It's lunchtime, and the author is sitting with Abigail, who is the English department chair, and several other teachers in her department during a heated discussion about the latest school mandate: a planning calendar audit. At East High School, a diverse high school on the outskirts of a large metropolitan city in the southeastern United States,…

Describes the results of a questionnaire survey of English department heads regarding teaching load and teaching conditions. (DD)

Inaugurates a new column addressed to those in language arts leadership positions, particularly the English department chair and the district and state supervisor or consultant, but also other English education administrators. Describes scope of the column and solicits suggestions for articles. Discusses the role of chairs and consultants in…

Describes one method of peer review used by a secondary school department head when asked to evaluate teachers in her department. Visits to individual classrooms included observation and notetaking, a narrative response to each teacher, and a final conference during which each teacher could respond to the narrative. ( NKA)

Recounts the disruptions, conflicts, and general hostility that resulted when the position of English department head was eliminated in an attempt to save money. (RBW)