Case 23 The New Principal
Setting: Urban School; Your Position: Principal
After ten years of service as an elementary school teacher in a large metropolitan area, you were asked to take over the role of principal in another elementary school 15 miles away. Your predecessor in this role had "resigned" after allegations of child abuse and sexual assault. While you are flattered by the thought that you had administrative potential, you were somewhat dismayed by the reputation of this particular school. It is widely recognized for its low morale and antagonism between teachers and administration.
You have now been in the job for a month without notable success in gaining the acceptance of the teachers. They profess indifference to everything except what happens in their own classroom and resist doing anything except what is absolutely necessary.
Today you received a phone call from the senior contracts manager in the central district school office inquiring about the status of a particular project that had been funded by the government. Apparently your school had received a sizeable grant to fund the development of a new curriculum using computers to teach problem-solving skills in the primary grades. You were told that your predecessor was the major force behind the grant and that the project was to involve the talents of teachers in each of the primary grades. A progress report is two months overdue, and should that not be forthcoming soon, the remainder of the project monies, as well as the school system's reputation, are in jeopardy.
You promised that the matter would receive your immediate attention. You must determine the status of the project, the reasons for the delay, and the steps required to submit the report as soon as possible. It is a matter of some concern that none of the teachers has told you about this project.