Much can be learned from practicing school leaders, including how they describe their roles navigating between policy and practice with a focus on meeting students' needs. This article considers how alternative school administrators work with school personnel to create communities for supporting students once considered at risk in traditional public schools. Findings include: (1) creating a culture of high standards; (2) adopting a personalized or caring approach to leadership; (3) exploring and implementing innovative practices for teaching and learning; and (4) managing students as a collaborative and individualized process. For further understanding, authors apply emergent themes to a model for advancing democratic professional practice in education.