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| About This Resource | |
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| Acknowledgments | |
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| About the Authors | |
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| Your Role as Principal: "All Things to All People" or "Principle-Centered Leadership" | |
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| The Nature of the Principalship | |
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| Define Your Own Belief System | |
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| Systems Thinking, the Learning Organization, and Strategic Planning | |
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| Instructional Leadership | |
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| The Importance of Diplomacy | |
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| The Need for Positive Community Relations | |
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| Learn From Experience | |
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| Effective Time Management Practices | |
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| Maintain Perspective | |
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| How to Plan for the School Year: Setting Goals and Maintaining Focus | |
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| The Context for School Goals | |
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| The Power of Goals | |
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| Goals Should Make a Difference | |
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| Setting Goals: Broad-Based Involvement | |
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| The Elements of Well-Designed School Goals: SMART Goals | |
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| Keep the Ball in the Air | |
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| Reporting on Goal Fulfillment | |
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| Shared Decision Making: The Key to a More Effective School | |
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| What Is Meant by Shared Decision-Making? | |
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| What Are the Benefits of Shared Decision-Making? | |
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| What Do Effective School Leadership Groups Do? | |
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| What Steps Are Required to Establish a School Leadership Team? | |
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| What Is the Relationship of the Leadership Team to the Larger School Community? | |
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| What Are the Skills Required for Effective Team Meetings? | |
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| The Role of the Principal in Shared Decision-Making | |
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| How to Assess the Effectiveness of a School Leadership Team | |
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| Improving Teacher Observation and Evaluation | |
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| The Purposes of Supervision and Evaluation | |
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| How to Establish a Positive Climate for Teacher Supervision | |
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| How to Clarify the Criteria for Supervision and Evaluation | |
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| Achieving a Balance Between Formal and Informal Observations | |
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| Reviewing Professional Development Plans | |
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| The Pre-Observation Conference | |
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| How to Conduct Effective Teacher Observations | |
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| The Post-Observation Conference: A Time for Sharing and Learning | |
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| Other Means of Observation and Evaluation | |
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| How to Make the Most of an Annual Evaluation Conference | |
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| How to Make Effective Decisions About Rehiring Teachers | |
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| How to Deal Effectively With the Marginal Teacher | |
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| Evaluating the Supervisory Process | |
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| The Principal's Role in Curriculum Development and Renewal | |
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| What Is the Curriculum? | |
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| The Content or "Course of Study" | |
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| The Methods or Techniques to Be Used | |
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| Establishing a Timeline for Examining the Curriculum | |
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| A Process for Curriculum Renewal | |
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| Preparing a Curriculum Document | |
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| Curriculum Articulation | |
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| Curriculum Supervision and Accommodating Teacher Choice and Flexibility | |
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| Assessment in the Elementary School: Purposes and Practices | |
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| The Purposes of Assessment | |
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| A Few Useful Definitions | |
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| Assessment Versus Testing | |
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| Gaining Consensus on Learning Outcomes | |
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| Aligning Assessment to Instruction | |
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| Different Assessments for Different Needs | |
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| Steps to Follow in Designing Assessments | |
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| A Balanced Approach to Assessment | |
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| Using the School Testing Program to Good Advantage | |
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| The Purposes of Standardized Testing | |
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| The Kinds of Standardized Tests Often Given in Elementary Schools | |
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| Effective Ways to Approach the Testing Situation | |
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| Administrative Responsibilities in the School Testing Program | |
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| Helping Children Perform Their Best on Standardized Tests | |
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| Effective Analysis and Use of Test Results | |
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| Understanding the Limitations of Standardized Tests | |
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| "Value-Added" Assessment | |
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| Reporting the Results of Tests to Parents and Students | |
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| Reporting Student Progress to Parents | |
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| First Things First: Getting to Know Students | |
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| When Should Student Progress Be Reported? | |
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| Clarifying Reporting Practices With Teachers | |
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| Helping Parents Understand the School's Reporting System | |
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| Improving Progress Reports | |
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| Reporting Progress in Special Subject Areas | |
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| Tips and Techniques for Holding Effective Parent Conferences | |
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| Student Self-Evaluation | |
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| Administering Effective Programs for Students With Special Needs | |
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| The Role of the Principal in Overseeing Special-Education Services | |
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| Identifying Special Needs of Students | |
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| Developing a Continuum of Services for Students | |
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| Inclusion and Its Implications | |
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| Creating a Pupil Support Team | |
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| Prereferral Strategies and Response to Intervention | |
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| Procedures to Follow in Section 504 Referrals | |
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| Referral for Special-Education Services | |
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| Dealing With the Outcomes of a Special-Education Evaluation | |
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| Discipline Regulations and Special-Education Students | |
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| Administering English-as-a Second-Language Programs | |
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| Administering Gifted and Talented Educational Programs | |
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| Staff Development Needs in Dealing With Unique Learners | |
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| Assessing the Effectiveness of Programs to Meet Special Needs | |
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| Student Discipline: Approaches, Alternatives, and Solutions | |
