The Systemic Principal
How Principals Design the Six Systems That Run a Great School
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publishing:11th Feb '27
£31.99
This title is due to be published on 11th February, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
Most schools are held together by a principal's will, presence, and long hours. But the real solution to thriving is design, not heroism. Drawing on his experience as a founding principal, a turnaround principal, and a principal supervisor, Chris O’Brien reveals that the principal's job is to act as the school's Chief Systems Officer: building the systems that let every adult do their best work.
He introduces the Conveyor Belt — a six-step methodology for designing any system the school requires — and applies it across the people, instructional, student culture, communication, school improvement, and personal systems. Every chapter closes with an essentials checklist, and an appendix provides ready-to-use blueprints for each system.
Written for practicing and aspiring principals, assistant principals, and other school and district leaders, this powerful book will help you close the gap between the school you are running and the school you envision.
“A good school leader knows that classrooms thrive when they have intentionally designed systems that cause the highest-value activities to happen by habit. Leadership, Chris O’Brien explains, is similar—and this book will help you design intentional, ongoing systems for how you spend your time and energy, ensuring that the highest-value activities happen by habit.”
Doug Lemov, Founder and Author of Teach Like a Champion, USA
“In all my years visiting schools, I’ve never seen a good one without a strong leader—clear about the school culture, model, expectations for students and teachers. But how to make that something not left to chance has been less clear, which is why this book is such a critical contribution. Don’t leave excellent leadership of schools to chance and read this.”
Michael Horn, Harvard Professor and author of Disrupting Class and Blended, USA
“The role of the school principal has long been debated. Chris O’Brien comes closest to getting it right by arguing that great principals are Chief Systems Officers. The true heroes aren’t the leaders acting like they’re on the big screen, or trying to do it all, but the ones implementing the systems that allow for their teams, and their students, to succeed. The Systemic Principal is a book you will want to read, study, and share for years to come.”
Mike Petrilli, President of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, USA
ISBN: 9781041446347
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
292 pages