You're the Principal! Now What?

A principal's job is astonishingly complex, and its competing demands can be overwhelming, especially in the first few years. In this book, Jen Schwanke, a principal herself, provides a mentor's guidance to steer new principals through the period of adjustment and set the foundation for a long and rewarding career. The topics you wish your graduate program had covered are covered here-directly, practically, and without the jargon.Drawing on her own experience, Schwanke provides strategies for tackling the most common yet most daunting challenges of the principalship, includingEstablishing productive professional relationshipsBuilding and maintaining a positive school cultureResolving conflict among staff and parentsProviding effective instructional leadershipSupporting students' social-emotional needsConducting staff evaluations and delivering feedbackKeeping up with district, state, and federal mandatesManaging the facility and the budgetProviding focused and effective professional developmentPrioritizing responsibilitiesLearning from student and schoolwide dataPlanning for growth and changeWorking through behavior and discipline issuesHiring high-quality teachers and supporting new onesLeading effective meetingsMaintaining balanceThe standalone chapters provide easy access to the solutions you need for the situations you face. Along with real-life scenarios and critical tips for success, you'll find helpful models of what to do, what to say, and how to say it. This book is a source for ideas any time you encounter a problem and think, Now what? It's the beginning of an ongoing conversation about the wonderful and rewarding work of being a principal.