Offers suggestions for balancing the serious and not-so-serious side of the principalship. On the serious side, suggests that the principal be a team leader, hire wisely, share your vision, give yourself time to learn, communicate with parents, keep in touch with students, partner with a principal, know your standards, enlist the community, and…

Helps external reviewers of academic departments draw on the experience of those who have learned by trial and error. Outlines the steps taken by an external reviewer. Considers the particular task for an external reviewer and presents some notes on self-preservation for the external reviewer. Discusses the external reviewer's responsibility of…

In an effort to safeguard the learning environment, school administrators generally rely on district or local school guidelines and professional judgment. With new technology, the proliferation of drug use, and increased school violence, schools have become a complex environment to manage for both system and local leadership. Administrators are…

The purpose of this guide is to help chronically struggling schools restructure. "Restructuring" means major, rapid changes that affect how a school is led and how instruction is delivered. Restructuring is essential in achieving rapid improvements in student learning. The focus is on helping education leaders choose strategies that…

Teacher collaboration is an essential element of substantive school change for which principals have responsibility for cultivating. As such, it is becoming increasingly important for school leaders to employ models of supervision that focus on the performance and improvement of collective teacher behavior. In this article, the authors present a…

Epictetus was born in about the year 55 AD, in the Roman province of Phyrgia in what people now call central Turkey. A slave at birth and a limp due to his master's punishment, Epictetus did not stymie his interest in seeking a balanced perspective on life. He became one of the leading stoics of his age. He taught a variety of proteges, including…

This paper presents the second part of "Massachusetts Primer on Special Education and Charter Schools." This section is an introduction for new staff members of state agencies and others who need an overview of topics related to Massachusetts students with disabilities enrolled in Massachusetts charter schools. The information focuses on…

This paper offers principals a practical, six-hour plan for facilitating faculty development. Each phase, along with a suggested time limit, is described as follows: (1) 15 minutes--participants (faculty, support personnel, and citizen representatives) divide into groups of seven; (2) 75 minutes--group compiles a list of "this we believe"…

BACKGROUND MATERIAL FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS WHO WERE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING AND REFINING INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS FOR THE GIFTED WAS PRESENTED. THE FIRST AREA OF DISCUSSION WAS THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE GIFTED CHILDREN. CHILDREN IN GRADES 1 THROUGH 3 SHOULD BE IDENTIFIED BY INDIVIDUAL INTELLIGENCE TESTS, BUT, FROM GRADES 4 THROUGH 12, THE…

A FEDERAL REQUIREMENT SPECIFIES THAT EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT MUST FOLLOW UP EACH STUDENT WHO COMPLETES A PROGRAM FINANCED UNDER PUBLIC LAW 88-210. A COMMITTEE OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM FIVE SECONDARY AND POST-SECONDARY SCHOOLS WITHIN THE COUNTY DEVELOPED A SURVEY FORM AND PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING DATA REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND, IN…

This book is designed for Executive Directors in Adult Basic Education, delineating his various roles and responsibilities. Although his primary responsibility is related to his administrative or managerial role, other roles which he shares in common with the instructional staff are: as teacher or educator, as planner, as evaluator, and as Action…

The first five sections of this document deal with aspects of an evaluation program over which administrators have considerable, if not a primary, influence. These include (1) Climate: developing a climate among staff and constituents that is supportive of evaluation; (2) Focus: providing leadership in focusing the evaluation by assisting in…

Check lists are provided for the person(s) responsible for the following in an instructional design project: overall project management, operations, market research/development (funding), prototype development, product conceptualization, print development, (nonprint) media development, apparatus development, evaluation, and…

This survey provides answers to general questions regarding statutes and case law with respect to schools in force as of January 1, 2002, and administrative rules in effect as of March 30, 2001. It generally excludes, however, laws that are unique to Chicago Public School District 299. The book contains 27 chapters covering the following broad…