Best books for educational leaders

  • A brief guide to cloud computing by Barnatt
  • A whole new mind by Pink
  • Dealing with difficult teachers by Whitaker
  • Drive by Pink
  • Education nation by Chen
  • Failure is not an option by Blankstein
  • Focus by Schmoker
  • Getting things done by Allen
  • Leadership & the force of love by Hoyle
  • Leading school change by Whitaker
  • Mastery of management by Kahler
  • Playing for pizza by Grisham (just for fun)
  • Results now by Schmoker
  • School leadership that works by Marzano
  • Teacher evaluation that makes a difference by Marzano & Toth
  • The global achievement gap by Wagner
  • The manufactured crisis by Berliner
  • The wizard and the warrior by Bolman & Deal
  • Visible learning by Hattie
  • Where have all the leaders gone by Iacocca

The School House

The School House

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This image has been doctored
Warning! Educational Leadership may lead to hair loss.

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Sunday, February 16, 2014

Module 6 - Decisions... Decisions...

School leaders are regularly faced with critical decisions.  Principals are often challenged to respond with action to improve student achievement, follow directives from the central office,  support faculty and staff, advocate for students and comply with state law and/or department of education mandates.  Give an example of a similar decision making situation with which you are familiar and discuss how it was addressed within your school. Please refer to a decision making model from our studies and evaluate its effectiveness for situation referenced.  

Module 3 - Change

Describe Lewin's Theory of FFA and explain how it might be helpful for a school leader's successful implementation of a new initiative.  

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Decisions, Decisions....

School leaders are regularly faced with critical decisions.  Principals are often challenged to respond with action to improve student achievement, follow directives from the central office,  support faculty and staff, advocate for students and comply with state law and/or department of education mandates.  Give an example of a similar decision making situation with which you are familiar and discuss how it was addressed within your school.  Please refer to a decision making model from our studies and evaluate its effectiveness for situation referenced.  

Saturday, February 16, 2013



To Insource or Outsource? That is the question.   



It seems that one cannot pick-up a newspaper, watch the TV news or even go the coffee shop without being exposed to the issue of privatization and/or subcontracting for jobs that have been historically part of the public sector.  Since our course deals with site-based business and operational functions within schools, please answer the following question from that vantage point.  How should decisions be reached regarding use of contracted versus system-supplied operations/maintenance services?

1     Something that many school districts have in common these days are budget challenges.  Successful school officials are immersed in budgetary issues and have a keen understanding of the districts financial position, but what about the general public?  Obtain a copy of a monthly financial report from a board of education meeting.  From it, develop an interpretation of what could be understood by a reasonably perceptive layperson.  Please share what that interpretation might be.  

Tuesday, December 4, 2012


1    Something that many school districts have in common these days is budget challenges.  Successful school officials are immersed in budgetary issues and have a keen understanding of the districts financial position, but what about the general public?  Obtain a copy of a monthly financial report of a board of education.  From it, develop an interpretation of that could be understood by a reasonably perceptive layperson.  Please share what that interpretation might be.  

Saturday, October 6, 2012


1.       It’s no secret that schools are facing great budgetary challenges.  As a result, school leaders are faced with difficult decisions when it comes to appropriating funds.  Today’s principals often have great influence with these decisions as per their site-based budgeting responsibilities.   From the principal’s perspective - What is the value of staff development for school site and system-based custodial personnel?  How should these programs be evaluated?