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Principal · First Year Program
The Principal’s
First Year
A twelve-month companion for becoming the principal you set out to be.
This is a place to return to once a month while your first year unfolds. It gives you a rhythm for reflection, small commitments, and honest attention to the kind of leader you are becoming.
12 monthly modules
Private reflections
Synthesis + certificate
An hour a month, twelve months in a row. That’s all it takes.
Full first-year access, private reflections, and a year-end synthesis.
One-time paymentNo subscriptionPrivate account access
Built by someone who has lived inside the role.
35 years in K-12 education25+ years as VP and principalFormer BCPVPA president and executive director
A simple monthly rhythm for a complicated first year.
The program is designed to be opened once a month, completed in about an hour, and returned to as your leadership year unfolds.
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Open one month at a time
Each month gives you a focused rhythm for the real work happening in that part of the school year.
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Reflect and return
Write privately, save progress, and come back when the next month asks something new of you.
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Complete the year
Finish with a year-end synthesis and certificate that mark the leadership rhythm you built.
A real look at the kind of work inside.
Each month gives you concrete prompts, a simple month flow, and private space to write.
September: Finding Your Footing
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Opening reflection
“You made it. The summer is over, the building is filling up, and you’re walking in as the principal for the first time.”
Coaching question
“What are people experiencing when they interact with you as a leader for the first time?”
Ready to see the full twelve-month companion?
Start Your 12-Month ProgramThe same steady structure, tuned to the month you are living.
Every month follows a predictable flow so the program feels familiar, while the prompts change with the actual season of the school year.
Opening reflection
A short month-specific frame for what is likely happening in the role.
Self-assessment
A simple check-in that helps you notice where your leadership attention is needed.
One commitment
A practical action to carry into the month instead of a long list of intentions.
Well-being check
A private place to name energy, strain, and what may be underneath it.
System, principal, and coaching prompts
Focused prompts for the relationships and dynamics that shape the work.
Journal
A record of what you are learning about yourself as a leader.
Developing your VP
Optional monthly practice for growing the leader in your second chair.
Built for the first year, used across the whole year.
You open it a few times per month, for about an hour, and work through structured reflection, practical guidance, and a few prompts that build over the year.
Everything you write stays private to you. By June, you have a record of who you became in the role.
Monthly Cadence
Use it a few times per month. Work through it for about an hour. Return next month.
Fully private
Your writing stays private. We do not read it, share it, or sell it.
Yours to keep
Export a year-end synthesis in your own words when June arrives.
For new principals and the year that asks the most of them
North America-wide. No specific jurisdiction.
First-Year Principals
Stepping into the principal’s chair for the first time. Navigating final accountability, a new kind of visibility, and a school that already has its own rhythms.
Principals Leading a VP
Responsible for developing the leader in the second chair. The program has a dedicated monthly section for that work — use it when it applies. Skip it when it does not.
Aspiring School Leaders
Teachers in administrator pools, completing leadership certification, or preparing for VP interviews. Use the program to build the reflective habits the role will demand before you step into it.
For the year that shapes every year after
The first year in school leadership is one of the hardest professional transitions there is. Most new admins finish the year wishing they had been more deliberate about it. This gives them a way to be deliberate without taking more than an hour a month.
Year-long structure
Monthly Content Tuned to the Calendar
August through July. Each month’s content is calibrated to what’s actually happening in that month of a school year — not generic leadership theory applied out of season.
12 MonthsPhase-Matched Content
Private to you. Always.
Your writing stays private. We do not read it, share it, or sell it.
Prompts for Hard Moments
A parent in crisis. A staff conflict. A community loss. Grounding prompts that help you find your footing when the role demands more than expected.
End of year
A Record of Who You Became
A year-end synthesis that reads your own writing back to you. By June, you have a record of your first year that no official evaluation could capture.
Personal Reflection
Year-End Review
Mark the year you completed, not just the work you finished.
Complete the year and download a certificate that marks the leadership rhythm you built.
It uses your name, completion date, and the program wording set by the program team.
Sample preview. Your certificate uses your profile name and completion date.
One-time access
CA$99 CAD for the full twelve-month companion.
No subscription. Private account access. Year-end synthesis and completion certificate included.
Before you commit
Straight answers about fit, cadence, privacy, and access.
What is The Principal's First Year?
The Principal's First Year is a twelve-month digital leadership companion designed for new principals. It gives first-year, early-career, and aspiring principals a monthly rhythm for structured reflection, practical guidance, and small leadership commitments across the full school year.
Who is the program for?
The program is for first-year and early-career principals, principals stepping up from a vice-principal role, and aspiring principals preparing for the move into the head of school chair.
Who created The Principal's First Year?
The Principal's First Year was created by Kevin Reimer, an educator with thirty-five years of K-12 experience including over 25 years as a vice-principal and principal, and former president and executive director of the BC Principals' and Vice-Principals' Association.
How much time does the program take?
Most leaders use the program once a month for about an hour. The monthly structure is designed to be meaningful without adding another heavy professional learning requirement to an already full year.
How much does access cost?
Full access costs CA$99 CAD as a one-time payment. There is no subscription or recurring fee. Access is yours for as long as your account exists.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes. If you are not satisfied within the first 30 days, email support for a full refund. No reason required.
Does the program include support for developing my VP?
Yes. Each month includes a dedicated Developing Your Vice-Principal section for principals responsible for growing the leader in their second chair. Use it when it applies. Skip it when it does not.
Is my reflection writing private?
Yes. Your reflection writing stays in your private account only. It is never shared, never analyzed, and never sold. You are the only person who can read it.
When should I start the program?
The program is structured around the school calendar, beginning in August. If you are joining mid-year, open the current month and work from there. Nothing is gated — you can move freely between months at any time.