Being a principal can be a lonely and overwhelming task, and that sense of isolation and the staggering job is amplified in the first year. After examining the administrator pipeline in Pitt County, we identified the challenge to better prepare future principals for their first year leading a school. In this presentation, attendees will examine key skills and competencies needed by 1st year principals and will explore structures, strategies, and processes utilized to develop an effective leadership pipeline for new principals known as the Academy for Transformational School Leadership. The Academy was featured in the March 2022 edition of Principal Leadership and has produced 12 principals and three district coordinators since 2019.