HIGH-LEVERAGE LEADERSHIP
Building With careful investment, an assistant principal will become a valuable partner in the school leadership team.
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By Sandra A. Trach
principal, but also the entire school community. chools are symbiotic organizations that According to Christopher Colwell in Impact: How are stimulated by the push and pull of Assistant Principals Can Be High Performing Leaders (Rowchange. This exciting yet creative tension man & Littlefield, 2015), assistant principals “lead can be complicated to navigate. Highfrom the middle” of the school, which allows them to performing principals know that shared work at a meaningful intersection of administration leadership with their assistant principal is absolutely and leadership, and among faculty, staff, students, and essential for success. parents. Assistant principals are key relationship-buildAn effective assistant principal is a potential future ers, becoming a bridge between the principal and facprincipal. Therefore, principals must make a deep ulty and staff, and aiding in the trust and transparency commitment to nurture the novice leaders with necessary for a successful school culture. dedicated time, training, and support. Developing an assistant principal is a time-intensive but worthy Experienced principals often say they owe much By Sandra A. Trach commitment for not only the principal and assistant of their success to their assistant principals—that
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Principal ■ May/June 2017
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