How do you account for the principal’s success in leading the school?

Here’s something I’ve noticed in eleven years of coaching principals: the ones with the greatest struggles almost always had AP Issues. It’s not that APs are to blame, necessarily. It’s that a highly effective administrative team most typically leads to success in the school, and poorly performing admin teams do the opposite.

Your administrative team may look different than that of your neighbor. Maybe yours includes instructional coaches; maybe you have a dean of students, or six or more assistant principals. MAYBE it’s just you and the receptionist!

Whatever the makeup of your administrative team might be, here are some elements of a successful one: