The purpose of this study was to assess the roles of school leaders in building school culture inrnprivate secondary schools in Gulele sub city . The study employed a descriptive survey researchrndesign. Among fourteen schools in the sub city, seven schools were selected by simple randomrnsampling technique. Data for the study were collected through questionnaire and FGD.rnQuestionnaires were prepared and administered to 190 teachers and 24 school leaders selectedrnby using availability sampling. The analyses of necessary documents were made in all samplernsecondary schools. The data collected were analyzed by using percentages and mean values. Therndata gathered through open ended questions and FGD were analyzed through narration for thernpurpose of triangulation. Finally, the study reveals that the school principals were challengedrnby: lack of reaching consensus on individual and group values, the problem of changing thernbeliefs and practices of teachers, the absence of common school vision, absence of sharedrnparticipation in socialization and ineffective academic orientation culture (professionalism)rnwere among the chronic problems of school leaders which inhabited them to play their roles tornbuild school culture. The findings indicated that schools mostly had uncomfortable types ofrnCulture that can be described as an unpredictable tension-filled characteristic. The values ofrninnovation orientation and achievement orientation, effectiveness, commitment and high moralernamong the staff did not practice well. Based on the findings the following recommendations werernmade. The school leaders in collaboration with the Education Bureau provide culturalrnorientation to student, teachers, parents and other concerned bodies during parentsâ€™ day,rngeneral school meetings, and flag ceremonies. They should be better able to develop schedulesrnwith school communities about socialization (staff ceremonies, rites, rituals, parentsâ€™ day) andrnpracticing at least, three times per academic year.