
WHAT IS PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY?
Principal For A Day provides opportunities for principals and other administrators to build and refine relationships with their State legislators. Participation in this program involves state legislators visiting schools in their legislative district, interacting with staff and students, and performing selected administrative tasks during their visit.


Unsure of who represents your school? Need their contact information? Find out by entering your school's address in the search bar. You'll find your legislators' names, district and contact information.

Please reach out and invite a legislator to your school on February 7. Your invitation should include details such as:
a schedule for the day
the address
contact information of your school.
This personalized outreach will not only serve as a formal invitation but also provide essential information for their participation.
If you're unsure how to contact your legislators, find out in the previous step, "Who Represents Your School?".

Once you have confirmation that a legislator will be visiting your school, please let us know. If your legislator isn't available on February 7, please schedule them on a different day. Fridays tend to work best because committees don't meet. Please try to keep within the month of February before things get too busy in the session.

We are thrilled to welcome legislators into our schools to showcase the incredible work you are doing as principals. This time provides a fantastic opportunity to share the great things going on in your school as well as some of the challenges. The goal is to foster a collaborative environment where our shared commitment to education can be celebrated and further strengthened.
See Talking Points - COMING SOON!

At the end of the visit debrief with your visitor.
Thank you note to visitor: Follow up with a written correspondence, email, or phone call after your event to thank them for attending and offer to be an ongoing resource on education issues. Consider inviting your representative to future special events, such as your school science fairs, fundraisers, community events, volunteer projects, and graduations. If you would like to include contact information for our organization's executive director, feel free to do so.
KPA Executive Director: Cara Ledy - cledy@usakansas.org
USA Lobbyist: Jim Karleskint – jkarleskint@usakansas.org
USA Lobbyist: Jerry Henn – jhenn@usakansas.org
Thank your staff: Inviting visitors into your school sends your team the message that you’re proud of the work they do each day. Highlight the visit on your website, in your parent newsletter, or on social media.
Post on Social Media #PrincipalForADay
Twitter/X :@ksprincipals
Facebook: KSPrincipals
Take a quick survey. This is our first year organizing Principal for a Day. Please share your thoughts to help us improve this program.

Once the planning is complete, the actual visit is straightforward. Allow the official to see you in action—let them join you in meetings and participate in talking with students and working with teachers. If any situations arise that demand privacy (for instance, if a parent wants to discuss a sensitive issue with you), designate one of your colleagues to take over your shadow day temporarily (such as your assistant principal, technology director, or counselor).
DO:
Be open, honest, and authentic. Share your personal experiences, challenges, and successes.
Ask a lot of questions and be prepared to answer a lot of questions.
Bring your shadow on all routine formal and informal responsibilities, including: morning lineup, building rounds/walk-throughs, leadership/cabinet meetings, and grade-level meetings.
Allow your shadow to speak to and interact with teachers, students, and families, when possible.
Allow your shadow to read student work.
Schedule time at the end of the day to debrief and answer questions, share thoughts, and make connections.
Within reasonable limits, have your shadow by your side throughout the day.
Look for opportunities to tie what they are seeing in the school into the need for their support on key policy priorities.
DON'T
Don’t worry that you’ll be judged.
Don’t feel the need to plan a special event for the shadow. The visit should focus on real education practice in the school and how it is impacted by public policy.