The second of six volumes in the "Elementary Principal Series," this booklet presents a framework to help beginning principals learn about their schools and the communities they serve. Principals should begin by reviewing key school documents, meeting with office staff, touring the physical plant, and getting to know the teaching staff through informal interviews and class visits. Principals must make a special effort to know new and itinerant teachers, aides and volunteers, substitutes, and other staff. Knowing students is central to understanding a school's social system. Principals must also become familiar with evaluation and monitoring systems governing staff, curriculum and instruction, the school testing program, special programs, class assignments, discipline, faculty meetings, parent conferences, supply distribution procedures, major school activities, money-handling methods, and policies conerning emergencies and special drills. Learning about the total school system involves understanding the district's formal organizational structure, district goals and objectives, and performance evaluation criteria; attending central office and board meetings; handling visiting VIPs; and managing personnel, the teacher union contract, and teacher evaluation and dismissal. Other administrative responsibilities are outlined, along with ways to learn about, and communicate with, the commmunity. Finally, a well-organized work plan and timetable for learning about school and community are presented. (MLH)