Qualities of Effective Principals

James H. Stronge, Holly B. Richard, and Nancy Catano

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About This Book

What does it take to be a good school principal? No two principals work in exactly the same way, but research shows that effective principals do focus on a core set of factors that are critical to fostering success for all students. 

In Qualities of Effective Principals, James H. Stronge, Holly B. Richard, and Nancy Catano delineate these factors and show principals how to successfully balance the needs and priorities of their school and continuously develop and refine their leadership skills. Throughout the book, the authors provide readers with helpful tools and extensive research that will help them to

• Develop a blueprint for sustained school leadership
• Create an effective school climate for learning
• Select, support, and retain high-quality teachers and staff
• Assess instructional high quality
• Build a foundation for organizational management
• Create, maintain, and strengthen community relationships
• Make contributions to the professional educational community
• Define their critical role in student achievement

This book also includes practical skills checklists, quality indicators and red flags for effective leadership, and an extensive annotated bibliography. Qualities of Effective Principals is an excellent resource for both experienced and new principals committed to developing and leading strong schools that help all students succeed.

See the book's table of contents and read excerpts.

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About the Authors

JAMES H. STRONGE is the Heritage Professor in the Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership area at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. His research interests include policy and practice related to teacher quality and teacher and administrator evaluation. His work on teacher quality focuses on how to identify effective teachers and how to enhance teacher effectiveness.

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HOLLY B. RICHARD is an elementary school principal in the Chesterfield County Public Schools in the Richmond, Virginia, area. A former speech and language pathologist, she has worked extensively in preK–12 school settings and with special education populations. She received her PhD at the College of William and Mary in the Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership program, with a research interest in policy and practice related to the principalship.

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NANCY CATANO currently serves the Williamsburg–James City County Schools in Williamsburg, Virginia, as an elementary school principal. Her career in education began as an elementary school teacher after completing a bachelor's degree in education from the College of William and Mary. After teaching for several years, she continued her education at William and Mary, completing her MEd and EdD degrees in general administration and educational policy.

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