ABSTRACT
School leaders are chiefly responsible for student learning and achievement in their schools. Their effectiveness is a powerful lever to ensure a school fulfills its mission and vision. However, principals’ roles are extremely demanding and complex, and it is easy for a school leader to lose focus on what matters most. To have the greatest impact on student academic success, a principal must prioritize instruction, or the school will not realize its achievement goals. Every week, school leaders should spend time in classrooms evaluating the quality of the teaching and learning that is occurring. The school leader is uniquely positioned to handle a few responsibilities: creating an academic vision for the school, managing the leadership team, and communicating to the parent body. Leaders should communicate regularly, both verbally and in writing, to students, faculty, and parents. All written correspondence should be proofread for errors before it goes out to the school community.
