Reports on observations of school superintendents conducted to see what they actually do on the job. Found that a superintendent's work is not as planned and organized as it is sometimes said to be because superintendents can't control the use of their own time and are frequently interrupted. (Author/IRT)

Two authors with a total of 30 years in school administration offer some advice to new administrators. Included are the following: try to cultivate an atmosphere of trust; turn to your peers for support; and choose your fights carefully. (MLF)

Replacing the old-fashioned job description of department heads with the job-results description offers a measurement of actual performance that allows principals to assess the progress of a department while they evaluate the performance of its head. (MLF)

Superintendents today have less or shorter lasting authority than their predecessors for reasons that include the influence of special interest groups and the public's desire for flash instead of substance in personal character. Advises superintendents to make their character the center of their leadership, build a sense of community, and help…

Offers guidelines for selecting a school principal, including samples of a job description, interview questions, and correspondence. (WD)

A Missouri school district has a nine-step strategy for selecting principals that involves a broad-based selection committee of staff and community members. (MLF)

When accepting a new post as a school administrator, it is important to earn the respect and trust of the staff. Suggestions are made that are intended to generate the rapport and support required to succeed as a school executive. (SI)

A number of factors have led to the dearth of qualified high school athletic coaches: an aging faculty, the gender equity promoted in Title IX, a shrinking pool of new teachers willing to coach, meager budgets, the explosive growth of sports such as soccer, and a hyper-competitive attitude among many students and parents. (MLF)

Interviews with married women superintendents and some of their husbands indicate the importance of developing a relationship of mutual support. (MLF)

Newly employed superintendents should get clear signals from the school board and make changes cautiously. If drastic measures are required, the superintendents should recognize staff concerns, get their backing, and involve them. A simple ceremony acknowledging the change in leadership can help people adjust to change. (MLF)

Describes the experiences of four superintendents who put upholding the law--and satisfying their own conscience--ahead of political pressure. (MLF)

Selected to replace a dismissed superintendent in Loudoun County (Virginia), Ed Hatrick has won support from teachers and the school board by open communication. Faced with budget cuts, Hatrick is stretching school funds by sharing some resources with the county and combining some jobs in small elementary schools. (MLF)

With scant resources but boundless commitment, Charles Johnson, superintendent in a rural Mississippi district, takes pride in stretching school funds. The district has never run a deficit or borrowed to make ends meet. (MLF)

Summarizes demographic data from the 1989 survey of school executives on the sex, race, age, compensation, years in current position, working hours, and career plans of responding superintendents and principals. (MLF)

Of a representative sampling of 1,509 administrators nationwide who responded to the 1989 survey of school executives, only 254 (17 percent) are women, and only 101 (7 percent) are minorities. The differences marked by gender and race are accentuated in small town and rural districts. (MLF)