What are the traits that define a visionary principal? The answer is a learning attitude, dedication, and a zeal to overcome all odds and deliver excellent educational experiences to the students. Dedicated principals work not only towards the development of the students but also ensure that the teachers and administrative staff succeed and grow professionally. They are driven to take academics to the heights of prominence while providing every student with the opportunity to excel in their academic and professional endeavours.

One of the inspirational principals focused on transforming the educational sector is none other than Ms. Vidya Shankar. She is a dedicated and highly motivated educational administrative professional with a proven track record of implementing successful programs that produce lasting results. Ms. Vidya supports and encourages teachers through continuing education, staff development, and leadership roles. She possesses excellent knowledge of current trends in education and motivates staff to try new and creative techniques to improve teaching skills continually. She can relate effectively to people at all levels and of diverse backgrounds. Ms. Vidya is an expert in leadership, problem-solving, and counselling skills. She is also an excellent team player possessing good communication and interpersonal skills. Filled with a positive attitude, she is a result-oriented person.

Leading with Dedication

As the principal of a school, Ms. Vidya is focused on leading the school operations in line with the vision and mission of the organization. This ensures high levels of parent satisfaction and enables the centre to be profitable on a sustainable basis.

Her primary responsibility as the principal is to ensure proper school P&L management. Under this, she effectively optimally manages the complete school operations, ensuring that the centre is profitable on a sustainable basis. She guides and mentors the team to augment efforts and address parents’ questions.

As a part of the academic operations, Ms. Vidya establishes and promotes high standards and expectations for all students and staff for academic performance. She effectively ensures that the teaching staff is optimally engaged at all points in time. Ms. Vidya further emphasizes that all processes are in line with statutory regulation of the boards as well as internal standard operations procedures.

Ms. Vidya looks over the information called for by the education department and makes sure that it is shared with them within timelines. She coordinates with the various government agencies for affiliations of different education boards. Furthermore, she guarantees that the school’s activities are conducted in accordance with the rules laid down by the local authority, state education department, and the respective Board of Examination (CBSE) or any other board.

Ms. Vidya effectively coordinates with the curriculum and academic teams or corporate office for any updates and changes in curriculum. She dedicatedly manages various parent events like parent orientation, PTM, sports day, coffee meets. Ms. Vidya also manages student events like Children’s Day, term-end party, year-end party, field trips, inter- house competition, and teachers’ events.

Ms. Vidya oversees the execution of the Sports and Performing Arts Program as per guidelines. She identifies the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional needs of students’ success in school. Accordingly, she takes appropriate steps to direct and coordinate the efforts of teachers and parents.

She successfully manages parent-teacher association and respective committees and ensures parent delight during all parent interfaces with the school management. With efficiency,

Ms. Vidya handles parent concerns as and when escalated by the relationship cell.

Apart from this, Ms. Vidya also takes on Administration Operations, under which she provides strategic leadership for school improvement and development. She coordinates and supervises the administrative activities and is responsible for all documentation work regarding school admissions. She plays a leading role in the student admission process.

Ms. Vidya administers the planning of new projects in discussion with the management and coordinates with the various departments for the smooth functioning of school operations. She offers solutions and suggestions regarding compliance to multiple authorities. She immediately notifies the board and appropriate personnel and agencies when there is evidence of child abuse, child neglect, severe medical, or social conditions.

Additionally, Ms. Vidya takes up other assignments as directed by the managing committee and completes them with utmost dedication. She establishes procedures that create and maintain attractive, organized, functional, healthy, clean, and safe facilities, with proper attention to the visual and acoustic.

Maintaining effective communication with students, staff, and parents is also one of her key function areas. She effectively guides the Relationship Cell team to resolute parent concerns/queries.

Furthermore, on the Human Resource Management front, Ms. Vidya effectively guides and motivates teachers to drive their best as per the curriculum philosophy. She ensures that there is maximum adherence to HR Policies and also works with human resources team with utmost focus to recruit efficient resources within the prescribed time frame.

Noteworthy Accomplishments

Throughout her exceptional tenure of upholding education and teaching students effectively, Ms. Vidya has made many noteworthy achievements. She has acted as the CBSE resource

person for various topics. For two years, Ms. Vidya has served as the Mentor Principal for Phoenix Podar Learn School and centre in charge of AIEEE.

She has also played the role of CBSE Observer for JEE for four years and CBSE Observer for NEET for four years. Additionally, Ms. Vidya is a resource person for Macmillan India Ltd., (PAN India).