Each September brings excitement and joy, along with a few nerves. For those of us in leadership, the first few weeks of September feel a little like readying a jumbo jet for takeoff. Months of planning, preparation, and coordination go into those first days. Many leadership books talk about The First 90 Days, or The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan, reminding us that the work done in this opening season sets the stage for the rest of the year. My mom used to say: begin with the end in mind — or, start strong and finish stronger.
On an airplane, every person on the team — from the flight crew to the ground staff — knows their role, and the work is both exhilarating and demanding. In the same way, school start-up relies on the expertise, commitment, and steady hands of leaders to launch an entire system into motion. Once airborne, the journey may not be without turbulence, but the lift-off itself is always a marvel.
This year, I had the opportunity to visit Principal Maryanne Trofimuk and Vice-Principal Sarah Khosla at the new rebuild of Cedar Hill Middle School in Victoria, and it was a powerful reminder of the literal and figurative “takeoff” that comes with the opening of a new building. For students, staff, and families, stepping into a new school can be like boarding a brand-new aircraft: everything is fresh, glossy, filled with possibility, and designed to carry learners into the future. For Principals and Vice-Principals, this is where a special kind of leadership shines. You are the ones managing district initiatives, supporting teachers as they establish routines in new and sometimes unfamiliar spaces, and ensuring that the countless operational details align so the year begins smoothly.
The BC Premier’s mandate letter for the Honourable Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care, speaks directly to this moment, committing to collaboration with the Minister of Infrastructure to accelerate the delivery of new and expanded schools across British Columbia. These investments are vital, but it is Principals and Vice-Principals who animate these commitments, translating the promise of new buildings into thriving learning communities. Your work ensures that schools are not just structures, but places where students are welcomed, staff are supported, and families feel a sense of belonging.
So, buckle up, and remember this: as we take flight this fall, you are supported and championed by colleagues all across the province. We know about the long hours you are putting in, the complexities that emerge every day in your role, and your work to make everything 'just right' for your school communities. It is your leadership, your care for teachers and staff, your laser focus on the needs of students, and your clarity of purpose that make the takeoff possible — not just at the start of September, but in your daily schedule of flights, and your commitment to sustaining the journey throughout the year ahead.
Here we go!