Retaining quality staff members is a hot topic in the public school arena. Although teachers are often the focus of concern, hiring and retaining quality assistant principals must be addressed as well. Interviewing and hiring the right assistant principal--and then ensuring that he or she remains on in a campus for several years--can do a great…

In this article, the author, as an assistant superintendent, reflects on his personal experience on overcoming job fatigue. As he reflects on his personal experience, the aspect that disturbs him the most is that he was beating himself up at the start of the process because he felt like he was neglecting his responsibilities. Although he did a lot…

Being in balance is vital to a healthy school environment and may make schools more productive. However, being in balance is hard to define. It may be easier to start by identifying what "out" of balance looks like. All administrators have had days when they have felt that their efforts were for naught. The phone keeps ringing, the parents are…

The demands of the principalship today are keeping good people away. They do not want to deal with the demands on their time, the drive for great test scores, hovering parents, neglectful parents, teachers' needs, and the political hot spot that some schools have become in their communities. They do not see current principals finding balance and…

Principals can easily validate the tension of opposites thinking. Their work is filled with paradoxical dilemmas and days in which the questions are complex and void of definitive answers. In an attempt to balance the often antithetical needs and expectations of the students, the faculty members, the community, and the district office, the…

Relaxed intensity refers to a professional philosophy, demeanor, and way of life. It is the key to being an effective educational leader. To be successful one must be relaxed, which means managing stress efficiently, having fun, and enjoying work. Intensity allows one to get the job done and accomplish certain tasks or goals. Educational leaders…