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, including:

• Establishing productive professional relationships.
• Building and maintaining a positive school culture.
• Resolving conflict among staff and parents.
• Providing effective instructional leadership.
• Supporting students' social-emotional needs.
• Conducting staff evaluations and delivering feedback.
• Keeping up with district, state, and federal mandates.
• Managing the facility and the budget.
• Providing focused and effective professional development.
• Prioritizing responsibilities.
• Learning from student and schoolwide data.
• Planning for growth and change.
• Working through behavior and discipline issues.
• Hiring high-quality teachers and supporting new ones.
• Leading effective meetings.
• Maintaining balance.

The 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.