Principal in Profile
Memoirs from deep inside a NAPPY By Paul O’Donnell, Principal, St. Patrick’s N.S., Slane, Co. Meath As a recent NAPPY (Newly Appointed Primary Principal one Year on) I have been asked to describe how things have gone since my appointment. It has all gone by in a bit of a haze so it’s not an easy job. In realization of the work load of fellow principals and deputy principals, I do so safe in the knowledge that less than half a dozen or so will actually have time to read to the end of this article. My appointment in Slane N.S. was my first as a principal and I made a number of lifestyle changes in advance of moving, having tortured a number of people in similar jobs for advice. I was glad I did. I made a clean break from my old school in Kilmessan, where I was teaching junior infants, which was sore but necessary. I also found a book called ‘Thinking Clearly’ by Rolf Dobelli very useful with lots of sound tips and wise words. There was a great atmosphere and culture in Slane N.S. when I arrived. It is more like a very big house than a school. The staff take their jobs seriously but are still great craic.The pupils are very well behaved and, along with their parents, are very interested in their education. The previous principal Liz Sheridan had left a very positive structure and stamp on the school.The pressure I felt was to maintain that culture while adding a wee bit of myself. If it all goes downhill, to borrow a Mick McCarthy expression, my backside will be on the bacon slicer fairly quickly. My day typically begins at eight when I race the caretaker to be first into the school and I find the first hour most productive, when the school is quiet and my head is clear. I copied a trick from my previous principal Brian Mullins, by going to the school gate when the bell rings, to get the stragglers in, direct traffic, chase dogs and pick up rubbish.That way the parents can also speak to me informally and I can head off some issues. It works well but every plan has its flaws. I have changed very little but I have tried to become involved in loads. I initially reinforced positively the work the staff were doing and added a few team building things such as a staff v pupils soccer match, quizzes at Croke Park hours and selection boxes at Christmas. I don’t know what they think of me at this stage but I would like to be seen to value other opinions, encourage debate
and treat everyone fairly. I attend all BOM and Parent Association meetings and take the same approach there. I felt that, to gain credibility with the pupils, it was important that I could address them by their names. I learned the 280 of them off by heart at the beginning. Now I remember most of them most of the time. My childhood was spent in a house where you were eaten without salt for ever thinking you were better than anybody else so I don’t like being addressed as ‘Principal’ and never say ‘in my school’. My brother, who is a teaching principal, warned me in advance about ‘the gap’. It was the time, he explained,between a problem presenting itself and a solution or resolution being found. I have had many small gaps and a few big ones, including resource hours, interviews, BOM meetings, OLCS, finances and chats, debates and full blown rows with parents. I frequently woke during the year at three and five in the morning (never four for some reason) to write down things that were in my head and rarely got back to sleep afterwards. After a year though, I have had more peaceful nights. I also sometimes follow an old Arabic tradition of keeping a stone in my pocket when I have a problem to solve. When the answer to the conundrum is found, I throw it out the car window and into the river Boyne on my way home. I leave between half four and half five in the evenings but try as much as possible not to take work home with me, although I am back in the school on average once a week for meetings and
PAG E 1 8
events. My wonderful wife, three children and thirteen hens also deserve my time so home is home. I would not have survived the year without IPPN, the INTO and CPSMA for advice on big ticket items. However, the thing that I have realised most of all is that principals love giving advice to other principals. I have used this resource extensively and have always received sound words of wisdom. I rang one principal in September and heard a young child wailing in the background of his office. ‘This must be a beautiful sound to hear when you are sitting in another school’ a deadpan voice drawled down the phone. I have no interest in giving advice to others as I have enough bother doing my own job. I do like hanging around with people who don’t care about what I do and laugh at my difficulties. It keeps things in perspective. I used to be the prankster in my previous schools. I don’t know if it’s the principalship or old age but I feel like I’m getting too serious.Although I run three times a week to clear the fluff from my brain, I miss the fresh air. My long term ambition is to follow through on my 6th class wish and become a farmer. Where there’s muck there’s money as they say. But then the easiest job is always someone else’s. St. Patrick’s N.S. has 280 pupils and a staff of 20 including a secretary, caretaker, part time IT consultant, two cleaners, one SNA, thirteen teachers and Paul himself. Paul also facilitates courses throughout the year on SESE and School Gardening in the Navan Education Centre.