CAPEA President's Message.

CAPEA is celebrating its 19th year of the journal, Educational Leadership and Administration: Teaching and Program Development. This year's theme, "Leadership in a Global Society: Dispositions and Preparation," focuses on the recognition that we live in world that is arguably more connected than any other time in history. Friedman (2005) speaks to this phenomenon and to the opportunity that has occurred in recent decades with the advancement of technology. As those who prepare school administrators, we must ask ourselves how preparation programs ensure that those emerging leaders possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions and necessary to be successful in a global community.

Our invited paper, "What Being a Successful Principal Really Means: An International Perspective," was written by Christopher Day of the University of Nottingham. Day discusses emerging data from the International Successful School Principals' Project. There are both similarities and differences that cross international boundaries; all successful principals share the ability of working with a wide range of stakeholders to form strategic partnerships. They also have commitment and resilience and are able to promote these positive qualities in others that they work with. Day then discusses the combinations of skills and abilities successful principals use at various times and with different emphases in order to meet the particular needs of their schools and constituencies.

The theme of "Leadership in a Global Society" continues with Michael C. P. Fanning's paper titled, "Developing a Perspective on the Global Achievement Gap: School Leaders as International Collaborators." Fanning gives us examples from around the world of educational leaders who are concerned with improved learning for all students. He then discusses how the value of gender, the peripheral costs of education, socio-demographics, religion, and ethnicity can intensify the achievement gap. Several steps to eradicate the global achievement gap are suggested, as well as how school leaders can work to overcome these inequities for all children.

Bonnie Piller's article, "Preparing Educational Leaders for the Global Society: Learning Conversations with Professors in Thailand," summarizes a visit from a multi-disciplinary team of professors who spent a month working at six Rajabhat universities in Thailand. While some discussion topics were predictable, other themes that emerged were unexpected and had an entirely different focus than the achievement and testing issues found in US schools.

In addition to the global leadership theme, there are articles which highlight the CAPEA focus areas of teaching educational administration, diversity and justice, technology, research, and advocacy.

G. Thomas Bellamy, Connie Fulmer, and Rodney Muth authored "Five Ideas for Reframing the Principalship." In this article, they discuss five ideas that assist the principal with improving learning outcomes for students. Jose Lalas ...