Outlines the duties of English department heads and what their areas of expertise ought to be. (Author/JM)

Describes a way one principal involved teachers in the selection of a department head, by the appointment of a selection committee. (JM)

Describes the development of ongoing, clearly defined, and structured problem-solving and shared decision-making machinery that has upgraded the role and importance of intermediate supervisors with concomitant benefits in their morale and their contributions to the school at large. (Author/IRT)

Reviews the current (1987) certification requirements for principals in the 50 states. Speculates about future changes. Includes four tables. (Author/MD)

Coaching occurs in many fields, including music, drama, and various sports activities. Building a "coaching" metaphor might help clarify differences in coaching roles that principals and teachers find confusing. Most head coaches recognize that responsible evaluation is more helpful than absolute power in helping each player be the best…

Describes a program that consists of a three-part cycle of activities, all of which involved the department chairmen working jointly with the principal on actual preobservation conferences as well as with actual classroom observations. (Author/MLF)

Presents a proposal for effective teacher supervision and evaluation that puts the responsibility for supervision on someone close to the teachers, while the responsibility for evaluation remains the principal's. Includes diagrams outlining supervision and evaluation procedures. (MD)

In New York City, the assistant principal for supervision is responsible for staff development and improvement of student outcomes in specific subject areas. High schools have four to eight such positions. These administrators teach one to three classes daily, depending on department size. They train teachers, develop curricula and testing…

The Mentor School System (Ohio) recreated the role of department coordinator in all its secondary schools to develop a cadre of instructional leaders to break down the barriers between administrators and the classroom. (MD)

Discusses two propositions and two policies governing site-based management and the curriculum specialist role. The principal's role is changing from building manager to instructional leader. The role of department head or curriculum specialist is not clearly defined in the literature. However, the central office expert will no longer dispense…

High school students continue to struggle in algebra, especially in large inner-city schools with underprivileged students. Students are not the only ones skirmishing with algebra. Teachers and school leaders are just as frustrated as they search for answers to complex teaching and learning problems. Two high school principals report the results…

Drawing on literature concerning department chairs' role as either administrators (line personnel) or teachers (staff personnel), this essay concludes that both roles are important and that well-developed human relations skills and managerial skills are equally necessary. (MJL)

Student journalism is struggling to survive due to demanding high school graduation requirements, stricter college admission standards, and skeptical state departments of education. For student journalism to survive and prosper, education agencies, college officials, and journalism teachers must cooperate and receive strong support from the…

In response to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments (1997), the Virginia Department of Education implemented a statewide mediation system that includes eight mediators to resolve parent-school conflicts involving special-education issues. An impartial third party helps disputants reach agreement in a nonthreatening atmosphere.…