Stop the Burnout: Enhancing Support Practices for Principals

Abstract

Principals are essential for ensuring student success. Effective principals have a significant positive impact on student achievement, teacher effectiveness, a positive school culture and inclusive school climate. Increased demands of the role which include mounting managerial tasks and a lack of systems and centralized support for principals, is decreasing the focus on effective school improvement. Current research reveals an alarming trend regarding the absence of positive principal well-being and support structures. The River District School Board (RDSB; a pseudonym) requires a detailed change process and plan to improve this issue. This Problem of Practice (PoP) and Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) seek to improve centralized supports for principals in order to improve the overall wellness of principals, reduce burnout and mitigate work intensification. A new Principal Well-being Model is proposed that frames the PoP with precision and will act as an overarching theoretical lens. Solutions to this issue are explored utilizing distributive and ethical leadership approaches. The Organizational Congruence Model of Nadler and Tushman (1989) is used to evaluate the change process in order to collaboratively guide principals, central office staff and senior administration in this change for improved principal support practices

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