Reviews the status of microcomputers in schools, particularly elementary schools, as revealed in a January 1983 survey of 2,209 elementary and secondary institutions. Considers the extent of computer use and availability, characteristics of computer purchasers, funding sources, computer location and its impact, and the value of computers to…

Briefly describes the perfect principal's leadership, consciousness of human relations, charisma, visibility, high standards, positive attitude, openness, organization, consistency, and involvement in professional activities. (PGD)

Describes how one first-grade classroom dealt with the tragedy of the Challenger explosion. (MD)

Describes the first successful year of planning and operating a self-supporting enrichment summer school program for 350 first through eighth grade students in the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 22 courses offered students opportunities to explore new topic areas in nontraditional ways. (PGD)

Educational reform efforts aimed at redesigning facilities or reorganizing the use of space are being abandoned in favor of attempts to develop the special characteristics found in schools identified as effective. This article examines how such interests are translated into practice in Olney, Maryland's, Belmont Elementary School and elsewhere.…

Reviews the concept of principal centers, which help principals in their professional growth. Includes the results from a study of the organization and operation of 34 principal centers throughout the United States. (MD)

Provides information from the National Survey of Salaries and Wages in Public Schools on the salaries and fringe benefits of elementary and middle school principals and administrators. Includes seven tables and a series of charts. (MD)

Briefly describes the perfect teacher's dedication, creativity, relationships with parents and students, and positive attitude. (PGD)

The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act bars discrimination against handicapped people who are otherwise qualified for a position. To comply, principals should be prepared to identify each job's essential functions, prepare a written description for each job, provide reasonable accommodations, establish job-related qualification standards, and…

Principals can make changes happen, help them happen, or simply let them happen. Effective change leadership involves setting long-term goals, clarifying the school's commitment to work at education, staying on top of innovations, consulting and collaborating with teachers, making decisions, offering support and guidance, and maintaining…

Among the administrative strategies principals can use are time management techniques for limiting the day's activities and providing early warning of upcoming events, communication strategies for keeping teachers informed and involved, and problem-solving strategies that encourage the principal to focus on problems worthy of serious attention.…

Based on the premise that the principal's role is crucial in the quality of a school, the author provides 10 specifications for working to improve the quality of principals. (MD)

Describes an elementary school principal's visit to Japanese schools. Highlights positive impressions, such as 99 percent literacy, education's high priority, focus on basics, and students' proficiency in science and mathematics. On the minus side, Japanese schools give students scant individual attention and overemphasize memorization and highly…

Textbook publishers are under attack for producing books that are superficial in content and oversimplified or confusing in language. They respond that their products are the inevitable result of applying the many textbook selection formulas to book production. Efforts by educators to improve textbooks are currently being organized. (PGD)

Ordered to desegregate, the Lowell (Massachusetts) Public Schools followed parent wishes and successfully provided a variety of magnet schools to encourage voluntary desegregation. Creation of these schools provided an opportunity for reviewing and improving the educational system as a whole. (PGD)