The role of the school principal is sometimes quite diverse. The principal takes the lead to set and improve the school curriculum, guides teachers in determining the best objectives for the students, chooses high quality learning opportunities for the pupils to attain those objectives, and helps select reliable assessment methods to determine whether or not the aims have been met (Ediger, 90). Developing the interests of the pupils is also an important aspect of the principal's work.
The principal sets the tone for school and is an important part of staff morale, how well the teachers get along with each other and how they view themselves as professional educators. The principal sets policy, makes decisions, and allocates funds. The principal can be an innovator in forming alliances between the school and businesses within the community (Begley, 59).
Traditionally, schools are organized as hierarchies with the school board at the top, followed by the superintendent, the principal, the teachers and other staff, and the students. This system of organization provides stability whose purpose is to preserve and pass onto the next generation the values and structures of the society (Begley, 60). Today's principal works to communicate policy to the school board and to the teachers, acting as a liaison between the two groups, sometimes creating challenges, as the school board is made up of lay persons. The school principal is responsible for in-service education, both for the principal and for the teachers and staff, establishing a climate that welcomes problem-solving skills and establishes open communication and confidence (Ediger, 93). The principal is active at the professional level, speaking at professional meetings, working within professional organizations for school administrators, and reading recent professional literature. The principal also interacts regularly with other principals in order to discuss duties, r...