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Vice-Principal · First Year Program

Leading for the
First Time

A twelve-month companion for new vice-principals.

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.

What you get for CA$99 CAD

Full first-year access, private reflections, and a year-end synthesis.

One-time paymentNo subscriptionPrivate account access
Photo of Kevin Reimer

Created by Kevin Reimer

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
About Kevin

How it works

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.

01

Buy access once

One purchase opens the full year. No subscription and no recurring seat fee.

02

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.

03

Reflect and return

Write privately, save progress, and come back when the next month asks something new of you.

04

Complete the year

Finish with a year-end synthesis and certificate that mark the leadership rhythm you built.

Program preview

A real look at the kind of work inside.

The program is not hidden behind vague promises. Each month gives you concrete prompts, a simple month flow, and private space to write.

Sample month flow

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 a vice-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 Program

Inside each month

The 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.

Teaching VP section

Optional support for vice-principals carrying both classroom and admin responsibilities.

Who this is not for

Clear boundaries make the program stronger.

Leading for the First Time is a private companion for reflection and practice. It is intentionally not trying to be everything.

Not a video course

There are no long lessons to watch. The work is reflection, attention, and small monthly practice.

Not performance evaluation

This is not a scoring or supervision tool. Your private writing is not reviewed by the program team.

Not district reporting

It is built for the individual leader, not for compliance dashboards or organizational data capture.

Not generic leadership theory

The content follows the actual first-year VP calendar instead of broad advice applied out of season.

What this is

Built for the first year, used across the whole year.

They open it once a month, for about an hour, and work through structured reflection, practical guidance, and a few prompts that build over the year.

Everything they write stays private to them. By June, they have a record of who they became in the role.

Monthly cadence

Open once a month. Work through it in 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.

Who uses it

For new vice-principals and the year that asks the most of them

North America-wide. No specific jurisdiction.

First-Year Vice-Principals

Stepping into administration from a teaching role for the first time. Navigating a new identity, a new authority, and a school that already has its own rhythms.

Teaching Vice-Principals

Carrying a classroom load alongside admin work. The program has a dedicated section for the dual role — use it when the tension needs attention. 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.

Why use 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
Privacy first

Private to you. Always.

Your writing stays private. We do not read it, share it, or sell it.

When it’s hard

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

Completion certificate

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.

Get Access for CA$99 CAD

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.

View Pricing

Quick answers

Before you commit

Straight answers about fit, cadence, privacy, and access.

What is Leading for the First Time?

Leading for the First Time is a twelve-month digital leadership companion designed for new vice-principals. It gives first-year, early-career, teaching, and aspiring vice-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 vice-principals, teaching vice-principals carrying both administrative and classroom responsibilities, and aspiring vice-principals preparing for the transition into school leadership.

Who created Leading for the First Time?

Leading for the First Time 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 teaching vice-principals?

Yes. Each month includes a dedicated Teaching and Leading section written specifically for vice-principals carrying classroom teaching responsibilities alongside administrative work. Use it when the dual-role tension needs attention. 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.