School Leadership

Learn more about the work of school-level leaders including principals, assistant principals, and other administrators

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The Principal Is In: Advice for Principals
In a biweekly Education Week column, experienced principals and other school leadership experts offer advice for their peers.
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School & District Management The Books Principals Can't Put Down
School leaders' top recommendation was a book focused on smartphones and youth mental health.
Madeline Will, August 16, 2024
2 min read
Silhouette of mother pumping her breast with automatic breast pump and sunlight evening.
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School & District Management Download How Schools Can Support Breastfeeding Teachers (Downloadable)
Breastfeeding teachers have the right to pump at work. Download these tips for how to support them.
Elizabeth Heubeck & Vanessa Solis, August 14, 2024
1 min read
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Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva
School & District Management Opinion When Teachers Burn Out, We Burn Out: A Principal’s Strategy for Staff Morale
By anticipating dips in teacher morale, we can plan timely interventions that keep positivity alive throughout the whole school year.
S. Kambar Khoshaba, August 13, 2024
2 min read
Image of a teacher in a classroom working quietly at desk.
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Teaching Profession Teachers' Morale Is Still Low. They Say Principals Can Help Improve It
Supportive working conditions, spearheaded by principals, can improve teacher satisfaction, according to a study.
Brooke Schultz, August 12, 2024
5 min read
In this March 8, 2017 photo, Logan Cole walks down a hallway decorated with signs supporting him and his school at West Liberty-Salem High School, in West Liberty, Ohio. Logan, who was shot twice by a fellow student at the high school on Jan. 20, was adjusting to his first full week back at school after spending 15 days in Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus fighting for his life and then eventually returning to school part-time.
In this March 8, 2017 photo, Logan Cole walks down a hallway decorated with signs supporting him and his school at West Liberty-Salem High School, in West Liberty, Ohio. Logan, who was shot twice by a fellow student at the high school on Jan. 20, was adjusting to his first full week back at school after spending 15 days in Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus fighting for his life and then eventually returning to school part-time.
Jonathan Quilter/The Columbus Dispatch via AP
School Climate & Safety In Their Own Words How a Principal Who Stopped a School Shooting Learned to Be Vulnerable
Principal Greg Johnson talks about how his life changed after a school shooting.
Olina Banerji, August 8, 2024
6 min read
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Professional Development Video 3 Things Principals Can Do to Make Teacher PD Better
School leaders need to include teacher voice to create the most engaging professional development.
Olina Banerji, August 7, 2024
5 min read
Collaged photo illustration of Simone Biles overcoming mental health challenges, Olympic achievement, leadership, sportsmanship, triumph over adversity + photos by Francisco Seco/AP, Abbie Parr/AP, Gregory Bull/AP
Vanessa Solis/Education Week + AP/Photos + Getty
School & District Management Opinion Simone Biles Has a Lot to Teach Women Education Leaders
The Olympic gold medalist’s honesty about her own mental health concerns is a meaningful reminder to educators.
Julia Rafal-Baer, August 6, 2024
4 min read
Photo of principal greeting student at school bus.
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Student Well-Being What Principals Can Do to Make Sure Students Feel Welcome at School
Student anxiety and absenteeism are top of mind for principals as schools reopen.
Olina Banerji, August 5, 2024
7 min read
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Professional Development Opinion A Guide for Faculty Meetings That Couldn’t Have Been an Email
What educators recommend for turning staff meetings from time-wasters to truly meaningful.
Mary Hendrie, August 1, 2024
3 min read
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School & District Management Video How This Principal Got His Groove Back, and 3 Tips for Others
Kambar Khoshaba, a high school principal, shares strategies to revive school leaders' morale.
Olina Banerji, July 24, 2024
3 min read
Illustration of a large hand holding a puzzle piece that shows a handshake and that connects two other pieces -- one with a man and the other with a woman.
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School & District Management How Principals Can Resolve Heated Conflicts With Parents and Teachers
Three tips for school leaders to manage complicated and emotional disagreements.
Olina Banerji, July 19, 2024
4 min read
School & District Management K-12 Essentials Forum Principals, Lead Stronger in the New School Year
Join this free virtual event for a deep dive on the skills and motivation you need to put your best foot forward in the new year.
July 17, 2024
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School & District Management How to Have Hard Conversations With Your Teachers: 3 Tips for Principals
Here are three small steps that can ease the pain of a difficult conversation between a principal and teacher.
Olina Banerji, July 16, 2024
3 min read
A crowd waits for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump to speak at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, July 13, 2024.
A crowd waits for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump to speak at the campaign event in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024, before a shooting took place.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
School & District Management How Have School Leaders Responded to the Trump Shooting?
When a tragic national incident happens in the middle of the summer, do school officials feel compelled to respond?
Elizabeth Heubeck, July 16, 2024
4 min read