With its focus on the critical elements of leadership essential for today's school principals, this widely popular resource combines a strong research base with a practical, hands-on approach to help aspiring, new, and experienced educators become effective school administrators. Organized into four sections, The Principal presents a vision for leadership and learning and shows how to create a positive school culture, manage the organization, and interact with the external environment. The new edition reflects the evolution in the roles of educational leaders; explores the increased tasks that are requiring principals to expand their toolboxes of skills in such areas as instructional leadership, data analysis, technology utilization, staff evaluation, and community relations; and looks at the mounting demands to rewrite their job descriptions every year. The Updated 8th edition includes references to the new 2015 Professional Standards for Educational Leaders.