The Principal's Survival Guide

This hands-on school leadership guide for new and veteran principals and administrators offers practical advice for leading a school successfully. Want honest student input? Try texting. Got a group of angry parents? Arrange one-on-one meetings—you’ll avoid a mob scene and give each family the attention it deserves. Trying to make a teacher feel appreciated? Shoot a quick email after stopping by his classroom and describe something cool you saw him do. It takes ten seconds but has a big impact.

These tips and hundreds more are the collective wisdom of three experienced principals who know how to connect with kids, staff, families, and stakeholders, and help students succeed.

Award-winning educator Susan Stone Kessler, Ed.D., is currently a high school principal and has been a teacher, assistant principal, and high school principal in urban, suburban, and rural schools.

She also is a consultant and has spoken for a variety of organizations including Learning Forward, the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). Dr. Kessler has been published by Principal Leadership and Educational Leadership and has taught undergraduate and graduate classes for the past ten years.

She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

April M. Snodgrass, M.Ed., is currently an assistant principal and has been a teacher, an instructional coach, and an assistant principal in both urban and suburban schools.

She holds a master’s degree in supervision and administration from Middle Tennessee State University. She has been a speaker at a variety of conferences including ASCD and has also been published in Educational Leadership.

She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Andrew T. Davis, Ed.D., is currently an elementary school principal and has been a teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal in both suburban and urban settings.

He earned his master’s in teaching from Belmont University and his doctorate of education in leadership and strategic change from Lipscomb University.

He has been a speaker at a variety of conferences including ASCD. Dr. Davis lives in Nashville, Tennessee.