Without proper background, education, guidance, and on-the-job training, a principal can create havoc within the school community. To safeguard against this potential problem, during the 1986-87 school year, the Polk County (Florida) Public Schools introduced a "principal intern" program to fully prepare its future school administrators. The programs's primary goal is to train participants in effective leadership and management skills with a support team in place to monitor progress and provide assistance. Elements of the 1-year training include adapting to stressful situations and managing school sites. Each intern is provided a supervisory principal who is held accountable for providing a variety of experiences. The price tag for each participant runs about $1,500 in addition to $30,000 in supplemental salaries for replacements to take over the intern's original responsibilities. The track record shows that the long-term benefits outweigh the initial costs as the program so far has been an overwhelming success. (EJS)