Stephen Uebbing, in The Life Cycle of Leadership: Surviving and Thriving in TodayвЂ™s Schools (2011), asserts that leaders are often thrust into вЂњsurvivalвЂќ mode when their competence or character is in question. Once the new leader has become established, the assistant principal can help the community build trust in the leader. The assistant principal can easily provide this information so that the new leader understands and can access available resources. The new leader will also need to know the various roles of all people associated with the school program both in and out of the building. This can be as simple as ensuring that the new leader is graciously introduced to various members of the school community. The assistant principal can help the new leader by skillfully assisting him or her in forming new relationships. This is an efficient way to bring the new leader up to speed. A supportive assistant principal can greatly reduce the implementation dip of transition by sharing information about the various aspects of the culture and processes of the school. When new leaders enter a school, they must take the time to learn from those who have been there, and to gain insight into the situation through careful fact finding. In Change Leader: Learning to Do What Matters Most (2011), Michael Fullan describes the importance of relationship building in establishing a positive school culture. Two factors can be influenced by a supportive assistant principal: climate and a continued focus on instruction. The assistant principal knows the processes, procedures, and culture and is crucial to the success of the incoming head of school or principal, especially in cases in which little communication has occurred between the former and future heads of school. In smaller schools, the assistant principal might be the only person who has the complete map of the institutional knowledge. While it is true that many assistant principals aspire to higher levels of leadership, many are quite satisfied and fulfilled with their role as the key вЂњsidekick.вЂќ Assistant principals who stay at a school during a transition may have much to offer the new leader. New principals and heads of school may find that their administrative team members are capable, well-prepared professionals who enjoy sharing the important work of leadership without necessarily desiring the additional responsibilities held by the main leader. For example, in the Educational Administration program at SUNY Brockport, where I am currently enrolled, courses that prospective principals and assistant principals take include Foundations of Educational Leadership, Site Management, Models of Supervision, Resource Management, Program Management and Instructional Leadership, Legal Basis for Education, and Central Office Administration, as well as required participation in extensive practicum and internship experiences. The assistant principal can be the hidden anchor that keeps the ship in place during the storm of transition.ДЄssistant principals are now highly trained and often must take the same steps toward certification as heads of school and principals. Add to this a myriad of responsibilities - activity supervision, scheduling, input on the school calendar, building operations, and other tasks - and one can see that the assistant principal holds essential knowledge of many of the aspects of a schoolвЂ™s functioning, and thus is an invaluable support to an incoming head. The role of the assistant principal has expanded from that of disciplinarian, attendance monitor, and вЂњfirefighterвЂќ to one that includes staff development, instructional leadership, and curriculum development. What factors must schools consider to ensure that the leadership transition goes well? What sources of stability can be tapped during the transition? One key to success lies in the hands of the assistant principal or assistant head. With the growing number of principals and heads of school retiring, many schools are in transition.

Principal leadership magazine