Exploratory study of seven superintendents' perspectives on the recruitment process, selection criteria, and final selection decisions of 20 recently hired principals and assistant principals. Superintendents were from a variety of small and midsized school districts and communities. Generates four hypotheses to be tested in future studies.…

Monthly highlights of an assistant principal's first year indicate how difficult the job can be. The count at the end of the semester includes 60 parent conferences for disciplinary reasons, 150 suspensions, 7 class removals, and 7 sexual harassment cases. Eight years of too many problems to handle and too much ground to cover preceded retirement…

By emphasizing practical technology applications, a Fairfax County (Virginia) school won national recognition. The principal built a model technology center by utilizing an assistant principal's expertise, developing teacher training via voluntary summer sessions and inservice programs, hiring a full-time technology advisor, and securing adequate…

To retain an exemplary dean of students with heavy caregiving responsibilities, a Poughkeepsie, New York, high school adopted a plan to split her job responsibilities with an educational administration student beginning his career. Job-sharing success hinged on strong cooperation among the district, the individual administrators, and local…

This article details the work of Sally Lancaster of Everett Public Schools in Washington. Sally Lancaster may be an educator by training, but she knows the value of libraries. As assistant principal of Alternative Programs for the Everett Public Schools, Lancaster led a statewide battle that not only saved the criteria for school libraries in the…

The purpose of this study was to assess administrators' professionally and personally inviting behaviors and examine whether administrators' reported behaviors were correlated with school rankings, job satisfaction, school climate, or time spent on instructional leadership. Overall, both principals and assistant principals reported engaging in…

Concerns about effective use of school instructional time have been evident for many years. The more stringent demands of the newer accountability mechanisms have obligated educators to renew efforts to optimize the teaching and learning process. This study addressed the nature and extent of classroom instructional time erosion by external…

The position of assistant principal has been virtually ignored and sometimes maligned. Based on perspectives that arise from administrative theory, career development research, and school administration studies, this document describes the special nature of the assistantship, daily work, rewards, and frustrations. Five chapters include: (1) "What…

Solutions to the black assistant principals' dilemma can come only when educational institutions and the people who run them recognize that there is a dilemma. Until that time, the black assistant remains on the fence--neither a "soul brother" nor "Uncle Tom." (Author)

Prioritizing the use of time, effective communication, delegating authority, having detailed job descriptions, and good secretarial assistance are important components of time management for assistant principals. (MD)

A study, based on a sample of 400 assistant principals in 15 major cities, revealed that most wanted significantly more responsibility and have a high level of job satisfaction. Almost half hope to become principals, and another 29 percent want to become central office administrators. (MLF)

School leaders may be able to profit from a closer look at the coach's bag of tricks to see what they can apply to their own work in developing staff commitment. (Editor)

Reports interviews with 10 primary teachers in Birmingham, England, on the roles, responsibilities, and relationships of the heads and their deputies. Finds following key characteristics for an ideal partnership between a head and a deputy: shared values and vision, close personal and professional relationships, clarity about boundaries, and…

The assistant principal's role as a school leader is generally less prestigious and less powerful than the principal's. "Administrative training" and "administrative job socialization" are two tools used to help the assistant principal become a more effective leader. (Contains 17 references.) (KDP)

Districts can quickly relieve the principal shortage by hiring recently retired principals and aspiring assistant principals, keeping good principals on the job, reconsidering early retirement options, providing monetary incentives, and recruiting candidates from local universities and outside education. Nurturing assistant principals is the best…