Remembering What's Important: Priorities of School Leadership

In Remembering What's Important: Priorities of School Leadership, Charles A. Bonnici addresses several issues facing school leaders through strategies supported by real-life examples and anecdotes. The issues addressed include questions such as: What is the most urgent issue faced by a new school leader? How can this leader address the chaos of being both a teacher trainer and evaluator? What are the school leader's personal responsibilities for hiring, training, and retaining staff? How does the school leader create a positive learning ambience in a school? How can this leader address the issues created by the physical plant of the building itself? How can a principal treat the difficult waters of the social and political context of the outside world that impacts on the school? How can a school leader insure that the management systems created within a school and the gains in student achievement accomplished are maintained and improved upon after he or she leaves the school?

About the Author :
Charles A. Bonnici has been an educator for forty years, serving as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in the New York City public school system. For the past ten years, as an adjunct professor at Pace University, he has developed and taught three educational leadership courses for students seeking their state certification.

Review :
Charles Bonnici's writing style is conversational and respectful to all in the educational enterprise. Its strength is in its practicality and the reality base. There are chapters I would use in my own courses, especially related to leaders having to lead themselves before they can be effective leaders of others. This is a book for any school leader, not only for interns or new principals. We all need this refresher to help us see ourselves a little more clearly.--Remigia Kushner, School Leadership Program, Manhattan College, School Leadership Program, Manhattan College New principals and assistant principals often wish the job came with an instruction manual. In this, his second book, Charles Bonnici provides such a manual. Throughout my career in education I have benefited from the wisdom and strategies succinctly presented here. As his student teacher, teacher in his department, and assistant principal in his school, I had the opportunity to observe Bonnici as he developed and honed the guiding principles found in this book. This book is short on theories and filled instead with the nuts and bolts of putting theories into practice illustrated with a wealth of anecdotes told with the wry sense of humor one needs to succeed as an administrator.--Thomas P. Conway, clinical supervisor of student teachers, Pace University and St. John's University As a former student of Charles Bonnici, his lectures and wisdom have been instrumental to my development as a school leader. Schools are complex organizations that Mr. Bonnici helps you understand through careful analysis and thoughtful reflection. This book is a must read for every novice school leader!--Ivan Tolentino, founding principal, The Active Learning Elementary School Succeeding as a school administrator requires patience, planning, and attention to an ever-growing list of priorities. In Remembering What's Important, Bonnici provides a comprehensive guide full of "survival strategies" for administrators, covering everything from teacher observations to working with custodial staff. This book should be required reading for new school leaders and is an excellent refresher for veterans.--Shannon Fierro, program administrator for formative assessment, San Francisco Unified School District In Remembering What's Important: Priorities of School Leadership, author Charles A. Bonnici wastes not time. He hits hard the 'eight key areas' as principals and other leaders pursue a career: living and progressing from being neophytes to experienced school administrators. He reveals leadership 'survival strategies' for hiring and nurturing new teachers; building the school culture; managing the school; and working in the larger social environment with parents, community leaders, and the media. Finally, Charles Bonnici looks at 'passing the baton' to the next generation--making the book important for succeeding as principals move from beginners to educational veterans--in the exciting, challenging, rewarding world of school leadership and improvement!--Bruce S. Cooper, PhD, emeritus professor and vice chair, Division of Administration, Policy and Urban Education, Fordham University So often education texts are written through research rather than from practice. Professor Bonnici's research was over twenty years of daily practice. There is no substitute for his first-hand knowledge and experience. Remembering What's Important doesn't just tap that wealth of experience--it is that wealth of experience--and it is the most valuable text in any educational leader's professional library.--Chris Casal, educator, New York City Deptartment of Education