What is the real term for a high school leader?
I remember my first few years of teaching in New York City public schools, where we had 200 teachers, an Assistant Principal of everything you could think of, and one Principal.
We had about 5000 kids in the school, and it was a giant building filled with office staff, custodial folks, and lots of NYPD School Safety.
At that time, in 1998–99 if you asked the same question as to the terminology of a high school administrator, you could be specific and say a principal or the Assistant Principal of Attendance — which was a real title. Although I loved those power point presentations more than anyone during our monthly staff meetings in the library, where we learned about attendance trends — I think, the titles were specific because the roles were as well.
Now, in the US, a growing trend in education is combining the AP of Attendance, with the AP or Organization, to make what’s now called — the AP. Gone are the days of having specific roles for specific tasks for administrators.
As a charter high school “principal” — I’m also writing state reports, dictating budget allocation, conducting all HR moves, creating plans and overseeing facility modifications and expansions, and observing all staff and students. The high school principals at comprehensive sites, conduct HR and education plans for the students and the school, but it’s safe to continue calling a leader at a comprehensive high school in the US — and high school principal.
At a charter school, they are called directors, because they do what a principal does, as well as a superintendent as well — and therefore the role is a bit more inclusive.
Not easier or harder, but rather inclusive.
Perhaps the evolution of this position has been the most important part of school reform, because not only does it give the say back to the school site, which can be and always should be shared with staff and school community, but it also gives authority back to the teachers as well.
When was the last time a superintendent sat with teachers to pick their brains on educational related topics revolving around that school’s needs? When was the last time a superintendent spent time writing back to parents or meeting with students and listened to them to inform their own decisions on what to do and why?
In a superintendent’s defense, they have so many educationally related business decisions to make, that they can not be involved in everything. That’s why they are called — superintendents.
It’s safe to call any comprehensive school leader from k-12 at a traditional public site a principal. It’s safe to assume that those at non-comprehensive sites have no choice but to get involved with roles that a principal, assistant principal, directors of multiple divisions, and a superintendent all are into, and therefore calling them something like a director is way more appropriate.
If I can help more, please reach out to me via email at thetravelingprincipal@gmail.com.
