THE MYTH: Principals have summers off since school is not in session.

THE TRUTH: Just because kids get a summer break doesn’t mean administrators do. In fact, “it’s actually one of our busiest times of the year,” says Christy Kutz, principal at San Carlos Park Elementary School. There’s plenty of hiring and recruiting, academic planning and construction projects to take care of in the off time. “We can’t do things like put on a new roof or replace carpeting when students
are in the building,” she says, “so
 those are all projects that happen over 
summer.

“We work a year-round contract, no different from any other business person,” Kutz
 says. But there is one major change when school’s out, she concedes. “It’s lonely in the building without all the kids. We go from being a very vibrant workplace to a very quiet workplace.”