The Role of the School Principal - Keys to Being an Effective Leader

The role of the principal covers many different areas including leadership, teacher evaluation, student discipline, and several others. Being an effective principal is hard work and is time consuming. A good principal is balanced within all their roles and works hard to ensure that that they are doing what they feel is best for all constituents involved.

A school principal is the primary leader in a school building. A good leader always leads by example. A principal should be positive, enthusiastic, have their hand in the day to day activities of the school, and listen to what their constituents are saying. An effective leader is available to teachers, staff members, parents, students, and community members.  Good leaders stays calm in difficult situations, thinks before they act, and puts the needs of the school before themselves. An effective leader steps up to fill in holes as needed, even if it isn’t a part of their daily routine.

7 Keys to Being an Effective Principal:

1.       Student Discipline - The first step of having effective student discipline is to make sure that your teachers know what you are expecting when it comes to student discipline.

2.       Teacher Evaluation - A good evaluator always lets their teachers know what their expectations are and then offers suggestions for improvement if those expectations are not being met.

3.       Develop, Implement and Evaluate Programs - A principal should always be looking for ways to improve the student experience at school. Developing effective programs that cover a variety of areas is one way to ensure this.

4.       Review Policies and Procedures - A principal should review, remove, rewrite, or write policies and procedures every year as needed. Having an effective student handbook can improve the quality of education your students receive.

5.       Schedule Setting - It is probably best to create the schedule without trying to accommodate anyone. In addition, be prepared to make adjustments to your schedules once the year begins. You need to be flexible because there are times that there are conflicts you did not foresee that need to be changed.

6.       Hiring New Teachers - A vital part of any school administrator’s job is to hire teachers and staff that are going to do their job correctly. Hiring the wrong person can cause you huge headaches down the line, while hiring the right person makes your job all the more easier.

7.       Parent and Community Relations - Having good relations with parents and community members can benefit you in a variety of areas. If you have built trusting relationships with a parent whose child has a discipline issue, then it makes it easier to deal with the situation if the parent supports the school and your decision. The same holds true with the community. Building relationships with individuals and businesses in the community can help your school out tremendously. Benefits include donations, personal time, and overall positive support for your school. It is a vital part of any principal’s job to nurture their relationships with parents and community members.