More than 130 community leaders got to know MNPS’s principals and the tireless work they do in leading our schools during PENCIL’s annual “Principal for a Day” event Thursday.
Volunteers met virtuallywith principals across the city to learn about their many responsibilities, the leadership they provide to staff and students, and the unpredictability of their days.
“Thank you to each one of you who are here today and all of our community leaders and partners who participated for spending a day with our principals and showcasing their amazing work,” Director of Schools Adrienne Battle said at a luncheon for the volunteers hosted by PENCIL and Lipscomb University, one of several community sponsors of the event.
“I hope you got a good sense of how a school operates – and how the principal is the CEO, the head coach, the administrator, the conductor, the traffic cop – or maybe the eye of the hurricane is the best way to put it!” Dr. Battle added.
“A principal’s job was busy and challenging enough before we ran up against a global pandemic for which we had no playbook. There were so many new questions to answer, puzzles to solve, and logistical challenges to meet. A few of our principals also had to deal with damage from the tornado in March of 2020. But our principals adjusted, refocused, and continued to lead, and they never lost sight of our mission at MNPS: Making sure every student is known, cared for, and on a path to success.”
Mayor John Cooper, who has led the charge for major city investments in MNPS to boost teacher pay, technology, and social-emotional learning supports, also spoke at the luncheon, calling Principal for a Day one of his favorite events each year.
“We need to appreciate our principals,” Mayor Cooper said. “Thanks for letting us all experience that big heart that drives our educational system.”
PENCIL, a 39-year-old nonprofit organization that connects MNPS schools to local businesses and other community resources, has organized Principal for a Day for nearly 20 years.
Participants this year included Board of Education members John Little and Emily Masters; Metro Council members Burkley Allen, Erin Evans, Tonya Hancock, Sharon Hurt, Joy Styles, and Ginny Welsch; State Representative John Ray Clemmons; Davidson County Register of Deeds Karen Johnson, and representatives of the Mayor’s Office and numerous other government agencies, businesses, universities, and nonprofits.