Profiles Virginia Aguilar, a high school principal who, with her staff, has been exploring and implementing changes and improvements in response to state mandates. The paper describes improvement efforts by the school district and how Aguilar's school makes use of them. Aguilar's encouragement of participative decision making is discussed. (SM)

The article describes how Susan Derse, principal of a Seattle high school, works with her school to facilitate and encourage change, focusing on her approach to staff development. Ms. Derse uses a collaborative, participatory style of leadership that allows plenty of time for teachers to meet and work together. (SM)

This interview with a school principal, Efrain Vila, argues that staff development is crucial in school reform. Teachers cannot be asked to use new processes if they do not have opportunities to learn how to use them. His school's faculty meetings always include staff development components. Parent involvement is also essential. (SM)

Describes how the principal of a predominantly minority elementary school in Chicago (Illinois) took control of the school from local gangs and from the Local School Council, emphasizing her leadership and work to bring the faculty together through her active involvement and teachers' participative decision making. (SM)