In this article, the author, an educational administrator, gives advice on how to handle two jobs at once. Some suggestions include: (1) Create a labeled in-basket system; (2) Maintain telephone logs; (3) Establish a top-drawer folder; and (4) Maintain a desk calendar with all appointments.

Offers 12 time management tips for harried school administrators, including using a personal calendar, calling five-minute meetings with secretaries, mail-sorting, delegating or declining certain tasks, controlling visitors, screening phone calls, streamlining meetings, and other ideas. (MLH)

For many administrators, retirement does not usually provide flow of accomplishments and satisfaction because small emotional gratifications of day at work are gone and time suddenly seems too open-ended. Superintendents need to pursue something that keeps them vibrant physically, intellectually, and emotionally. For some, work is tonic.…

Provides an outline of items for consideration when planning construction projects for new educational facilities. Establishing checkpoints, calendaring events, delineating responsibilities, and developing a checklist and timeline to follow during planning and construction as well as a close-out audit help ensure success. Includes a copy of a…

Successful administrators practice time management by delegating effectively and scheduling blocks of time to work without interruption. In addition, they set clear goals for meetings, avoid unnecessary meetings, and use weekly and monthly calendars. (MLF)

By controlling their time, superintendents can attend to their personal well-being and work priorities. Administrators should create a pleasure list, determine priorities, communicate politely yet firmly, learn to say no, discourage interferences, exercise regularly, ensure board compliance, budget quiet time, recognize limits to efficiency, and…

Based on his experience with the Copernican block scheduling plan used in British Columbia secondary schools, a principal identifies administrative challenges (abuse of tutorial time, uneven distribution of teacher-preparation time, teacher fatigue, pedagogical changes, and unrealistic expectations) and suggests ways to address them. Involving…

A Vermont elementary school principal offers advice to other schools attempting to revise their assessment approaches and stack their bulky armfuls (student portfolios) in a better load. Educators are advised to integrate portfolios into current classroom practices, share both the burden and the benefits, adapt portfolios to their own needs and…

Murfreesboro (Tennessee) City Schools extended the school day and year with no additional cost to taxpayers. Implementation was arduous and faced great resistance. Eventual solution made better use of the school system's capital assets and human resources, rearranged Chapter 1 money, required additional business support and parents' willingness to…

Applies observations and advice by management guru Peter F. Drucker to the role of school system leaders. Topics include the customer as king, the continually changing definition of success, effective time management, the ethical dimension of decision making, and performance-based leadership (MLF)

The spouse of a former superintendent provides suggestions for minimizing, though never eliminating, harmful repercussions on their mates. Expectations of being a public persona, socializing with board members, sacrificing free time, responding to public criticism, and dealing with boards' private agendas demand creative coping approaches.…

Administrators must research diverse scheduling alternatives and their effects and requirements. Successfully modifying school time boils down to a six-step recipe: believing in improvement-directed change, involving all key stakeholders, selecting the appropriate schedule, developing clear expectations, bridging the theory-practice gap, and…

The Copernican plan can help almost every U.S. high school decrease its average class size, increase its course offerings, substantially reduce teaching load, provide students with regularly scheduled seminars, establish a productive learning environment, and substantially increase learning mastery within present funding levels. Sidebars describe…

In this article, the author discusses the need of administrative support for board members. An effective board services office can help a lot in attracting and retaining community leaders. Board members need administrative support to help them manage events, records, communications, scheduling, correspondence and constituent service. In small to…

A well-conceived and concisely written plan can become an important vehicle to meet challenges and gain citizens' confidence in a school system. Effective strategic planning requires community involvement, husbanding of resources, and a clear sense of timing. (TE)