JOHN G. GABRIEL is a nationally known presenter, best-selling author, and principal of John Champe High School in Loudoun County, Virginia.
PAUL C. FARMER, a veteran educator and former school principal, is an educational consultant with Solution Tree, Inc., providing consulting services nationally for schools and districts.

Foreword by Douglas Reeves ix
Acknowledgments xiii
About the Authors xv
Introduction xvii
Part One Working with Students 1
One Responding to Student Conflicts 3
Recognize Student Conflicts 4
Mediate Student Conflicts 6
Address Bullying 14
Resolve Student-Teacher Conflicts 23
Two Understanding and Preventing Student Misbehavior 27
Discuss Discipline with Your Staff 29
Review Discipline Data 39
Make Connections 40
Three Dealing with Student Discipline 45
Review Your Referrals 47
Engage Your Students 49
Work with Your Students 55
Four Conducting Investigations 61
Manage Your Investigation 62
Address Postdiscipline Concerns 72
Part Two Working with Adults 79
Five Creating and Maintaining Parent Partnerships 81
Build a Foundation 82
Involve Parents 88
Keep the Focus on the Student 92
Go Above and Beyond 95
Six Facilitating Parent Conferences 99
Before the Conference 100
During the Conference 103
After the Conference 108
Seven Navigating Staff Communication 111
Guide Conversations 112
Focus on Behaviors, Not Attitudes 124
Tend the Grapevine 126
Eight Building Capacity 129
Maintain a Focus on Deep Learning 130
Provide Support for Collaborative Teams 140
Develop Other Leaders 150
Conclusion: Beyond the Tough Stuff 153
References 157
Index 161

The much-needed leadership tips and tools for new schooladministrators
Fledgling school administrators are often ill-prepared for theirnew leadership role and are frequently left to their own devices tonavigate the slippery terrain of school administration. Dealingwith the Tough Stuff: Practical Solutions for SchoolAdministrators addresses some of the thornier aspects of beingan assistant principal such as handling discipline, mediatingstudent conflicts, working with parents, facilitating parentconferences, and working with staff members. This handy guide willteach the tricks of the trade in order to survive and thrive in thejob.
* Filled with the information that is rarely taught but schoolleaders need to know to be effective administrators
* Written by John Gabriel and Paul Farmer, two veteran andaward-winning school leaders
* Includes strategies and illustrative examples for dealing withthe down-to-earth problems that confront school administrators
Practical and insightful, the book covers everything fromworking effectively with parents and staff to mediatingconflicts.