This monograph is intended to help parents, students, and lay persons understand more clearly the expectations, responsibilities, and day-to-day activities of the school principal. Most of the references made in the publication are to secondary principals, but many of the role expectations apply to elementary principals as well. The author presents a principal's job description and describes a typical principal's day. He outlines principals' training and discusses the principal's image. He focuses on the principal as authority figure, student advocate, person in the middle, educational leader, acknowledged expert, decision maker, problem solver, and disciplinarian. He discusses principals' rights concerning their jobs, duties, and compensation, and outlines the duties of scheduling the school's educational program and setting goals. (Author/JM)