Your list could include legislators, business leaders, local politicians, sports figures, non-profit association leaders, service club members, journalists, members of the faith community, or the head of your local business partner.

Start Early. Begin with the invitation process at least three months in advance. Community leaders and legislators in particular need this much advance notice. Start with a phone call but follow up with a letter that contains clear objectives and time lines. While a full day would be preferable, including after-school meetings and events, give people half-day options as well. (See Telephone Invitation Talking Points and Letter of Invitation.)

Before you set a date (American Education Week in November may be appropriate), consider the events at your school and what time of year would be best. If you are inviting your U.S. Representative or Senator, make sure he or she will be in the district on your target date. District and local office information of federal legislators can be found on the Federal Legislation Action Center page of NAESP's Web site at http://capwiz.com/naesp/home/; click on the Elected Officials tab to find the information for your state.

Do your research. Learn as much about your guest as possible. Is he or she supportive of education? Has he been involved in schools recently or at all? Does she have children in public schools? For legislators—how have they voted on education issues?

Clarify your goals, the time involved, and your expectations. Be clear about what you expect. Explain that the invitation is being offered "to give you a hands-on perspective on the challenges and successes of our schools today:" the PFAD will shadow the principal for a whole or half day; will visit classrooms; may meet with parents and teachers; and may be asked to give announcements, talk to a class, lead the Pledge of Allegiance, or dismiss school. Issue an invitation to breakfast, lunch, and after-school programs. Ask for a reply by fax. (See Activities for Principal for a Day and Confirmation Fax Form.)

Be specific. In your written invitation include as much information about your school as possible. Be very specific about the school hours, time for the visit, driving or public transportation directions to your school, and parking instructions. (See List of Information about Your School.)

Warn about confidentiality. Make sure the PFAD knows that he or she may not be able to participate in some confidential meetings. However, sometimes parents or teachers will grant permission for the PFAD to participate. These meetings, which often involve problem solving, can be an impressive eye-opener for those not familiar with schools.

Plan the day carefully. Consider reserving a parking space and having a student greet the PFAD. Begin by asking what specifics he or she would like to see: statistics, budgets, and curriculum plans. Let the day unfold naturally, but try to include interaction with students and teachers. Don't shield the PFAD from problems or emergencies either. And, relax and be yourself.

Communicate with staff, students, and parents. Always include parents and staff in the planning of Principal for a Day. They may have excellent suggestions of whom to invite and can help make the day a success. Furthermore, students, staff, and parents should be aware of this visit. Highlighting it before and after in your newsletter or on the Web site is advisable.

Let the media know. Media information is an important part of a PFAD program. If your system has a public information office, ask for help. You should also be sure that media attention is acceptable with your PFAD. Get this information out to your local school reporters and television and radio stations as early as possible. Begin with a phone call and then fax or e-mail a news release with specifics. (See Sample Press Release.)

Be ready for questions. It's not unusual for the PFAD to consider forming a partnership with your school after spending a day there. Take advantage of opportunities to discuss what your school needs and how the PFAD might help.

Consider a follow-up. Once the day is over and the thank you letter has been written, consider asking the PFAD to lunch or dinner to discuss the day's events and get feedback from his or her perspective. (See Thank You Letter and Certificate of Appreciation.)