Launching Your First Principalship: A Guide for Beginning Principals

"I couldn′t put the bookt down, and I′ve been a principal for 24 years. The information is excellent for all individuals interested in the principalship." Denny Vincent, Principal Muhlenberg North High School, Greenville, KY "Brock and Grady present a realistic glimpse of the issues that principals must deal with, either knowingly, or unfortunately, unknowingly. This book can help principals avoid the latter." Mike Parnell, Principal Carrollton High School, Carrollton, MO Be the leader you want to be with this always-on-hand mentor! Whether you are an aspiring principal, a first-year principal, or a veteran administrator, this invaluable resource can help you hone your leadership skills, reduce your stress, improve your communication, manage your time and your staff, resolve your conflicts, and maximize your leadership potential. Replete with confidence-boosting tips and tools, this practical guide covers everything from interviewing and accepting the position, to experiencing the first days and end of the school year, and beyond. It offers first-hand insights from new and seasoned principals that provide not only a source of comfort, but also a wealth of ideas to help you to avoid common mistakes and become a highly effective, visionary leader. Here are just a few of the user-friendly features: Models for leadership, conflict resolution, and stress management Staff and community relations tips Helpful strategies for managing your time and your staff Help with beginning and ending your school year effectively "The Principal′s Key," a comprehensive, yet succinct, summary of each chapter Checklists, assessment tools, plus resources focusing on interviewing and the selection process

Table of Contents:
Introduction Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. You′ve Got the Job Embrace the Role What Kind of Leader Will You Be? Expect Personal Change Expect Relationships to Change Hang On! The Principal′s Key 2. Get Acquainted: The People, the Place, the Culture The People Get Acquainted The Principal′s Key 3. Beginning and Ending Your School Year Beginning the School Year The End of the Year The Principal′s Key 4. Learn to Communicate Understand the Communication System Know Your Audience Organize Yourself Make Personal Communication a Priority Communicate With Constituents: The Superintendent and Staff Communicate With School Personnel Communicate With Students Communication With Parents The Principal′s Key 5. Maximize Staff Potential Communicate Expectations Encourage and Facilitate Professional Development Sustain Staff Morale Supervision and Evaluation The Principal′s Key 6. Use Time Effectively Organize the Office The Principal′s Key 7. Solve Problems, Dilemmas and Grievances Take Time to Think A Conflict Resolution Model The Principal′s Key 8. Make Effective Changes The Challenges The Principal′s Key 9. Take Care of Yourself Learn to Manage Stress What Triggers Stress? Select Appropriate Responses Restructure Your Thinking Take Care of Your Health Find a Balance Continue Learning The Principal′s Key Resource A. School and Self- Assessment Tools Resource B. Your Educational Philosophy Resource C. The Job Selection Process: Examining Potential Matches Resource D. The Interview Process: Tips to Guide You Resource E. Annotated Bibliography for Beginning Principals References Index

About the Author :
Barbara L. Brock is a professor of education at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She has held a variety of positions in education, including education department chair, director of school administration, elementary principal, and K-12 teacher. She presents nationally and internationally on topics of beginning teacher induction, leadership succession, teacher and principal burnout, and educators with disabilities. She is coauthor with Marilyn Grady of Principals in Transition: Tips for Surviving Succession, From First-Year to First-Rate: Principals Guiding New Teachers, Rekindling the Flame: Principals Combating Teacher Burnout, Avoiding Burnout: A Principal’s Guide to Keeping the Fire Alive, and Launching Your First Principalship. She has published in a number of journals, including The Journal of the Mid-Western Research Association, Educational Considerations, Connections, Clearinghouse, and Catholic Education: A Journal of Inquiry and Practice. She received her bachelor of arts degree in art education from Briar Cliff University, a master of arts with a specialty in school administration from Creighton University, and a doctorate in administration, curriculum, and instruction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Marilyn L. Grady, is professor of educational administration at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). She is the author or coauthor of 23 books, including From Difficult Teachers to Dynamic Teamwork (2009) with Brock, Getting it Right from the Start (2009) with Kostelnik From First Year to First Rate (2007) with Brock, 194 High-Impact Letters for Busy Principals (2006), 20 Biggest Mistakes Principals Make and How to Avoid Them (2004) and Launching Your First Principalship (2004) with Brock. Her research areas include leadership, the principalship, and superintendent-board relations. She has more than 175 publications to her credit. She is the editor of the Journal of Women in Educational Leadership. Her editorial board service has included Educational Administration Quarterly, International Studies in Educational Administration, International Journal of Learning, Rural Educator, Journal of At-Risk Issues, Journal of School Leadership, Advancing Women in Leadership On-Line Journal, Journal for Rural School and Community Renewal, International Journal of Learning, and Journal for a Just and Caring Education. She is the recipient of the Stanley Brzezinski Research Award, NCPEA’s Living Legend Award, the Donald R. and Mary Lee Swanson Award for Teaching Excellence, UNL’s Distinguished Teaching Award, and UNL’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Status of Women. Grady coordinates an annual conference on women in educational leadership that attracts national attendance and is in its 24th year. She has been an administrator in K-12 schools as well as at the college and university levels. She received her bachelor’s degree in history from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana, and her doctorate in educational administration with a specialty in leadership from The Ohio State University.

Review :
"I couldn’t put the book down, and I’ve been a principal for 24 years. The information is excellent for all individuals interested in the principalship." "Brock and Grady present a realistic glimpse of the issues that principals must deal with, either knowingly, or unfortunately, unknowingly. This book can help principals avoid the latter."