Vicki Nord Petzko

The Perceptions of New Principals regarding the Knowledge and Skills Important to Their Initial Success.

Although there is a recurrent call for substantive reform in graduate programs in educational leadership, little has been written from the perspective of the new principal. This article reports the results of a survey of first-, second-, and third-year principals and assistant principals in which participants were asked to identify the knowledge and skill areas they perceived to be important to their initial success. The results suggest that principal preparation programs and district induction programs evaluate their individual areas of emphasis and make adjustments as appropriate.

Leaders and Leadership in Middle Level Schools

An online survey of more than 1,400 middle level leaders (grades 5-9) was conducted as part of a national study. This article reports the findings; compares the results with previous studies conducted in 1965, 1980, and 1992; and discusses the implications and recommendations for recruiting initial training, and continuing professional development offuture middle level principals.

Beyond Interdisciplinary Teaming: Findings and Implications of the NASSP National Middle Level Study

This article reports trends and implications of interdisciplinary teaming practices in middle level schools, based on findingsfrom a national survey. Noting that nearly 80% of schools currently implement teaming the authors challenge principals and teachers to move beyond the simple formation of teams to the creation of an infrastructure that supports highperforming teams and thereby promotes improved student achievement.

Findings and Implications of the NASSP National Study of Leadership in Middle Level Schools, Volumes I and II: Teachers in Middle Level Schools.

This article examines and compares teachers in a national sample of middle level schools to those in a selected group of highly successful middle level schools. The context within which they work, their preparation, their level of implementation of middle level best practices, and their involvement as teacher leaders are discussed. Results show some similarities, as well as some distinct and important differences in the two sets of teachers. Recommendations are made for teacher preparation programs as well as inservice professional development programs which can increase teacher effectiveness and are consistent with the expectations of No Child Left Behind.

Preventing Legal Headaches Through Staff Development: Considerations and Recommendations.

In December of 1965 John and Mary Tinker entered a Des Moines high school wearing black armbands in protest against the war in Vietnam. However inconsequential their conduct was to the outcome of the war, it revolutionized educational law in the United States. Since that time, the tensions between the law and the schools have extended far beyond those involving student rights.