A Principal's Job

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2001 : November : 27

A Principal's Job
By Cathy-Dee

As in any career there are those who are great in leadership and those who are not. Each school division tends to monitor their administrators in different ways. I know in my district Principals are also evaluated and are
usually hired on a 3-year term. So every 3 years they are re-evaluated as to whether they are being effective or not. And they are evaulated during those 3 years too.
Principals have a ton of pressure on them. I've been acting Principal from time to time, and did it open my eyes. It is often very easy for us to be critical of others (especially those in leadership) and yet we really

have no idea what they do all day. Dealing with parents, teachers, students, budgets, superintendents, media, and all the other little issues of each day and week. And somehow they are supposed to please everyone!

They are in essense leaders of your school. They help to set the school climate (hopefully a good one). Yes they often are the final say (someone has to be in charge) and yes they often do seem like they are pleased the parents or the students over the teachers. It's a fine-line they walk on. School is a business too, if the parents are not happy or the students are not happy, the students will leave and go somewhere else. Then it doesn't matter how happy the staff are, they won't have jobs.

Much of what your Principal does he can't share with his staff, it's confidential. The teacher who is having health problems, the student who was abused last night, the parents who are going through a bitter custody battle, the budget concerns, etc.,

Does this mean we shouldn't question what our Principal is doing? No! But we should be sure we are questioning them for the right reason. Is it just because we don't like how they handled our observation, do we feel they are too tough, etc., Or is it more than that, they just don't seem to be handling the problems of the day well. Sometimes you need to talk with them to find out more. And if things are exceptionally bad then the staff needs to go as a group to the Principal to ask for changes, and if nothing happens to take it up with the superintendent.

If you have a chance to be "Principal" for the day or to take leadership training courses, I highly recommend it. It will open your eyes to an entirely new world.