Table of Contents
Cast of Characters 13
Former First-Year Principals 13
Veteran Principals and Exceptional Leaders 14
Forward 17
Introduction 21
Case Study: Preliminary Advice for First-Year Principals 24
Chapter 1 Assessing the Situation 27
Case Study: How Former First-Year Principals Assessed Their New Institutions and Chose Curricula 29
A Principal's Priorities 33
Case Study: Their Top Priorities as Principals 34
Case Study: Common Mistakes to Avoid 40
Following in the Previous Principal's Footsteps 42
Case Study: The Importance of Mentors 46
Using Your Staff 48
A Clear View 51
Case Study: Things They Wish They Had Known Before Starting the Principalship 52
Chapter 2 The Gap Analysis 55
Case Study: Determining the Best Resources for Your Teachers 60
Where to Go From Here 62
A Contagious Vision 63
Hiring and Firing Teachers 67
Case Study: Advice on Hiring Teachers 69
Your Strategy 73
Case Study: First-Year Principals on What They Hope to Achieve at Their New Institutions 75
Chapter 3 The Standards 77
Honoring the System 78
Case Study: How Well Does College Prepare You for the Job? 81
Chapter 4 Politics in Education 87
No Child Left Behind 88
In the News: President Obama's Vision for Education 92
Case Study: Thoughts on Laws and Litigation in Education 95
Inclusion 97
The Watchful Eyes Upon You 102
Case Study: Advice on Dealing with The Watchful Eyes 108
In the News: Race to the Top 109
In the News: Budget Cuts 112
Chapter 5 Communication 117
Developing the Lines of Communication 118
In the News: Education Technology 120
Case Study: The Importance of Mutual Respect 125
Your Community and Public Relations 125
The Media 133
Case Study: Dealing with the Media 137
Chapter 6 Your Teachers 143
Your Relationship with Teachers 143
Case Study: How to Best Lead Your Teachers 147
Teacher Conflict 151
Case Study: The Firing Process 152
Case Study: Dealing with Conflict 157
Chapter 7 Your Students 163
Your Relationship with Students 164
Student Discipline 168
Case Study: Disciplining Your Students 172
Bullying 177
In the News: Use Caution in Cyberbullying Cases 178
Chapter 8 The Parents 185
Your Relationship with Parents 186
Chapter 9 Focusing on You 197
How Important Are You? 197
Taking Care of You 204
Know Your Limits 209
Chapter 10 Closing the Gap 219
Measuring Success 221
Case Study: How Do You Judge Your Success? 229
Leadership and Mentoring 230
Case Study: The Biggest Challenges Faced by Today's Principals 236
Future Outlook 239
Case Study: Parting Pearls of Wisdom 243
Conclusion 245
Appendix A The Teacher Handbook: An Example 247
Appendix B Word from the Experts 251
Implementing New Curricula in Your School 251
Why They Became Principals 252
How They Define Their Roles as Principals 253
Words of Wisdom That Helped the Veterans Through Their First Years as Principals 254
How Important Are the Teachers in Your Success as Principal 256
Challenges Caused by the Previous Principal 259
The Most Rewarding Part of Being a Principal 261
Things They Feel Should Be Changed in the Education System 263
Advice Concerning Standardized Testing 268
Appendix C More Resources 271
Bibliography 275
Author Biography 283
Index 285