The First Year as Principal: Real World Stories from America's Principals

In The First Year as Principal, principals share their own stories so that those considering a career in school leadership, those who are already principals, those who care about our schools, and those who make educational policy can better understand what true school leadership requires. These essays offer rich descriptions and insightful analyses of one year in the past and provide important lessons for the future. The book begins with a journal entry by Johanna VanderMolen, who gives us a peek into the daily life of a first-year elementary school principal. It ends with a pair of stories written by Joseph and Mark Segar, father and son, each of whom followed his own path to the principal's office. The essays in between share the experiences of many others. All together, they tell a broad story that has something to say to every school leader and to all who care about schools.