A recent controversy over Amazon's culture has strong implications for the whole child approach, and it offers powerful lessons for principals. A significant difference between the culture of so many businesses today and the culture at good schools is that in good schools, the welfare of the employees is very important. Student success is the…

Richard DuFour, a leading advocate for creating professional learning communities in schools, shares his insights on why teaching has become an "embattled profession" and the steps teachers and school leaders can take to enhance teachers' practice and their working lives. DuFour explains how recent reforms aimed at educators themselves…

21st century school leadership is not for the faint of heart and as with any organization a school is only as successful as their leadership. The acknowledgment that a "different" reality exists for school principals is of utmost importance when identifying the conditions, situations, and roles that one will engage in. In this article Dr. East…

This study argues for a new theory in school management based on the notion of positive containment which benefited from the integration of the main two patterns of leadership, i.e., the democratic and the authoritarian. In this theory, the school principal has to deal with one external and five internal circles of positive containments. The…

School leadership has never been easy. However, some experts like Garcia (2005) wrote that current school leaders are facing a variety of difficulties that make sustaining school reform efforts exceedingly difficult. Collectively, these modern day challenges have the capacity to form the perfect storm. School leaders need effective strategies to…

The article addresses teacher retention challenges employers are experiencing in the quest to effectively meet standard human resource management practices. The quality of the employer-employee relationship forms the foundation upon which effective management practices thrive. Teachers who remain in education value students and their personal…

When 504 public school secretaries were interviewed concerning their jobs, most expressed satisfaction with their work and their bosses. A small percentage suggested improvements in office efficiency. Most disliked nursing or disciplinary duties and telephone problems. Included are 10 tips to help secretaries. (MLH)

Identifies demands that may pose a dilemma for elementary school counselors, categorizing these demands by their source: school principals, teachers, and parents. Provides specific examples for various types of demands presented by each source. Guidelines are provided to help counselor cope with dilemmas at the workplace. (NB)

A Connecticut principal who has headed 6 schools in 22 years believes that moving around has improved his leadership capabilities. The district's rotation system has kept him professionally fresh and adept at facing the unknown and handling crises. Undaunted by outmoded buildings or violent hallways, this "gypsy" principal feels that…

This article first summarizes literature that argues educators are highly stressed, as well as small but growing body of literature that indicates a contrary point of view. Then presents the outcomes of three studies conducted in New York State that indicate relatively low stress in school principals and teachers. Finally, it explores possible…

In the summer 1996 issue of this journal, Donal M. Sacken analyzed 252 cases of administrator-initiated litigation arising from adverse personnel decisions. Chester C. Kent criticizes Sacken for specifically: (1) the indiscriminate mixture of involuntary demotions with demotions and terminations for cause; (2) creating a nontraditional format as a…

This paper analyzes the empirical evidence available to date concerning the evolving role of the principal. First, it briefly describes the effects of fundamental reform measures on the work environment of school principals, with a focus on work overload and role ambiguity. The second section unpacks the available body of empirical research to…

Using the case of the Flemish policy on educational quality and based on a series of case studies, the author argues that the impact of central policy measures on educational practices in schools is never simply straightforward. Policy measures are always interpreted by and translated to the particular context of a school. In these processes of…

In this article, the authors, two experienced principals from two separate districts and mentors for new principals, explain that being a great principal is much the same as being the host of a great dinner party. The following are a few insights and tips-for new principals that can help any host (or principal) find rewards that go far beyond the…

One advantage to an interim administrative position is that the public cuts short-timers a little slack. Temporary administrators can learn on the job and become experts on specialized subjects. Personnel issues demand more time than interims possess. Such positions usually do not turn into long-term contracts. (MLH)