Leadership and School Success: The Behaviors and Practices of a Principal in an Effective Urban High School

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore the behaviors and practices of a principal in an effective, private, faith-based urban high school.

METHODOLOGY
The researcher interviewed school personnel, observed school operations, and reviewed school documents at “Heartland Mennonite High School” in a large industrial northern city. The researcher administered the Leadership Practices Inventory and Powell’s (2004) Five Domain Survey of effective at-risk elementary schools to 100 percent of the faculty, staff, administration, board members and the principal (N = 15).

KEY FINDINGS
The principal’s leadership characteristics, according to the researcher, “were very evident. She was seen as being very strong in Modeling the Way, Inspiring a Shared Vision, Challenging the Process, Enabling Others to Act, and Encouraging the Heart” (p. 98)....this was “an effective school in part because of the leadership behaviors and practices of the principal. The principal was instrumental in keeping the school moving toward the goal of providing an excellent, Christ-centered education that equips urban students for leadership, service, and peacemaking” (p. 113).