The Principal Is In: An Advice Column for Principals

The job of a school leader can be an isolating one—now more so than ever. In this column, two experienced former principals will share their decades of expertise with their colleagues.

Twice a month, Sharif El-Mekki and Tamara McWilliams will alternate by answering questions about the complex ins-and-outs of running a school during these uncertain times. Sharif El-Mekki has served as a teacher and administrator in three schools in west Philadelphia across his 27-year career. He has also helped to launch efforts like The Fellowship—Black Male Educators for Social Justice, Philly’s 7th Ward blog, 8 Black Hands podcast, and the Center for Black Educator Development.

Tamara McWilliams is a 28-year veteran in education. She has taught English in middle school and high school and has served her district as a principal on the elementary, middle, and high school campuses. She is now the assistant superintendent of curriculum and testing in Ozona, Texas.

Have a question? Send it in to the AskAPrincipal@educationweek.org, and check back to see if it appears in an upcoming column. To join the conversation, use #AskAPrincipal on Twitter.