Policy Primer for Principals Q&A

Join Amanda Bigbee, director of TASB's Policy Service division, for Policy Primer for Principals webinar on Aug. 22, 2024. Attendees will gain insights into effectively navigating policies crucial for maintaining school district practices, empowering their staff, and leveraging policy to streamline administrative tasks. The webinar is a must-attend for school leaders seeking essential guidance in policy implementation and management. 

Bigbee answered questions about her policy background and the upcoming webinar:

Q&A

Q: What is your background in school district policy?

A: I worked as the in-house attorney for a large suburban school district for over 15 years. I served as the policy contact most of those years and learned quickly how critical policy is to good governance. I spent a great deal of time training staff on how to use Policy Online®, how to read and follow policies, and I worked to ensure we always got input from parents, staff, and the community when considering policy changes. Policy really is my love language, and I am fortunate to live in it full-time here at TASB.  

Q: Why should a superintendent or trustee want the principals in their district to attend this webinar?

A: This webinar is designed to help campus administrators understand what policy is, learn how to navigate Policy Online, recognize how different policy components work together, and which policies are critically important for them to know and follow. Keeping staff aligned with board expectations and policy requirements will help decrease liability exposure, keep everyone moving in the same direction, and better allow campus administrators to find the answers to their own questions in an efficient manner. Principals are the frontline faces for most of the staff and community.  Making sure these individuals know and can follow policy is critical for the health of a school system.

Q: What do you think is one of the biggest policy pitfalls for administrators?

A: Failing to recognize that policies change. Legal changes require updates to Legal policies and Boards are constantly making adjustments to Local policies. It’s not enough to learn about policies once and think you’re done. Even if I was sure I knew what a policy said, I would always go look it up and check to make sure nothing had changed. This is why it’s so important for trustees and administrators to understand how to efficiently navigate Policy Online. Using it as a tool to make your work easier is what this is all about!

Q: What is your favorite thing about public education?

A: I love the unwavering spirit of teachers. I’ve seen kids walk into buildings and relax their shoulders because they found a safe place that a teacher created in a classroom. I’ve seen struggling readers squeal in delight when it “clicks” and they see the magic of a good book with a teacher in a small group. I’ve seen educators advocate for students who just needed one person to champion them. Teachers really are the best of us and serving them the best way I can is a dream come true. I’m a teacher super-fan and always will be.