She is an unabashed, self-proclaimed champion of the principalship. When Kathy Birkett became principal at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Ill., she made all the mistakes that first-year leaders often do. Birkett, now more seasoned, is one of seven principals featured in the ASCD video-based professional development program The Principal Series. The series is designed to help school leaders establish a personal plan to develop the skills essential to the principalship and motivate them to act on that plan. The video series should also give those considering a career as a principal a good idea of how demanding and potentially all-consuming the job can be.
Balance is a constant issue.
This book by Arthur W. Combs, Ann B. Miser, and Kathryn S. Whitaker describes person-centered leadership. The Power and Promise of Meaningful Leadership. In this live audio recording from the 1999 Annual Conference and Exhibit Show, Cile Chavez discusses the need for school leaders to create learning environments that focus on building trust and hope among all staff. This Web-based, interactive course introduces a variety of techniques and tools to help principals and other administrators hone the skills that will enable them to lead successfully in times of change. Online Resources Education Week .