”, leadership “is about coping with change”
(Kotter, 2003, p.30-31). On-the-job experiences need to include aspects of management and
leadership. Kotter describes top companies that recruit potential leaders and “[manage] their
career patterns” by providing challenging opportunities and experiences, thus giving them “a
chance…to grow beyond the narrow base that characterizes most managerial careers” (Kotter,
2003, p.40-41). A process of career pathing whereby administrators are recruited and given
opportunities to develop the operational aspects of the job, along with leadership experiences,
provides a solid foundation to meet future challenges. Differentiated training and mentorship,
distinguishing between new vice principals and the supports needed to keep experienced people
committed and interested in the complexity of the role, need to be developed. Having wellrounded vice principals, able to meet the challenges of both management and leadership, will
provide job satisfaction and a strong foundation to help them assume future challenges, including
that of the principalship. Kotter concludes:
But developing people for important leadership positions requires more
work on the part of senior executives, often over a long period of time.
That work begins with efforts to spot people with great leadership potential
early in their careers and to identify what will be needed to stretch and
develop them….[The] key ingredient appears to be an intelligent assessment
of what feasible development opportunities fit each candidate’s needs….Such
strategies help create a corporate culture where people value strong leadership
and strive to create it. Just as we need more people to provide leadership;
in the complex organizations that dominate our world today, we also need
more people to develop the cultures that will create that leadership.
22
Institutionalizing a leadership-centered culture is the ultimate act of leadership.
(Kotter, 2003, p.43)
To provide a balanced management-leadership experience for vice principals, there needs to be a
thoughtful approach to the construction of administrative teams. Heenan and Bennis advocate
for a “co-leadership” (Heenan and Bennis, 2003, p.140) approach to leadership as a means of
coping with “a world of increasing interdependence and ceaseless technological change….Again
and again, Co-leaders illustrates how the once yawning gaps between the person at the top and
the rest of the organization is closing because of rapid changes in the workplace and, indeed, the
world. Although as a culture we continue to be mesmerized by celebrity and preoccupied with
being No. 1, the roles of top executives are converging, the line between them increasingly
blurred” (Heenan and Bennis, 2003, p.140-142). Co-leadership represents a commitment to
collaboration and a complementary approach to effectively utilizing and developing the skills of
all members of the team. As Heenan and Bennis conclude:
[The] co-leader is a good model for a new, more egalitarian hybrid better
adapted to the needs of the new millennium – people who can both command
and follow, as the situation requires….Great co-leaders remind us that we
don’t need to be captain to play on the team, that doing something we want
to do and doing it well can be its own reward. That said, learning the secrets
and skills of great No. 2s remains the surest path to becoming No. 1.
(Heenan and Bennis, 2003, p.158-159)
Resources
Financial and human resources available to school districts need to take into consideration the
ongoing training required of school administrators and the on-site supports, including clerical
and technological, needed to provide them with the requisite time to focus on building positive
school culture. Time to focus on student success, teacher learning and leadership development,
will assist in attracting and retaining vice principals dedicated to school improvement and the
ability to lead schools in these complex times.
23
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Patterson, J., C. Stewart and V. Jackson. (1986). Productive School Systems for a Nonrational
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25
Weller, L. David and Weller, Sylvia J. (2002). The Assistant Principal – Essentials For
Effective School Leadership. California: Corwin Press.
Williams, Tom. (October 2001, Vol. 3, No. 3). The Unseen Exodus: Meeting the Challenges of
Replacing Ontario’s Principals and Vice-Principals. OPC Register. Toronto, Ontario
Principals’ Council.
Williams, Thomas R. (2001). Unrecognized Exodus, Unaccepted Accountability: The Looming
Shortage of Principals and Vice Principals in Ontario Public School Boards. Toronto,
Ontario Principals’ Council.
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Appendix A
Vice Principal Interview Questions
1. What does the term “school culture” mean to you?
2. When you were preparing to become a VP, what kind of role did you think you would
have with respect to school culture?
3. Once you entered the role, was the reality similar to what you envisioned, or were there
differences? If it was different: How was it different from what you envisioned?
4. How is the VPs role regarding school culture different from that of the Principal or other
school leaders?
5. Describe some of the ways you, as vice principal, influence the culture of your school.
6. As vice principal, what aspects of school culture, small or large, do you have a direct or
indirect impact on? How much influence do you feel you have on each aspect ?
7. Of the changes that you describe, were they planned changes or did they just happen? If
planned, describe the planning process (who involved, what planned, where, when etc.)
8. What are some of the challenges you face as you try to create a positive culture at your
school?
9. Can you describe to us a situation where your impact on the school culture will supersede
your being at the school (i.e. something you did well that will still exist after you leave).
10. Is there anything else that we should consider about the vice principals' role in school
culture?
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Appendix B
Vice Principal Focus Group Questions
Begin with a description of the purpose of the research. Thank people for attending. Assure
them of confidentiality. Invite them to help themselves to refreshments. Tell them where the
washrooms are.
1. Please tell us your name and the school at which you work.
2. What kind of feeling do you get when you walk in the doors of your school?
3. What do you think makes you feel that way?
4. What does the term “school culture” mean to you?
5. Describe some of the ways you, as vice principal, influence the culture of your school.
6. What are some of the challenges you face as you try to create a positive culture at your
school?
7. As vice principal, what impact have you had on the culture of your school?
•
Direct/indirect
•
Small-scale/large-scale
•
Planned/spontaneous
•
Short-term/enduring
8. We have heard several different perspectives today. [Summarize the main themes of the
discussion]. Does that capture what we have talked about?
9. Is there anything else we should consider about the vice principal’s role in school
culture?
Thank people for their participation. Let them know what the next steps are in the research.
Send them a summary of the focus group.
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Appendix C
Teacher Focus Group Questions
Begin with a description of the purpose of the research. Thank people for attending. Assure
them of confidentiality. Invite them to help themselves to refreshments. Tell them where the
washrooms are.
Please tell us your name and the department in which you work.
1. What kind of feeling do you get when you walk in the doors of your school?
2. What do you think makes you feel that way?
3. What does the term “school culture” mean to you?
4. What are the components of “school culture” that are evident at Mayfield/Erindale?
5. Who in the school has the most significant impact on school culture?
• principal, vice principal, formal teacher leaders, informal teacher leaders, students,
parents
6. How have the vice principals influenced the culture of your school?
• What aspects of school culture have they influenced?
• Provide some examples.
7. What else could the vice principals do to foster a positive school culture at your school?
8. We have heard several different perspectives today. [Summarize the main themes of the
discussion]. Does that capture what we have talked about?
9. Is there anything else we should consider about the vice principal’s role in school
culture?
Thank people for their participation. Let them know what the next steps are in the research.
Send them a summary of the focus group.
29