“ School leaders Determine the Outcomes of Educational Goals”. The characteristics of principals and administrators often determine the dynamics of a school community and the academic outcomes of school policies and procedures. When a school lacks effective leadership, minimal learning takes places. School leaders, beginning  with the principal or the head teacher, must provide strong leadership that sets a tone for the daily operations of the school community. In the absence of such leadership, discipline breaks down, academics falter, and a sense of organized chaos reigns. School leadership is not just about walking the halls and telling the students to “tuck in their in their shirts” or wear their ID’s. Rather it is about dynamic modeling that encourages collegiality and promotes excellence in every aspect of the school community.

School Leadership and the Classroom Teacher: Effective school leaders have teachers that are impassioned, organized, and that know their subject area well. The leader is as much a manager as educational administrator. Good managers hire “go getters” and “self starters” that will rise to every challenge and commit to success and excellence. These types of teachers represent a significant threat to poor administration because they will rapidly see through the “path of least resistance” and oppose it. While dynamic school leaders enter a classroom not to find and affirm good performance. More so, excellent leaders encourage excellence while promoting a community spirit of collaboration. Such school leaders are able to identify emerging issues and problems and swiftly deal with them in a positive way. On the other hand, superlative leaders welcome criticism and address it positively.

Good leaders are respected by the entire educational community. Working in an environment of transparent openness, their doors are always open and they take  all telephone calls, willing to address even the most difficult situations or, in some cases, the most difficult parents . They “go to bat” for their teachers when the situations warrants it but are not afraid to personally discuss problems  with affected teachers or staff. Unlike poor administrators whose every action revolves around personal professional survival effective principals put the good of the community first, foster policies that promote the highest academic standards, and provide the staff training necessary to meet those goals. They are not afraid to say “no” to potential hindrances that might affect the attainment of community based objectives and outcomes.