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| Causes of Discipline Problems That Principals Are Likely to Encounter | |
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| Approaches to Effective Discipline | |
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| Elements of a Preventive Discipline Program | |
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| Advice for Teachers About Classroom Discipline | |
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| The Principal's Role in the School Discipline Program | |
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| The Importance of Parent Communication | |
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| Alternatives in a School Discipline Program | |
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| Improving Your School's Professional Development Program | |
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| The Need for Ongoing Professional Development | |
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| How to Begin: Conducting a Staff Development Needs Assessment | |
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| Staff Development and Behavioral Change | |
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| The Principal's Role in Devising a Staff Development Program | |
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| Implementing an Effective Staff Development Program | |
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| The Faculty Meeting as a Forum for Professional Development | |
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| Staff Development for School Service Personnel | |
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| Promoting Effective Communication: Internal and External | |
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| The Importance of Effective Communication | |
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| Keeping the School Staff Informed | |
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| Obtain Requested Information in an Organized Fashion | |
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| Electronic Communication With the School Community | |
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| Keeping the Parent Body and the Community Informed | |
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| Face-to-Face Communications | |
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| Tips on Preparing Presentations | |
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| Establishing a Network of "Key Communicators" | |
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| The Written Letter: A Lost Art | |
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| Promoting Positive Parent and Community Relations | |
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| Begin With Your Own School Community | |
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| Developing a Unity of Purpose | |
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| The Importance of Availability and Visibility | |
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| Working With a Principal's Advisory Council | |
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| Establishing Procedures for Handling of Parental Complaints | |
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| The Importance of the Role of the School Secretary | |
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| Dealing With the Media | |
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| Becoming Skillful at Creating Positive Publicity for Your School | |
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| Technology and the Elementary School Program | |
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| Clarifying the Purposes of Technology in the School | |
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| Planning for Effective Use of Technology in Schools | |
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| Integrating Technology Into the General Curriculum | |
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| Technology and Educational Reform | |
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| Planning for Appropriate Staff Development for Using Technology | |
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| Using Online Services | |
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| Evaluating Content and Software Programs | |
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| Ensuring the Proper Use, Maintenance, and Inventory of Equipment | |
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| Evaluating the School Technology Program | |
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| Effective Budget Preparation and Control | |
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| Advance Planning: The First Step | |
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| Preparing Budget Documents | |
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| Budget Review and Approval | |
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| Implementing and Controlling the Budget | |
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| Securing Alternative Means of Funding in Your School | |
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| Maintaining a Clean, Safe, and Secure School Environment | |
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| Caring for the School Building | |
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| Maximizing the Use of Building Space | |
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| Working With the Custodial Staff | |
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| Securing, Storing, and Maintaining an Inventory of Custodial Supplies | |
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| Maintaining a Safe and Clean School Site | |
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| Improving the Appearance of Indoor Spaces | |
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| Long-Term Planning and Capital Projects | |
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| Safeguarding School Equipment and Materials | |
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| School Safety and Emergency Planning | |
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| Developing and Implementing Effective Class Placement Policies | |
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| Fair and Appropriate Organization of Classes | |
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| Inviting Parent Input Into Class Placement: Benefits and Drawbacks | |
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| Developing Class Lists | |
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| Forming Incoming Kindergarten Classes | |
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| Dealing With the Retention of Students in a Grade | |
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| Announcing Class Placements to Parents | |
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| Handling Parent Complaints About Class Placements | |
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| Placing Students Who Enter During the School Year | |
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| Reviewing and Evaluating Class Placement Practices | |
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| Effective and Creative School Scheduling Practices | |
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| Setting Goals for the School Schedule | |
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| The Effect of the Schedule on the Climate of the School | |
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| Defining Premises, Assumptions, and Contractual Considerations | |
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| Models and Approaches for School Scheduling | |
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| Getting Down to Business: Developing the Master Schedule | |
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| The Trend Toward Year-Round Schooling | |
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| Staffing and Hiring: Critical Decisions for Principals | |
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| Projecting Staffing Needs | |
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| Forming a Selection Committee | |
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| Developing a Candidate Profile | |
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| Recruiting Suitable Candidates | |
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| Paper Screening | |
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| Developing Interview Questions | |
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| Developing an Interview Schedule | |
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| Conducting Interviews | |
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| Checking References | |
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| Making a Hiring Recommendation | |
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| Notifying Applicants of Their Status | |
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| Announcing Hiring Decisions to the School Community | |
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| Orienting New Staff Members | |
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| Evaluating Hiring and Orientation Practices | |
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| Fostering a School Culture: Traditions and Ceremonies | |
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| Making Schools Great and Memorable With Traditions and Ceremonies | |
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| Developing a School Culture | |
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| Planning for Ceremonies and Maintaining Traditions | |
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| Examples of School Traditions and Ceremonies | |
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| Passing Down School Traditions From One Generation to the Next | |
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| Index | |