In this article, we analyze what it means to be the principal of a dance education institution. The data were obtained from principals of Finnish dance education institutions before the COVID-19 outbreak and during the pandemic in 2019 and 2020: 30 principals participated in a survey, six principals in a focus group interview, and 19 principals…

On March 11, 2020, The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 pandemic status (WHO, 2020). There is no doubt that teachers endured higher stress levels because of new expectations and anxiety. In the face of myriad challenges, teachers did their best but needed acknowledgment of that fact from their principals. Did teachers trust…

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of female elementary school principals as they navigate workplace stress and personal well-being. Work intensification and subsequent stressors for school principals are not a recent phenomenon; however, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on…

Principals play a critical role in improving schools, but high rates of principal turnover threaten improvement gains. In this study we used a mixed-methods design to examine school, district, and community factors associated with greater principal turnover, and explore how these factors differ for rural schools. We found that rural districts tend…

This mixed-method study explored whether school staff (teachers, principals, vice-principals, paraprofessionals, school counselors, and school social workers) experienced any challenges while working in a school setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from an online survey instrument and…

Purpose: Work-related stress is a significant occupational health issue. Stress cannot be viewed separately from the perceptual or interpretive act by the individual. Self-efficacy is a personal characteristic that explains a high proportion of variation in the performance of school principals. Design/methodology/approach: The current study…

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, principals have taken on increased responsibilities. Principals who are thriving are praised for their resilience while those who are struggling are inundated with calls to build their resilience. In this conceptual article, we problematize the overemphasis on individual responsibility that is implicit in…

Shortages of school counselors and other school mental health providers have presented ongoing concerns about meeting the mental health needs of students before, during, and following the COVID-19 global pandemic. During school closure due to COVID-19, school mental health professionals faced a variety of new challenges and stressors, presenting…

Principals play an integral role in promoting the overall success of a school. Principal turnover is an increasing problem across the United States, which has created a principal shortage. Turnover of effective school principals can disrupt school progress and have an undesirable impact on rates of teacher retention and student achievement. The…

It is well established that principal turnover is of grave concern in the U.S. (Goldring & Taie, 2018; Levin et al., 2020) and may have been exacerbated due to the pandemic (Steiner et al., 2022). This transcendental phenomenological study explored the experience of women principals at P-12 schools in the U.S. who voluntarily left their roles…

The rate of principal turnover has been a concern in the United States since the 1980's (Wilson & Heim, 1984). The COVID-19 pandemic drastically impacted the role of the principal. The 2021 National Principal Survey revealed that 38% of current principals will likely quit the profession by 2025 (NASSP, 2021). The concern of an upheaval of…

Diminished self-care practices and heightened stress of school counselors are continuing problems in education. With role ambiguity, high student-to-counselor ratios, emotional exhaustion, and other factors adding pressure to the roles and responsibilities of school counselors, this study investigated the well-being practiced of Missouri school…

The role of school leader is increasingly complex, and the impact of the pandemic made these jobs almost impossible at times. Principal burnout is often high, and morale is often low. Retaining and supporting strong principals, who have a measurable impact on the success of their students, is a priority for the field. This case study describes how…

Background/purpose: The rapid transition to virtual teaching (VT) due to COVID-19-related school closures posed challenges to teachers in regard to upholding the standards of their profession. Perceived transformational leadership of virtual teaching (perceived TL-VT) may have had a protective role in difficult circumstances. Hence, this research…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to gain an understanding of the personal and occupational stressors experienced by public school administrators, the self-care practices that are available through school district employment, and the utilized self-care practices to address those stressors. This study further investigated the differences…