Expresses, from a principal's viewpoint, the dramatic transformation of his role and principal-staff relations in Fairfax County Schools (Virginia). The system's schools are now more professionally managed, thanks to a new Teacher Performance Evaluation Plan that has revamped training, evaluation ratings, teacher rewards, and principals'…

A principal's ability to lead and motivate staff depends on the "vision thing." Principals can earn staff respect by articulating a clear vision of their school's mission and working collegially to accomplish agreed-on goals and objectives. A weekly staff information bulletin is a good way to communicate the principal's vision, because it reduces…

Argues that one of the primary roles of any school principal is to act as champion of students' rights of academic and intellectual freedom. Provides five steps that principals can take to preserve intellectual freedom in their schools. (HB)

Argues that principals and school administrators are responsible for ensuring that students are exposed to a wide range of ideas, opinions, and values and thus must champion intellectual freedom and fight against censorship. Presents numerous success stories of how such values have been defended. (HB)

Discusses issues involved in the computerization of small, nonprofit organizations based on transcripts of a discussion with computer consultants. The use of consultants is discussed; organizational and personnel issues are addressed, including management involvement; and staff training methods are described. (LRW)

Examines what the prepared environment means to the Heads of Montessori schools. Maintains that the physical environment must be safe, healthful, aesthetically pleasing, and communicative to all the school's constituents. Suggests that the psychological environment is determined by underlying beliefs guiding expectations and actions of…

Offers some perspectives drawn from a recent experience in making a transition from faculty to dean in the hope it will be of some help to other chairs considering crossing the "great divide." Discusses the decision, the preparation, the application, the search itself, the "rules of the road," and the results. (SG)

Discusses the challenges that a return to full-time teaching research, and service entails. Offers advice to foreign language and literature department chairs about their futures after their chairmanships. (Author/VWL)

Schools must have the capacity to change. School administrators must be able to find a balance in distributing administrative authority in schools. In an effort to evoke meaningful change within the organization of secondary school structures, administrators must be advocates of change and support their staff members by decentralizing key roles by…

It is not easy being a principal. The principal's job is not just set the vision for a school, but also to make sure that everyone embraces that vision and works to make it a reality. In the process, principals will be occasionally be seen as "enforcers." Principals must make hard decisions, and virtually no decision is appreciated by everyone.…

Administration is defined as the enactment of moral choices influencing subordinates within an organizational setting. It is distinguished from management, which is considered to involve a lower level of discretion. Educational administration is therefore in the moral domain; it involves discretionary, moral choices in a field that is itself moral…

The role of high school principals can be compared to that of composers of music. For instance, composers put musical components together into a coherent whole; similarly, principals organize high schools by establishing class schedules, assigning roles to subordinates, and maintaining a safe and orderly learning environment. Second, composers…

Educational administrators' concern with planning and time management results from the fragmentation of their daily activities, which research has documented, and their consequent search for order and control. Time is important because its scarcity affects productivity and its use has social-psychological effects on staffs' perceptions of…

The effect of political influences on the allocation of personnel, money, facilities, and equipment by elementary school principals is discussed in this paper. The use of Zald's political economy framework as a tool for understanding the principal's role in allocating resources is described by the author. He suggests that the principal occupies a…

Calls for more effective management of the governance process. Reviews models of governance systems and offers suggestions for effective governance. Includes a checklist of questions to be asked of those responsible for governance systems in community colleges. (DMM)