Identification of preparation guidelines for the principalship

The challenge that exists in the Virgin Islands Public Schools is to create better leaders and managers. Consequently, there is the need to develop the potential of existing principals and assistant principals. This study provided suggestions on how assistant principals might be helped to prepare themselves for the principalship. Fourteen job dimensions were identified from the job analysis literature. Thirty-one school administrators rank-ordered the importance of the job dimensions. An instrument was designed and administered to principals and assistant principals to determine how frequently the assistant principals were provided opportunities to practice each job dimension. Principals, assistant principals and teachers were also asked to assess the level of the assistant principals\u27 competence in performance of these job dimensions. Interviews were conducted with school administrators to determine how the preparation for the principalship might be improved.The data gathered identified fourteen job dimensions judged to be important for the principalship. The job dimensions judged to be most important were: decisiveness, planning, leadership, impact, and initiative. Technical/professional knowledge, sensitivity, job motivation, tolerance for stress, oral communication, organizing, control, problem analysis and delegation were judged to be of average importance by the respondents.Principals and assistant principals agreed on the extent to which opportunities were provided for assistant principals to practice decisiveness, sensitivity, technical/professional knowledge, tolerance for stress, problem analysis and oral communication. They disagreed on opportunities being provided to practice planning, initiative, leadership, control, job motivation, impact, delegation and organizing. Teachers and principals both rated the assistant principals\u27 competence in performing these job dimensions as average and below average. Respondents suggested that principals can help assistant principals by (1) modeling important dimensions, and (2) creating opportunities for assistant principals to practice the job dimensions. Respondents also suggested that district support be given to complement the principals\u27 efforts. Policies regarding internships, job rotation, and inservice training were given as examples. Recommendations were made regarding the selection of assistant principals