194 High-Impact Letters for Busy Principals

194 High-Impact Letters for Busy Principals
Author: Marilyn L. Grady
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2006-07-21
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1452235600

"Grady′s book encourages principals who are perpetually pressed for time to get to correspondence that languishes at the bottom of their to-do lists. My own correspondence has doubled since getting my hands on this book!" —Cathie West, Principal Mountain Way Elementary School, Granite Falls, WA "The letters cover a wide variety of topics and give administrators ideas on what kind of letters to write. After going through the letters, I realize that I need to send more letters of appreciation to parents and organizations." —Gina Segobiano, Principal/Superintendent Signal Hill School District 181, Belleville, IL Build a culture of care with positive communication! As the key communicators for schools, principals write a wide range of correspondence—from thank-you letters and congratulations to best wishes and other personal notes. Yet, this critical responsibility can easily fall victim to every administrator′s busy schedule. Marilyn Grady′s updated and expanded collection of letters is truly a time-saving starter kit, with user-friendly and easy-to-personalize templates to revitalize every busy administrator′s communications repertoire. This practical resource provides jargon-free templates useful for: Improving communication with parents, teachers, and other school stakeholders Initiating a "letter-a-day" plan to improve school culture Advancing parent education, health and wellness, and safety initiatives, among others Reminding you to communicate with all stakeholders Evaluating your current written communication Identifying areas where you could communicate more This targeted collection will add a new level of organization, efficiency, and effectiveness to your communication tasks. Unlock the secrets of effective communication and watch relationships on all levels flourish! Includes a PC- and Mac-compatible CD-ROM containing all letters for easy customization.

20 Biggest Mistakes Principals Make and How to Avoid Them

20 Biggest Mistakes Principals Make and How to Avoid Them
Author: Marilyn L. Grady
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 145
Release: 2004-01-08
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1483360776

"The information presented is true to life; school principals will see themselves on every page. The strategies presented to ′fix′ or avoid our mistakes really do work! You don′t have to be a new principal to benefit from this one." Kaye Peery, Superintendent Maxwell Municipal Schools, NM "I wish this book had been written many years ago to help me with my first principal′s position. It is an indispensable resource for new and seasoned principals to avoid the pitfalls of administration." Ron Joekel, Executive Director Emeritus Phi Delta Kappa International Learn to navigate the principalship by avoiding the major roadblocks that can arise along the way! Don′t let bad decisions and unnecessary oversights ruin your school day—or worse, your career! Marilyn Grady examines the twenty most critical mistakes principals make, and provides the strategies you need to avoid them. By surveying both teachers and administrators, and applying her own experiences as both teacher and a principal, the author examines the crucial errors from the following seven key categories: People Skills—managing interpersonal relationships and communication People—working with staff and parents Principal—examining professional behaviors inherent in the position Job—juggling time demands and heavy workloads Tasks—looking more closely at administrative duties Personal Issues—focusing on family and health Fatal Attractions—addressing judgment errors that can be disastrous for your career While everyone makes mistakes, you′ll have the crucial insight needed to avoid the biggest ones!

The Daily Practices of Successful Principals

The Daily Practices of Successful Principals
Author: Barbara L. Brock
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 193
Release: 2011-11-04
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1452268827

A grab-and-go guide for busy principals While many books outline the attributes of successful school leaders, few describe how those traits manifest in daily practice. This volume provides a compendium of daily practices used by successful principals in various settings. Written by former administrators, this handy guide’s strategies are based on interviews with successful leaders and applicable in multiple contexts. Inside you will find guidelines for: Examining your values, educational platform, and personal style Establishing learning as a common purpose Identifying and leading school change Effectively managing staff and student relationships Developing teacher leaders

Launching Your First Principalship

Launching Your First Principalship
Author: Barbara L. Brock
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2003-10-16
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1483360849

"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

The Elementary School Principal's Calendar

The Elementary School Principal's Calendar
Author: Robert Ricken
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2006-03-24
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9781412936774

Get organized, plan effectively, and keep your school running smoothly!Developed for both aspiring and experienced elementary school principals, this unique resource-updated from the top-selling first edition-lays out everyday challenges and administrative necessities to help you plan strategically for the academic year. This month-by-month planning tool, designed by veteran administrators, helps you get off on the right foot in July to set your course for a successful school year. Its emphasis is to help principals develop the skills to foresee future calendar events, and to put into operation specific plans to maintain a calm learning environment. Chapters cover key tasks for each month, beginning in July, and contain: Overview of tasks Communications-letters, memos, correspondence, media relations, including sample documents Planning-workshops, orientations, field trips, fundraising activities Personnel-assignments, schedules, rosters, tenure recommendations Checklists to monitor progress with an assortment of tasks Resources to proactively plan and execute effective and decisive leadership The Elementary School Principal's Calendar offers a handy checklist for each month and the flexibility for modification, helping busy administrators avoid reinventing the wheel each year. It's an essential handbook for every principal faced with the complex challenge of managing all aspects of school administration!

The School Principals' Guide to Successful Daily Practices

The School Principals' Guide to Successful Daily Practices
Author: Barbara L. Brock
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 254
Release: 2014-04-01
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1629141402

While many books outline the attributes of successful school leaders, few describe how those traits manifest in daily practice. The Daily Practices of Successful Principals goes beyond the outward picture of excellence and provides a compendium of daily practices used by successful principals in various settings. Written by former administrators who have walked in your shoes, this handy guide's strategies are based on interviews with successful leaders and are applicable in multiple contexts. Inside you will find guidelines for: Examining your values, educational platform, and personal style Establishing learning as a common purpose Identifying and leading school change Managing staff and student relationships effectively Developing teacher leaders The authors understand that principals are expected to have the patience of Job, the tenacity of Atlas, the compassion of Mother Teresa, and a sense of humor. The recommended daily practices will help you stay focused on the most important things—leading effectively, promoting student achievement, and making a positive difference in students' lives.

From Difficult Teachers . . . to Dynamic Teams

From Difficult Teachers . . . to Dynamic Teams
Author: Barbara L. Brock
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 177
Release: 2009-05-13
Genre: Education
ISBN: 145221106X

Based on interviews with experienced principals, this book helps leaders examine the causes of negative staff behavior and build a culture of shared leadership, collegiality, and teamwork.

Getting It Right From the Start

Getting It Right From the Start
Author: Marjorie J. Kostelnik
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 689
Release: 2009-03-26
Genre: Education
ISBN: 1412949505

From understanding how the youngest children learn to working with ECE agencies, this practical guide presents the information principals need to create effective early childhood education programs.

Avoiding Burnout

Avoiding Burnout
Author: Barbara L. Brock
Publisher: Corwin Press
Total Pages: 142
Release: 2002-05-14
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780761978077

The work of the school administrator is often described as fragmented and unrelenting. Often left unsaid is that it is lonely. The issues of administrator stress and burnout form the focus of this book. It begins with a look at the nature of stress, and an assessment of individual stress triggers and response mechanisms. Subsequent chapters outline practical strategies for diminishing stress at home and capitalizing on work stress with effective time-management and interpersonal skills. The last chapter offers suggestions for career renewal and caring for one's personal well-being. In these chapters, school administrators are offered a "mirror" to look into to see how they are doing. This mirror comes in the form of voices of administrators who offer their stories and suggestions about how they handle stress and burnout. Through this approach, administrators can assess themselves in relation to how others manage the complexity and pace of school administration. Resources at the end of the book include: a list of destructive and constructive responses to stress; a list of realities in life that must be accepted and possibilities to embrace; a stress reduction outline for personal change; and a model action plan. (Contains 65 references.) (RT)