69传媒

Left, Principal Michael C. Brown talks on a radio at Winters Mill High School in Westminster, Md., on May 17, 2022. Right, Boone Elementary School principal Manuela Haberer directs students and parents in the pick-up line at the conclusion of the school day on May 19, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas.
School & District Management Interactive

Hour by Busy Hour: What a Principal鈥檚 Day Actually Looks Like

By Denisa R. Superville, Jaclyn Borowski & Hyon-Young Kim 鈥 June 20, 2022 2 min read
School & District Management Interactive

Hour by Busy Hour: What a Principal鈥檚 Day Actually Looks Like

By Denisa R. Superville, Jaclyn Borowski & Hyon-Young Kim 鈥 June 20, 2022 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Even with the most carefully planned schedules, principals know that once the day starts, they can be pulled in any direction.

They must be nimble, ready to tackle the unexpected as it pops up but also still smart about ensuring that their time is focused on the aspects of school leadership that matter the most, : instruction, people, and management.

With the 2021-22 academic year coming to a close, Education Week asked two school leaders, Michael C. Brown, the principal of Winters Mill High School in Westminster, Md., and Manuela Haberer, principal of Boone Elementary School in San Antonio, Texas, to detail the expected and unexpected events that unfolded during a day in their lives at this moment in history.

鈥淲e never know when our schedule will be completely followed to a T or we should have just shredded it,鈥 Haberer said. 鈥淧ersonally, I live by the belief that the better I can schedule the predictable and proactively plan鈥攕taying ahead of events and deadlines鈥 the better 鈥 I can handle the other things that land on our lap surprisingly, on a daily basis.鈥

The daily swirl can make it a challenge to 鈥make your rounds into the classrooms and really immerse yourself in instruction and see what鈥檚 going on,鈥 said Brown said. 鈥 I just love interacting with the students and the teachers, in their element, ... finding out what they are learning, what they are getting into.鈥

Here鈥檚 an hour-to-hour log of how this pair of principals spent a busy working day, along with audio clips from each.

I'm hitting the ground running; I'm grabbing my walkie-talkie...
Principal Michael C. Brown, left, talks with athletic director Jen Gosselin at Winters Mill High School in Westminster, Md., Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

Michael C. Brown is in his 4th year as the principal of the 1,100-student Winters Mill High School in the Carroll County school district in Westminster, Md. He also serves as the president-elect of the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals. Listen to a recording of him describing a typical day.

We never know when our schedule will be completely followed to a T, or we should have just shredded it.
Manuela Haberer, principal of Boone Elementary School, visits with kindergartners Amalia Cavazos, 6, and William Dyas, 6, during the Pennies for Literacy event in the school library in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday, May 19, 2022.

Manuela Haberer is the principal of Boone Elementary School in the Northside Independent school district in San Antonio, Texas. Amid staffing challenges, big changes in state education laws, and end-of-year celebrations and routines, Haberer recorded a day in her life as a school leader in the 476-student school. Listen to a recording of her describing a typical day.

At a Glance: A Principal鈥檚 Daily Schedule

Take a look at how two school principals manage and allocate their time, hour to hour, over the course of a busy school day, from early morning prep to late-night follow-up and planning.

馃摙 Principals, does this schedule look like yours? Share what your typical school day looks like using the hashtag #MyK12Schedule.

Use the tabs below to see each principal鈥檚 schedule. As you scroll down, hover/click on the X icons to see exactly how they are spending their time.

Read Next

Principal Michael C. Brown, from left, talks to seniors Brady D鈥橝nthony, 18, and Sydney Dryden, 17, at Winters Mill High School in Westminster, Md., Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
Principal Michael C. Brown, from left, talks to seniors Brady D鈥橝nthony, 18, and Sydney Dryden, 17, at Winters Mill High School in Westminster, Md., Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
Steve Ruark for Education Week
School & District Management Photos What School Leadership Looks Like: A Day in the Life of a Principal
A look at a typical day for one elementary school principal in Texas and a high school principal in Maryland.
Jaclyn Borowski, June 20, 2022
1 min read

Photo credits: Steve Ruark and Lisa Krantz for Education Week
Coverage of principals and school leadership is supported in part by a grant from the Joyce Foundation, at . Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69传媒
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What鈥檚 Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What鈥檚 Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

School & District Management Reports Strategic Resourcing for K-12 Education: A Work in Progress
This report highlights key findings from surveys of K-12 administrators and product/service providers to shed light on the alignment of purchasing with instructional goals.
School & District Management Download Shhhh!!! It's Underground Spirit Week, Don't Tell the 69传媒
Try this fun twist on the Spirit Week tradition.
Illustration of shushing emoji.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion How My Experience With Linda McMahon Can Help You Navigate the Trump Ed. Agenda
I have a lesson for district leaders from my (limited) interactions with Trump鈥檚 pick for ed. secretary, writes a former superintendent.
Joshua P. Starr
4 min read
Vector illustration of people walking on upward arrows, symbolizing growth, progress, and teamwork towards success.
iStock/Getty Images
School & District Management Opinion How Social-Emotional Learning Can Unify Your School Community: 7 Timely Tips
It鈥檚 a stressful political season. These SEL best practices can help school leaders weather the unpredictable transitions.
Maurice J. Elias
4 min read
Modern digital collage of caring leader surrounded by positivity. Social Emotional learning leadership.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva