The Principal as Student Advocate

Book excerpt: Help all students reach their full potential. Make the right decisions! This unique book offers practical tools and strategies to help you become a strong advocate for every student in your school. With real world examples and situations, this book will help you: • Acquire skills to change your students’ lives for the better -- and also reach district goals. • Learn how to advocate for students even if it conflicts with district policy. • Discover how to transform your staff so they will also serve as student advocates. • Strengthen connections with parents to engage them with their child’s education. Also included is how to be an advocate for special needs students. The book opens with a private self-assessment to help you discover where you are on the continuum of student advocacy. It then leads you through the steps to develop the traits of a skilled advocate for students. There are application exercises and numerous examples of what works. Supported by research references in every chapter, the book details a rich variety of interventions you and your staff can use on a daily basis. It focuses on curricular as well as co-curricular programs including subject-matter offerings, the fine arts, athletics, technical programs, clubs, recreational activities, and other programs. As the principal, it is your advocacy that will make a powerful, lifelong difference for all the students in your school. Also available – PowerPoint slides for in-service professional development or for principals who wish to discuss this topic with their staff.