Week 7 Discussion - Meeting Attendance

This situation is definitely tricky because while I want my teachers to have a life outside of school, I do not want them to think that my staff meetings are not important. Before making my decision, I would definitely want a little bit more information. Does this teacher consistently miss staff meetings? Can I count on her to follow up with her team leader? Why did she wait until a few hours before the meeting to tell me? Teachers miss meetings for a variety of reasons: coaching obligations, having to work at their other job, familial obligations. I think it is incredibly important for the principal to be flexible in these situations and yes, on occasion, it is okay to operate on a case-by-case basis. Teachers will know from the outset that I expect them to be present for a staff meeting, School Improvement Team meeting, or another committee meeting. However, I would set the expectation that if a teacher had to miss a staff meeting, they let me know at least twenty-four hours in advance. I get that emergencies happen, but as a rule, most teachers know when and if they are not going to be able to make it. I do not think that by allowing this teacher to miss one staff meeting sets any sort of precedent. In doing this teacher a favor, I think it shows my willingness to be flexible and help teachers in their balance between their personal and professional lives. Ultimately, my decision would be based on the information given to me while the teacher is answering my questions and providing an explanation as to why she is just now telling me. I am concerned, a tiny amount, about the can of worms this could potentially open, however, I want my staff to realize that I am willing to be flexible if I can count on them to hold themselves accountable when they miss a meeting.