Meet the Principal: My Journey Beyond the Curriculum

by Jane Blomstrand

Most of us have experience with school, either as a student, a parent or maybe as a teacher. But few people have experienced walking in the shoes of a school principal. Meet the Principal is a collection of stories from one principal's experiences. These stories show the many intriguing challenges a school leader faces each day. Most principals have stories just like these. Some are funny, some are sad, some may surprise you, and some may touch your heart. When you put them all together as a book, they portray a realistic view of the complex and delicate relationships all principals juggle while on their journey into the very heart of education.This UPDATED and retitled edition (Originally "Beyond the What Does a Principal Do All Day?" Dec 2018) includes new chapters and updated details. “There is a lot more to being a principal than most folks would believe. It should be required reading for new principals.” ~D. Mercer, President of the YMCA of the USA (retired)

321 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 27, 2019

Reviews

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was supposed to review this book via NetGalley but had not downloaded it in time, so I ended up buying the book. I work in a school with an amazing principal who takes the time to listen and tries to make sure the school runs the way it should. In some ways, as I was reading this book, this author and my principal seemed the same. When I saw this book, I really wanted to read it; I wanted to see inside the mind of a principal. We only get to see them when they are running the school, but we never see inside their minds and what they question themselves on. In this book, we see Jane tackle some issues, see what she thought of some things that were going on, and handled situations. I feel like Jane is one of those old school teachers who became a principal and transferred that old school teaching vibes to her school. Yet, when the curriculum changed like it always seems to do, it did not fit for her, and I see why and I understand her decision to leave.
Now, I gave this book four stars for a few reasons. Nothing horrible but things that stuck out to me. Example one: She kept repeating free and reduced lunch throughout the book. I feel like we already have established that the students she served were low income and on the free and reduced lunch plan. Example two: I felt some stories that she told of her times at Baxter needed more closure, which was on more than one. I just felt like I wanted to know a bit more about how the student did later on or the reasoning behind the student needing to go to the bathroom during the lockdown—little things like that.

Many quotes in the book at the end of the chapters I loved and one quote was within a chapter that truly stood out to me.
"A principal's primary mission is to create a culture that will move student achievement forward. To do that, he or she must carry the vision for the school, build positive relationships, and develop trust and respect among team members." This right here reminds me of my principal.
Overall it was a good read and insight into what some principals have to deal with. I plan on buying this book and gift it to my own principal to bad I can not get an autographed copy.