headmaster
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headmaster
A male person who runs a school and is responsible for its organization, administration, and educational direction.
Der Schulleiter begrüßte die neuen Schülerinnen und Schüler in der Aula.
The headmaster welcomed the new students in the assembly hall.
This word is made up of 'die Schule' (the school) and 'der Leiter' (the leader/head). A 'Leiter' is a person who leads or manages something. So a Schulleiter is literally the person who runs a school.
Der neue Schulleiter hat viele moderne Ideen für unsere Schule.
The new headmaster has many modern ideas for our school.
The word 'Leiter' (leader/head) belongs to the word family of the verb 'leiten' (to lead/manage). Other related words are 'die Leitung' (the management/leadership) or 'die Abteilungsleiterin' (the female head of department).
Wer leitet dieses Projekt?
Who is leading this project?
A headmaster often performs certain actions. Typical verbs are: to give a speech, to make a decision, to inform the parents, or to speak with the teachers.
Der Schulleiter wird bei der Abschlussfeier eine Rede halten.
The headmaster will give a speech at the graduation ceremony.
director / principal
'Direktor' and 'Schulleiter' can both mean the person who runs a school. In this school context, they are very similar. 'Schulleiter' is especially clear because it immediately shows that the context is a school. 'Direktor' can also be used for a school, but it can also refer to other institutions. If the context is already school-related, both words work well. If there could be misunderstandings, 'Schulleiter' is more precise.
Der Schulleiter informiert die Eltern über den neuen Stundenplan.
The headmaster informs the parents about the new timetable.
Nach dem Unfall auf dem Schulhof spricht die Mutter mit dem Direktor.
After the accident in the schoolyard, the mother speaks with the principal.