GREAT PRINCIPALS... never forget that it is people, not programs that determine the quality of a school. have clarity about who they are, what they do, and how others perceive them. take responsibility for their own performance and for all aspects of their school. create a positive atmosphere in their schools. They treat every person with respect. In particular, they understand the power of praise. consistently filter out the negatives that don't matter and share a positive attitude. deliberately apply a range of strategies to improve teacher performance. take every opportunity to hire and retain the very best teachers. understand the dynamics of change. keep standardized testing in perspective and focus on the real issue of student learning. know when to focus on behavior before beliefs. are loyal to their students, to their teachers, and to the school. They expect loyalty to students and the school to take precedence over loyalty to themselves. as