Secondary schools have largely become bureaucratic centers for the dissemination of facts, rendering the human, individual, personal treatment of its patrons impossible. One school community began addressing its problems by explicitly identifying and addressing three critical symptoms: chronic smoking as well as some use of drugs and alcohol on school property, chronic truancy, and chronic changing of schedules after the school year had begun. Enforcing rules, a new attendance procedure, and eliminating schedule changes all helped improve behavior and school pride. In addition, the school community initiated two steps aimed at addressing underlying problems. It conducted an attitudinal needs assessment and developed a long-range plan for curriculum development and instructional improvement. As a result, the three building administrators were reassigned to share equally in the handling of discipline. In addition, a design was developed to allow teachers to share in the academic counseling of students. These examples show the importance of substantive efforts to resolve problems. Instructional leadership by the principal, alternatives to the lecture method of instruction, and other efforts are needed if quality secondary school programs are to be developed.