The Path to Principal

Randall Yu ’22 didn’t enter Brockport’s School Building Leader/School District Leader program with a clear vision of becoming a school administrator. As a teacher and coach, he was simply exploring what the next step in his career could look like.

“I was just dipping my toe in the water,” Yu said. “I was a coach and a teacher at the time and I loved it. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go down the road of becoming an administrator. But my first class hooked me.”

That first step quickly became a transformative experience. Through his graduate program, Yu developed the skills, confidence and perspective needed to take on leadership roles within education.

Before completing the program, Yu accepted two administrative positions in the Brockport Central School District. He first became assistant principal at Brockport Ginther Elementary School before recently being named the school’s principal.

Yu credits the real-world focus of Brockport’s graduate program with preparing him for the challenges of school leadership.

“The program really makes you think about real-world scenarios that are happening in schools right now,” said Yu. “I went through the program during the pandemic, so there were a lot of scenarios about managing COVID. I got a lot out of working through those.”

The program also helped Yu see that administration was not a departure from teaching, but an opportunity to expand his impact.

“Administration doesn’t mean you’re leaving teaching, you’re teaching in a different way,” Yu said. “I realized that as a teacher I could make an impact on 23 students in my classroom and their families. As an administrator, I can make an overall impact on 450 students and their families.”

Through the School Building Leader/School District Leader program, Yu found a new path to continue doing what he loves: supporting students, families and educators.