Powerful Partnerships

A Handbook for Principals Mentoring Assistant Principals

Although assistant principals are key influences in our nation's schools and represent the next generation of school principals, little has been done to address professional development for these administrators. At the local level, assistants often spend their time handling student activities and discipline with little opportunity to exercise more sophisticated leadership. At the state and national levels, the position has not received much attention.

Positioning the partnership between principals and assistant principals as a coaching-based relationship serving the best interests of both students and schools, Powerful Partnerships presents specific tools to help principal/assistant principal teams define and strengthen their significant collaboration and to nurture the development of future school leaders.

Through discussion questions and shared activities, this resource provides opportunities for principals and assistant principals to develop a shared vision for their relationship and school, and to design a plan for communication and professional growth. The author examines aspects of instructional leadership including supervising and supporting teachers, classroom walkthroughs, professional learning communities, and using data for school improvement. Principals and assistant principals are invited to study this book together, addressing critical topics such as:

- leadership as stewardship

- unique leadership challenges involved in working with people

- key instructional leadership responsibilities that are shared by both administrators