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School Principals and Administrators of Elementary and Secondary Education (0313)

Job titles

  • academic superintendent
  • area superintendent - schools
  • assistant district school superintendent
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Nature of work

School principals plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the activities of teachers and other staff of an elementary or secondary school. They are employed by public and private schools. Administrators of elementary and secondary education plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate the academic affairs of a school system. They are employed by school boards.

Fields of interest

  • Managing, organizing, administrating
  • Working in an office
  • Writing, working in communications and information

Main duties

  • School principals perform some or all of the following duties:
  • - Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate, through department heads or supervisors, the activities of teachers and support staff
  • - Review programs to ensure conformance to school board or provincial standards and develop programs within limits of authority
  • - Co-ordinate teaching activities of the institution by making personnel assignments, determining class size and preparing timetables
  • - Organize and maintain procedures for the keeping of records
  • - Prepare and administer institution or program budget
  • - Direct and co-ordinate school maintenance services and the use of school facilities
  • - May recruit and hire teachers and other staff
  • - May teach.
  • Administrators of elementary and secondary education perform some or all of the following duties:
  • - Plan, organize, direct, control and evaluate, through school principals, the academic affairs of a school district
  • - Evaluate curriculum, teaching methods and community participation in programs for a school district and revise programs as required
  • - Develop and administer programs for the education and training of students and adults
  • - Make recommendations concerning the annual operating budget of a school district
  • - Direct or supervise the recruitment, appointment, training, evaluation and promotion of teaching personnel.

Main characteristics of the occupation

These headings are provided for the following occupation(s) :

Employment requirements

  • * A bachelor's degree in education is required.
  • * A master's degree in education may be required.
  • * Several years of experience as a senior teacher or department head are required.
  • * A teacher's certificate for the province of employment is required.
  • * School principals may require a principal's certificate.
  • * Administrators of elementary and secondary education may require a supervisory officer certificate.

Skill type

  • Management occupations

Skill level

  • Management

More information

  • * There is little mobility between institutional settings, for example, between elementary and secondary schools.

Job titles - Classified elsewhere

Professional associations