From the Editor: More than a Career

By Kaylen Tucker
Principal, May/June 2016

It’s the Law: Evaluation of Principals

By Perry A. Zirkel
Principal, May/June 2016

The Reflective Principal: Teaching in the Principal’s Office

By Tricia Culpepper
Principal, May/June 2016

Every principal remembers the first few weeks on the job and the feeling of overwhelming responsibility settling on your shoulders. Nine years ago, I became a school principal without having the experience of being an assistant principal. I had been a classroom teacher, a reading interventionist, and a curriculum coach, but I had never led a school. They say that wisdom comes with age, and looking back, I realize that my lack of experience could have been a disaster.

Speaking Out: Leadership Is Everybody’s Business

By Jay Harnack and Matthew Seebaum
Principal, May/June 2016

As education has become increasingly complex, so has educational leadership. With the never-ending and often overwhelming demands placed on today’s school leaders, shared leadership has become a very popular—and some would say necessary—model in K-12 education.

Best Practice: Start Recognizing Students

By Jonathan D. Mathis
Principal, May/June 2016

School leaders and teachers often ponder the question, “How should we define and inform school culture?” This complex and dynamic question should be considered through the lens of student recognition programs.

Practitioner’s Corner: Thinking and Learning on Display

By Suzanne Gray
Principal, May/June 2016

“Flattening the walls” is a term coined by my friend and colleague, Tony Sinanis, to describe the idea that we are using technology as a vehicle to “tell our own stories,” opening our classrooms to collaborative perspective. This requires a trusting culture, and great teachers given the opportunity to spread their greatness.

Fill Up Your Digital Toolbox

A wide array of digital tools and resources is available to supplement blended learning efforts.

What Assistant Principals Think

A roundtable discussion of the role’s challenges and opportunities for growth.

Beyond the Principalship

What school leaders need to know and do to prepare for post-principalship careers.

Problem-Solving Strategies from a Mentoring Principal

How to smooth fissures and build trust after a period of high turnover in leadership.

Celebrate the Power of Coaching

Support school leaders’ growth through job-embedded coaching and inquiry.

The Call for Caring School Leadership

New Professional standards serve as a guiding light for all aspects of educational leadership.

Make an Impact

Hone your principal voice by listening, learning, and leading, as well as speaking for yourself.

Throw Out a Lifeline

The supports that can help new school leaders stay afloat in the principalship.

The Reflective Principal: Double Duty

By Dan Butler
Principal, March/April 2016

Parents & Schools: Home Visit Tips for ELLs

By Belinda Y. Louie and Richard Knuth
Principal, March/April 2016

The English-language learner (ELL) population is the fastest growing segment in K-12 education, and professional credentialing for teachers and administrators has been unable to keep pace with the needs of the students. Principals’ abilities to respond to language and culture diversity are critical to meet the growing challenges that schools face in working with ELLs.