0.2 Beach, g., & Keiser, k. (october 2011). to be or not to be..  (Page 9/10)

Principals must plan their time to enable them to spend most of it in instructional leadership activities, student relationships, teachers’ professional development, and parent-principal contact, whereas management should be de-emphasized (Cotton, 2003). That being stated, it would appear the reality of the principal’s world may be more accurately portrayed by Gutherie and Schuermann (2010) who suggested that much of America’s day-to-day school activity is shaped strongly by policy dynamics that take place in and among physically and psychologically distant individuals and institutions.

Successfully meeting the challenges of leading a building, the principal will have to possess the tools to bring all audiences into the planning and implementation of effective teaching strategies. Learning the pedagogy of evaluation falls in line with professional reputation goals as identified in this study. The evaluation of any school program is a strategy for discovering ways to improve effectiveness, and evaluation frameworks can help principals and educational partners understand what, why, and how a program is expected to benefit teachers, families, and students (Sanders&Sheldon, 2009; Witters-Churchill, 1991).

Within the study, the factors related to the legacy goal were most interesting. The desire to create a system or framework for success that outlasts an individual’s tenure in a school appears to be of higher value than those factors related to career or reputation. The individual who aspires to leave a legacy reflects a commitment that the administrator holds herself or himself accountable for the success of the whole school. Successful principals not only monitor and report student progress, but they also ensure that findings are used to improve the instructional program (Cooley&Shen, 1999; Cotton, 2003). Aspiring to leaving a legacy falls in line with Evans (1996) who stated that leaders build their practice outward from their core commitments rather than inward from a management text.

Practicing educational administrators and principals in particular, may want to take particular note of their influence on aspiring assistant principals/principals. Further research to determine the influence of recruitment/mentoring programs for aspiring administrators may bridge the wisdom of experience with the exuberance of those new to the administrative profession. The essential challenge of the leader is not attaining perfection, but acknowledging imperfections and obtaining complementaries – you cannot do it alone (Reeves, 2006). Matching those complementaries with prospective assistant principals/principals bears further examination. Efforts can be made to determine other factors that influence the decision to become an assistant principal/principal. The position of principal can be a solitary existence; yet with the heightened emphasis on implementing effective motivation and strategies to promote student success, to support prospective and novice principals, and to frame current realities as stepping stones rather than stumbling blocks, the synergy of creative preparation programs with committed school districts can advance building leadership.