The Role of a Principal

A principal has a very important role to fulfill in their daily job duties and responsibilities. They are the guiding force which makes schools what they are today. The following information will detail the general responsibilities of a principal as well as their specific duties.

In addition, there are various traits principals should possess and these too will be discussed below. By reviewing the following information, one can gain better insight into the role of a principal and determine whether or not this is something they would like to pursue as a desired occupation.

What Is A Principal?

A principal is an individual who directs and monitors the academic and nonacademic activities within a school environment. The principal is the individual who plans and implements the daily routines within an educational setting.

General Responsibilities of a Principal

The principal has many general responsibilities which they must carry out on a daily basis. First and foremost, the principal is the head of the educational setting. This individual provides guidance not only for the teachers but for the students as well. The principal must monitor all activities within their school and be the leader of it all, so to speak.

In addition, the principal must act as a liaison between what goes on in the school and those in the general community. The principal will meet requests from parents, school board members and government officials. This individual is the one these people go to with praise as well as complaints.

Specific Duties of a Principal

The principal has many numerous duties they must take part in since they are in a supervisory position. The first duty a principal is responsible for fulfilling in their capacity as principal is that of hiring, firing, and disciplining teachers and staff at the school. Those who work at the school will answer to the principal should any issues arise and the principal is the individual who usually does the interviewing and placement of staff as well as firing thereof.

Along with the hiring and firing of staff, the principal is also responsible for developing payroll specifications for the individuals. The principal will most likely have a payroll specialist who in fact transmits the payments but the principal is the one who will resolve any issues with regard to payroll.
The principal is also responsible for monitoring the education and extracurricular activities of the students at the educational facility. This individual will monitor lesson plans of the teachers as well as other activities which go on in the school to ensure that the students are receiving the educational requirements and activity requirements that are necessary to provide a well-rounded learning environment for them. The principal is often the individual who takes care of disciplinary actions with students as well.

In addition to providing supervision in the school itself, the principal will also engage with outside entities. The principal may contact businesses to let them know of any contributions or sponsorships which may be needed for various school programs. This involves academic as well as extracurricular activity needs.

The principal must also stay abreast of current laws, rules and regulations and ensure the school’s compliance with all of the above. This also deals with everything from the administration to extracurricular activities for the students. The principal must be sure that everything that deals with the smooth operation of the school is in keeping with state and federal laws and regulations.

A principal is also an individual who has a hand in government grants and funding acquisitions. The principal is in the best position to know what things his/her school needs and the best ways in which to obtain these things from governmental entities.

Positive Traits Which Principals Should Possess

The principal holds a key supervisory role in the school system. This individual is one who is in direct charge of all that goes on within their school and is in the best position to do something about the various things which occur on a daily basis. Due to the supreme role of a principal, individuals who are in this profession should possess certain favorable traits.

First and foremost, the principal should exhibit excellent leadership skills. Since the principal is the main individual in charge in a particular school, that person should have the superior leadership skills in which to lead those below them to make the school the best that it possibly can be. There will be many individuals looking to the principal for guidance and the individual in this role must be able to provide that guidance to their subordinates.

A principal should also have good problem solving skills as they will need to solve many problems during their role as principal. These problems may range anywhere from disciplinary actions for students to finding a way to fund certain school programs. A principal who has top of the line problem solving skills will find that it makes their job that much easier to carry out as they know exactly what to do should problems arise.

Good conversational skills are another positive trait principals should possess. As they will be speaking with countless amounts of individuals throughout their daily job duties, it is important that the principal knows exactly how to express what they want and relay this information to individuals. A principal should also be social in nature and not simply robotic in relaying information to various parties. A principal who has good conversational skills will excel in their position.

In addition, a principal should enjoy what they do on a daily basis. One who likes their job will arguably do a better job at it. If one is a principal and dreads starting the day each morning, this sentiment will be relayed in their daily activities and negatively affect their ability to do their job.

Conclusion

The principal of a school has a very important role in society. They are the leaders within an educational establishment who provide guidance to teachers, students, staff and members of the general community. If one can complete the aforementioned job duties effectively and possesses some of the traits mentioned above, then the likelihood that the individual will be a wonderful principal is quite great. Engaging in a career as a school principal is a fulfilling role to play in society and one that is sure to be rewarding to the individual who takes it upon themselves to do so.