This paper has two purposes: First, we describe the components of the Student Ownership, Accountability, and Responsibility for School Safety (SOARS) framework in the context of the literature on school safety. Second, we offer outcomes from a pilot study testing the framework's impact on student perceptions of: (1) school belonging; (2) sense of…

The implementation of the Common Core State Standards has posed a number of challenges for school leaders. This study applies a policy implementation conceptual framework to analyze data gathered from 46 interviews in six states. Findings suggest the existence of multiple barriers to Common Core State Standards implementation. To promote…

Neither health education nor suspension appears to help tobacco-addicted students cut back or stop smoking completely. This article describes a Long Island high school's efforts to help 27 (volunteer) students develop their own smoke-cessation program. Most participants, who had begun smoking in middle school, reduced their tobacco dependency, and…

After undertaking a study of values education and ethical behavior in fall 1982, the Baltimore County (Maryland) Public Schools formed committees involving more than 2,000 people. Innovative projects involving computer ethics, coaches as role models, academic honesty, and "culture nights" to celebrate the community's ethnic backgrounds…

By addressing bullying issues, school personnel may prevent more serious violent behavior. This article reviews bullies' and victims' characteristics and describes a school-based intervention plan for managing bullying behavior on the playground and classroom, educating parent/teacher organizations and counselors, and publicizing and implementing…

Theater participation aids students in several areas, including self-expression, self-development, self-understanding, self-esteem, self-discipline, analytical skills, empathy, human understanding, and competition. Balance between academics and the arts is essential if students are to be prepared to live well-rounded, meaningful lives in the…

There are three reasons that specially designed instruction at the high-school level is improperly delivered: teachers may not understand the requirements, know how to make appropriate accommodations, or follow what has been outlined. Scheduling mismatches and failed behavior-management implementations are additional factors. Planning ahead avoids…

As Mississippi's experience shows, there are five necessary stages for staff development: preplanning (forming a committee), planning, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance. This article examines each phase, provides checklists, and highlights the principal's responsibility during each phase. (eight references) (MLH)

A genuine, ethical public-relations program must not center around capitulation in the face of criticism from particular persons or interest groups. Nor should it be directed at propagandizing or browbeating the public into submission. Instead, PR programs should strive to achieve mutual understanding via symmetric, two-way communication. (9…

Despite technologies' great potential for enhancing classroom instruction and school administration, most schools have yet to implement them beyond a basic level. There are several reasons for this reluctance, including lack of administrative support. Principals must reeducate themselves, procure necessary resources, understand technological…

Principals of site-based managed schools face numerous special-education program implementation challenges, such as appropriate committee compositions, inconsistent service delivery decisions across schools, interschool isolation, deflection of advocates, and policy guidance problems. Principals are ill-trained for inclusion and special-education…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics'"Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics" (1989) and "Professional Standards for School Mathematics" (1991) need principals' help to be implemented. Secondary principals should become familiar with standards, provide teachers with long-term professional…

The key to our future students' success is educators' ability to transcend their immediate ego-protected environments and openly seek, accept, incorporate, and publicly acknowledge expertise and opinions of others. Principals advocating benefits of collaborative decision making must show tolerance and encourage a wide variety of management,…

Discusses three timely Individuals with Disability Act issues confronting school personnel: implications of complex health services related to the Supreme Court "Garret F" ruling; use of functional assessment as mandated by IDEA 1997 discipline amendments; and handling of Section 504 issues related to Asperger Syndrome. (Contains 16…