School principals often invoke fear – being sent to their office was the biggest fear of any student. But as the times change, principals become less intimidating figures and Jared Lamb is a perfect example of that. This seasoned principal ditched his secluded office for a rolling cart so he could actively engage with both students and teachers.
More info: TikTok
Jared, a seasoned principal of 15 years, decided to ditch his confined office
Image credits: principal_lamb
The principal’s office is a mythical place of horrors that smells like coffee, from which screams of condemned students can be heard far and wide. Perhaps that’s why Jared, the head of BASIS Baton Rouge Matter Charter School in Louisiana, decided it was time for a big change. Schools are not the same as they used to be - to keep up with the times, he took a rather unorthodox approach.
“How am I supporting teachers and students if I’m sitting behind a desk all day?” the principal questioned in his TikTok video.
Now Jared rolls through the school hallways with a snazzy-looking cart that serves as his portable office. This allows him to actively engage with students, keep an eye on them and offer a helping hand if needed. He also makes sure his colleagues are taken care of.
Image credits: principal_lamb
Instead, he opted out for a rolling chart so he could be closer to students and staff - just a roll away
Image credits: principal_lamb
Image credits: principal_lamb
“I spend my days rolling the hallways, rolling into classrooms, and providing teacher customer service.” Now that’s a breath of fresh air. Instead of being a cold, unapproachable head of school, he chooses to “serve” his staff.
“Every morning I do rounds. I’m just checking in to see how the teachers are doing and how I can help. Do they need an emergency restroom break? Can I grab some photocopies? The small things can go a long way.”
Having a boss who cares makes a massive difference in staff’s wellbeing. Just grabbing photocopies, sending a meme or simple “Good job today, keep it up” makes everyone feel appreciated and supported. When employees don’t have to shake in their boots at the thought of an evil boss, they are happier and perform better at work.
“How am I supporting teachers and students if I’m sitting behind a desk all day?”
Image credits: principal_lamb
Image credits: principal_lamb
“I spend my days rolling the hallways, rolling into classrooms, and providing teacher customer service”
Image credits: principal_lamb
Principal Jared emphasized the importance of fostering a culture of open communication, breaking down barriers and addressing the needs of the community on a more empathetic, personal level. This concept has already provided extraordinary results.
One of the main worries for Jared is the number of teachers leaving the profession, especially in his state of Louisiana, seeing the highest rate of resignations in a decade. However, his school stands out: “We had a 90% teacher retention from last year to this year.” They definitely must be doing something right!
Despite the criticism he received, he believes the numbers prove his success - the teacher retention rate this year was 90%
Image credits: principal_lamb
Jared is also active on social media – he has an impressive following of 49.2K on TikTok, a platform where he is posting a lot of fun videos. He talks about education, how to connect with students and engages in debates on topics such as fast food in schools.
Despite many positive comments, not everyone seems to be on board with the principal’s strategy. Commenters ponder that this approach might make staff more anxious, having their boss constantly looming overhead, the sound of his rolling wheels creaking in the hallway. Others worried that his support might seem like micromanagement.
Principal Jared addressed the critics and clarified that he’s simply sharing a strategy that worked for him and his team and might not work for others.
“I’m not saying my style is best, I’m just saying it’s had a positive impact at my school,” he told in an interview. “Overall, I’ve found the responses have been more positive than negative.”
The principal is set to change the face of education, one roll and one informative TikTok at the time
Image credits: principal_lamb
Another upside of his rolling cart office is that he always hits his step goal – on average 15,000 steps. He also gives roughly 2000 high-fives and fist bumps – how do you enter that data into your health app?
Hopefully, Jared’s example will encourage other educators to look for an innovative approach that would improve the wellbeing of students and teachers. After all, school is the stepping stone for many people. Surely, I haven’t had to use any algebra in real life, but I still fondly remember the teachers who supported me and celebrated my, albeit small, achievements.
Did your school have such innovative teachers?
People in the comments were praising the principal for his innovative approach
