surveillant général

16:00 Dec 31, 2009 

Thank you all for all of your help and the constructive debate!!
What I'm going to put for my final translation is this: 'The principal, the vice-principal and all the other staff...' That way, I don't have to deal with the idea of a contrast between 'directeur' and 'surveillant général'.
I appreciate all of your contributions - thanks again!

16:32 Dec 30, 2009 

My pleasure :) Hope you will let us know what you ultimately choose.

16:26 Dec 30, 2009 

Thank you, Ann - you provide some great resources!!!

14:31 Dec 30, 2009 

which uses "The local school official in charge of discipline"
http://policy.cps.k12.il.us/documents/705.5.pdf

and from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
"Assistant principals aid the principal in the overall administration of the school. Some assistant principals hold the position for only a few years, during which time they prepare for advancement to principal; others are assistant principals throughout their careers. They are primarily responsible for scheduling student classes and ordering textbooks and supplies. They also coordinate transportation, custodial, cafeteria, and other support services. They usually handle student discipline and attendance problems, social and recreational programs, and matters of health and safety."
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos007.htm

14:24 Dec 30, 2009 

In US schools, there can be different terminology applied in public and private schools.
Private schools often use "headmaster" and "assistant headmaster," while public use "principal" and "vice- or assistant principal."

14:02 Dec 30, 2009 

In the US context a superintendent supervises ALL of the school in a school district (elementary, middle schools and high schools). There is a school superintendant in the Simpsons, he is Bart's principal's "civilian" boss. He is Superintendant Gary Chalmers.

13:11 Dec 30, 2009 

Bonjour Cchat!
To answer your question, I'm trying to make the text 100% understandable to an American audience (at the author's request) so I am changing all terms relating to the French school system to their American equivalents. Not always easy... especially since I'm a Brit!!

11:03 Dec 30, 2009 

Are you trying to make the text sound American, or to maintain the French flavour? For the British context, I would translate it as Head of Discipline, although that rôle doesn't exist in English schools, where there is a prefect system.

08:32 Dec 30, 2009 

Thanks for your ideas so far!
I liked the term 'superintendant', but it now sounds as if 'vice principal' is going to be more accurate... So my new problem is how to translate 'directeur' into US English (I was going to put 'principal', but then the full sentence would start 'from the principal to the vice-principal...' and I'd rather not repeat!!!)
Thanks again!

23:18 Dec 29, 2009 

I think that le surveillant général is now known as the CPE (conseiller principal d'éducation). The function is that of head of discipline and comes third in the hierarchy after proviseur/principal and censeur/principal adjoint. See the article in French here.
http://cpe.paris.iufm.fr/spip.php?article161