January, 2007

Over 20 years ago Dr. Ron Edmonds, a Harvard researcher, first reported the critical role that a school principal's instructional leadership plays in creating successful learning opportunities for all students. That fundamental proposition has borne the test of further research and time and is now included in almost all school reform measures.

While there is general acceptance of the critical nature of instructional leadership by the school principal, the demanding nature of that role for a lone individual who bears that responsibility is not often described. The principal of a school, whether a large urban high school or a small rural elementary school, shares the responsibility for the future of every student in his/her building.

To perform their duties successfully principals must be all things to all people. Every principal is caught among many competing forces, each force with an agenda and the ability to influence the principal's decision making.

• The School Board and District Administration, concerned with the education of all children, demand adherence to a District Vision and Standards that may only bear a peripheral relationship to the day-to-day world in which the principal works.
• Parents, concerned with the education of their own children, may demand a completely different vision of education for their child.
• The broader community demands a principal who is an active leader in community organizations and issues.
• The students require a principal who knows and understands them and is committed to ensuring their individual welfare.
• The teachers require a principal who knows their instructional strategies, their individual personal needs and can serve as both instructional coach and a source of personal and professional support.
• The organization demands a principal who can manage finances, ensure safety, be sure the building is clean, deal effectively with the media, solve both student and adult conflict, supervise and evaluate staff, analyze student data and function as a strategic planner.
• The School Community demands a principal who ensures that extracurricular, co-curricular and athletic events occur and he or she attends every event.

The principal makes hundreds of decisions each day that have the potential to affect someone's life either positively or negatively. What a responsibility.

Every principal is also a person with a personal life, a family, and personal hopes and dreams. Balancing these demands requires intelligence, integrity and commitment. But it is a balance accomplished by principals every day all over the country.

Despite the pressures and demands of the job, the rewards are also great. The ability to positively affect the lives of children every day and see them grow to become worthwhile contributing adults is one of the most rewarding events in education. All of us who have done the job hold close to our hearts the communications that we receive from those children who as adults that say, "what you did for me made me what I am today". These messages make it all worthwhile.

We as a community need to take the time to say thank you to each of our principals who are on the frontline helping to create the future for our children. They are critical to our success.