According to Mendels and Mitgang (2013), “principals matter to the academic success of students” (p. 22). It is important to attract strong leaders and support their growth and success. This support should encompass the social, emotional, and professional needs of educators transitioning from classroom teachers to leadership positions as assistant principals. As teachers explore the option of moving into an administrative position, it is important for school districts to investigate the programs in place that prepare them for the responsibilities, assist in social acclamation, and identify support systems professionally and personally resulting in a successful transition. As a job with complex or poorly defined duties, success is elusive without …show more content…
Duties of the assistant principal include attendance and discipline, curriculum and instruction, scheduling, staff development and evaluation, and others “as assigned by the principal” (Glantz, 1994). As schools focus on 21st century learning, greater demands are placed on leadership (Spillane & Lee, 2014) and the need for focus on socialization increased (Crow, 2006) but most socialization of new assistant principals is individual, random, and informal (Greenfield, 1985). A conceptual framework that utilizes perspectives in sociology; specifically role theory (Merton, 1957, 1968; Goffman, 1961; Loder & Spillane, 2005) and role discontinuity (Neugarten, 1969; Bengston, 1996; Loder & Spillane, 2005) as well as cognitive studies to discern and interpret behaviors and practices, will provide greater insight into the necessary supports and training required for a successful transition from teacher to …show more content…
Existing literature examined the duties and professional development programs, however the social and emotional transition of assistant principals is largely ignored. This absence of research demonstrates a lack of foresight and planning by school districts in training and preparation of up and coming leaders in the role of principal. To assist districts in determining the needs of novice assistant principals, it is important to explore the experiences of emerging leaders; the professional development, socialization requirements and emotional support needed to build a strong foundation that aligns with the needs and goals of the