1. Has the support, trust, and the encouragement of the school community even when unpopular decisions become necessary.
2. Doesn’t have to combat or interpret an internal political minefield within the immediate leadership team, teachers and parent community in order to get meaningful work accomplished.
3. Is sufficiently aware and respectful of the school’s history yet does not allow it to compromise the school’s future.
4. Is not surrounded by “yes” men and women who have lost their capacity to think and who, in their blindness, can foster significant disruption in a school community.
5. Identifies the inevitable “lunatic fringe” existing in every parent community and can therefore effectively resist their agendas, ignore and expose their rumors while remaining aware of their proclivity to disrupt and damage learning communities.
6. Is not engulfed by manipulative parents who use money and status to implement their will or have their children recognized.
7. Is not too busy to have meaningful, daily contact with students.
8. Knows the most dissatisfied parents in a school community are usually those who are already unhappy at home.
9. Does not sacrifice family or personal life for the sake of the school, knowing that success at home and school are inextricably connected.

Posted on February 22, 2006 at 12:09 am in Education   |  RSS feed |   Reply   |   Trackback URL