Introduction

In the school, the principal is the CEO, but unlike CEOs in a business organization, the principal
carries many hats. She/He is the manager of human resources, the nurse, the provider of student
lunches, the public relations officer, the liaison between the school board and teachers. She/He is
the evaluator of student and teacher performance. She/He is the human resources manager.
She/He is the hub and the heartbeat of the school.

K-12 administrators
Working in local or private school systems, K-12 educational administrators have roles such as
principal, assistant or vice principal, technology administrator, curriculum administrator, and
school district superintendent.

Principals, assistant or vice principals, and other administrators are responsible for the daily
functioning and overall success of their schools. They lead elementary and secondary schools by
managing teachers and support staff, overseeing budgets and curricula, and more.

The administrators in elementary schools

1. The principal as administrator

The principal is the administrator of the school. As administrator of the school, She/He works
through people to achieve school goals. Management and leadership are the two components of
administration.
Whereas management consists of the routine behavior associated with performing the job, such
as planning, leading, controlling, budgeting, reporting, etc., leadership is influencing people and
modifying their beliefs, actions, and behaviors. When the principal leads, new structures, new
procedures, and new goals come into being.

As manager, the principal carries five broad functions:

1. Planning
2. Organizing
3. Staffing
4. Leading
5. controlling.
The principal’s responsibility falls into seven areas:
 responsibility for human resources,
  responsibility for students,
 responsibility for instruction,
 responsibility for financial resources
 responsibility for school management,
 responsibility for physical resources,
 responsibility for community relationships.

As an effective leader She/He possesses several characteristics:

 She/He has superb interpersonal and human relationships skills—She/He is a people’s
person,
 She/He has an excellent approach to conflict management and resolves ambiguities well,
 She/He manages time wisely by integrating a cluster of demands vying for principals’
attention,
 She/He anticipates and adapts to changes in the environment by formulating new action
plans and preparing for contingencies,
 She/He assesses and evaluates the effects of schooling on children based on her
knowledge of the latest findings in research.

The principal’s leadership encompasses six aspects.

 She/He is the states person leader defining the school’s broad philosophy
 She/He is the educational leader guiding the achievement of school’s educational
objectives.
 She/He is the instructional leader ensuring that teachers are committed and carry out the
objectives of the School.
 She/He is the organizational leaders ensuring a supportive school structure and climate.
 She/He is the administrative leader ensuring that the structure and climate exist for an
extended period.
 She/He is the team leader cooperating with teachers, staff, administrators in achieving
school goals.

The Primary Responsibilities of Elementary Schools Administrators

 Manage day-to-day activities at an elementary or secondary school.
 Create instructional resources for use in the classroom.
 Develop academic programs.
 Monitor students and teachers for progress.
 Train, encourage, and mentor teachers and other staff.
 Manage career counseling.
 Administer record keeping.
 Supervise teachers, counselors, librarians, and other support staff.
 Maintain rapport with parents.
 Handle tours and marketing.
 Prepare budgets and annual reports.
 Work actively with teachers to maintain high curriculum standards.
 Formulate mission statements.
 Establish performance goals and objectives.
 Explain or answer procedural questions.
 Hire, train, and evaluate teachers.
 Visit classrooms and observe teaching methods.
 Examine learning materials.
 Review instructional objectives and adjust accordingly.
 Meet with other administrators, parents, and community organizations.