The following are comments and analyses gleaned from interviews by Zahra Orane, under the aegis of the firm, Growth Facilitators, with a handful of Corporate Area high school principals about the challenges they face as administrators.

"Student disciplinary problems take up most of the time," stated one principal. "They mess up your schedule."

In each school, disciplinary issues were addressed efficiently. Depending on the gravity of the situation, they are handled from the prefect and form-teacher level, to the level of principal and the board.

But because some members of staff were not handling their responsibility of managing students, and because of the frequency of incidents, two of the principals were fighting small fires daily.

Some of the incidents they had to deal with: Students caught searching other students' bags; insolence to a vice-principal; an eighth-grader, along with two others she encouraged, making explosive devices out of bleach and Pepsi.

In one school, graduation preparations were put on hold until the students responsible for writing threatening remarks about a teacher came forward.

In another school, a student, after being harassed by others, later brought in people (not of the school community) to 'deal with' the harassers. During assembly the following morning, the principal asked the students to try to resolve conflicts by getting help from adults in the school, rather than "going for somebody outside".

The principals recognised that student behaviour is a manifestation of what pupils are experiencing in their environments.

One principal cited some hindrances to their effectiveness on the job: "The political climate. Social issues within the country. Violence. When thinking about gunmen or where your next meal is coming from, math is far from a youngster's mind."

Weapon searches

Indeed, during one of its random weapon searches, one school found six knives among its students (this institution had, at some point, lost a student to an off-campus stabbing).

Another principal also understood that the contexts in which youngsters live or are placed contribute to, if not shape, the ways they behave:

"The adults in the system who block the students' progress, parents with their 'crosses story' sometimes make me think about leaving. If we could somehow keep the students away from the parents who fuel their anti-social behaviour, I would feel better."

Parental influence

There was a report from this principal of a mother who had come to the school in clothing that was too revealing, and was, therefore, not allowed in; her husband, a police officer, came to the school thereafter, cursing.

Parental influence - though arguably well-intentioned - would sometimes create non-constructive results:

The father of a student who had been found with a knife explained that (the father) had once used a knife to defend himself, so his son should be able to do the same.

Two principals reported that over 90 per cent of the students who are referred to the board for disciplinary infractions are students who have transferred in. In one principal's estimation, this is due to the tendency of some parents of transfer students to put greater pressure on their children.

It was not always the case that parental/guardian involvement (or lack thereof) would produce negative outcomes in their children, and in the schools. It was observed that parents would come to see principals on their own volition: one mother came because she was concerned about her child's academic performance and general welfare.

All principals reported that some parents are active in school life; one school's cheerleading team, for example, is directed by a parent.

Despite student disciplinary issues being time-consuming for a couple of the principals, they cited their students as being the most positive aspect of their jobs.

Said one: "Seeing a student who thought he had nothing in him create a masterpiece gives me energy."

- Tomorrow: The final instalment in this five-part series looks at the impact of the Grade Six Achievement Test on the principals and their schools.