Principal describes efforts to divide a large urban high school into five small schools. Finds considerable gap between the theory and practice of school redesign. Reflects on the dilemmas and collisions between theory and practice encountered when dealing with the students, the faculty, the parents, the central office, and the school committee.…

Describes a case study of a rural school district in which conflicting superintendent, school board, and community values led to the superintendent's dismissal, which led to the defeat of the board members. Analyzes the course of events in terms of the dissatisfaction theory of democracy. (FMW)

Battered by adversarial negotiation approaches, an assistant superintendent decided to work with a facilitator, focus on issues, and build trust and honesty into joint meetings. Living in harmony, using one's ears, setting a nice table, stemming rumors, knowing when to stop, and celebrating are essential. A sidebar outlines five steps to…

Despite its shortcomings, the interview remains the most direct screening tool available to board members seeking a new superintendent. Interviewers should not use the interview to evaluate competency nor should they confuse glibness with competency or be rigid about time. Boards should conduct only one interview daily and allow opportunities for…

Because housing is often a primary concern, school boards need to understand its importance in successful superintendent recruitment efforts. Many businesses recognize that the transitions necessary in some corporate transfers effect the entire family's well-being. As competition intensifies, school boards might also consider offering housing…

Suggests some tested methods for superintendents to determine whether their administrators are truly practicing instructional leadership. Emphasizes the importance of visiting classrooms and attending inservice workshops at each school. Effective instructional leadership calls for getting others involved with improving overall performance. (MLH)

From population of 238 public secondary agriculture programs in Missouri, 59 with adult programs and 98 without were randomly selected. A total 174 superintendents and 178 agriculture teachers (93 percent) returned instruments indicating positive perceptions of need for adult programs. Superintendents thought adult agricultural education should be…

A questionnaire mailed to a stratified random sample of 4,800 school executives elicited 1,509 responses (31 percent). School-based management is favored by 91 percent of the principals--compared with only 80 percent of the superintendents. Contains information on how the 1989 survey of school executives was conducted. (MLF)

A new superintendent established an equal access to information policy with board members by answering questions submitted by individual board members and then sending the questions and answers to all board members--without identifying who asked the question. (MLF)

Responses from over 500 practicing superintendents in New York State reveal that the majority (1) have a strong desire to be leaders; (2) heard about the opening through an advertisement; (3) view consultants in the selection process appropriate only as technical experts; and (4) urge school board members to become more involved in the…

Believing that their desegregation plans met court-ordered guidelines, three Arkansas school districts (Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Pulaski County) found that U.S. District Judge Woods had scrapped these plans and appointed a New York desegregation expert (Eugene Reville) in charge of the three districts. Sidebars discuss salary and court…

A Kentucky high school principal regrets leaving a previous principalship for the superintendency of a small inner-city district. He gradually realized he'd been victimized by his own ego and others' perceptions of him. Playing political games had caused him to lose focus on the students. Principalships are equally stressful, but permit greater…

As chair of the New York State Council of School Superintendents' Wellness Committee for the past six years, the author is often asked how to begin a program of wellness and stay with it. Based on personal experience, he provides tips about cardiovascular fitness activities, regimens, information sources, and motivational aids. (MLH)

Using a 4-stage stress model, this study examined the relationship between stage 1 (stressors or demands) and stage 3 (stress response or coping) and between stage 3 and stage 4 (consequences of burnout) for 161 school superintendents and 495 principals. Results support the transactional view of stress and the conceptualization of the stress…

In a survey of a southeastern state's 91 school districts, 83% of superintendents and 77% of school board chairs responded. There was no significant difference in their opinions of the management of local incentive programs. Both agreed that merit pay should be used, but neither thought it enhanced quality of education. In ranking criteria for…