~Hiring, working with, training, and appreciating staff members are key components in any productive school site. Knowing who to hire, designing appropriate hiring processes, assigning and overseeing staff, preparing staff to work in harmony toward the common goal of improved learning require reflection, analysis, and diligent effort. It...

~This first chapter sets up a basic framework to contrast the requirements of human resource functions in a school setting with actions aimed at building human capital. Within this first chapter, the analysis consists of seven different considerations:

~Based on national and state mandates, the school leader should above all focus on the essentials of teaching and learning. Ideally, all personnel strategies should lead to improved learning. In essence “the more leaders focus their relationships, their work and learning on the core business of teaching and learning, the greater the...

~In this chapter, the most important aspects of conducting a building leader search are examined. The narrative focuses on defining the role of the school principal and the assistant principal. A discussion unfolds to gain a better understanding of the traits, characteristics, and skill sets deemed to be most desirable in a successful school...

~In this chapter critical factors in hiring a school superintendent are considered. Having an opportunity to hire a new school superintendent is frequently viewed as an impetus to set a completely new tone for a school system. A new school leader might bring about rapid and vibrant change but still works in a complex system with multitiered...

~In this chapter the teacher hiring process is considered. Hiring the best fit of talent to meet your teaching needs demands careful planning of the process itself. It is a multilayered task requiring reflection of system needs and attention to instructional expectations. Approaching the hire from a system perspective, there are sequential...

~In this chapter, an examination of desirable supervisory practices related to school staff is presented. The general topic is approached from four major perspectives: the individual need for supervision, the group need for supervision, the process to use in supervision, and implementing supervisory principles to improve a school. In...

~This chapter discusses the role that nonprofessional staff play in a school setting and offers some insight into their function and purpose.

~Formally evaluating the performance of staff in a school setting can either be a dull nonproductive process or it can be a vibrant strategic component of a school’s overall improvement plan. In a normal supervision process, staff members are encouraged to perform duties in a structured way. Within a formal evaluation system, the...

~As in all professions, teachers arrive at a school site with varied backgrounds, career experiences, and specific skills. They might be veteran or novice, young or old, student-centered in style or teacher-centered, passionate with a spirit for change, or fairly resolute in the belief that they know their craft. A school leader must work...

~In this final chapter, a brief attempt ensues to highlight some of the more critical components that a school system should contemplate as they develop their individual school staffing plan. By focusing on the thrust of the content of each preceding chapter, a comprehensive guide for staffing strategies is restated. This summary consists...

action research, use by staff, 69–70

~Dr. Michael Pregot has served as a professor of educational leadership for the past 11 years. His approach to the study of school administration is to blend authentic and pragmatic applications with current theories and research so that an informed discussion will occur and decisions will be made on next practical steps.