Principal's Companion

The Principal's Companion offers aspiring educational administrators situational exercises with the aim of improving their leadership and decision making skills. Utilizing five major sets of activities: 1) Creating the School, 2) Leading the School, 3) Preparing for Success, 4) In-basket Simulations, and 5) Case Studies, the authors introduce real life simulations as a practicum to learning and a "practice field" for implementing newly-acquired skills. Transferring theory to practice allows future educational leaders the opportunity to analyze situations in a school, synthesize overall operations of a school, and evaluate their leadership progression. The Principal's Companion serves as a tool for aspiring leaders to connect preparation to realities of school leadership.

Research is replete with theories of leadership. This text is rich in current activities and scenarios in the fast-paced, chaotic life of a campus principal. We are most excited to have this handbook to prepare our aspiring administrators for ethical and significantly complex problems similar to those they will face as school leaders., Dr. Ross Sherman and Dr. Jason Mixon have masterfully created the one book every school administrator must have. The Principal's Companion prepares administrators to effectively navigate the various challenges a building principal will certainly face., The most complete understanding of the field possible. By balancing theory and research with practical application, the authors…offer insight into every aspect of the principal's job…[and] information on the topics that matter today…

Ross Sherman, Ed.D., is department chairman and associate professor of educational administration at The University of Texas at Tyler. He is a graduate of the University of Houston and holds a masters and bachelors degree from Temple University. A former elementary teacher, assistant principal, and principal, Dr. Sherman regularly consults with school districts in the areas of developmental supervision and instructional improvement. Jason R. Mixon, Ed.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at The University of Texas at Tyler. He is a graduate of Sam Houston State University, holds a masters and bachelors degree from The University of Texas at Tyler, and is a former high school teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Dr. Mixon regularly consults with school districts in the areas of high school reform, high school restructuring, and high school drop-out prevention.