Are Teachers Being Fair to Principals?

I once sat down and tried to make a job description list of what a principal does. It looked something like this:

• Resolve staff conflict
• Analyze data
• Build staff culture
• Work as an instructional leader, clearly clarifying expectations for pedagogy
• Manage materials, supplies, etc. 
• Work as a mid-level manager for both classified and certified staff
• Organize and maintain the school budget
• Deal with student discipline
• Run the P.R. and marketing of a school
• Limit the liability while also pushing for change
• Deal with parents (and sometimes an entire PTA/PTO)
• Oversee school events
• Handle emergencies
• Evaluate teachers
• Stay in compliance with district, city, state and federal policies
• Run a school's HR department (hiring, firing, etc.) 
• Mediate between teachers and district office 
• Plan and implement P.D. and staff meetings
• Be a systems thinker, able to develop clear procedures while also being relationally adept and constantly encourage (even mentor) the staff

I'm sure that there's more, but you get the idea. Administrators have a comprehensive job. True, they can delegate the responsibilities, but that becomes yet another relationship to foster and task to manage. In my experience, most of my administrators did amazing work with such a difficult job. However, they often had to choose between equally valid expectations. For example, teachers often want a principal to "be visible" and yet they also want a principal to be in his or her office on a whim. Teachers often a principal who doesn't micromanage. However, they also want things to run smoothly, with clear expectations and "everyone on board." Often, teachers fail to grasp just how lonely, difficult and taxing a job administrators have. We (myself included) forget that principals feel the pressure of the test. We forget that they are often as burned out as we are at this time of the year. And we forget that as much as we need affirmation, they need it, too. So, here's a quick "thank you" to the administrators out there.