A school is only as good as its principal. This quip forms the thesis of Better Principals as it provides a bird’s eye view on the enactment of Haberman’s eleven core functions of a star principal. Better Principals is imperative for two main reasons. First, the achievement gap between 20 million children in poverty and their mainstream counterparts is continuing to become even wider. Many students are constantly subjected to inequality of educational opportunity, which limits their future opportunities. Second, Haberman is one of the most prolific producers of administrators of the twentieth century (and into the twenty-first century). He reminds us that quality school systems, with quality leaders, benefit our society. Haberman explained that there is often selection blindness when it comes to identifying school leaders, and this deficiency has many negative consequences for education in general, and learners in particular. Haberman has generated theories, training programs and tools to engender substantive changes needed to produce better schools. Each chapter in this volume contains reflection questions for discussion to remind us all why selecting quality principals must be paramount when hiring school leaders. These illustrative book chapters emphasize the execution of Haberman's star principal ideology. Praise for Better Principals, Better Schools “Not every educator is suited to leading – or teaching – in the most challenging urban schools. Yet, nowhere else is excellence in leading – and teaching -- more critical to the success of students. This volume based on the pioneering work of Martin Haberman offers a practical response to those who say the task of instructional leadership is beyond the capability of principals. The authors offer concrete examples of how successful urban school leaders find the time and capacity to inspire and manage learning under difficult conditions. Just as important, the authors ground their examples in a set of clear justifiable principles that can be used by others to guide their own practice.” Dr. Philip Hallinger Professor, Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) “If great teaching and more of it are the key ingredients for any successful school, then great leadership is the critical path. Better Principals, Better Schools turns this theory into model lessons for all current and aspiring school leaders.” Mike Feinberg Co-founder KIPP Schools

"This book is right on target with its thought-provoking ideas and concepts on the characteristics of successful educational leaders." —Thomas F. Leahy, Consultant, Executive Search Department, Illinois Association of School Boards "Our best teachers obtain great results by building positive relationships with their students. Gray and Streshly show how our best principals do the same thing and how these behaviors can be learned and practiced." —Kevin Singer, Superintendent, Topeka Public Schools, KS Build your capacity to lead your school to greatness! Great leaders are made, not born. Written by the authors of From Good Schools to Great Schools, this sequel shows how great school leaders can be developed and how leaders can acquire the powerful personal leadership characteristics that the best administrators use to lead their schools to greatness. Based on sound strategies and the work of Jim Collins, Susan Penny Gray and William A. Streshly tackle how to build relationships, communicate effectively, exercise your personal will with humility, face brutal facts, get faculty on board, and build a school culture of self-discipline. Chapters include: Case studies that provide an ongoing context for professional learning Self-assessments that reveal your inherent leadership dispositions Interviews and tips from exceptional principals in the field Strategies for developing specific leadership qualities Application exercises that reinforce how to put the strategies into action Reflection activities that encourage professional growth Appropriate for both individual and group professional development, Leading Good Schools to Greatness reveals how leadership skills can be learned and used to take your school to the next level.

Inspire yourself and others with the second edition of this best-selling book. With heartfelt advice, practical wisdom, and examples from the field, Todd Whitaker explains the qualities and practices that distinguish great principals. New features include: Developing an accurate sense of self Understanding the dynamics of change Dealing with negative or ineffective staff members One of the nation’s leading experts on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness, Todd Whitaker has written over 20 powerful books for educators of every level. Discover what you can do differently.

How You Create A Legendary School Starting Tomorrow Have you ever wondered, Why didn

Bridge the achievement gap with proven strategies for student success Breakthrough Principals debunks the myth of the 'superhero' principal by detailing the common actions and practices of leaders at our nation's fastest-gaining public schools. Based on the authors' Transformational Leadership Framework, which they developed through in-depth study of more than 100 high-gaining, high-poverty schools, the book distills findings into a practical, action-focused plan for diagnosing school needs and implementing structures, systems and practices that accelerate student achievement. Brought to life by case studies of principals who have led dramatic gains in student achievement, the book is a how-to guide for increasing the quality of teaching and learning; improving school culture; attracting and supporting high-performing teachers; and involving parents and community to help students achieve. You'll learn how breakthrough principals make the school's mission a real part of both strategy and practice, and set up sustainable systems that support consistent, ongoing improvement. High-impact practices are organized into five broad categories: learning and teaching, school-wide culture, aligned staff, operations and systems, and personal leadership. The primary job of school leadership is to help students succeed. It begins with first recognizing and prioritizing areas of need, then finding and implementing the most effective solutions. Whether you work in a turn around environment, or want to make a good school better, this book will give you a set of concrete practices—illustrated through examples of real principals in real schools—that have been proven to work. Discover the primary drivers of student achievement Work toward the school's vision in staffing, operations, and systems Set the tone for all relationships and practices with good leadership Closing the achievement gap is a major goal of educational leadership, and principals are forever searching for viable methods that help them better serve their students. Breakthrough Principals unveils the details behind the success stories from across the nation to provide a roadmap to transformative gains.

A great school is so much more than a building? It is a place where children feel accepted for who they are. It is a place where kindness and empathy are commonplace. It is a place where children know and feel that people are there for them and that they are safe and loved. With its delightful watercolor illustrations of school life, School is More Than a Building paints a positive picture of a school environment where children know and understand that the people who work there care and look out for their best interests. When read aloud, children are reminded that they are part of a very special community and that schools are there for them. The pandemic made it painfully clear just how sensitive children are to the world around them and how important schools are for many children's health and well-being. Unfortunately, for some children, schools are more than just a place for learning, they are also a place of refuge and escape. It is important that children are aware that schools are a safe place where there are people that they can trust and go to if they need help. School is More than a Building, it is a place where people listen.In addition to celebrating schools and everything they do, School is More Than a Building is a great book to generate discussion about the many aspects of school life. At KelleyDonner.com/school-is-more-than-a-building you will find lesson plans, bulletin board ideas, activities and more that can be used on a school wide-level, in the classroom, or in your library. School is an integral part of a child's life. School is more than a building, it is a place where?

We already know what works in schools; we just need to focus on getting it right. This is the premise of Simply Better: Doing What Matters Most to Change the Odds for Student Success, which offers a practical, research-based framework for improving student achievement. According to author Bryan Goodwin, decades of research have shown time and again that focusing on the following five essential practices can vastly increase students' chances of doing well in school: * Guaranteeing that instruction is challenging, engaging, and intentional * Ensuring curricular pathways to success * Providing whole-child student supports * Creating high-performance school cultures * Developing data-driven, high-reliability district systems Whether at the district-, school-, or classroom-level, educators don't need to reinvent the wheel or pursue the latest trends to ensure that students succeed. This powerful book reveals what research clearly shows works best in schools, and provides a valuable blueprint for turning that knowledge into visible results.