A Practical Guide For New School Leaders

The Ultimate Resource to cultivate self-awareness and excellence in Today’s Principals A commitment to continuous improvement paves the road to true leadership. New and veteran principals who understand this will translate thoughts into sound decisions and inspire a vision that can nurture others. They will drive progress and invite innovation. These are today’s newest superheroes, leading by example and cultivating greatness in others. But every superhero needs a mentor. In this updated bestseller, Beginning the Principalship, Daresh and Alexander offer intensive encouragement and help in a practical hands-on guide to help principals navigate the challenges of school leadership. The strategies and cases included here will inspire all school leaders and nurture their passion for the immense responsibility they have undertaken. Practical Questions, Points to Ponder, and numerous examples in every chapter help foster reflection and collaboration to build a shared vision for campus improvement. Plus, discover how to: Drive student learning as the primary mission of the school Deal with others’ expectations of you as principal Master the technical skills needed to run an efficient school Create and clarify a personal professional growth plan Work effectively with the greater community and parents Celebrate instructional and non-instructional staff in a positive school culture Don’t just survive your years as principal. Read this guide and thrive! "Novice and seasoned principals, and new and seasoned administrators would really benefit from reading this book for skill building and improvement. Each chapter provides a wealth of information and has a space to record one’s own plan for self-improvement." Delsia Easley, Principal Gadsden City Schools, Gadsden, AL "I am disappointed that I didn’t own this book when I started as a principal. This book would have answered some of my pressing questions and guided the work I did my first few years. I will recommend this to any friend or colleague starting a new principalship." Kelly VanLaeken, Principal Ruben A. Cirillo High School, Walworth, NY

`An inspiring resource for Headteachers, deputy Headteachers and any primary teacher who desires a leadership rile. All teachers who want to lead, or want to make themselves aware of problems faced by leaders, will not only find this book useful and informative but will learn a lot from it too' - Junior Education `This book is full of so many practical ides that new heads will surely be enthused to try something new and put energy into their new role, especially as this is supported by an outstanding detailed analysis of the frequent problems that those new to headship will face, enhanced by interesting and well-chose case studies. I am sure that this is one of books whose reputation will grow by word of mouth by those who have used it, to their colleagues. It deserves to be, and I am sure will be come a classic' - The International Journal of Educational Management `A Practical Guide to New School Leaders will be appreciated by those taking up new posts as head or deputy and should be part of their personal collections' - Tim Brighouse, Times Educational Supplement `In summary, this book makes an excellent contribution to the current debate on Leadership from a practical point of view. It provides an important resource for many aspects of leadership development programmes at a variety of levels. As a resource for both the newly appointed headteacher and those involved in their training it contributes to ensuring that the new headteacher will become a reflective thinker in terms of his/her early career as school leader. The book offers concrete strategies, case studies and checklists to help the new school leader to develop an individual action plan in order to survive and thrive' - Stephen Merrill, Edge Hill College of Higher Education, Journal In-Service Education New head teachers need help as they walk the tightrope between surviving the first years in the job and becoming strong and effective instructional leaders. John C Daresh and Trevor Arrowsmith offer concrete strategies, case studies and a personal leadership checklist to help the new school leader develop an individual plan to thrive and survive. Key features include: Real-life concerns facing new school leaders; technical and managerial skills to survive socializing to the role of a leader; strong leadership through self-awareness; the road to school leadership - making the most of being an assistant or deputy; developing personal portfolios and action plans. The book also provides answers to questions that concern new school leaders. This is a practical and essential resource for head teachers, deputy head teachers and all those aspiring towards a leadership role in schools. John C Daresh is currently professor of educational leadership at the University of Texas at El Paso. He has served as a consultant for universities and departments of education across the USA, Europe, Asia and Africa. Trevor Arrowsmith has been Principal of a Specialist Secondary School Language College in Northampton for 8 years. He is also LPSH national trainer and an External Advisor on heads performance management.

The Change Leadership Group at the Harvard School of Education has, through its work with educators, developed a thoughtful approach to the transformation of schools in the face of increasing demands for accountability. This book brings the work of the Change Leadership Group to a broader audience, providing a framework to analyze the work of school change and exercises that guide educators through the development of their practice as agents of change. It exemplifies a new and powerful approach to leadership in schools.

You don't need a tweed jacket to be a researcher—in thousands of schools across North America, practising teachers conduct studies on best practices, alternative approaches, and effective learning strategies. Classroom teachers have experiences and opportunities unavailable to researchers in a university setting, and action research—site-based, teacher-conducted research—can have a valuable impact on the educational community. Yet many teachers don't see their work as real research, and many other teachers have great ideas for research projects but don't know where to begin. For these teachers, Engaging in Action Research demystifies the world of educational research and provides support, guidance, and encouragement. From creating a research plan to reporting findings, this book provides step-by-step instructions to help teachers conduct research projects in the classroom, using strategies that work. Get ready to investigate, analyze, and share!

A ready-reference school management tool for new (and veteran) principals! The Quick-Reference Handbook for School Leaders is a practical guide that provides an answer to the questions "Where do I start?" and "Where do I look for direction?" Written in an easy-to-read, bulleted format, the handbook is an excellent resource for all principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school administrators. The book is organized into five key sections, and each section includes brief overviews, checklists, and suggestions for further reading. Organization and Management - the role of the principal, negligence and liability, media relations, managing conflict and difficult people, effective meetings, resource management, records and information, facility management Teaching and Learning - school programs, learning communities, special education, supervision and evaluation, staff development, unions, celebrating success Behavior and Discipline - safe schools, code of conduct, supervision and expulsion, search and seizure, police protocols Health and Safety - reporting child abuse, occupational health and safety, emergency preparation, medical needs, health and safety resources Looking After Yourself - professional development, wellness, and balance With words of wisdom from first-year principals, and voices of experience from more than 60 veteran elementary and secondary principals, this reference book will be used over and over again. Make sure you keep it close by!

Filled with information and resources designed to help you survive your first year as principal, this book can help you become a strong and effective leader.

There is a vast amount of research on what goes on in schools, but how can school leaders sort credible findings from dubious claims and use these to make informed decisions that benefit their schools? How can abstract ideas from research be translated into dynamic plans for action? This book is a practical guide to evidence-based school leadership demonstrating the benefits that can be gained from engaging with robust educational research and offering clear guidance on applying meaningful lessons to practice. Topics include: · What is evidence-based school leadership and why does it matter? · How to collect data from your own school and how to analyse this evidence in order to inform strategic leadership decisions · Models for implementing school improvement and change · Leadership skills for fostering a culture of evidence-based practice This is essential reading for senior and middle leaders in educational organisations who aspire to lead effective schools with high levels of staff well-being and enhanced outcomes for the learners they teach.

Building on best practices and lessons learned, Distributed Leadership in Schools shows educators how to design and implement distributed leadership to effectively address challenges in their schools. Grounded in case studies and full of practical tools, this book lays out a framework for building strategic, collaborative, and instructionally-focused teams. Supported by voices of practitioners and based upon original research, this comprehensive resource shares concrete strategies, tips, and tools for creating teams that are skilled at using data to plan and monitor their work, and successful in facilitating change to improve student learning. This innovative method will aid leader development and facilitate reflection, and will reshape leadership practice in a way that benefits teachers, leaders, schools, and students.