What Principals Wish Their Superintendents Knew About Their Work

See what may be difficult to see from the district office—and ask questions that allow critical information to travel upward.

After 19 years in the principal’s chair, I know that some of the most consequential work a principal does may never appear on a district report.

This executive field guide helps superintendents and district leaders look beneath the surface of a principal’s performance, recognize what may be consuming the leader’s capacity, and determine what kind of support—or accountability—is actually needed.

What may look like a failure to prioritize may be something else entirely.

One student crisis, staff allegation, or serious school incident can take a principal off the instructional grid for an entire day.

At other times, repeated missed priorities may signal overwhelm, avoidance, insufficient resources, or a condition that requires immediate district intervention.

The challenge is seeing clearly enough to know the difference.

This is not an argument against accountability.

It is an invitation to understand the conditions beneath performance before deciding what kind of support—or accountability—is needed.

Inside the guide, you will find:

I created this guide from what I learned during 19 years as a principal and through my continued work mentoring and supporting school leaders.

I understand the responsibility superintendents carry for ensuring that principals follow through, address difficult issues, and lead their schools effectively.

I also understand why principals sometimes hesitate to reveal the full weight of what they are carrying.

This guide was designed to help district leaders preserve accountability while creating the conditions for earlier, more honest, and more useful conversations.

Begin with a better question.

• A look inside the principal’s “invisible day” and the work that may never appear on a district report

• Questions that open honest, solution-oriented conversations with principals

• Signs that a principal may be carrying more than they are saying

• A practical framework for distinguishing overwhelm, avoidance, insufficient resources, and safety risk

• Support principals may hesitate to request from the district

• A printable set of ten questions to use during principal conversations

• A reflection tool for examining where information travels upward—and where communication only moves down

“Different principals do not need the same support.”

Created from experience on both sides of the conversation

Instead of immediately asking:

“Why hasn’t this been handled?”

You might begin with:

“What is consuming most of your time right now and preventing you from supporting instruction?”

The right question does not remove accountability.

It helps uncover what is actually happening so the next response can address the right problem.