Financial misdeeds, athletics scandals, and votes of "no confidence." How does a president escape all of these and hold office for the long haul? And "why" does one serve for an extensive term? In this article, the author explores these questions as he looks back on his long tenure at The George Washington University. He…

This article presents the conversation of the principals of Breakthrough High Schools (BTHS) about literacy. When asked about the essentials of a successful high school literacy initiative and the administrator's role in developing a schoolwide literacy initiative, the principals revealed the strategies and practices they use to improve students'…

Understanding motivation is central to effective use of human resources. Cognitive and noncognitive theories have been developed to explain motivation. Cognitive theorists, including Maslow, argue that a person's behavior can be predicted when that person's internal needs, values, and feelings are understood. Noncognitive theorists consider…

This paper discusses role expectations of principals, including the importance of the principal role, pressures and difficulties associated with it, and the problem of conflicting role expectations. (Author/LD)

Delegation can be defined as the granting of authority to subordinates to operate within prescribed limits. When delegating, the manager assigns duties to, grants permission or authority to, and specifies the responsibilities of the subordinate. Successful delegation requires matching the requirements of the task with the abilities of the…

Eleven whimsical approaches to self-introduction for new principals are presented. (TE)

Discusses the manager's role in staff development and the benefits that accrue to managers who develop their people. (JOW)

Educational improvement can only be achieved when a school's climate is positive and conducive to learning. The principal must take the lead in establishing an effective climate by being fair, consistent, capable, and--most importantly--highly visible. (PGD)

Counsels new superintendents to assess staff strengths and deficiencies before devising a plan that uses everyone's talents (even those of "turkey" principals) to fullest advantage. Strong communication and supervisory skills and firm administrative policies are essential to target weak performers and determine when transfers or dismissals might…

Briefly discusses several studies that examine the manager's job from the perspective of what the manager actually does. Based on these observed behaviors, 13 separate managerial roles within the five major categories of status, informational, decisional, leadership, and operational roles are identified and discussed. (MBR)

Sums up the roles and virtues of the ideal dean under the term "educational statesmanship." (PD)

Examines qualities of an ideal dean with respect to academic/professional standing and relationships with college faculty, department heads, students, deans, vice presidents, and the president. (PD)

Discusses recent thought on appropriate roles for school administrators. Examines alternative images of administrator roles, including those of manager, facilitator, politician, and educational leader. Analyzes the images and offers guidelines on blending the images into an appropriate role. (RW)

The most important factor in the hiring process is that a large committee conducts the interview. Interviews and group discussions that follow must be structured and supervised carefully so that each person's evaluations are taken into account. (Author)

Counselors and administrators need to collaboratively build a guidance program. This article offers a model of a people-oriented guidance program that requires the principal's active participation in challenging old assumptions and exploring new roles to bring about change. A checklist for establishing an effective program is provided. (Author/WD)