Melissa Harvey, a middle school principal in Texas, shares her strategy of conducting stay interviews with teachers to address teacher retention and build a positive school culture. Stay interviews involve asking high-performing employees why they choose to stay at the school and what they love about it. Melissa also conducts stay interviews with new employees at the 30, 60, and 90-day mark to ensure their satisfaction and retention. By actively listening to teachers and implementing changes based on their feedback, Melissa has created a culture where teachers feel heard, valued, and connected. 

Resources:

Webinar:Deprivatizing The Classroom

Guide: Administrators Guide to Supporting Teachers

Staff Burnout Article

Takeaways

• Stay interviews are an effective strategy for addressing teacher retention and building a positive school culture.
• Leaders should actively listen to teachers and implement changes based on their feedback.
• Staying in touch with teachers' experiences and making decisions that consider their perspectives is crucial for effective leadership.
• Transparency and communication are key in mitigating misunderstandings and building trust between leaders and teachers.

Sound Bites

"Being an effective, inspiring leader for my teachers means staying in touch with what it's like for them to work in our building and striving to make our school a place they'll never want to leave."

"Having someone that's just there to support and listen and actively working to solve big or small things is really powerful."

"Showing the big picture and the behind-the-scenes impact of decisions can help teachers understand and feel connected to the overall goals of the school."

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