Leadership in a Virtual School

1. Leadership in a Virtual
School
By: Mallory Marquart

2. Virtual School
A virtual school is an educational
organization that offers K–12 courses
through Internet-based methods, with time
and/or distance separating the teacher and
learner.

3. Virtual School Leader
• With the increase of virtual schools available to students there is a greater
need for educational leadership in these schools.

4. Traits of a Virtual School Leader
• Flexible and Adaptable
• Instructional Leadership Skills
• Technology Savvy
• Communicates and Collaborates
• Ability to Build Relationships
• Can Wear Many Hats

5. Flexible and Adaptable
• A leader of a virtual school must be able to adapt to the changing needs of
virtual schools and does not shy away from change. Virtual schools are
constantly changing which requires flexibility.

6. Instructional Leadership Skills
• Having a strong understanding of curriculum, standards, and instruction
with the ability to incorporate these skills into an online setting is essential to
a leader of a virtual school.

7. Technology Savvy
• The leader of a virtual school must have a good understanding technology in
order to perform job responsibilities efficiently and effectively.

8. Communicates and Collaborates
• It is essential that a virtual school leader can effectively communicate
through written communication because most communication is done
electronically. They must also be able to initiate collaboration among all staff
through online resources.

9. Ability to Build Relationships
• The virtual school leader must be able to build relationships with staff to
empower them to build relationships with their students.

10. Can Wear Many Hats
• Many virtual school leaders have responsibilities that a typical brick-and-
mortar principal does not. This requires the leader of the virtual school to
wear many hats and the ability to take on new roles.

12. Virtual School Leader
• A person who has these qualities has the potential to be a highly successful
leader of a virtual school.